Hi everybody.
I'd like to start by thanking President Andrew Hamilton, trustees,
and the NYU students and the faculty for welcoming me into your halls
last year and letting me have an experience that I honestly could have
never imagined.
And I want to thank all of you for this humbling experience
today. This is major. It's super heavy and I'm very grateful my mom is a lifelong
educator so this is going to be a really good look for me. To be a part of a group
like this is unimaginable. To speak on the behalf of our group is an honor that
I'm not sure I'm qualified for. Their accomplishments. The body of work
represented on this stage of staggering. We have history-makers. Miracle workers
in their own way. If their names aren't on buildings yet, they're totally going
to be. I'd like to say that I'm forever a student and it's people like this that
I'm forever grateful to learn from. They're fearless, they're boundless,
multi-disciplined and multi-talented. They break down barriers and embody the focus
and dedication that this planet needs even if. for Mark Kelly, it means leaving
from time to time.
Some may call them public servants, but their work is actually in the service of
humanity and standing with them here today and it's totally mind-blowing.
In this day and age it's easy to lose sight of the fact that it's the people who
serve humanity that make the world really go round. Most social media and
media itself would lead you to believe otherwise.
But this group's work doesn't fuel gossip. Sadly it doesn't generate a lot
of clicks amongst the sea of headlines designed to bait. Their work is often too
important to be boiled down to just a quick headline. Their work has never been
more important. Yet, as a society, we seem to celebrate less important achievements
far more frequently I'm glad to be a part of a moment that recognizes these
people: the real movers and shakers.
Think about it: these great scientists, public servants, and activists cannot be
bothered with building their Instagram followers or how many views they get on
YouTube. But they are the real influencers. Their work makes us
healthier, safer, more enriched, and more intelligence. Their work is designed to
improve the quality of life for all people, not just themselves. They are not
motivated by attention, but rather they're motivated by the idea of
creating change for the better.
I personally find that incredibly inspiring I hope you guys do as well.
NYU-- the school all you guys chose to attend-- is going out of its way to honor
this distinguished group. What will they honor you guys for
someday? What will they honor you for someday?
Speaking to you guys today is charge me up.
It really has. As you find your ways to serve humanity it gives me great comfort
knowing that this generation is the first that understands that we need to
lift up our women.
Imagine the possibilities when we remove unbalance from the ether because it's
unbalanced right now. Imagine the possibilities when women are not held
back. Your generation is unraveling deeply entrenched laws, principles, and
misguided values that have held women back for far too long, and therefore have
held us all back-- the human race. The world that you will live in will be a
lot better for it. This is the first generation that
navigates the world with the security and the confidence to treat women as
equal.
You guys and gals are the first ever. I'm going to say that again-- you guys are the
first ever. Our country has never seen this before and it makes some people
uncomfortable. But, still, I say just imagine the possibilities. Today is, in
many ways, a celebration of higher education, I am forever a student, as I
said before. I believe it is a trait-- it's a trait that we all share. Yet we
live in a time when a great education is harder and harder to come by. But like
anything in life, if there is enough demand somebody will supply it. So to the
graduates, you might think your time and education is done but after you leave
here today I'm asking you guys to let your actions out there in the world. Fuel
the demand for better and accessible education.
Engage and inspire whether on an individual level or loudly within your
communities. Talk about your accomplishments.
It's very important. Talk about your accomplishments. Be humble, but not too
humble. Don't be invisible.
Sidebar the days of
being an anonymous activist or participant are over. How can we inspire if we are
only behind-the-scenes? How will an anonymous donation ever inspire another?
That was the way of the previous generations, no disrespect, but don't be
like them.
Let your actions serve as an endorsement for education and watch the demand rise.
Shining a light on a group of individuals like these on stage also
helps fuel the demand. It's why all of us standing here do what we do. That
same gene, those same feelings, an adrenaline that fuels us is inside of
all of you guys as well. Just like you, these recipients are brothers, sisters,
sons, and daughters. We put all of our pants on one leg at a time. We all have a
daily commute but we do so with an eye towards something much bigger: serving
humanity. There is no humanity without education there is no education without
demand. You are all walking endorsements for education so please embrace that.
Thank you again to the students and the faculty at NYU. Thank you to all these
remarkable individuals that I'm up here standing with for your service,
leadership, and inspiration. We are all forever grateful. And I know that
somebody out there right now in this class just might occupy the White House
one day.
And let me be clear: not red and not blue, but maybe purple like NYU.
Thank you.