And of all the women at the Seneca Falls womens suffrage convention in 1848, just one lived to see women cast their votes. Graduates, that is not who we are. To celebrate the graduates whose final years of school have been upended, former first lady Michelle Obama and former president Barack Obama are taking part in a YouTube special. A woman who is, first and foremost, a mom. But that has only happened because folks like all of you left their comfort zones and made their voices heard. Michelle Obama has addressed millions of young people across America with a moving 2020 graduation commencement speech addressing the Black Lives Matter protests and the impact of the coronavirus . Thank you. Published May 16, 2010 Updated on May 16, 2010 at 1:46 pm. Thank you all. Let's let our graduates rest themselves. (Laughter.) If youre living in a constant state of fear, how much farther behind will you be after months in quarantine and without a job. But heres the thing, while this period is certainly unprecedented, it is not a complete anomaly, simply some random coincidence to be dismissed. But when some of them got their first bad grade, they just fell apart. So by providing tutoring and ACT prep classes, financial aid workshops, and so much more, your Ninde Scholars Program stood out as a shining example of how schools like Oberlin can lift first-generation students into college. I worked with Congress on legislation, gave speeches to CEOs, military generals and Hollywood executives. You all, I mean, this has been the most fun I think Ive had at a commencement ever. I want you to listen to those thoughts. Sometimes its easy to stand with strangers that are protests than it is to challenge someone in your own backyard. Heres the thing, I know you can do it because over these many years, Ive seen exactly who you are. Graduates, its all important and we need every bit of it. A lot of us are reckoning with the most basic essence of who we are. Michelle Obama: (01:41) And even after my father was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and he struggled to walk, relying on crutches just to get himself out of bed each morning, my father hardly ever missed a day of work. And let me tell you, you should feel so proud of making it to this day. The most accurate AI-powered transcription on the market. God bless. Michelle Obama: (08:23) And even here at Oberlin, most of the time youre probably surrounded by folks who share your beliefs. The biomedical science major who was born in Afghanistan and plans to be a doctor, a policy maker and an educator. Traitors to their cause? Because they knew it wasnt enough to welcome women and African American students to Oberlin if they would only graduate in four years to be second-class citizens in their own country. Read the full transcript of her speech here. You got to be at the table. Be great. So dont ever, ever let anyone tell you that youre too angry or that you should keep your mouth shut. So I am here today to talk to you, not as the former first lady, but as a real life person, a mother, a mentor, a citizen concerned about your future and the future of our country. (Applause.). We need you to channel the magic of Tuskegee toward the challenges of today. Those moments when your classmates showed you that your stubborn opinion wasnt all that well-informed -- mmm hmm. Or when they opened your eyes to an injustice you never knew existed. This is an important time of transition in light of the current state of our country. I think we all are. Read the latest blog posts from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Check out the most popular infographics and videos, View the photo of the day and other galleries, Tune in to White House events and statements as they happen, See the lineup of artists and performers at the White House, Eisenhower Executive Office Building Tour. Michelle Obama: (06:00) And many of you know what its like to live not just month to month or day to day, but meal to meal. ), Before I begin, I just want to say that my heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved Eric Marks, Jr. Maybe it feels like youre supposed to go to law school -- but what you really want to do is to teach little kids. (Laughter.) If were only willing to do whats easiest, weve got to make hard choices and sacrifices in our own lives. Shake things up. (Applause. But most of all, I want to acknowledge all of you - the brilliant, talented, ambitious, accomplished, and all-around outstanding members of the class of 2016! Thank you for allowing me to share this final commencement with you. (Applause.) I really dont want to follow those two. So the question is, how will we respond? God bless you. (Applause.) Become a freelancer and work on your own terms. So I just want to take it all in. But, graduates, no matter where your journey started, you have all made it here today through the same combination of unyielding determination, sacrifice, and a whole lot of hard work - commuting hours each day to class, some of you. (Laughter.) But, graduates, let me tell you, you should never, ever be embarrassed by those struggles. First Lady Michelle Obama addresses the class of 2015. ), And Im also a little giddy to be joined on stage by another one of my heroes, Marian Wright Edelman. That means raising your hand when you get a seat in that board meeting and asking the question, well, whose voices arent being heard here? Well done. I wanted to be here to celebrate all of you, this school, this city. As many of you know, I grew up in a working class family in Chicago. I did some Mom Dancing on TV. And I know, as President Krislov understands, that electing the right folks mattersit matters a lot. So nakedly exposed for all of us to grapple with. (Applause.) Now, those Airmen could easily have let that experience clip their wings. 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. Former First Lady Michelle Obama gave a commencement address online to the graduating class of 2020. (Applause.) Probably not. (Laughter and applause.) But in every election at every level, all of the time. (Applause.) And while the history of this campus isnt perfect, the defining story of Tuskegee is the story of rising hopes and fortunes for all African Americans. (Applause.) (Applause.) Let me just say a few thank yous. You might be tempted to just recreate what you had here at Oberlinto find a community of like-minded folks and work with them on causes you care about, and just tune out all of the noise. These are uncomfortable questions, questions that have dogged this country for generations, but are now staring us in the face. (Applause.) Let me tell you it is a pleasure and an honor -- yes, Chicago -- (laughter and applause) -- to be with all of you today. Just the opposite, because what we finally do have is focus. And the first thing we have to do is vote. And youve taken so many different paths to this moment. That kind of thinking only divides us and distracts us from our higher calling, it is the gum in the wheel of progress. First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver the commencement address during the 170 th. Speech Michelle Obama, the former first lady, was the keynote speaker on the first night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. ), I also want to take a moment on this Memorial Day to pay tribute to all of the brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives so that we could sit here today, at peace, with rights and freedoms that others around the world can only dream of. (Applause.) So if you hear people expressing bigoted views or talking down to those people, it is up to you to call them out because we wont solve anything. This is historical material frozen in time. And thats completely understandable. (Applause.) Thank you -- thank you so much for this warm welcome, this tremendous hospitality. Well, let me just tell you, it is beyond a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you today. Good evening. That is your story, graduates, and that is the story of your families. Create a better, more engaging experience for every student. And please, please, always, always do your part to help others do the same. And with the education youve gotten at this fine school, and the experiences youve had in your lives, let me tell you, nothing - and I mean nothing - is going to stop you from fulfilling your dreams. First lady Michelle Obama gave the commencement address to the 2015 graduating class of Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama, in which she talks about growing into her official role, criticism . (Applause.) And the answers to those questions have resulted in the woman who stands before you today. Then there was the first time I was on a magazine cover -- it was a cartoon drawing of me with a huge afro and machine gun. 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. Deep and loving connections with others, honest work that leads to lasting contributions to your community. Michelle Obama Commencement Speech Transcript 2020, Congressional Testimony & Hearing Transcripts. Following is a transcript of Michelle Obama's commencement speech at the University of California, Merced, as provided by the White House. No, our greatness has always come from people who expect nothing and take nothing for granted -- folks who work hard for what they have then reach back and help others after them. CNN Read former first lady Michelle Obama's speech from the 2020 Democratic National Convention, as prepared for delivery: Good evening, everyone. That pilot I mentioned earlier -- Charles DeBow -- he didnt rest on his laurels after making history. Heres the last part. Ask your friends, your family, ask everyone you see in your neighborhood. MRS. OBAMA: Thank you all. There is no substitute for it. 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. He said " this pandemic has fully finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they're doing .". And you dont have to be President of the United States to start addressing things like poverty, and education, and lack of opportunity. ), And all of that is going to be a heavy burden to carry. ), Just think about the arc of this universitys history. But Ive come to realize that most of that clamor is really coming from just a handful of very loud folks out on the fringes. You have to persuade them, and you have to compromise with them. And I have seen how places that stifle the voices and dismiss the potential of their citizens are diminished; how they are less vital, less hopeful, less free. He kept fulfilling his double duty long after he hung up his uniform. Now, some folks criticized my choices for not being bold enough. Not when too many young people still languish in communities ripped apart by violence and despair. (Applause.) Michelle Obama gave a powerful commencement address to the high school and college graduates in the class of 2020. I would have given anything, anything to bring them back. His commencement speech during the Graduation 2020 event was a call to action. And I want to be very clear: Every city ordinance, every ballot measure, every law on the books in this countrythat is your concern. I cant wait to see what you all achieve in the years ahead. Thank you for creating these fabulous individuals. Now, Im not naive. Thats it; that's the way we move forward. And they also understood that often, the biggest, most dramatic change happens incrementally, little by little, through compromises and adjustments over years and decades. Hey, no, not just once in a while. (Laughter.). I want to recognize Major General Williams; Congresswoman Sewell; Zachary; Kalauna; to all of the trustees, the faculty, the staff here at Tuskegee University. Yes, amen. Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart. Transcribe Your Own Content Try Rev for free and save time transcribing, captioning, and subtitling. Aniyah, thank you for. They had every material possession a college kid could want - cars, computers, spending money. Others choose to focus on their education and use that degree to address these issues and build a better life for themselves and those around them. May 9, 2015. But out in the real world, there are plenty of people who think very differently than you do, and they hold their opinions just as passionately. (Applause.) And as so often as the case, these questions compound upon themselves, see if youre struggling already just to keep your head above water. Okay, youre bright. So proud of you all back there. Discover why Rev is the #1 speech-to-text service in the world. They knew that our policies matter. (Applause.). Spent hours practicing and performing. Hey everybody. 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. A few years later, when George Washington Carver first came here for his research, there was no laboratory. And whether you played sports yourself, or sang in the choir, or played in the band, or joined a fraternity or sorority -- after today, all of you will take your spot in the long line of men and women who have come here and distinguished themselves and this university. And Im so proud of you both -- and to your families, congratulations. To succumb to feelings of despair and anger only means that in the end, we lose. I understand he was such a talented young man, a promising aerospace engineer who was well on his way to achieving his dream of following in the footsteps of the Tuskegee Airmen. Graduates, today -- today, you can mentor a young person and make sure he or she takes the right path. 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. So they took advantage of whatever resources they had in their own time, thundering from the pulpit and the convention floor, penning letters from a jail cell, standing up for their rights in the face of police violence. At the White House we have all kinds of ways. Yay, moms! 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. MRS. OBAMA: Well, thank you. Read his full commencement address here. Oberlin has separate application processes for the College of Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory of Music. Look at who you are. And just think about the students in this very graduating class - students like the economics and pre-law major from Albania, who also completed the requirements for a philosophy major and dreams of being a public intellectual. But its no coincidence that were both urging you to get involved in civic life. Ive seen your creativity and your talent and your resourcefulness. Fair use is permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. (Laughter.) (Applause.) (Applause.) Think about those elections in 2008 and 2012 when idealistic young people like all of you worked long hours for little money and less sleep, pounding the pavement for months, talking to folks about what was at stake. And the truth is, graduates, after four years of thoughtful, respectful discussion and debate here at Oberlinthose seminars where you explored new ideas together, those late-night conversations where you challenged each other and learned from each otherafter all of that, you might find yourself a little dismayed by the clamor outside these wallsthe name-calling, the negative ads, the folks yelling at each other on TV. Thank you. First lady Michelle Obama addressed a crowd of graduates and their families at the 2015 commencement ceremony at Tuskegee University, in Alabama, describing her personal battle with . Apple executive Lisa Jackson will give the keynote Commencement address; scientist Joanne Chory and broadcast journalist Robert Krulwich 69 will also receive honorary degrees. Now, yeah, it was satire, but if Im really being honest, it knocked me back a bit. Somehow, you still managed to do prestigious internships and research fellowships, and join all kinds of clubs and activities. If we dislike someones Facebook post, we just un-follow them, we un-friend them. MRS. OBAMA: I love that. The educational theater student from right here in Harlem whos already an award-winning playwright and recently spoke at the White House. And I know that these days, that can seem counterintuitive, because we live in such an instantaneous age. It was also Michelle Obama's first commencement address as First Lady. Under Title 17 U.S.C. Not just when my husband or somebody you like is on the ballot. (Applause.) And in so many ways, that never-failing miracle -- the constant work to rise above the bumps in our path to greater freedom for our brothers and sisters -- that has always been the story of African Americans here at Tuskegee. One said I exhibited a little bit of uppity-ism. Another noted that I was one of my husbands cronies of color. Cable news once charmingly referred to me as Obamas Baby Mama.. But as you all know, instead of being defined by the discrimination and the doubts of those around them, they became one of the most successful pursuit squadrons in our military. Try Rev for free and save time transcribing, captioning, and subtitling. ), Now, on this day before Mothers Day, Ive got to give a special shout-out to all the moms here. See, graduates, this is what happens when you turn your attention outward and decide to brave the noise and engage yourself in the struggles of our time. Dont deprive yourselves of all that. (Applause.) Michelle Obama: (02:44) Thank you so. "As a child, my first doll was Malibu. And, graduates, I really want you all to know that there is a reason why, of all of the colleges and universities in this country, I chose this particular school in this particular city for this special moment. 10 Nobel Prize winners, at least 11 Oscar recipients, and secures nearly $60 million per year in research awards that address pressing needs and lead to improvements in people's lives and communities around the world. You rob yourself of the things that matter most. 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. (Applause.) 1 Michelle Obama's memoir 'Becoming' sells 2 million copies in 15 days to become bestselling book of 2018, publisher says November 30, 2018 2 Michelle Obama says her brother is still their mother's favorite, shares her post-White House bucket list November 13, 2018 3 Michelle Obama answers self-care and parenting questions in candid Q&A I dont think so. King's Arkansas speech came a year after federal troops protected nine black students attending all-white Little Rock Central High School. And in many ways, this is a big day for me too. So if any of you are scared or confused or angry or just plain overwhelmed by it all, if you feel youre searching for lifeline just to steady yourself, you are not alone. Look, I love our daughters more than anything in the world, more than life itself. No, of course not. Speech-to-Text live streaming for live captions, powered by the worlds leading speech recognition API. Thank you. Look at you! It is loud and messy, and its not particularly warm and fuzzy. To those mornings you woke up early to get a spot under The Shed to watch the Golden Tigers play. Get in there. ), Let me start by thanking President Johnson for that very gracious introduction, and for awarding me with this honorary degree from an extraordinary institution. (Applause.) Youve got the knowledge and the skills honed here on this hallowed campus. The obligation to use the opportunities youve had to help others. "I want you all to stay true to the most real, most sincere, most authentic parts of yourselves" ("Remarks by the First Lady at Tuskegee University Commencement Address" par. If my generation did trust me, wed have fixed the whole of this long time ago, but that doesnt mean we should feel hopeless. (Applause.) We want everything right awaywhether its an Uber or your favorite TV showand we want it tailored to our exact preferences and beliefs. And that is why I wanted to be here today at City College. If you listen to them, then nothing will ever change. (Applause.). We always have been. But I have traveled the world and seeing the governments and people in so many other countries. Are you sure? It means adding your voice to our national conversation, speaking out for our most cherished values of liberty, opportunity, inclusion, and respect - the values that youve been living here at this school. (Applause.). If so, Im glad to hear that. I am so proud of you. So I want you to know that its okay to be confused. Former First Lady Michelle Obama, YouTube's Dear Class of 2020 --"Deep and . Her moral leadership on behalf of children in this country has inspired me throughout my career, as well as my husband, the President of the United States. (Applause.). (Laughter.). If you cant even approach the police without fearing for your life. Instead, I think they knew that if they could just get everyone to take that first step, then folks would keep on moving in the right direction. I want you to be safe and I cant wait to see you take the reins. (Applause.) (Applause.) I certainly hope so. Obama spoke . Graduates, anger is a powerful force. What Michelle Obama's commencement speech at the Santa Fe Indian School says about the importance of self-determination in education. But I also imagine that you might think about all that history, all those heroes who came before you -- you might also feel a little pressure, you know -- pressure to live up to the legacy of those who came before you; pressure to meet the expectations of others. Go further, send all your friends a link to register to vote, text everybody you know to join you in exercising, their constitutional right to protest. (Applause.) Subscribe. Better yet, run for office yourself. Just keep working hard and keep the faith. Thats how we make progress for ourselves and for our country. (Applause. Do you know how to request a mail in ballot? May 16, 2020 at 9:59 p.m. EDT. 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