The last few days have been very rough for a lot of Americans. College campuses across the country are looking dismal, and many are erupting with protests. Social media users are replacing their profile photos with black squares. People are generally exhausted, frustrated, and fearful. In light of all this, it is important to look to all the progressive victories that were made in state and local elections on Tuesday. While it may not feel like a time for celebration, we can't let these great strides go unnoticed.

1. Marijuana was legalized for recreational use in California, Massachusetts, and Nevada.

2. Catherine Cortez Masto became the first Latina to join the Senate.

3. Kamala Harris, California's first female Attorney General, became the first Indian American and the second black woman ever to be elected to the Senate.

4. Tammy Duckworth, a Purple Heart recipient and the first disabled female veteran elected to the House, joined the Senate.

5. Ilhan Omar, a Muslim and former refugee, became the first Somali-American U.S. lawmaker after being voted into the House by eighty percent of her home district.

6. Oregon elected the country's first openly LGBT governor: Kate Brown.

7. California, Nevada, and Washington voted for increased gun control.

8. Arizona voted racist criminal Sheriff Joe Arpaio out of office.