Eleanor Roosevelt has been a figurehead of human rights, for following your dreams, and for trying even when the going gets tough. So I chose her quote “You must do the things you cannot do.”

In a world where there are countless groups of peoples that are being held back and constrained by those with power above them, it is imperative for the oppressed to work their way out of oppression. The African American civil rights movement would have never come so soon if it lacked people who fought to push the envelope. Without the protests, sit-ins, leaders of community, and pursuers of equality it would not have come near as hard or fast. 

Likewise it is important in our time that those under the pressure of gender inequality pursue the goals and dreams they are being held back from. Every milestone a woman reaches, every barrier she can break through is making it a better world for all the women and girls that will come after her. This spirit of progression is what brings the struggles of the oppressed to the forefront of society, and, when followed through, it is what will break down that oppression until there is nothing left. “You must do the things you cannot” is a call to action of the oppressed to not only make their lives more fulfilling and successful, but also to provide the stepping stones with which future generations may reach even greater heights. When you don’t have the glass escalator on your side, you must climb a faster and harder than those around you to reach the same height. As a supporter of feminism and gender equality I do everything in my power to raise others up, but it always takes the initiative, drive, and determination of those who rise up to the challenge in order for it to make a difference in the world, our society, or even just one person’s life.