Back in the late 1800s, the school needed a new dormitory, but there was no money to pay for it. (Applause. Probably not. Do you know when your primary elections are held? But, graduates, today, I want to be very clear that those feelings are not an excuse to just throw up our hands and give up. How are you all doing? Look at where were gathered today. You have to persuade them, and you have to compromise with them. Thats just the way things are now. So Booker T. Washington pawned his pocket watch to buy a kiln, and students used their bare hands to make bricks to build that dorm -- and a few other buildings along the way. Read the full text of Michelle Obama's address to the class of 2020. 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. Industry-leading accurate legal transcription to ensure you dont miss a statement. And please, please, always, always do your part to help others do the same. But I also want to be very clear that with those successes comes a set of obligations - to share the lessons youve learned here at this school. Let me just take it in. (Applause.) But, graduates, I can tell you, as First Lady, I have had the privilege of traveling around the world and visiting dozens of different countries, and I have seen what happens when ideas like these take hold. Not just when my husband or somebody you like is on the ballot. The tough part is nobody has all the answers. Because even if youre nervous or unsure about what path to take in the years ahead, I want you to realize that youve got everything you need right now to succeed. 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. But these were my choices, my issues. Michelle Obama Speech at Spelman's 2011 Commencement part 2/2 Press Release First Lady Michelle Obama To Deliver Commencement Address To The Spelman College Class Of 2011 Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad to receive Honorary Degrees Teach For America CEO Wendy Kopp to receive National Community Service Award (Applause.) Read the full transcript of her speech here. ), And of course, let us not forget Elizabeth Aklilu for her amazing performance of the National Anthem earlier today. (Applause.) And I know that because Ive seen it myself, not just as a student working my way through school, but years later when I became -- before I came to the White House and I worked as a dean at a college. I cant wait to see what you all achieve in the years ahead. Now, will this be easy? Better yet, run for office yourself. That is how you will have a meaningful journey on those clamorous highways of life. (Applause.). Today, you can help your younger cousin fill out her college financial aid form so that she could be sitting in those chairs one day. Well, the reality is a lot more complicated than that because for too many people in this country, no matter how hard they work, there are structural barriers working against them that just make the road longer and rockier. (Applause.) Can Michelle Obama's speech offer, as an amendment to . Dont deprive yourselves of all that. God bless you, graduates. Its your story and the story of those who came before you at this school. Now, some folks criticized my choices for not being bold enough. Full Transcript of Michelle Obama's D.N.C. Ive seen you gathering donations for those in need during this pandemic. ), And, graduates, I think we should give another shout-out to your families, of course, all the families. I want to start by thanking President Krislov for that very kind introduction, as well as all of the trustees, the faculty, the staff here at Oberlin. You speak more than 100 different languages -- whoa, just stop there. It does not work if you disengage from the process. It can feel isolating. They spat on her. I'm so proud of you all. Somehow, you still managed to do prestigious internships and research fellowships, and join all kinds of clubs and activities. (Applause.) You made it! And while neither of my parents went past high school, let me tell you, they saved up every penny that my dad earned at his city job because they were determined to send me to college. (Applause.) The Complete Text Transcripts of Over 100 Barack Obama Speeches Where women are full participants in a country's politics or economy, societies are continue likely the succeed. Youre here! And Id like to begin today by reflecting on that history -- starting back at the time when the Army chose Tuskegee as the site of its airfield and flight school for black pilots. (Applause.) And many of you know what its like to live not just month to month or day to day, but meal to meal. Heres the thing, I know you can do it because over these many years, Ive seen exactly who you are. 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! Over these past couple of months, our foundation has been shaken, not just by a pandemic that stole too many of our loved ones, up ended our daily lives and sent tens of millions into unemployment. Create a better, more engaging experience for every student. 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. Add English on-screen subtitles for videos. MRS. OBAMA: Hi! Thats how we make progress for ourselves and for our country. Barack Obama gave a speech in a HBCU virtual commencement, in which he criticized US leadership. And I decided to tackle them in the way that felt most authentic to me -- in a way that was both substantive and strategic, but also fun and, hopefully, inspiring. Ask your friends, your family, ask everyone you see in your neighborhood. (Applause.) What kinds of issues would I take on? Youve worked hard for those seats! Like I said before, I dont have any easy answers for you, but I do have some lessons I want to share about how to move forward in these tumultuous times. ), 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. Michelle Obama: (09:57) Discover why Rev is the #1 speech-to-text service in the world. (Applause.) (Applause.) She appealed directly to the youth facing the incoming . It is beyond a pleasure and an honor for me to be here with all of you today. Michelle Obama's speech came more than a year after the university's 260-piece band marched in the inaugural parade for her husband, the nation's first black president. Those moments when your classmates showed you that your stubborn opinion wasnt all that well-informed -- mmm hmm. (Applause.) I know that you can climb a long way up the ladder selling falsehoods and blaming others for your own shortcomings, shunning those with less privilege and advantage. You see, its wonderful to volunteer at your local homeless shelterplease do thatbut you also need to attend the city council meetings and make sure the zoning laws dont shut that shelter down. Folks like Lucy Stone and FDR, they didnt get caught up in their egos or their ideology. 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. Because I know that there is no better way to celebrate this great country than being here with you. Aniyah, thank you for. (Applause.). You have developed that muscle. Youll experience illnesses and losses, crises and setbacks that will come out of nowhere and knock you off your feet. 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 . Get a weekly digest of the weeks most important transcripts in your inbox. And the first thing we have to do is vote. As the annual blitz of commencement speeches get underway, CNN highlights some of the most memorable from years past. These are uncomfortable questions, questions that have dogged this country for generations, but are now staring us in the face. (Applause.) (Applause.). Spencer Platt / Getty Images. You dont get to be cynical. More than anything else, graduates, that is the American story. And as weve seen over the past few years, those feelings are real. This is historical material frozen in time. They were joining the Equal Suffrage League and speaking out for womens right to vote. Well done. Thats my story. As the President eloquently said, at this school, you represent more than 150 nationalities. Youve got it. (Applause.). Oberlin has separate application processes for the College of Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory of Music. And the truth is, those same questions would have been posed to any candidates spouse. Do you know how to request a mail in ballot? June 3, 2016, 7:00 PM. Remarks by the First Lady of the United States. 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. Section 107, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. 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. Those were the words spoken by first lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday to the graduates of King College Prep High School in Chicago's South Side. Maybe they just arrived here recently, determined to give you a better life. Over the years, Ive occasionally run into the noise myself. Because that President will ultimately choose the justices who decide those cases in the first place. (Applause.) First Lady Michelle Obama delivered a powerful commencement speech at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama, on Saturday, addressing the stereotyping and pressure she feels not only . Michelle Obama kicked off her "Dear Class of 2020" graduation speech with a list of uncomfortable questions and truths. I want you to listen to those thoughts. Now, the process of democracy might not always be as fast or as smooth as wed like. She spoke about starting her own business as a Black woman, and paid tribute to the Black Lives . I wanted to be here to celebrate all of you, this school, this city. (Applause.). More progress on LGBT rights than any time in our history. (Applause.) The extraordinary challenges of COVID-19 called for creative planning to send off graduates in a meaningful way. I dont think so. But heres the thing, while this period is certainly unprecedented, it is not a complete anomaly, simply some random coincidence to be dismissed. But unlike so many other young people, you have already developed the resilience and the maturity that you need to pick yourself up and dust yourself off and keep moving through the pain, keep moving forward. Transcript of First Lady Michelle Obama's Commencement Address May 25, 2015 Communications Staff For immediate release May 25, 2015 Remarks by the First Lady of the United States 11:05 A.M. EDT MRS. OBAMA: Hi! Former First Lady Michelle Obama gave a commencement address online to the graduating class of 2020. There were the so-called scientific studies that said that black mens brains were smaller than white mens. Hey everybody. (Applause.) She is such an inspiration to all of the women who are part of the The obligation to use the opportunities youve had to help others. Their legacy is very much your legacy and your inheritance. Ive seen you speaking out in gun violence and fight climate change. You've got a long day ahead. ), Before I begin, I just want to say that my heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved Eric Marks, Jr. So we cannot allow our hurt and our frustration to turn us against each other, to cancel somebody elses point of view. . (Applause.) And your salutatorian, whose Yemeni roots inspired her to study Yemini womens writing and to advocate for girls in her community, urging them to find their own voices, to tell their own stories. (Applause. For others, it was the notion that Obama's speech, tied to the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. . (Applause.) 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! "As a child, my first doll was Malibu. 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. (Applause. (Applause. 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. You all, I mean, this has been the most fun I think I've had at a commencement ever. And I have to join in recognizing all the folks up in the stands -- the parents, siblings, friends -- (applause) -- so many others who have poured their love and support into these graduates every step of the way. At the White House we have all kinds of ways. SOAPStone Speaker: Michelle Obama Occasion: City College . Michelle Obama: (14:05) They didnt just give up and retreat to the comfortable company of like-minded folks, because they understood that this is how democracy operates. Graduates, today -- today, you can mentor a young person and make sure he or she takes the right path. With commencements and graduations across the country cancelled, Former First Lady Michelle Obama and her Reach Higher initiative teamed up with YouTube to celebrate students reaching this. And they also understood that often, the biggest, most dramatic change happens incrementally, little by little, through compromises and adjustments over years and decades. The story of Tuskegee is full of stories like theirs -- men and women who came to this city, seized their own futures, and wound up shaping the arc of history for African Americans and all Americans. Are you sure? But when some of them got their first bad grade, they just fell apart. Because we know that our greatness comes when we appreciate each others strengths, when we learn from each other, when we lean on each other. Well done! We can do that all day. (Applause.) And that is how all those infusions of new cultures and ideas, generation after generation, created the matchless alchemy of our melting pot and helped us build the strongest, most vibrant, most prosperous nation on the planet, right here. And Im so proud of you both -- and to your families, congratulations. But I have traveled the world and seeing the governments and people in so many other countries. First Lady Michelle Obama delivered one of her final commencement speeches to the Santa Fe Indian School Thursday. 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