2014 Student Speech

June 15, 2014

Good afternoon Family and Friends. I am humbled to be standing before you today.

Growing up, graduating from college was a goal both my mother and I shared, though we had no idea how we would make it happen, living in poverty. After losing my mother to domestic violence at 12 years old, it quickly became apparent to me: the only thing keeping me from getting lost in the dark of her death, was my family.

After 4 years, even though I have seen some of my fellow graduates on the daily and others not since freshman year, I feel I have found another family, another means of life retention. From seeing Jeremy and Dan in the express store, to watching random college roommates become lifelong friends like Raven and Mia; This Stevenson community is one I have much to be thankful for. It has shown me, above all else, change is a race ran only by the persistent. From the establishment of the Stevenson garden, to the opening of House 8 as the Rosa Parks African American Themed House and even to the more recent renovation of the game room and apartments, each a new piece of sparkling stained glass in the mosaic of the Stevenson community; each a step towards change for the betterment of all.

Community is built on the backs of those willing to serve one another so that all may succeed. As we move away from this beautiful place around us, these beautiful people next to us, and the experiences we have gained through a delicious combination of both, let us challenge one another to uplift someone higher than ourselves. Let us use the knowledge we have gained, in and outside these lecture halls, discussion sections, art studios, and science labs as a vehicle to make right the wrongs and injustices we have seen in the world. Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Similarly to the way some of us stood looking down on this field four years ago with no clue how we would ever get to today, some of us are looking out at the rest of the world now with no clue how to change it. But look around at the people beside to you, in front of you, behind you; the family you have cultivated around you. Now look at you. You made it. If we can make it here, we can make it much farther. Let us each carry with us this charge to change our community for the betterment of all, as we have seen and learned here at UC Santa Cruz. And when it seems like no one is running beside us in this race, when the world seems like too big a place to change with how little we each are, let us turn to more wise words from Mandela. Words to which we can use the past 4 years of persistence to this very moment, as a testament: “It always seems impossible, until it is done.”

Let Us Commence

Let us commence

Commence the tassel moving and cap throwing

The fake diploma groping and the real diploma taking too long in the mail moping

The just walked across the stage serotonin explosion

Commence the unpaid internships and minimum wage jobs

The ‘how can I use this expensive piece of paper to help mom’s’

The grad school applications and the taking a year off’s to visit foreign nations

The sleeping on big brother’s uncomfortable couch

‘cause you can’t bear to go back to mom and dad’s house

Commence the rest of our twenties.

the rejection letter concerns, are they gonna let me down gently’s

the law school, med school, business school endeavors

the editing and re-editing of cover letters

Word on the textbook bon fire is already going around

Commence the “you’re welcome undergrads” reader hand me downs

Commence the ‘these textbooks can't burn, not with all the money I had to pay’s

And the ‘besides maybe I’ll go back and actually read them one day’s (Or not)?

The resume printing, portfolio prepping and double checking,

letter of rec collecting and the study abroad transfer credit correcting

Commence the 9 to 5, busy life, ain't hardly got time to smile’s.

The 5th quarter’s and the ‘I think I’ll stay in SC for a while’s

The celebration, the ‘cheer’s to the graduate’ drinkings.

The back to the hood , to the hills and to the everywhere in between’s

The new moves, crossing state lines, the crossing of country borders

The new friend making, the memories of nostalgic forest corridors

Let us commence the ‘thank you’s and ‘couldn't have made it here without you’s

The reminiscing

The ‘done in loving memory of you's and ‘wish you were here to see me now’s

The old friend missing

Let us commence the 5 year reunion planning and art making

The world changing and the beauty appreciating

Let us Commence

The sunset tree goodbyes

The salty water ocean cries

And let us Commence now, with the rest of our lives.

Congratulations UC Santa Cruz Stevenson College Class of 2014!!!