Today we, the presidents of College Democrats, are about to participate in our very first presidential election. And who are our choices? Hillary Clinton is a woman whose achievements and work ethic continue to inspire us. In 1995, she proclaimed that “Women’s Rights are Human Rights,” a statement that shook the world. Donald Trump is a man whose divisive rhetoric and calls to “Make America Great Again” strive to take us back to an America that was great for few at the exclusion of many. We think the choice on the ballot today is clearer than ever.

Clinton’s 40 years as a public servant are indelible proof of the ability, qualification and merit that will help her close the gap between the achievable and the impossible. In her time at the Children’s Defense Fund, term as First Lady and time in the Senate, Hillary has proved her enduring commitment to helping the underrepresented.

When she did not secure the Democratic nomination for President in 2008, she worked with President Obama closely as Secretary of State. Hillary was instrumental in reestablishing the credibility of the United States overseas after the Bush era, she made climate change a large part of her agenda and her role in the Iran Deal proves her extensive understanding of foreign policy. Trump doesn’t seem to understand why we can’t just nuke the world.

Hillary is a woman who, above all else, does not give up. She continues her lifelong fight for the American people. This is not to say that she is faultless. Throughout her 40 years of experience, there are bound to be places where she has gone wrong and made mistakes. She has spent her career trying to be the best public servant that she can be, adapting to the changing needs of the party and the nation.

There is no better testament to Hillary’s responsiveness than the results of the Democratic primary. The primary elections were highly contentious; their purpose is not just to select the best candidate, but also to cultivate the best nominee. Bernie Sanders inspired thousands with his vision –– affordable univeristy for all, incarceration reformation –– and Hillary does not take this for granted. She incorporated many of Sanders’ ideas and used them to create the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic party. The primary process has been incredibly successful for the Democratic Party in proving to be a true contest of ideas. And the Republicans? Well, they ended up with Trump.

At this point, you, know the stakes of this election. It is the Republican Party that validates Trump’s divisive and dangerous rhetoric by allowing him to serve as their nominee. Trump represents a new faction of vocal Americans who we cannot allow to become the loudest; Republicans must speak up and demand that their party do better. If Jill Stein or Gary Johnson represents your beliefs, then use your vote to make those beliefs heard. But consider what may be at stake for those around you. The truth is, when Clinton enters the Oval Office, she won’t care if you voted for her. She’ll represent each and every one of you to the best of her ability.

To write this column, we pored over Hillary’s past, applauded her resilience and reminisced about our favorite pantsuits. We sometimes forget that we’ve grown up watching Clinton, at times taking her achievement for granted, seeing her grace under pressure as a given.

Yet somehow, she still inspires us.

In her 1969 commencement speech at Wellesley College she said, “Fear is always with us but we just don’t have time for it. Not now.”

Her words could not be more true today; we don’t have time for fear. We have to look ahead because America’s “greatest” years are still ahead of us. Today, vote for the candidate you believe will take us into the future. We think that candidate is Clinton. We hope you think so, too.

Samantha Rose is a Communication senior. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Sydney Selix is a SESP senior. She can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.