I just would like to first say thank you again
to Kim for those words.
They were beautiful.
And again, good morning staff and faculty,
friends and family,
my fellow classmates,
and the board of trustees.
Before I start, I would like to also echo Kim
and say happy Mother's Day.
I like to especially say thank you and I love you to my mom,
who is sitting in the audience
and had no idea I was doing this speech until right now.
[laughter and applause]
I think she's over there, crying.
[laughter and applause]
When thinking about what to say in my speech today,
I really wanted to find a theme
that encompasses my experiences at Pomona
and that would also resonate with all of you.
So today, I decided to talk about leadership.
If you were to ask my parents,
they would tell you that I was born a leader,
which I was.
[laughter]
If you'd have asked my younger siblings,
they would tell you I was also always bossy,
which is also true.
Being the oldest of eight children,
I took on a leadership role in my household at a very young age.
It was always important for me to set a good example
and be a leader and role model for my siblings
because they were always watching me.
And I'm glad they're all here today
because graduating from Pomona College
is more than just an accomplishment for me.
It is an accomplishment for my entire family
and it is the beginning of many accomplishments to come.
I would just like to take a second to tell my family to stand.
Brittany and Cynthia, you too.
[applause and cheering]
I love you.
Thank you.
[applause]
My family has always made me feel like a leader
but my journey through Pomona has given me the tools and knowledge
to strengthen my leadership skills and put them into practice.
Being a student at Pomona,
I have learned how to plan and lead everything
from presentations and parties
to protests and demonstrations.
As a Posse scholar,
my leadership training for Pomona College
started months before I had ever stepped foot on the campus.
As a Posse scholar,
my nine Posse members and I delved into deep discussions
about race, class, gender,
religion, power structures,
systems of domination, and so much more
before we had ever attended a Pomona College class.
Before meeting them,
I thought that a leader was supposed to be the loudest,
most outgoing individual
that was always leading from the front.
After spending time with my Posse,
I learned about many other leadership styles.
Some of my Posse members are leaders
who listen more than they talk.
Some of my Posse members are leaders
who use their voice to share thoughts of others in the group
who weren't comfortable sharing.
Some of my Posse members are leaders who check in with everybody
and do a lot of work behind the scenes
to make sure that everyone feels supported.
And these are only a few of the leadership skills
I've learned from my Posse over the years.
I love my Posse.
I don't know how many of my classmates remember the events
that took place during freshmen orientation
because there were a lot.
But one in particular stood out to me over the past four years.
We all sat in an auditorium as one of the deans of admissions
was talking to us about how amazing our class was.
I remember the dean saying
how we had one of the most diverse class of leaders.
Then the dean began to read off a list of leadership roles
and asked everyone who this applied to to stand up.
They said,
"If you were the valedictorian of your high school, please stand.
If you were the captain of a sports team at your school, please stand.
If you were president of your high school, please stand.
If you worked on a grant with NASA, please stand.
[laughter]
And I remember looking around the room
and watching each of us stand for the various categories
and I was amazed and honestly a little intimidated.
I can't begin to imagine the things that this class will do
when given the tools, funding, opportunity, and support.
I have been blessed to have the support
of my family, friends, staff members, and many great professors.
Although as a freshman,
I did not recognize how important and valuable their support would be
in helping me become a leader on campus.
In our freshman book discussion,
I had the pleasure of meeting Dean Jan.
As we were having our book discussion,
Dean Jan asked my group,
"Would we ask for help if we needed it?"
As we went around the room, everyone replied,
"Yes," or "Maybe."
And then it came to me
and I responded, "No, I wouldn't ask for help."
You see, coming into Pomona,
I thought that a leader was supposed to do everything by themselves
and I wasn't used to asking for help and had no intentions on it.
But the next semester,
I ended up in Dean Jan's office
trying to figure out how I was going to pick a major,
fulfill my graduation requirements,
and be successful at Pomona.
Since then, my check-ins with her
and asking for help from advisors, professors,
and friends have become more frequent.
So it's no surprise that a year later,
when I found that I was pregnant,
Dean Jan and my advisor professor Kyla Tompkins
were some of the first people I went to on campus to seek support.
I had no idea
how I was going to manage being a full-time student and mom.
I had never seen a student on campus with a child.
After talking with many people,
I had heard how difficult and how hard it would be to stay here
and be a student and a mother,
but if I gave up every time
someone told me something was difficult or hard,
I wouldn't be standing in front of you today,
graduating with my daughter standing beside me.
[applause and cheering]
Having my daughter has really pushed me
to think about my leadership,
not only in theory,
but to actually put it into practice and use the skills and knowledge
I've learned here
to create positive change in the world.
After having my daughter,
I really started to think
about what type of society I wanted her to grow up in
and what do I do to make sure
it's not just a dream I have for her but a reality.
I took my daughter to her first protest when she was five months old.
[laughter]
As I mentioned earlier,
protesting, demonstrating, and negotiating are things
I've learned and participated in at Pomona College.
Many events have taken place over the past four years
that have helped me realize
the importance and necessity of leadership and support.
These events have crushed our Claremont bubble
and reminded many of us
that although we are tucked away on this beautiful campus,
we are not exempt and cannot escape or ignore
the many issues that our society faces.
[applause]
I cannot forget the Black Lives Matter protest on our campuses
and around the world
and all the work that Black Lives Matter continues to do and fight for.
I cannot forget Ferguson or Baltimore.
I cannot forget all of the events of this past presidential election
and the things that were going on globally before
and have been going on ever since.
And I cannot forget the sorrow, pain, fear, and anger
that covered our campuses in the weeks after
and still linger on,
as well as the struggles and work
that students, staff, faculty, and workers continue to do on and off the campus
to make our school society a better place.
After four years,
I would have to agree with Pomona
that our school is full of amazing student leaders.
The class of 2017 is proof of that.
I've had the privilege
of being surrounded by these great leaders in my classrooms,
at dining halls,
at protests and marches,
and throughout the Claremont colleges.
But to my class, I ask, "What's next?"
How will you continue to develop and use the skills and knowledge
you learned here
and continue to be a leader once you leave Pomona College?
While thinking about everything going on in the world,
including our current US leadership and the various communities
being attack physically, mentally, systematically, and politically,
how will you support other leaders in those communities?
I know some of us may be worried about what's next.
And with the various paths and journeys
that we are about to take once we leave here,
some of us may be unsure
about how we will continue to lead and be successful.
And to all of you, I say,
"It's going to be difficult and hard
but don't let that stop you."
There are many paths to success and ways to lead.
And when there are no footsteps to follow in,
don't be afraid to make your own.
And although your path is your own,
remember that you have the support of your family and friends.
And remember, don't be afraid to ask for help.
Congratulations to you all,
and I can't wait to see what we do next.
[applause and cheering]