“My heart is full today, full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country, and full of resolve,” Kamala Harris said in her speech conceding to President-elect Donald Trump. “The outcome of this election was not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say: the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”
Make no mistake: Harris didn’t win, but she ran a flawless campaign despite all the odds stacked against her. In four short months, she broke fundraising records, breathed new life into a fractured and lethargic Democratic Party, and frankly had merch that could rival the Eras tour. It was an uphill battle to fight, considering Harris had mere months to run her campaign after President Biden dropped out of the race in July, but she did not just fall out of a coconut tree. Harris was prepared, she was qualified, and she gave us hope.
Though she will not be our first female president, Harris does have many other historic firsts to her name including being the first woman of color at the top of a major party ticket as well as the first woman, the first Black person, and the first person of Indian descent to hold the office of Vice President.
In her speech, Harris said she feels gratitude for our trust in her. The feeling is mutual, at least among the Glamour staff in the hours following election night. Below, a few words of thanks.