Have we forgotten we are part of history?

I can still recall when Barack Obama won the presidency. I could never have imagined that an African American could become president. Even though at the time I did not immediately see the effect it would have on my life, I knew with absolute certainty, I was living through history. When Pete Seeger sang “The Land Is Your Land” at Obama’s inaugural, it seemed as though we as a people had achieved what so many years ago had seemed virtually impossible, equality.

That is how many women of feel today. Hillary Clinton is the democratic nominee for the presidency, and it’s hard to imagine her losing the election to the insensitive, egotistical Donald Trump.

Following the last two presidential debates, her path to the presidency seems ever-more certain. The possibility of the first female president is sinking in. Although some may not be enthusiastic about Clinton being the vessel for this achievement, it is none-the-less an extraordinary one.

Clinton’s bid for president is every bit as historic as Obama’s. And to simply say she would be the first female commander-in-chief is almost too shallow. Should she take home the victory in November, she’ll have overcome a political process that, until Obama, kept everyone but white men from the presidency for the last 220-plus years.

Hillary Clinton grew from a nonchalant Republican to a Democratic who devotes herself to advocating for women and children. She’s suffered much ridicule, not to mention the incredible amount of embarrassment her husband created by betraying her over and over again, like many women in today’s society. But she didn’t give up. She saw an opportunity instead, understanding that Bill Clinton was not just her husband; he was a popular president whose political capital would help shape the rest of her life.

So she continued on, working hard to improve the lives of families in the United States. People didn’t always like her. A strong woman, a feminist, who stood by her husband through scandal? It seemed too good to be true. But it was also smart and led to her career as a senator, and then to the president’s cabinet as secretary of state.

If you consider her vast experience—as first lady, senator and secretary of state—she is undoubtedly qualified to become president. From her expansive travels, she knows dozens of leaders around the world and understands the world of the Oval Office. The truth is, she is the most qualified individual—not just woman—to be president.

Many Americans will tell you that they support the idea of a woman president, just not this woman.

But if not this woman, which woman, and how long are they willing to wait?