A LONG WHILE FROM NOW, LIVING BEINGS NOT YET BORN TODAY WILL
WANT TO KNOW WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE WORLD STOPPED?
IT COULD BE YOUR FUTURE GRANDDAUGHTER, INTERVIEWING YOU
FOR HER MIDDLE SCHOOL RESEARCH PROJECT ON THE CORONAVIRUS.
OR PERHAPS YOU'LL BE WRITING A CHAPTER ABOUT IT IN YOUR
PRESIDENTIAL MEMOIR. HOW WILL YOU TELL THIS TIME?
FOR MANY OF US HERE TODAY, WE GET TO ANSWER THAT WE WERE
STUDENTS AT HARVARD WHEN THE WORLD TOOK ITS GREAT PAUSE.
I'VE BEEN A STUDENT AT HARVARD FOR THREE YEARS, YET THIS IS
STRANGELY BOTH MY FIRST AND FINAL SPRING ON CAMPUS.
I BEGAN IN THE FALL OF 2019 AS A FULLY EMBODIED PRESENCE IN THE
CLASSROOMS, BUT THEN-- VERY SUDDENLY -- THIS ALL DISAPPEARED.
WHEN I RETURNED TO CAMBRIDGE THIS PAST FALL, IT FELT LIKE A
REINCARNATION. I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, I
THOUGHT, IN A PAST LIFE. WHAT HAPPENED?
WHERE DID WE GO? AND WHAT MIRACLE IS THIS THAT WE
GET TO BE HERE TOGETHER AGAIN TODAY?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) WHETHER YOU STARTED OUT IN THE
FLESH OR ON THE SCREEN, COVID-19 BECAME AN ALL-CONSUMING
COMPONENT OF YOUR CURRICULUM. MUCH OF OUR STUDY HAPPENED IN
QUARANTINE, IN A CLOISTER CALLED
ZOOM. I HAD ALREADY BEEN PRACTICING A
BIT OF THIS MONASTIC LIFE AT THE DIVINITY SCHOOL, THAT OLD PLACE
AT THE EDGE OF CAMPUS WHERE FOLKS OF EVERY FAITH GO IN
SEARCH OF HOW TO THINK AND TALK ABOUT THE DIVINE.
YES, WHAT'S UP THIS SCHOOL? NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT HARVARD
COLLEGE WAS INITIALLY FOUNDED AS A PLACE TO TRAIN FUTURE
MINISTERS. I AM DELIGHTED TO BE A
CONTINUATION OF THE ORIGINAL MISSION, AND LOVE THAT MY
PRESENCE HERE TODAY AS A PROUD QUEER HEATHEN WOMAN AND
FIRST GENERATION GRADUATE -- (APPLAUSE)
ALL OF THAT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE THE FIRST GENERATION PURITAN
CLERGY WHO ESTABLISHED THIS INSTITUTION VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
THESE YEARS, I THINK WE WERE ALL MADE INTO MINISTERS.
WE WERE ALL CALLED TO SIT WITH GREAT GRIEF AS WE STUDIED THE
SELF. WE WERE ALL ASKED TO MAKE
MEANING OF OUR LIVES WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMED LOST.
AND IT IS MY SINCERE BELIEF THAT TO HAVE BEEN A STUDENT DURING
THESE PANDEMIC TIMES WAS AN IMMENSE BLESSING.
IT TAUGHT US SOMETHING ABOUT STILLNESS, ABOUT
HOW TO LISTEN, HOW TO RECOGNIZE WHAT IS MOST PRECIOUS AND FAR
TOO OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED: THIS PRIVILEGE OF BEING ALIVE.
IT SHOWED US JUST HOW VULNERABLE WE ARE.
BUT HERE'S THE GIFT. TO BE MADE
VULNERABLE IS TO BECOME VISIONARY.
TO BE HUMAN IS TO BE THROWN INTO THE DEEP END OF MYSTERY.
WE STAY AFLOAT ON HOPE, AND HOPE IS A PROPHECY.
HOPE IS AN OPTIMISTIC ORACLE TELLING A STORY.
IT ANTICIPATES WHAT IS POSSIBLE AND CALLS FORTH A BETTER FUTURE.
HOPE IS RISKY BECAUSE IT ASKS YOU TO EXPOSE YOURSELF, TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF, TO TAKE OFF YOUR MASK, TURN ON YOUR CAMERA,
AND TELL YOUR STORY. HERE IS A BIT OF MINE.
MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER RAN AWAY FROM HOME IN KYIV AT AGE 18.
IT WAS CALLED RUSSIA BACK THEN. LEGEND HAS IT SHE BRIBED A GUARD
WITH A BOTTLE OF VODKA TO GET ON A BOAT TO MANHATTAN.
SHE WORKED AS A TAILOR IN A TENEMENT BUILDING IN THE LOWER
EAST SIDE, WHERE SHE BREWED MOONSHINE IN A BATHTUB AND THREW
PARTIES DURING PROHIBITION. SHE PULLED MY GRANDMOTHER SONIA
OUT OF SCHOOL AT AGE 15 TO HELP SEW CLOTHES ON DELANCEY STREET.
MY GRANDMOTHER AND GREAT GRANDMOTHER WERE LEGIT WOMEN OF
THE CLOTH-- NOT LEADERS OF THE CLERGY, BUT SACRED SEAMSTRESSES
WHO KNEW HOW TO STITCH THE FABRIC TOGETHER.
THEIR COURAGE AND SACRIFICE STITCHED A FUTURE FOR ME.
WE ARE ALL BEING TASKED NOW AT MENDING OURSELVES BACK TOGETHER
SO THAT WE CAN STITCH A WORLD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AFTER ALL THAT'S BEEN SACRIFICED, I REFUSE TO WASTE MY
VISION ENDLESSLY THUMBING A SCROLL OF SCREEN.
WE ARE RENAISSANCE ARTISTS REBORN AFTER A PLAGUE!
I WANT US TO MAKE MORE THAN MEMES; I WANT US TO MAKE
MASTERPIECES! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
A FRIEND IN A DREAM TELLS ME NOW IS THE TIME WE'RE SUPPOSED TO
BECOME THE PEOPLE WE'LL BE REMEMBERED AS.
WE HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE VULNERABLE THAN WE ARE TODAY.
GOOD! MAY THIS GREAT VULNERABILITY
TURN US INTO GREAT VISIONARIES! IN EXILE, WE BECOME PROPHETS, WE
PART SEAS, WE LEAP! YOU HAVE MADE A PATH FOR
YOURSELF. NOW, CROSS IT.
GO FORTH AND SHARE ALL THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED.
BE CONTAGIOUS WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE, CONTAGIOUS WITH YOUR
KINDNESS, CONTAGIOUS WITH YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND YOUR INSPIRED
HUMAN VISION. LET US GO BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES,
NOW, AND MAY DIVINE WISDOM TRUTH AND GRACE
CONTINUE TO GUIDE OUR WAY. (APPLAUSE)