Tara - Mineola

I had the privilege of meeting Hillary Clinton on several occasions when I was a local reporter in 2001 and 2002. From her time as a First Lady, when I was a teenager, she was a role model to me. She reminded me of my mother – a woman not afraid to go beyond stereotypes and traditional expectations; a woman determined to make her mark on the world. I was honored each time I met Hillary Clinton, and those moments will always be cherished lifetime experiences.

Her candidacy for President and the ensuing campaign empowered me as a woman. Although I am part of a generation that has experienced greater recognition of women’s capabilities and achievements, I knew we still had a ways to go. Hillary Clinton’s run for President marked a turning point. That momentum, that impact, that shattering of the glass ceiling – we can now only keep pushing forward.

The stories from those months of campaigning will be told over and over again to my children and grandchildren. I will never forget pacing my living room floor waiting for primary results; my mother and I shouting, clapping and chanting “Go, Hillary!” whenever a primary was won; the constant persuasive arguments with friends and families of why they must pick Hillary Clinton not solely because she is a woman but because of her intelligence, competence and fortitude; and then the tears when the campaign for President came to an end.

Hillary Clinton has ushered in a new age for women, in particular for those of the youngest generation. “When I grow up, I want to be…” is a statement now with countless tangible possibilities, not the least of which is President.

Although I miss Hillary Clinton as my state Senator who fought for all New Yorkers, I am extremely proud to now call her my Secretary of State. I know she will impact the world and leave a lasting legacy.

Thank you, Hillary Clinton. You are, and always will be, inspirational. I am so grateful to serve as a witness to this ‘living history.’