Why I Am Voting For Hillary Clinton

After the last debate, I sat on the floor of my friend’s Williamsburg apartment holding gummy bears in one hand and a pounder of Coke (yes, Coke comes in 16 oz cans) in the other with my jaw on the floor.

With sugar swirling through my system, I sat speechlessly, which is unusual for me — I'm a talker. But, in that moment, I just sat there thinking, “How did we get here?”

That question is moderately macro, which is overwhelming and always make me feel hopeless. During a post-debate roundtable with my friends, we challenged the system and the candidates. 

Could Trump pull off a win? If so, would the people rise to a revolution? 

It’s all so terrifying, and technology only amplifies the fear.

While it brings us together, technology also bombards us with content and inevitably leaves people feeling uninformed and afraid. It's a discouraging consequence, but it's also a reality. While Twitter mobs wage war against political correctness, trolls employ misogyny, racism, and homophobia to bully the vulnerable.

Recently, I got into a discussion with a close friend who implied that with all the nonsense in the world, making a positive difference is nearly impossible. I challenged him (like I'm challenging you) to make a micro change. Even the tiniest actions have outcomes, and like a ripple in a pond, sometimes, those actions make tremendous impacts. 

Today, you can make a ripple that will surely define our country.

In the very early morning of May 9, 2016, my sister gave birth to a baby girl — Eliana. She's my first niece, and I wear my "guncle" badge proudly. I know, like the women who have come before her, she will grow up to be strong and resilient. 

My great-grandmother fled genocide in Armenia. My grandmother was an artist in war-torn Beirut. My mother, who studied at an Ivy League University, immigrated to America and didn't even speak English. And, well, my sister is just the best. 

When I envision the world for Eliana, I imagine my future five-year-old niece looking at portraits of presidents on a bulletin board. Amongst the forty-five men who lead our country, there's a woman, and that woman changed the world. 

I know Eliana will accomplish great things, and if she believes anything is impossible, her potential is limitless, and that's why I am with her.

I am voting for Hillary Clinton because I want Eliana to have:

A president who never makes fun of the disabled.

A president who doesn't rely on violence.

A president who never grabs anyone by the pussy.

A president who values women.

A president who upholds marriage equality.

A president who is fair to the working class. 

A president who builds bridges not walls. 

A president who dedicated her life to service.

A president who believes woman’s rights are human rights.

A president who believes LGBT rights are human rights.

A president who never gives up.

A president who believes in the power of forgiveness.

A president who has a plan for our country.

A president who listens.

A president who gets shit done.

A president who broke the glass ceiling.

There are so many reasons to vote for Hillary Clinton — but I only need one. Her name is Eliana. 

My vote is for her.