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Hillary Clinton Writes Moving Letter to Girl

From Cosmopolitan

Earlier this year, Jennifer Rosen Heinz's seven-year-old daughter Lily made a declaration at the dinner table: She wanted to change her name to Lillary so she could be a "girl president."

Rosen Heinz, who does business development for BRAVA magazine and is a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, was so moved by her daughter's statement that she submitted the comment to Hillary Clinton's website. She didn't respect a response, but she thought some people working on the campaign might get a kick out of her daughter's words.

However, on Thursday, Rosen Heinz was checking her mail and found an envelope addressed to Lily from Hillary Clinton.

"I picked [the letter] up and thought, 'hmmm that's funny,'" she told Cosmopolitan.com. "I was assuming as I brought it in that it was maybe a form letter, or, god forbid, a fundraising letter, addressed to my 7-year-old. I held the envelope up to the light. I decided to open it because I didn't want to build this letter up and then have Lilly open it and be disappointed."

Well, Rosen Heinz shouldn't have been worried, because in the envelope was a personal letter from Hillary Clinton to Lily.

In it, the Democratic presidential candidate wrote, "I received a terrific message from your mom, and was touched to learn that you want to change your name to 'Lillary' so that you can be president when you grow up. I think Lilly is a great name -- and I hope you know that you don't have to change it to become president; if you dream big, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in, there's no limit to what you can achieve."

Rosen Heinz says she was deeply moved by the gesture and the contents of the letter.

"[Hillary Clinton] spoke to [my daughter] in a way that only someone who really knows how kids think could do. She said she was flattered, but that Lilly didn't have to change her name, or change anything to do what she wants to do, and to be who she wants to be," She told Cosmopolitan.com

But it's her daughter Lily's reaction that touched her most.

Rosen Heinz told me that Lily's mouth dropped open when she saw the letter from Clinton.

"I handed her the letter and she read it out loud to us. Not to brag (because it's all HER), Lilly's a very thoughtful, expressive reader. She was quiet at parts, and then at other parts she smiled ear to ear (she has only one front tooth at the moment, so it was acutely adorable). She especially loved the part about carving out your own space... and she read the end of the letter as almost a cheer!"

Rosen Heinz told Cosmopolitan.com that she learned something from Hillary's letter, too. "Even though I get that kids have role models, this really brought it home to me," she said. "Because Hillary can be president, little girls not only know it as a hypothetical. It's real."

And if you're curious how Hillary Clinton's Republican opponent treats girls and women, look no further than this ad.

You can read Hillary Clinton's entire response to Lily below:

Dear Lilly:
I received a terrific message from your mom, and was touched to learn that you want to change your name to "Lillary" so that you can be president when you grow up. I think Lilly is a great name -- and I hope you know that you don't have to change it to become president; if you dream big, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in, there's no limit to what you can achieve.

I know that it may seem like a lot now, but as you grow and learn and search for your own place in the world, I hope you'll consider how you can make your voice heard. Speak your mind in your classes, and at meetings once you have a job. Proudly take credit for your ideas. Have confidence in the value of your contributions. And if the space you're in doesn't have room for your voice, don't be afraid to carve out a space of your own. Don't be discouraged. Don't give in. Don't give up. Don't quit -- on yourself, on your dreams, on your future. You really can be anything you want to be. I may become the first woman president, but you, Lilly, could be next.

With warm wishes, I am

Sincerely yours,
Hillary Clinton

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