(MS. JASMIN RAMIREZ) As you leave this campus
to your new endeavors,
we hope that you not only take the lessons learned,
but that you share your successes
with others in your community.
In the words of Gandhi,
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
With that said, it is my great honor
and distinct privilege
to introduce our speaker for this evening.
Dr. Roz Rosen.
Dr. Rosen has been a national educator
and global leader
as well as a local supporter
currently serving as a director of the National Center of Deafness,
located at the California University at Northridge.
Her exemplary work in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community
has been recognized nationally and around the world.
She is the recipient of the International Cross Award
and has a lifetime honorary membership
on the Board of the World Federation of the Deaf.
Dr. Rosen's distinguished career has included 33 years
at Gallaudet University in Washington D.C.
where her posts included Professor and Vice-President of Academic Affairs.
Following Gallaudet,
she served as Executive Director
of the Council on Education of the Deaf,
International Affairs Consultant
with the Communication Services for the Deaf,
and International Officer
with the World Federation of the Deaf.
Additionally she has published
and presented programs on human's rights,
women's issues,
and leadership among others.
She has been a member and president
of the Board of the National Association of the Deaf,
and served on the Board
of the American Society for Deaf Children,
and the National Captioning Institute.
Graduates,
families,
friends and guests,
I ask that you please join me
in warmly and enthusiastically
welcoming Dr. Roz Rosen
to deliver the address
of our 55th Annual
Cerritos College Commencement
in sign language.
[applause]
(VOICER for DR.ROZ ROZEN) Greetings graduates,
families,
faculty,
staff
and friends,
including the Board as well.
Congratulations
and today is your day.
I look back many decades ago
upon my own graduation
as I sat out there just like you
wearing a new pair of shoes
--that hurt.
I remember the parties and celebrations
with my friends.
But the one thing that I really
can't recall about my graduation was
who was the commencement speaker.
I don't remember anything
that that person said that day.
Now, you might have noticed
I have the skill of ventriloquism.
I have remote control to my voice
who is sitting down front.
Her name is Allison Kale,
and she is a professional sign language interpreter.
She works to facilitate communication
and bridge communication,
not just for deaf people,
but for hearing people as well.
Now obviously I don't need an interpreter
because I can understand my presentation quite well.
So she is here for all of you today
because you have not yet
and I say yet,
mastered the skill of sign language.
But hopefully you will get some words of wisdom
from me today that you will remember.
If there is one thing that you take home
from my talk today,
this is to embrace diversity and community,
and when I say "community,"
notice the emphasis on "unity."
So community includes this concept of unity.
Embrace diversity and community.
Please take that as your take-home point today,
and if you don't remember anything else,
that's okay, too.
Each one of us is a unique individual,
and each one of us brings
to our life experience songs,
experiences, the poetry of who we are.
We include our own backgrounds,
heritage, our own culture, our own language,
and even our own beliefs and ideologies.
Each individual embodies
within themselves all of these parts
to bring us to the whole person we we are today.
I urge you to be proud of yourselves today,
and tomorrow,
and each day of your life.
We can embrace diversity
by valuing and respecting individuals.
It has been 20 years since the Los Angeles riots,
and we are responsible for seeking cures
to the "isms" that exist in society.
These "isms," like racism,
sexism,
and all different types of "isms."
For example, "able-ism" is when one feels superior to
or may oppress an individual who has a disability.
The term "aud-ism" is
when one feels superior to one
who does not hear or speak.
Have you ever experienced an "ism"?
I'm certain we all have.
There are many "isms" that exist out there.
"Isms" that have to do
with just the pigment of your skin;
"isms" that have to do
with perhaps a person's weight,
their appearance,
or even the music that is a part of their culture.
Some "isms" we are conscious of.
Others we are unconscious about
until someone speaks up against that injustice
and that is when we become aware.
Once it is brought to your attention,
you can then recognize the "ism" and its effect.
"Isms" hurt all of us.
They diminish everyone.
Now when someone speaks up against an "ism,"
this creates a sense of shared humanity
and shared care for one another.
A few days ago President Obama,
in one of his speeches,
he shared with us in this speech
his view on same sex marriages
and how his perspective has evolved.
He now recognizes the individualness
of each human being,
with their own thoughts,
their own beliefs, their own rights,
and that all humans should have equal rights,
and that the essence of our experience here on earth
is that of being a human being.
Now everyone has the right to their opinion,
but please learn the facts, too.
You can disagree without being disagreeable
or oppressive or hurtful to others.
There are anti-discriminatory laws or acts
in all aspects of our society:
Education, employment, housing, and government;
and this is for two reasons:
That we are all human beings who deserve equal rights,
and because diversity is something that contributes
to a more vibrant and more resilient society.
So these laws have been enacted
to create more equitable situations,
societies, and approaches to this human variation.
Juliette Low, who had hearing loss,
who was also the founder of the girl scouts, said often,
"It's good to do right, even if no one else is doing it."
Martin Luther King Junior, said,
"If you remain silent on issues that are very important,
then this becomes the end of your life."
Martin Luther King Junior, said,
"It is always the right time to do the right thing."
Each one of us and each one of you
has the power to stop these "isms" in your own backyard,
in your communities,
in your schools,
and in our United States of America.
Multiculturalism contributes to all of us.
It makes us all more human.
Laurent Clarc,
who was the first instructor of deaf students
here in America in the year 1817 said,
"God created diversity not to oppress minorities,
but to enrich all of us."
Whether you are an inventor,
a leader, it doesn't matter what ethnicity,
race, gender, disability or your age,
all of these people within our society
have enriched our communities.
In fact, I don't know if you know this,
but the telephone was invented
to help deaf people hear.
Did you know that drinking straws
were invented to help people
with musculature issues to drink out of cups?
Did you know that those curb cuts and ramps --
Let me ask you this: Who do you think uses them the most?
People in wheelchairs or the rest of us?
Maybe we needed to get our bicycle or our skateboard
or our baby stroller up on the street,
or maybe we could be pulling a wagon.
We use those curb cuts too.
Audio books for the blind are used
by people everywhere.
Captions that you see on television
are typically also used in public places
like airports and bars.
Babies who start to use American Sign Language
before they are ready to speak
have a head start on cognitive development
and communication
and bonding with their families.
Deep sea divers use American Sign Language
under water to communicate freely.
Video phones may have been invented for deaf people
to see one another,
but all of us benefit from video conferencing technology.
All of these inventions have benefited
everybody in our society.
Now, let's take a moment.
Can you imagine the world without telephones?
Can you imagine our world
without drinking straws, curb cuts,
captioning, or audio books?
So what we see as that these different inventions
haven't just helped disabled people
but have benefited all of us as a society.
What is good for an individual is good for a society.
These contributions have made our world a better place.
Do you all agree out there?
[applause]
I can't hear you,
do you agree?
I still can't hear you.
So, do this instead.
Let's see you wave your hands.
Great.
Now I can see you instead of hear you.
We are all here celebrating
our rich and unique diversity and unity.
Cross-cultural studies are vital,
not just for a better America,
but also for a better you in today's society.
When you understand other cultures
and other languages,
that is when you are able to understand yourself better,
as well as your own identity,
your own values,
and the principles with which you want to live by.
I'm going to share a short poem with you today
by Charles Markham.
And this provides us a way to include others.
The poem says: "He drew a circle that shut me out --
a heretic, a rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
I drew a circle that took him in!"
So, go out of your comfort zone,
go out of your circle, graduates,
make new friends.
Roam outside of your circle and network with others
who are different than you.
People from all walks of life,
different backgrounds.
The next person you meet may change your life forever.
Keep an open heart. Keep an open mind,
and continue to pursue your education.
Continue to face those challenges
in your life with zest.
So much can be done within your communities,
in our country,
and even in our world,
and it takes just one person
to start that change.
I encourage you to keep balance in your life
while working hard,
playing hard,
and laughing hard.
Stay positive.
I have to share a story with you
about a traveler
who happened upon a quarry,
and there were three men
who were working cutting stones.
He approached one of the first men
that he saw and inquired,
"What is it that you are doing?"
The man responded,
"I'm cutting a stone. Can't you see?"
The traveler thought he'd ask the second man
what it was he was doing.
He responded,
"I'm cutting stones with which someone else
will build something."
The traveler approached the third stonecutter
and with a lot of enthusiasm he said,
"I'm building stones which will then
make a beautiful cathedral."
This is a wonderful message.
In fact there are four lessons we can take home,
one of which is see the big picture,
not just the parts.
And the second message is contribute
to shared vision.
The third is to make a difference
whether you are building a cathedral
or whether you are boosting a child.
The last is to inspire yourself.
When you inspire yourself,
in turn it inspires others.
Thomas Edison, who invented the light bulb--
he became deaf later in life --
and he was explaining how
it took him 2000 tries to invent the light bulb.
A reporter who was interviewing him said,
"Really, it took 2000 errors
to come up with the right formula?"
Thomas Edison responded,
"No, it took 2000 steps."
So when we take one step forward,
we begin to change the world.
Turn those oops into opportunities.
So with that, congratulations to all of you.
Celebrate your big day,
and your journey starts here.
Cerritos has given you the skills,
the knowledge,
personal and emotional experiences
that you will apply for the rest of your journey.
May it be successful.
Congratulations to you
and gratitude to your faculty,
staff,
and families who have supported you.
Also in closing,
Happy Mother's Day to all of our mothers out there
and our women in the audience.
Thank you very much.
[applause]