My grandma recently forwarded an email to the ladies of my family reminding us to be grateful for the opportunity to vote. I hadn’t realized that American women were granted the right to vote just 90 years ago. After more than 70 years of struggle, and despite vehement opposition by President Woodrow Wilson, American women achieved democratic freedom with the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Hard to believe we needed an amendment to the law of our land just to give us this basic human right!

As a homemade mother, it is my responsibility to teach my daughter about the women who fought for our civil rights. Women like Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Alice Paul, and Lucy Burns jeopardized their lifestyles, reputations, and relationships in their fight for equality. I hope Evelyn speaks up on causes that matter to her, too.

While I believe that the vast majority of politicians are self-serving dirt bags on power trips, I also believe that unless I vote I have no right to expect anything from my government. Voting is perhaps the easiest way to participate in the democratic process.

This morning as we prepared for the day, I explained to Evelyn that before we could go to the park and library we had to vote. She seemed excited and curious with this shift in our routine. She wanted to see and touch the ballot, and she never took her eyes off me as I filled in the blanks and then inserted the ballot. As we left our polling place, Evie looked at me and said, “You voted, Mom.”