Testimonials—Inspiring Success

These very meaningful words said by Women's Rights Activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton popped into my memory a few minutes ago after watching Hillary Clinton's speech. These are words Elizabeth spoke,

"I urge the young women especially to prepare themselves to take up the work so soon to fall from our hands. You have had opportunities for education such as we had not. You hold today the change-ground we have won by argument. Show now your gratitude to us by making the uttermost of yourselves and, by your earnest, exalted lives secure to those who come after you a higher outlook . . . a larger freedom."

After speaking with many of my Women TIES members this morning upset by the 2016 Presidential Election results, answering emails, posting inspirational words, and answering questions from my sons who don't understand what went wrong with the vote, I turned on Hillary's speech. I knew what my reaction would be since I watched her "Glass Ceiling" speech in 2008 when I supported her run for President. The only thought that struck me was the fact that a woman holds the female qualities of warmness, empathy, and love, that could make America "great".

Women can make others feel better about themselves. It is a reason I have led the charge of supporting women entrepreneurs and uniting them across New York State for 29 years. Women love supporting women. I think that is what is so shocking about the results today, not enough women believed in supporting another female. We know each other. We get who women are. We should have trusted that a "female-led" world could calm the anxiety of today's problems. A motherly approach to dealing with tough times is an asset not a detriment to society.

I have pledged a stronger more feminist approach to my work starting today. No longer will I keep my strong beliefs and support for all things women silent or small. It is time to live up to the work our foremothers started and for women to lift women in all aspects of life. Today is the perfect day to begin a new legacy.

— Tracy Chamberlain Higginbotham