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Good morning everyone, on behalf of the Class of 2013, I'd like to welcome you and thank
you for coming. I'd like to start with offering my glory to God, for without his presence
in our lives, we would not be here today. I'd like to offer an eternal thank you to
my parents Alvin and Tanya, who were my "dreammakers" long before I knew I was a dreamer, and for
being my primary and foremost role models. The security of your unwavering love is the
wind at my back, the foundation beneath my feet, and the voice in my ears. To my sister
Miaira, I look up to you, not because you're physically taller, but because you stand tall,
as you exemplify grace, focus, and success. To my younger brother Jagari, thank you for
challenging me, and reminding me that someone may always be waiting to walk in my shoes,
and that I must continue to lead by example. To all of my family, mentor, teachers, principals
and administrators, your support is the reason I stand here today. I have found strength
in your guidance, wisdom in your lessons, and bravery from your encouragement.
To my friends and fellow graduates, thank you for making these past four years an unforgettable
ride. I appreciate everything you brought to my life. I'd like to speak to you today
about my hope for our future. As we transition from Notre Dame and charter into unfamiliar
territory of college life, I want to remind you that we are not alone. We take with us
the love and blessings of all those who care about us. We take with us a wealth of advice,
a solid education, and of course a plethora of technology. And for some of us, who have
family members who are finding it hard to let go, we may eve take some of them. Mama,
I'd take you but the weight limit for luggage is only 50 pounds.
In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I too have a dream. My dream is of a tomorrow
that holds for us the promise of something more. Not just something better, but something
great. I'd like to ask you to take a little trip with me, as I guide you through my dream
for our future. Here we go. Just on the other side of summer, I can see a vast amount of
potential, spread out over the horizon of tomorrow. I see each of our names carved in
the tree, as we've staked our claims on the promise. I see the rainbow colored peaks were
success roams, just waiting to be seized. I can also see the cavernous valleys where
challenges loom, and I remind you, hang in there. God's got our backs. I can easily identify
the flood of endless possibilities, flowing like a river into the ocean as it spreads
out, as far as my eyes can see. I see us active and engaging on the campuses
of Xavier University, UCLA, Berkley, RCC, UCR, Cal Baptist, Cornell, Franciscan University,
Chaffey College, Johnson & Wales, Loyola Marymount, and many others. I can see us moving through
the rigors of a higher education, over the next four years, and for some of us the next
eight. I can see us wearing a robe similar in style to the one we don at his very moment.
I see us marching yet again, to Pomp and Circumstance. I can feel the joy of the celebration. I can
hear them singing the songs of our praise, as they shout our names. The victory dance
is ours, as we cross another milestone in the journey we call, our lives.
Although we've matured, I recognize all of us in the faces of the future doctors, teachers,
lawyers, artists, engineers, writer, entertainers, chefs, CEO's, nuns, soldiers, entrepreneurs,
computer programmers, philanthropist, and maybe even our president. I see our names
in the pages in of Forbes, Fortune, Wall Street Journal, The New England Journal of Medicine,
Vogue, and GQ magazines. I can see us, as we have discovered true love, and I can picture
the adoration of young children, who are now looking up to us. I can hear the world asking
if we are prepared to bear the weight of being responsible for ourselves, or the heavier
task of being responsible for the direction of its future. I also hear our voices as we
respond in union, with a resounding, "Yes we are!"
I can see us, as we taste the sweetness of success, realizing we've come into our own.
I can see us enjoying the smooth ride that the good life can provide, such as the perks
of a successful career, a palatial palace, and the financial security of a fat bank account
and pockets full of guap. I see us as we grow and gain wisdom, branch out from the tunnel
vision focus on ourselves, and discover the true gift of being able to reach out and give
back. I see us, as we have learned to respect and appreciate the gift of family, wisdom
and longevity. Class of 2013, now that I have taken you on
the journey through my dream for you, I'll leave you with this challenge, "Be bold in
your dreams, and courageous in your pursuit of them, and one day when you discover, you've
captured the dreams you have long pursued, spend a minute savoring your accomplishments,
then spend the rest of your life encouraging and supporting those, who are still in pursuit
of theirs." Go forward dreamers, class of 2013 will always
be Cor Unum Et Anima Una "One Heart, One Spirit". I love you each and every one of you & God
bless.