This was one of the tasks we set forth at the beginning of this campaign - to continue the long march of those who came before us , a march for a more just , more equal , more free , more caring and more prosperous America . I chose to run for the presidency at this moment in history because I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together - unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories , but we hold common hopes ; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place , but we all want to move in the same direction - towards a better future for our children and our grandchildren . This belief comes from my unyielding faith in the decency and generosity of the American people . But it also comes from my own American story .