Probably not. And, graduates, that is how you will carry on the proud legacy of this great institution for generations to come. Former First Lady Michelle Obama, YouTube's Dear Class of 2020 --"Deep and . There were the so-called scientific studies that said that black mens brains were smaller than white mens. (Applause.) (Applause. They had every material possession a college kid could want - cars, computers, spending money. You see, those Airmen always understood that they had a double duty -- one to their country and another to all the black folks who were counting on them to pave the way forward. And if you rise above the noise and the pressures that surround you, if you stay true to who you are and where you come from, if you have faith in Gods plan for you, then you will keep fulfilling your duty to people all across this country. A lot of us are reckoning with the most basic essence of who we are. (Applause. It teaches us that when we pull ourselves out of those lowest emotional depths, and we channel our frustrations into studying and organizing and banding together -- then we can build ourselves and our communities up. I've been watching! But its no coincidence that were both urging you to get involved in civic life. And its the story of my family, too. So I just want to take it all in. How do you want to give back? Making her debut as a commencement speaker before a crowd of 12,000 on Saturday, FIrst Lady Michelle Obama praised graduates at the University of California, Merced, the state's smallest, youngest public university. As many of you know, I grew up in a working class family in Chicago. I am proud to have this degree -- very proud. But if you hold strong with the same faith that carried all of those giants before you toward real measurable progress, you will change the course of history. I celebrated military kids with Kermit the Frog. Transcripts & captions for a better media workflow. They even threw prayer books at her as she tried to speak. So its up to you to speak up when you or someone, you know isnt being heard, its up to you to speak out against cruelty, dishonesty, bigotry, all of it. Let me just say a few thank yous. (Applause.) The founders of this school didnt just decide to admit women and African American students and then pat themselves on the back and say job well done. No, even in those early days, folks here at Oberlin were attending anti-slavery meetings, shivering on rough wooden benches in unheated, unfinished buildings. 19). He kept fulfilling his double duty long after he hung up his uniform. And when he was up in the sky, Charles sometimes looked down to see black folks out in the cotton fields not far from here -- the same fields where decades before, their ancestors as slaves. Get in there. We can take on those deep-rooted problems, and together -- together -- we can overcome anything that stands in our way. How are you all doing? Thank you for allowing me to share this final commencement with you. But heres the thing -- our history provides us with a better story, a better blueprint for how we can win. Thats whats always happened here at Tuskegee. In her last commencement speech as first lady, at City College of New York in 2016, Obama said, "Our greatness has never, ever come from sitting back . So get out there and volunteer on campaigns, and then hold the folks you elect accountable. Well done! Its the story of the son of Polish immigrants named Jonas Salk who toiled for years in a lab until he discovered a vaccine that saved countless lives. You have exceptional musical talent and intellectual enthusiasm.We have a place just for you. Build with the best speech-to-text APIs around. See, all of you know, for centuries, this city has been the gateway to America for so many striving, hope-filled immigrants -- folks who left behind everything they knew to seek out this land of opportunity that they dreamed of. It can feel isolating. And I know that these days, that can seem counterintuitive, because we live in such an instantaneous age. Graduates, its all important and we need every bit of it. Would I be more like Laura Bush, or Hillary Clinton, or Nancy Reagan? But when anger is focused, when its channeled into something more, oh, that is the stuff that changes history. (Applause.) The tough part is nobody has all the answers. Do you know how to request a mail in ballot? (Applause.) (Laughter.) Read Obama's inspiring commencement address to 2020's high school graduates. Thank you so much. Look, Ive been there many times in my life. What happens at every school board meeting, every legislative sessionthat is your concern. And finally, most of all, I want to congratulate the Oberlin Class of 2015! Dont be afraid. STUDENT: We love you so much, Michelle! Barack Obama gave a speech in a HBCU virtual commencement, in which he criticized US leadership. Surely their kids could go to school together. Its the news, without the news. And the first thing we have to do is vote. First of all, it is beyond a pleasure and an honor to be here to celebrate the City College of New York Class of 2016! But remember that one rule is keep mom happy. (Laughter.) So Id say that debate was pretty polarized, wouldnt you? (Applause.). I believe in you all. As he mentioned, my office did this wonderful competition to highlight colleges that are helping underserved young people graduate from high school and then go on to higher education. And I'm so glad to be here. What ideas are we missing? Read the full transcript of her speech here. This is it. Its up to you to march hand in hand with your allies to stand peacefully with dignity and purpose on the front lines, in the fight for justice. (Applause.) (Applause.). And if you think todays gridlock is bad, let me remind you that it was a good century between the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and the passage of the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. But when some of them got their first bad grade, they just fell apart. Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama gave a virtual video speech on July 13 to the 2020 Girl Up Leadership Summit attendees. Beyonc Commencement Speech | Dear Class Of 2020 Beyonc 25.6M subscribers Subscribe 90K 1.2M views 2 years ago Dear Class of 2020 is a virtual commencement celebration bringing together. He said that a takeoff was -- in his words -- a never-failing miracle where all the bumps would smooth off [youre] in the air out of this world free.. First lady Michelle Obama delivers. The obligation to use the opportunities youve had to help others. You can learn them together as a cohort of young people ready to take on the world, no matter how tumultuous it may be. You will feel the bumps smooth off. Shake things up. Michelle Obama Video screenshot Democratic leaders such as Michelle. No, you dont get to be precious or cautious or cynical. If we dislike someones Facebook post, we just un-follow them, we un-friend them. Yes, amen. Now whats happening right now is the direct result of decades of unaddressed, prejudice, and inequality. Some of you have risked the rejection of your families to pursue your education. ), And all of that is going to be a heavy burden to carry. (Applause.) (Applause.) Public education is our greatest pathway to opportunity in America. Read the full text of Michelle Obama's address to the class of 2020. Think about those students who made bricks with their bare hands. He kept lifting other folks up through education. Not when too many young people still languish in communities ripped apart by violence and despair. No, really, who am I? You rob yourself of the things that matter most. So what does that mean for your time? But eventually, I realized that if I wanted to keep my sanity and not let others define me, there was only one thing I could do, and that was to have faith in Gods plan for me. (Applause.). First Lady Michelle Obama addresses the class of 2015. Because talent and effort combined with our various backgrounds and life experiences has always been the lifeblood of our singular American genius. They did it so that others could follow them and learn on this campus, too. And please, please, always, always do your part to help others do the same. They didnt just give up and retreat to the comfortable company of like-minded folks, because they understood that this is how democracy operates. Studying late into the night, early in the morning; on subways and buses, and in those few precious minutes during breaks at work. They got fluent in the language of power. Just the opposite, because what we finally do have is focus. But I also worked to ensure that my efforts would resonate with kids and families -- and that meant doing things in a creative and unconventional way. You will follow alums like many of your parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles -- leaders like Robert Robinson Taylor, a groundbreaking architect and administrator here who was recently honored on a postage stamp. The first is this life will always be uncertain. Let me just take it in. Thank you all. Or when they helped you with a question that you couldnt have possibly answered on your own. Now, I dont know whether your President knows what I was going to say today, but I know that he had some kind words for you all about this issue. You speak more than 100 different languages -- whoa, just stop there. (Applause.) Because right now, all that superficial stuff of titles and positions, all of that has been stripped away. Michelle Obama: (11:00) (Video . Michelle Obama: (14:05) I cant wait to see how high you soar. Epic increases in college financial aid. And let me tell you, you should feel so proud of making it to this day. (Applause.) And Im so proud of you both -- and to your families, congratulations. You dont get to have no hands. Enjoy the liberties that you have in this great country. Well, let me just tell you, it is beyond a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you today. Okay, youre bright. Section 107, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. City College of New York (June 3, 2016) In her final commencement address as first lady, Michelle Obama spoke to the City College of New York's graduates about how differences make us. 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