Your very first cabinet pick, the First Lady, was perfect.

Dear President-Elect Obama, I have a confession to make. I’m 22; I should have been part of the legions of young people who organized themselves and their communities for you over the last two years. But I wasn’t. I chose to work on local campaigns instead of yours. When friends extolled your superhuman virtues and repeated your mantra of dreams, hope, and chance ad nauseam, I pointed out your flaws and inconsistencies. I voted for Hillary in the primaries and, much to the surprise of peers who changed ‘camps’ as the nomination process wore on, I’m not embarrassed to admit that I’m still a little disappointed that we didn’t elect her on November 4th. And you know what? None of that matters. Underneath all of the labels—Democrat, black, Muslim, young, inexperienced—you are exactly what we need right now: a leader whose hopes and ideals line up with those held by the majority of our country. We want a clean and protected environment, excellent public education, affordable healthcare, and good relations with foreign nations. We want a strong economy, more jobs, and the end of trickle-down economic policies. We want a government that uses the Oval Office for policy instead of prayer. And, we believe, so do you. So, ultimately, it doesn’t matter if I voted for you in the beginning. I voted for you in the end. I screamed your name at the DNC and I cried in the crowded, ecstatic streets of my city on election night. You will be my president. I believe in you. Don’t screw it up. With respect and admiration, C.L. PS. Your very first cabinet pick, the First Lady, was perfect. I can’t wait to have Michelle in the White House.