Letters to President-elect Obama: Donna Rose

The Advocate, CA, USA
November 19, 2008

Dear Mr. President:

I want to start by congratulating you on this historic achievement.
You have waited a lifetime for this moment in time, but our country

has waited generations. I'm still pinching myself to make sure it's real.

This historic election has meant so many things to so many people.
More than simply a contest of ideology or political doctrine, it has
tested deeply held ideals and has transformed the very fabric of our
country. It has been a contest pitting Hope against Fear, Change
against Status Quo, and Future against Past. After all that has
happened in recent years it has renewed my confidence in the American
People and in the political process in general. More than once, it has
moved me to tears.

I believe to my core in your twin campaign mantras of Hope and Change.
I have pledged to do what I can to help you make your vision of a
country where all are valued, where each of us has opportunity, and
where a renewed vision of America that is committed to integrity and
credibility become reality. You cannot do that by yourself, and I have
dedicated myself to be one of the many faces that represent the
diverse depth and breadth of Americans it will take to achieve it.

I'm confident that it's no secret to you that the hard part starts
now. It's the time when words need to become actions, promises need to
become realities, and the ideal of a better America for all confronts
the harsh practicalities of our day-to-day lives. It's a time when
healing needs to begin and a unified vision of a better America in
which all can contribute takes center stage.

As a transsexual woman and a single parent, I too know what it's like
to overcome hardship. I know what it's like to confront hate and
prejudice and ignorance, just as so many of my brothers and sisters do
each and every day in schools, workplaces, homes, and streets all
across this great country. Our American dream is often simply to live
our lives free from harassment and violence, to get and keep jobs, and
to find peace and happiness as contributing members of our society.
Hope, like courage, is contagious, and your hope has become Hope for
me and for others like me. I have never been more confident that the
world I will leave to my son and to generations of us that follow will
be a better one than when I got here.

In the days and months ahead, please never forget your humble
beginnings or simpler times, because those things will keep things in
perspective. Please remember your promises and call on us to help you
to keep them. Please ensure that those whose voices may not always be
heard have champions and that higher ideals like dignity and integrity
remain cornerstones of your presidency. And please know that we
believe in you and are ready to follow.

Together: Yes. We Can.

Donna Rose
Transgender activist


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