To the Journal editor:

Like most kids I grew up thinking that I was invincible. In kindergarten I wanted to be a Mulan and save China (and also maybe be a mermaid).

In elementary school I wanted to be Kayley from Quest for Camelot and save her home and become a knight. In middle school I wanted to be a supreme court justice and defend people’s rights. In high school I wanted to be lawyer, in college I wanted to be a professor, and now that I’m in a PhD program, I want to educate the public and help fight ignorance.

From mermaid to professor the one constant has been my dad’s unending support: he taught me how to be strong (like Mulan), to be brave (like Kayley), to be fair (like a Supreme Court justice), to speak my mind (like a lawyer), and to think critically (as I am doing in my doctoral program).

His support wasn’t limited to words and promises, though: when I told him I wanted to be like the girl in Quest for Camelot, he took me on an “adventure” around the neighborhood searching for monsters and two-headed dragons. When I told him I wanted to go to graduate school, he helped me research programs, and when I told him that I liked women, he immediately mailed me some rainbow colored accessories and offered to drive down to meet my girlfriend.

Even as a literature doctoral student I am at a loss for the words to articulate the pivotal role my father has played in my life. Being born a woman in this society is no easy task, but my dad taught me my worth and potential very early in life. He showed me how to ignore boys (maybe a little too well…), how to fight for what I believe in, and how to dream big.

Now I am 24, the youngest person in my program at Northern Illinois University and I have a chance to tell you, his potential constituents, how my dad can also support you, listen to you and value your opinions.

My dad is not just a “Republican” or a “politician,” he is an open-minded and understanding human, ready to learn and change, and overflowing with support and love for those around him. I am a living example.

You can be too.