As President Obama and Michelle Obama prepare to leave the White House, the deepest imprint that they have made in my mind is that the President and First Lady are also ordinary people like me. They have made the first family seem more approachable and down-to-earth – people I can relate to, rather than put up on a pedestal. While this may seem normal now, this has only been made possible by their words and actions, spoken and done through the last 8 years. 

Today, we take a lot of things for granted – that women have voting rights, that a gay woman can host a popular talk show, even that we have electricity. As time passes, it is easy to forget the innumerable struggles that many before us went through, so that we may enjoy these privileges today. As we embark on our own journeys to achieve more progress, it is important we remember our legacy, how we reached here, that we truly do stand on the shoulders of giants.