This week has been hard.

It has been so devastating to see the hideous heads of racism, misogyny and hatred rear themselves in such a coordinated way. I sense something I have never felt before in my young life. We are in a moment in time for which I have no comparisons to. There are a lot of loud voices right now; voices that are shouting and shouting and never cease their outbursts to just listen for a moment. And it’s scary.

But I want to talk to my girls for a second.

I want to talk to you, girls. To the ones I know and will know and even the ones I may never meet in my life.

Girls, I am so sorry. I am sorry that this past week you saw a narrative in the election play out that is sickeningly familiar. A narrative in which a sexual predator is shielded from repercussions instead of dismissed for his despicable behavior. I am so sorry that you cannot say with certainty that you have never been or will never be sexually assaulted. You are owed safety and autonomy, and yet you do not have it. Instead, you carry mace. You walk in groups. You are shamed into silence or complacency with your own oppression. And I am sorry.

Girls, you are powerful. I hope you know that. I hope you’ve been told that. I cannot stress enough the ability you have within you to rise higher than you ever thought you could, and to take others along with you on that ride. You may not see yourselves in the faces of those who hold power. But I never want you to forget that, how invincible your ideas and strength and ambitions are. There are those who will tell you that you are not powerful, that you belong in the boxes they have set aside for you without even knowing you. Please disregard those boxes. Please disregard those who will try to put you in them.

Girls, I want to thank you. For having my back so many times without question and with incredible generosity. You have challenged me and consoled me and pushed me to do the things I never thought I could. You have filled my life with good music and fulfilling conversations and the promise of adventure. You have reminded me of the good days to come when tomorrow seemed unbearable. You have strengthened me by holding me accountable to the self I hope to maintain and grow into. You have allowed me to do the same for you in your times of uncertainty.

Girls, it’s okay to be angry. But the anger you might feel in this moment can either fuel you or consume you. Choose to let this anger propel you closer towards the world we could be living in. Let it remind you to continue fighting the good fight, to continue having the hard conversations, and to be the agent of change that your younger self really needed. Let your anger unfurl into a steady determination, a cool confidence that you will be a woman of mass impact in whatever way you choose.

Aspire. Advocate. Empower. Repeat.

–Bridget