Show Up. Dive In. Stay At It.

Back in the day when Fresh Jess was a wee lil blog, one Barack Obama was just embarking on his eight-year journey as President of the United States of America. I gave very few fucks back then and posted a lot about Obama's 2008 race to the White House. The internet was a much nicer and seemingly safer place to do that.

Memories of the hope and excitement that resonated with his campaign are almost parallel with the hope and excitement I had about starting this blog. I remember all the butterflies I got each time I wrote a new post. Each word, each entry was so special to me - much the same way each win, each speech President Obama gave made me feel. 

President Obama's term has not been perfect. For someone who is tasked with leading the free world, that's an impossible expectation to hold him to. His administration and choices may have been frustrating at times, but I never once wavered on his ability to lead. On top of that, his ability to remain graceful, classy, and eloquent in spite of the rampant criticism, vitriol, and slurs towards him and his family is something we all should aspire to emulate. 

Despite all the roadblocks in the way, his administration truly did the most, in making forward progress while making all of us feel like we matter. He ran this place for eight years with no scandals. That is a feat in itself!

I am heartbroken that we are in our last few days of having the Obamas as our beautiful First Family. I am also inspired by President Obama's calls to action in his farewell speech last night. "Show up, dive in, and stay at it."

Now is the time to stand up for what you believe in, and to persist at it. It's going to be a tough four years ahead, but keeping the pressure on the next administration is essential.

Plug your senators' contact info in your phone - here are some good scripts to help you make calls to them. Contact them often, like every time you are compelled to tweet or post about the latest appointment or issue.

Stay informed. I know it's a lot, but don't turn a deaf ear on the issues. I have really liked Sol Villareal's newsletter (currently in beta) called Last Week in Trump. When I'm busy or just can't deal with having bad news constantly in my face, it's a great weekly recap of the main points I've missed.

Thank you for everything, President Obama, the Obama and Biden families, and the entire Obama administration, for your service and hard work. We will do our best not to let you down.