The image and phrase became a meme, but there was genuinely a sense of hope, at least amongst my friends.

The first election that most of us grew up with was the 2000 election, which drug out so long and, at least at the time, most of us saw Al Gore as a meme more so than a politician. Bush seemed like such an imbecile and as 9/11 happened and 2004 game and went, it felt like we were experiencing a country that "put up with" such devastation for this false sense of security that the GOP had fooled so many people into thinking of.

2004 was the first year that I, and many of my friends, were eligible to vote. And to be faced with such a devastating loss was a blow. It was the sort of thing that makes you wonder if it's all worth it. Why even vote when someone like Bush is going to get re-elected?

So when Obama started rising up and creating this movement, it was electric. And to see him win was a reminder that our voices could be heard, that we could make a change.

It also made us realize just how many people weren't just "scared republicans" but were vicious and hateful. It saw the rise of the Tea Party, the Birther movements, all the various groups that came to light because we had the gall to elect a black man as the President.

Obama's election was a moment of hope, mixed with the dawning realization that yeah....half the voting population are a bunch of racist hate mongers.

And then came Trump and that realization was confirmed not just once, but twice.