Making her first public appearance after her concession speech following her surprise loss a week ago, the Democratic candidate said she had wanted to "curl up with a good book and never leave the house again". "Now I will admit coming here tonight wasn't the easiest thing for me," she said as she was honoured by the Children's Defense Fund. She continued: "I know many of you are deeply disappointed about the results of the election. I am, too, more than I can ever express. "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 continued, "America is still the greatest country in the world. This is still the place where anyone can beat the odds. It's up to each and every one of us to keep working to make America better and stronger and fairer." "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. The divisions laid bare by this election run deep, but please listen to me when I say this. America is worth it. Our children are worth it. Believe in our country, fight for our values and never, ever give up," she added.