Lin Lee

Letter to a Younger Self –

Dear Fifteen-year old Susan B Anthony, 

How are you doing on this fine day Susan? I don’t know if I can tell you so much. As telling you about what would happen in the future may disrupt the equilibrium of the universe.  However, just hang on tight. You are probably in your room, doing dishes, learning how to sew a button on, and how to make the perfect sandwich for a man. You are probably being oppressed and being told what is “right” for a woman and what is something a man would do. Oh, I remember how hard my life when I was fifteen. It is always going to be a struggle throughout your childhood, no one supporting you, not even your own mom. It is tough.  But just remember there’s only one way to go, and that is up.

Our journey for the fight for women’s suffrage begins when I meet Elizabeth Cady Stanton. We went to the women’s rights convention to support women’s rights and felt it was not fair that slaves couldn’t get rights and that women couldn’t get any rights. The highest point of my accomplishment was when I got 400,000 signatures to help free the slaves and abolish slavery. The hardest part of being a woman suffragist was the shame I got from my friends. Even my closest friends betrayed me and shamed me for supporting our rights. That was really hard because I really believed that they would support me. I feel that I accomplished my goals really well. You should also be proud of who you are no matter what your friends say. They do not know what they are talking about and we deserve the rights no matter what those men say. Just know no matter what happens, you are doing good work.

Sincerely,

Susan B Anthony from the future

P.S. you are only 15, enjoy your youth and go play with your friends!