President Obama's Letter to the American People Will Send You on a Roller Coaster of Emotions

On Jan. 5, Barack Obama published his final open letter as president and stressed the importance of hope, the very idea that his presidency was founded on.

As part of the White House's series of exit letter from cabinet members, Obama reflected on the past eight years and celebrated his administration's many achievements, including the Affordable Care Act, marriage equality, and the sizable drop in unemployment. He also touched on the nation's more somber moments, like the various mass shootings.

In 2004, Obama was the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention. A senator at the time, his speech largely focused on the notion of one united nation despite the many different backgrounds of its citizens. Now, over a decade later, Obama brings it all back to the same notion.

In the letter, he wrote, "We will have to move forward as we always have — together," adding, "The change we've brought about these past eight years was never about me. It was about you. It is you, the American people, who have made the progress of the last eight years possible. It is you who will make our future progress possible. That, after all, is the story of America — a story of progress."

In that aforementioned speech, Obama also spoke about participating in "politics of hope" and avoiding political apathy. Despite the current uncertain future under the upcoming Donald Trump presidency, Obama maintained that same positive outlook in this letter. "As I prepare to pass the baton and do my part as a private citizen, I'm proud to say that we have laid a new foundation for America. A new future is ours to write," he ended his letter. "I'm as confident as ever that it will be led by the United States of America — and that our best days are still ahead."