Michelle Obama’s willingness to say what we're all thinking has offered an antidote not only to pre-election ignorance, but to the current state of the world. It is a powerful thing to acknowledge the fear, anger, and disappointment that stem from a leader who capitalizes and thrives on those very emotions. And it is even more powerful to offer solutions while doing so. It is powerful to hear her tell us not to sink to the level of bottom-feeders and to insist they do better. It is powerful to hear her encourage participation in civil liberties. It is powerful to hear her remind us that fighting is never over — even if it’s in the form of living life, business as usual (like showing up to the Kennedy Center Honors or booking an interview with Oprah). It is powerful to hear her remind us not to give up; it is powerful to know that she believes there is hope. FLOTUS’ impact goes beyond the importance of her reputation as a public figure unwilling to put up with nonsense — a tendency that’s especially telling when you remember her life wasn’t exactly spent aspiring to be first lady . But her words and calls to action have also worked to obliterate the ideals that Trump and the GOP have about women. Specifically, the notions that women should be less than, that they should be demure, and that they should be quiet. (Or worse, that they should be owned.) Instead, Michelle Obama has reinforced just how loud women need to be, how we need to be forceful in our convictions, and how we all must seize a small part of the political landscape and steer it the best way we can —whether through our words, our time, or even our donations . And all the while, she reminded us that we’re not alone in our anxieties and sadness and fear. She reminded us that feeling those things don’t make us weak, they make us better equipped to connect with people.