Hillary Clinton Delivers First Speech Since Conceding Election to Donald Trump

In her first public appearance since addressing the nation last week following her electoral college loss to president-elect Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton delivered a speech on Wednesday night at the Children's Defense Fund's annual gala. In her speech, Clinton acknowledged how upset she has been since losing the election but also urged the audience to "never, ever give up."

The gala was, in many ways, the most fitting place for Clinton to reemerge since losing the election, as the Children's Defense Fund is the organization where she started her legal career after graduating from Yale Law School in the 70's. Clinton started her speech by noting how difficult it was to get going again after the election. "I will admit, coming here tonight wasn't the easiest thing for me," she said. "There have been a few times this past week where all I wanted to do was curl up with a good book and our dogs and never leave the house again."

Clinton also acknowledged how difficult the last week has been for many people across the country. "I know this isn't easy. I know that over the past week a lot of people have asked themselves whether America is the country we thought it was," she told the gala crowd. "But please listen to me when I say this: America is worth it, our children are worth it."

Never mentioning Trump by name in her speech, Clinton instead referred mostly to the need to work to make the country into one that is "hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted." You can watch a portion of Clinton's speech in the video above.