Dear John,

Donald Trump has been named president-elect. The future of our rights, our bodily autonomy, and our freedom feels uncertain.

You’re probably feeling a lot of emotions right now—I know I am.

I’m not here to diminish the pain that many of you are holding. I understand the fear many of you are feeling; by his own admission, Donald Trump’s policy agenda will devalue women, LGBTQIA+ people, and gender justice as a whole.

But I also want to remind you of your power—and of our collective power—to challenge and hold accountable those who push dangerous policies and rhetoric.

We know you’re counting on us, and we’re counting on you. Will you donate today to fight against what will be a bigoted, anti-democratic agenda?

Though he may try, make no mistake: our next president is neither a dictator nor a king. As president of the United States, he is still beholden to the people, the Constitution, and the rule of law.

And I also want to remind you that the policies we care about didn’t lose. What happened last night is bigger than any issue. What we are witnessing is the fallout of people in this country allowing hatred, division, fear, racism, and sexism to trick them into believing that holding power is a solo effort. When in fact, we know that power expands when it is shared.

So, will you join us in restoring our country back to its promise for all of us? Here at the National Women’s Law Center, we are ready to use our collective power to leverage each of those checks to push back against a hate-fueled agenda at every turn. We are ready to challenge unconstitutional actions in court and in the court of public opinion. But we need you with us.

From the courts and Congress to the press, the people, businesses, universities, and other institutions, we each have a role we can play to protect those most vulnerable. We can—and must—fight back, no matter how exhausted we feel today.

The National Women’s Law Center will be here, vigilantly defending against attacks on our rights and for opportunities to expand them. We’ll work with state legislators and governors to advance gender justice where we can, hold federal lawmakers accountable if they try to roll back our rights, and seek out cultural moments to highlight the importance of gender justice.

You’ve supported us through some of our hardest moments. Will you support the people’s fight against radical extremism so we can shield the most vulnerable and advance gender justice for all?

I know you may be grieving right now for your vision of this country. A world where women and girls are treated equally; where trans kids are safe, protected, and cherished; where our schools are inclusive learning environments for all children. But as we grieve, we must remember that our work bringing this vision of gender justice to life is ongoing and continues, no matter the results of any one election. Today was neither the end, nor the beginning, of our fight for gender justice.

• Gender justice was on the ballot this election—and our issues won. You can see that in the ballot measures that passed for child care and abortion access.
• President Biden is on track to confirm as many, if not more, judges than Trump did by the end of his term. Who we have in these critical, lifelong positions will be critical to our democracy and the decisions that impact our lives.
• Trump has no mandate from the people to push policies like a national abortion ban, repealing the Affordable Care Act, or weakening Social Security—because on the campaign trail he repeatedly asserted he had no plans to advance these policies.

Most importantly, I want to tell you this: the arc of justice is long. Today is a hard day. We will keep marching on, because we—the people—are the ones with the power to create the world we wish to see.

In solidarity,

Fatima Goss Graves
She/her/hers
President and CEO
National Women's Law Center