In South Carolina – in America – it takes a generation to go from having a grandfather who is picking cotton, to a grandson in Congress. We are thankful for those trailblazers who came before us and said the status quo was not enough…Our values and our issues are central. The most important things we have to offer are on the inside. This is the testament to progress made.

Black coaches are being held to a higher standard, now is the time for the NFL to step up and make a change.

The hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic Congress that I so deeply respect.

I am here today because I believe Facebook’s products harm children, stoke division, and weaken our democracy.

To say you have no choice is to relieve yourself of responsibility.

“Discrimination is not done by villains. It’s done by us.”

Human rights require a dedication to equality at every intersection of life.

Being exceptional isn’t revolutionary, it’s lonely. It separates you from your community. Who are you, really, without community? I have been held up consistently as a token, as the “right” kind of trans woman (educated, able-bodied, attractive, articulate, heteronormative). It promotes the delusion that because I “made it,” that level of success is easily accessible to all young trans women. Let’s be clear: It is not.

Voting whether or not to remove a sitting President has been a truly difficult decision, and after listening to the arguments presented by both sides, I have reached my conclusion reluctantly. For the reasons above I must vote yes on the articles of impeachment. I take no pleasure in these votes, and am saddened this is the legacy we leave our children and grandchildren. I have always wanted this President, and every President to succeed, but I deeply love our country and must do what I think is best for the nation.