Remarks by the President at a DNC Event

Sheraton Hotel and Towers
New York, New York 

6:59 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, hello, hello!  (Applause.)  Thank you!  Thank you so much.  Hello, New York!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  Everybody please have a seat.  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)

Thank you, Jonathan, for your service to this country and for continuing to fight for what this country stands for, even after you had to take off the uniform. 

I also want to recognize the extraordinary performance of Audra McDonald.  I like hearing her sing.  (Applause.)  I want to thank our MC for this evening, Neil Patrick Harris.  (Applause.) Everybody knows that Neil is openly terrific.  (Laughter.) 

A couple of other acknowledgments -- Christine Quinn, the New York City Council Speaker, is here.  (Applause.)  A great friend of mine who helped move the process forward to make sure that “don’t ask, don’t tell” got done -- Patrick Murphy is in the house.  (Applause.)  The DNC treasurer, Andy Tobias, is here.  (Applause.)  I think they like you, Andy.  (Applause.)  And I want to thank the co-chairs of the LGBT Leadership Council.  Thank you so much.  This is just an extraordinary event.

It is wonderful to be back in New York.  I see a lot of new faces but also a lot of friends who I have known for a very long time.  Many of you knew me before I had gray hair.  (Laughter.)  Malia and Sasha says it makes me look distinguished.  Michelle says it makes me look old.  (Laughter.)

Now, being here with all of you, I can’t help but think back to election night two and a half years ago.  We were in Grant Park -- some of you were there.  Beautiful night.  Culmination of an extraordinary journey; a campaign that had drawn on the hard work and support of people all across the country –- men and women who believed that change was possible, who believed that we didn’t have to accept politics as usual, who believed that we could once again be a country that lived up to our highest aspirations, not our lowest common denominators.  And it was a perfect night, and we were feeling pretty good, I got to admit. 

But what I said then at Grant Park was that this was not the end of the road; it was just the beginning.  And I said that the journey was going to be long and it was going to be difficult and there were going to be times where we stumble, that the climb was going to be steep.  Now, we didn’t know exactly how steep it was going to be.  (Laughter.)  But we knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to rebuild the middle class after a decade of stagnant incomes and rising costs -– a decade where a lot of Americans felt like that dream was slipping away. 

We knew it wasn’t going to be easy to end two wars and restore America’s leadership around the world.  We knew it wasn’t going to be easy to fix our immigration system; to reform our health care system; to transform our energy policy; to educate our young people for the demands of a global economy.  We did not think it was going to be easy. 

And I said that night I did not run for President to do easy things.  I ran because I believed that as a nation it was time for us to do the hard things.  It was time for us to do the big things -- even if it took time, even if sometimes it was going to be frustrating.  I said I was not going to let politics or the typical Washington games stand in our way because it had held us back for too long.  That's what led to the mess that we were dealing with in the first place. 

So over these past two and a half years, I’ve had some tough calls to make.  I had some tough calls as soon as I took office. We had to prevent a financial system from falling apart and dragging the economy into depression.  We had to pass reforms to stop abuses in the financial system and prevent future crises.  We had to rescue the auto industry.  I did not think it was going to be an auto CEO.  (Laughter.)  Even though there were a lot of people who said, let them go, let more than a million jobs vanish, allow two of America’s iconic companies to be liquidated and sold off for parts, we said no, we’re going to have to step up, we’re going to have to deal with it.

But even as we took these emergency steps, we started tackling all the challenges that we had talked about during the campaign, all the things that were standing in the way of the American Dream.  Because that’s why I ran.  That’s what the campaign was about.  That's why you supported me.  Because we believed in an economy that didn’t just work for those at the top, but worked for everybody -– where prosperity was shared.  (Applause.)  Where prosperity was shared from the machinist on the line to the manager on the floor, to the CEO in the boardroom.

We worked so hard in 2008 because we believed that we have to define our success not just by stock prices or corporate profits, but whether ordinary folks can find a good work, whether they can afford a middle-class life, whether they can pay the mortgage and take care of their kids and save some money for their child’s college education or their own retirement, and maybe have a little left over to go to a movie or dinner or even a play.  (Laughter.)  Since we're in New York.  (Laughter.)   

That’s why we cut taxes for middle-class families, and ended subsidies to the banks for student loans to make college more affordable.  That’s why I was proud to sign a bill to make sure women earn equal pay for equal work -- a basic principle.  (Applause.)  That’s why we’re promoting manufacturing and homegrown American energy -– because that’s what will lead to jobs that pay a decent salary.  That's why we’re standing up a new consumer bureau with just one responsibility -- looking out for ordinary folks in the financial system so they're not cheated.  That's why we passed health reform, so that no one in the richest nation on Earth ever has to go bankrupt because they or somebody in their family get sick.  (Applause.)  That was the right thing to do.  (Applause.) 

We waged that long campaign in 2008 because we believed it was time to end the war in Iraq.  And that is what we are doing  -- ending the war in Iraq.  (Applause.)  We removed 100,000 troops from Iraq already, ended combat missions there.  We’re on track to bring the rest of our troops home by the end of this year. 

I ran for President because I believed we needed to refocus our efforts in Afghanistan -- and we’re doing this, too.  We pummeled al Qaeda.  We took out bin Laden.  (Applause.)  And because of our progress and the extraordinary sacrifices of our troops -- because of the extraordinary sacrifices of our troops, we’re now fulfilling the commitment I made to start reducing our troops this month so that Afghans can take responsibility for their own security.  (Applause.)

I also ran because we now live in a world where America is facing stiff competition for good jobs.  There are rapidly growing nations like China and India -- they're hungry; they're on the move.  And for a long time we were told that the best way to win this competition was to undermine consumer protections, undermine clean air and clean water laws, hand out tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires, and everything would work out just fine.  It did not work out well.  In fact, if you look at our history, you'll see that philosophy has never worked our very well. 

America was built on the hard work of people and the ingenuity of our businesses.  But we also built a system of free public high schools and sent a generation to college on the G.I. Bill.  We constructed railroads and highways that spanned a continent.  We invested in research and technology, and we sent a man to the moon, and we discovered lifesaving medicine.  We launched the Information Age -– creating millions of jobs along the way.  That’s how you build a nation.  That's how you build a strong middle class.  And that’s what we need to do today. 

There is an important debate in Washington right now about cutting the deficit.  And it is absolutely critical that we cut the deficit.  Like families all across America, government has to live within its means.  And I’m prepared to bring down our deficit by trillions of dollars –- that’s "trillions" with a "t."

But I won't reduce our deficit by sacrificing the education of our young people.  (Applause.)

We can’t stop medical research being done by our scientists. (Applause.)  We can’t stop building the infrastructure that made this country great.  I’m not going to sacrifice clean energy at a time when our dependence on foreign oil has caused Americans so much pain at the pump.  (Applause.)  That doesn't make any sense. In other words, I will not sacrifice America’s future. 

What makes America great is not just the scale of our skyscrapers, or our military might, or the size of our GDP.  What makes us great is the character of our people.  Yes, we are rugged individualists and we are self-reliant, and that’s part of what makes us Americans.  We don't like being told what to do.

But what also makes us who we are is we’ve got faith in the future and we recognize that that future is shared -- the notion that I'm my brother’s keeper, I'm my sister’s keeper.  My life is richer and stronger when everybody in the country has some measure of security; everybody has got a fair shot at the American Dream.  That's what makes us great.  That’s our vision for America. 

It’s not a vision of a small America.  It’s a vision of a big America; a compassionate America; and a bold and optimistic America.  And it’s a vision where we’re living within our means, but we’re still investing in our future.  And everybody is making sacrifices, but nobody bears all the burden.  An America where we live up to the idea that no matter who we are, no matter what we look like, we are connected to one another.

That's what led many of us to fight so hard, to knock on so many doors and maybe harangue some of our friends -- this belief that it was up to each of us to perfect this union.  It was our work to make sure that we were living up to a simple American value:  We're all created equal.  We’re all created equal.

Ever since I entered into public life, ever since I have a memory about what my mother taught me, and my grandparents taught me, I believed that discriminating against people was wrong.  I had no choice.  I was born that way.  (Laughter and applause.)  In Hawaii.  (Applause.)  And I believed that discrimination because of somebody’s sexual orientation or gender identity ran counter to who we are as a people, and it’s a violation of the basic tenets on which this nation was founded.  I believe that gay couples deserve the same legal rights as every other couple in this country.  (Applause.)

Now, there was such a good recitation earlier by Neil that I feel bad repeating it, but let me just -- it bears repeating.  (Laughter.)  This is why we’re making sure that hospitals extended visitation rights to gay couples, because nobody should be barred from their bedside their partner -- the beside of their partner in a moment of pain, or a moment of need.  Nobody should have to produce a legal contract to hold the hand of the person that they love. 

It’s why we launched the first comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy, providing a road map not only to providing treatment and reducing infections -- (applause) -- but also embracing the potential of new, groundbreaking research that will help us bring an end to this pandemic. 

That’s why I ordered federal agencies to extend the same benefits to gay couples that go to straight couples wherever possible.  That's why we’re going to keep fighting until the law no longer -–

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Marriage. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Marriage.  Marriage.  Marriage.

THE PRESIDENT:  I heard you guys.  (Laughter.)  Believe it or not, I anticipated that somebody might -- (Laughter and applause.)

Where was I?  (Laughter.)  That's why we’re going to keep on fighting until the law no longer treats committed partners who’ve been together for decades like they’re strangers.

That’s why I have long believed that the so-called Defense of Marriage Act ought to be repealed.  It was wrong.  It was unfair.  (Applause.)  And since I taught constitutional law for a while, I felt like I was in a pretty good position to agree with courts that have ruled that Section 3 of DOMA violates the Constitution.  And that's why we decided, with my attorney general, that we could no longer defend the constitutionality of DOMA in the courts.  (Applause.)

Now, part of the reason that DOMA doesn't make sense is that traditionally marriage has been decided by the states.  And right now I understand there’s a little debate going on here in New York -- (laughter) -- about whether to join five other states and D.C. in allowing civil marriage for gay couples.  And I want to  -- I want to say that under the leadership of Governor Cuomo, with the support of Democrats and Republicans, New York is doing exactly what democracies are supposed to do.  There’s a debate;  there’s deliberation about what it means here in New York to treat people fairly in the eyes of the law. 

And that is -- look, that’s the power of our democratic system.  It’s not always pretty.  There are setbacks.  There are frustrations.  But in grappling with tough and, at times, emotional issues in legislatures and in courts and at the ballot box, and, yes, around the dinner table and in the office hallways, and sometimes even in the Oval Office, slowly but surely we find the way forward.  That’s how we will achieve change that is lasting -– change that just a few years ago would have seemed impossible.

Now, let me just say this.  There were those who doubted that we’d be able to pass a hate crimes law.  Occasionally I got hollered at about that.  After a decades-long fight, we got it done -- bring us closer to the day when nobody is going to be afraid to walk down the street because they’re gay or transgender.  (Applause.)  

There were those said we couldn’t end “don’t ask, don’t tell.”  And I remember having events where folks hollered out at events.  (Laughter.)  But we passed the repeal.  We got it done. We’re now moving forward with implementing it.  (Applause.)  So we’re no longer going to demand brave and patriotic Americans live a lie to serve their country. 

Folks like Captain Jonathan Hopkins, who led a platoon into northern Iraq during the initial invasion, and quelled an ethnic riot, and earned a Bronze Star with valor.  He was discharged, only to receive emails and letters from his soldiers saying if they had known he was gay all along -- that they had known he was gay all along and they still thought he was the best commander they had ever had.

That’s how progress is being won -- here in New York, around the country.  Day by day, it’s won by ordinary people who are striving and fighting and protesting for change, and who, yes, are keeping the pressure up, including pressure on me.  And by men and women who are setting an example in their own lives -- raising their families, doing their jobs, joining the PTA, singing in church, serving and sacrificing for this country overseas, even as they are not always granted the full rights of citizenship they deserve here at home.

Last year, I received a letter from a teenager growing up in a small town, and he told me he was a senior in high school, and that he was proud to be the captain of a club at his school, and that he was gay.  And he hadn't told his parents.  He hadn’t come out.  He was worried about being mocked or being bullied.  He didn’t think it was safe to, in his words, “openly be myself.” But this 17-year-old also looked towards the day when he didn’t have to be afraid; when he didn’t have to worry about walking down the hallway.  And he closed his letter by saying, “Everyone else is considered equal in this country.  Why shouldn’t we be?” (Applause.) 

So, yes, we have more work to do.  Yes, we have more progress to make.  Yes, I expect continued impatience with me on occasion.  (Laughter.)  But understand this -- look, I think of teenagers like the one who wrote me, and they remind me that there should be impatience when it comes to the fight for basic equality.  We've made enormous advances just in these last two and a half years.  But there are still young people out there looking for us to do more, to help build a world in which they never have to feel afraid or alone to be themselves.  And we know how important that is to not only tell them that it’s going to get better, but to also do everything in our power to ensure that things actually are better.

I’m confident that we will achieve the equality that this young person deserves.  I’m confident that the future is bright for that teenager and others like him, and that he can have the life that he wants and that he imagines. 

There will be setbacks along the way.  There will be times where things aren’t moving as fast as folks would like.  But I know that he’ll look back on his struggles, and the struggles of many in this room, as part of what made change possible; part of what it took to reach the day when every single American, gay or straight or lesbian or bisexual or transgender, was free to live and love as they see fit.  (Applause.)

And we can look at the progress we’ve made in the last two years, to the changes that were led not by Washington, but by folks standing up for themselves, or for their sons or for their daughters, fighting for what’s right.  Not just change on behalf of gay Americans, but for everybody looking to fulfill their version of the American Dream -- whether it’s the students working their way through college, or the workers heading to factories to build American cars again, or the energy entrepreneurs testing bold ideas, the construction crews laying down roads, the small business owners and scientists and inventors and builders and all those Americans who faced hardship and setbacks but who never stopped believing in this country -– it’s capacity to change; who are helping each and every day to rebuild this nation so that we emerge from this period of struggle stronger and more unified than ever before.

And that’s the story of progress in America.  That’s what all of you represent -- of the stubborn refusal to accept anything less than the best that this country can be.  And with your help, if you keep up the fight, and if you will devote your time and your energies to this campaign one more time, I promise you we will write another chapter in that story.  And we are going to leave a new generation with a brighter future and a more hopeful future.  And I’ll be standing there, right there with you.

Thank you.  God bless you.  (Applause.)  God bless the United States of America.  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END
7:24 P.M. EDT

Remarks of the President to Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, New York

10th Combat Aviation Brigade Dining Facility, Fort Drum, New York

2:52 P.M. EDT

        THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  (Applause.)   I don’t want to give a long speech, because I want to spend most of my time just shaking hands and thanking all of you.  

        Colonel Burleson, thank you so much for your leadership.  To Sergeant Major Defreese and Parhum -- to all of you, there’s a reason I wanted to come here today.  As the colonel just mentioned, in 2009, after having been in Afghanistan for seven years, but having I think lost a sense of focus in terms of how we were going to accomplish our mission, I made the most difficult decision that I’ve made as President, and that is to deploy an additional 30,000 troops into Afghanistan so that we could turn back Taliban momentum, so that we could continue to go after al Qaeda aggressively, and so that we could make sure that we were training an Afghan security force that had the capacity to secure their own country.

        The only reason I was able to make that decision was because I knew that we had the finest fighting force in the world, and that if I gave a command to our troops, they would be able to accomplish that mission.  If we were focused and if we were clear in terms of what we were going to try to accomplish, I knew that we could get it done.

        And the 10th Mountain Division, this storied -- this group that has been there for America day in, day out throughout our history, was the first folks to go in after that order was given.  And that’s not surprising, because you guys were also some of the first folks to go in right after 9/11.

        Throughout my service, first as a senator and then as a presidential candidate and then as a President, I’ve always run into you guys.  And for some reason it’s always in some rough spots.  

        First time I saw 10th Mountain Division, you guys were in southern Iraq.  When I went back to visit Afghanistan, you guys were the first ones there.  I had the great honor of seeing some of you because a comrade of yours, Jared Monti, was the first person who I was able to award the Medal of Honor to who actually came back and wasn’t receiving it posthumously.

        And so you guys have always been there in the toughest fights.  And the fact that you are continuing, even as we speak, that many of your comrades are there right now under some very tough circumstances, is a testimony to your dedication and your patriotism.

        Now, last night, I gave a speech in which I said that we have turned a corner where we can begin to bring back some of our troops.  We’re not doing it precipitously.  We’re going to do it in a steady way to make sure that the gains that all of you helped to bring about are going to be sustained.  But because of your outstanding work, what we’ve been able to do is train an additional 100,000 Afghan soldiers so that they can start carrying on the fight.

        Because of what you’ve done, areas like Kandahar are more secure than they have been in years.

        Because of you, we’re now taking the fight to the Taliban instead of the Taliban bringing the fight to us.

        And because of you, there are signs that the Taliban may be interested in figuring out a political settlement, which ultimately is going to be critical for consolidating that country.

        It’s also because of you that we had the platform to be able to go after bin Laden and al Qaeda.  And we have decimated their ranks.  Al Qaeda leadership -- half of them have been killed, and most of them are now on the run and they can’t operate as effectively as they could.

        And so as I look around this room I suspect that some of you joined the military after 9/11 because you had seen fellow Americans suffer at the hands of bin Laden.  And when we got them -- when he got him -- and as we keep on driving to get the rest of them, it’s because of the work and the sacrifice that you guys have made.

        Now, the 10th Mountain and the 1st Brigade, you guys have sacrificed mightily.  I know that you got 11 fallen soldiers just out of this group right here, and I think about 270 all told since 9/11.  

        We will never forget their sacrifice.  And the reason that I know many of you continue to do the outstanding work that you do is not only love of country but it’s also love for each other, and your commitment to making sure that those sacrifices were not in vain.  

        So the main message I have for all of you here today is that the American people understand the sacrifices you’re making; they understand the sacrifices that your families are making.  Our job is not finished.

        If you looked at the schedule that I set forth, we’re only bringing out 10,000 by the end of this year.  We’re going to bring out all 33,000 that we surged by next summer.  But there’s still some fighting to be done.  And then we’re still going to have 68,000.  And, frankly, the 10th Mountain Division is still going to be represented there until we have fully transferred to the Afghan military and security forces.

        But I hope that all of you can both take pride in what you’ve done over the past years, but also understand that there’s a future there that is brighter not only for the Afghan people, but for -- most importantly, for American security.  And you guys are the tip of the spear.  You guys are the ones that keep us safe each and every day.

        So, for all the sacrifices that you’ve made, I want to say thank you.  For all the sacrifices that your families have made, I want to say thank you.  I have no greater job; nothing gives me more honor than serving as your Commander-in-Chief.  And to all of you who are potentially going to be redeployed, just know that your Commander-in-Chief has your back.

        So thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  Climb to glory.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END 2:58 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the First Lady at University of Cape Town Youth Event

University of Cape Town - Fuller Hall, Cape Town, South Africa

2:15 P.M. (Local)

        MRS. OBAMA:  Well, hello!  (Applause.)  Please sit.  Yes.  You all look wonderful.  Has it been a good day?  

        AUDIENCE:  Yes.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah?  Exciting?  It’s good.

        Well, I want to start by thanking Vice Chancellor Price for, number one, that very kind introduction and for his words, but more importantly for all the work that he’s doing at this phenomenal university.

        I also want to send greetings and say hello and thank you to Dr. Ramphele.  She is fabulous.  (Laughter.)  We got to talk outside.  We could have been talking for hours, but we’ll do that later.  (Laughter.)  But I am grateful to have her join us today and more importantly for her lifetime of leadership and sacrifice for this country.  She is a true model.  Her generation is the generation that we all will be standing -- whose shoulders we will stand on.  So I am excited to have her talk to all of you.

        But before I begin, I want to recognize yesterday’s passing of Kader Asmal, and I want everyone here to know that the thoughts and prayers of my family and my country are with all of you as you mourn another of this nation’s great anti-apartheid leaders.  

        As I just said, his generation fought its battles so that today’s young people, all of you, no matter where you come from or what you look like, could have the opportunities to shape your own futures and the futures of this country and this world.

        And that's why I like to talk with all of you young people, and that's what I want to talk with you about today.  I want to talk to you about opportunity, because whenever I travel as First Lady, my highest priority is to meet with young people just like all of you, because, number one, you’re beautiful and handsome and really cool.  (Laughter.)  But whether I’m in London or Mexico City, Mumbai or Santiago, every time I visit with young people, I come away inspired.  A lot of young people don't understand that, because people like us, we need to be inspired, too, and you all do that.

        I come away with the same feeling that Robert Kennedy spoke of during his historic speech right here at this university 45 years ago.  And he said -- and this is his quote -- “As I talk to young people around the world, I’m impressed not by the diversity but by the closeness of their goals, their desires and their concerns and their hope for the future.”

        And that’s exactly how I feel.  That's been my experience.  I can see the same promise in all of you as I do in my own girls.  That's what keeps me motivated.  When I see you, I see them.  When I see them, I see you.  And I see it in the students that I’ve met all across my country in America, and in all of the young men and women I see as I travel around the world.

        And I want to make sure that you all see that promise in yourselves.  It’s so clear to me and so many others.  The challenge is to make sure you see it in yourselves.  And that’s why I thought it would be wonderful to have you all come here to the University of Cape Town, and so many other people thought so, too, right?

        I wanted you all to have the chance to walk around this beautiful campus, right?  It’s beautiful here.  As I was saying to one of my assistants, who wouldn’t want to spend a few years here?  Oh, what else are you going to do?  It’s beautiful here -- to meet the professors, to spend some time with some of the students.

        I wanted you to see that the students here are really not that different from all of you.  I wanted you to realize that you can fit in here, too.  This is a place for you, because while this is an extraordinary university with top-notch programs and all kinds of famous alumni, getting into a school like this isn’t some kind of magical process.  And I’ve said this before.  People always ask me -- how do you do what you do?  It isn’t magic.  There is no magic dust that helps students succeed at a place like this.

        Instead, nowadays it is really about how hard you’re willing to work.  It is about whether you’re willing to stay focused and be disciplined.  And more importantly, it is about first believing in yourself every step of the way.

        And if you do these things –- and anyone can –- then I know that every single one of you can be successful at a university like this or anywhere in the world.

        I’ve seen it again and again, including in my own life.  I grew up in a little bitty apartment on the second floor of a house in one of the biggest cities in my country.

        And when I was about your age, I started applying to universities -- I was a good student -- at least I thought I was -- my grades said I was -- including -- I applied to many of the elite schools in my country.  And some folks didn’t think that someone with my background could succeed at schools like that.  Right?  I mean, these people meant well.  They were rooting for me.  But they weren’t really sure.  And quite frankly I wasn’t sure, either.  

        But I ended up getting accepted to one of those top schools.  But even then, I still had doubts.  Entering that university, I wondered whether I could really keep up with the students whose parents had graduated from some of the finest universities, students who grew up with all kind of advantages that I never had.

        But once I got into the school and started meeting people, and attending classes and opening my mouth and exercising my brain, I realized that I was doing just as well, and in many cases, even better than so many of my classmates.  

        And I realized then for the very first time in my life that success wasn’t about where you come from or how much money your family has.  Success is about working hard and again believing that you can do it, and being able to envision that you can do it.  You got to see yourselves here.  And it’s not enough to just want it.  You have to see it and you have to work for it.

        And you can look at anyone who’s been successful –- and I’m sure there are successful people around you -- your favorite teacher, your coach, whether it’s the top business leaders in your communities, your favorite artist or athlete, or even somebody like my husband.  You know that guy.  (Laughter.)  

        And you’ll see that in them, as well -- that while they’ve taken different journeys -- because not everybody has the same path -- my husband’s was probably a little bumpier.  He wasn’t a great student all the time.  He goofed off a little bit.  He didn’t get serious about school until he got to university, because he had a different journey, a different experience.  But what all of these people share is the belief in their own potential -- that’s really the very beginning -- and having the determination to fulfill it.

        And we can take the example of Mamphela, as well.  She grew up in one of your country’s poorest provinces.  And it was a different time then.  Very different.  She had to enter her own church through a separate entrance.  She had to do chores for the staff at her school.  And her teachers wouldn’t even shake her hand.  All because of the color of her skin.

        But that did not stop Mamphela.  She went on to medical school, she became a doctor, she opened a community health center in an underserved area.  And along the way, she stood up against apartheid, and because of that she went to jail.  They banished her for years to a remote part of the country.

        But they couldn’t banish her spirit.  She went on to found another medical clinic, a literacy program, a daycare center.  And more importantly, she never stopped learning.  She never stopped earning degrees, collecting fellowships and awards from some of the most prestigious universities in the world.  And when she became vice chancellor here at UCT, she was installed by President Nelson Mandela himself.  How powerful is that, huh?  Isn't that hopeful?  Isn’t that good?  Isn’t that cool?  (Laughter.)

        So no matter what part of this world you come from, I said this yesterday, you can have an impact.  Right?  We saw that again and again with the folks in Mamphela’s generation.  They brought down apartheid, and in the years since they’ve made this country and they built it on a foundation of equality, freedom and democracy.  And now millions vote in free and fair elections.  The economy of this country is one of Africa’s largest.  It is the largest.  This country shined under the world’s spotlight at this year’s World Cup.

        And now, the rest of the world, including some of these people here, is looking to South Africa to be a leader in years and decades ahead.  And when we say we’re looking to South Africa, what we really mean is that we’re looking to all of you.  A lot of pressure, but you can handle it, because you guys are going to be the ones leading this nation in 10 years, in 20 years, in 30 years.  And you’re going to be the ones who show the world what kids from the Western Cape can do.

        So as you think about the years ahead, the goals you have for yourselves and the dreams you have for your country, I want you to know first and foremost that a lot of people believe in you.  I believe in you.  My husband believes in you.  There are so many people in my country who believe in you, because what we know is that when you succeed, we all succeed.  Right?

        So I am eager to hear more about you.  I know you’ve got some questions.  We’re going to talk.  Speak loud.  Don't be shy.  Ignore them.  Just pretend like they’re not there.  (Laughter.)  And I am very proud of you, and I hope you had a wonderful day.

        So with that, let us begin.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

        DR. RAMPHELE:  This is such a wonderful day for us to welcome my younger sister.  She left these shores when she was a baby, and now today she’s come home.  And we are very proud to have my other sister here with us.  (Applause.)

        And you all heard how proud she is of you and what high expectations she’s got of you.  But I think you’re going to have greater fun because you’re going to put her on the spot.  (Laughter.)  You’re going to ask her questions.  Right?

        And I think we’re going to start with Zizipho.  Zizipho has got a question for you, Michelle, and I think we should listen.

        Q    Well, it is important for us to have people -- to have adults to look up to.  Who is your role model, and why?

        MRS. OBAMA:  My role model honestly is my mother -- who is with me.  And she always tells me, “Well, I didn’t do anything to help raise you.  You raised yourself.”  That's not true.

        My mother is my role model because it’s amazing to watch a woman or any individual -- if my father were alive, he would be among them -- who is able to push their kids beyond anything they could have imagined for themselves.  

        And my parents didn’t get to finish college.  They didn’t get to spend much time on their educations.  They went to work right away.  They had fears and limitations in their lives because of the times that they were born.  

        But yet they never showed us that fear.  They never used that to limit us.  They never experienced wonderful universities.  They didn’t necessarily know how to direct us to be excellent.  But they figured it out, you know?

        And now that I’m a mother, I see how courageous and outstanding that was.  This is my mother’s first time in Africa.  She never traveled much herself.  She never thought of it.  But yet here she is, probably so uncomfortable with all the attention.  She lives in the White House.  It’s not something she would ever want for herself.  But she will do everything she can to support me, to support my children, to support her son-in-law.  And it’s that kind of foundation that is greater than any degree that I could ever have.  That is what sustains people.  It’s like having that kind of unconditional love.

        So as you get older, know that the family you build is probably the absolute and most important thing you can do for the world.  So never shirk on that responsibility.  And you don't have to be great to build greatness.  And that's what my mother taught me.  And in so doing she is incredibly -- she’s an incredible woman.  She didn’t really know it.

        DR. RAMPHELE:  Wonderful.  So you hear how important mothers are.  I feel a little bit more important than I did earlier on.  (Laughter.)  

        We are now going to have a question from Jesse.  Jesse comes from the Cape Academy school.

        Q    My question is, how would you define success?

        MRS. OBAMA:  How would I define success?  I read somewhere -- I’m sure somebody important said it, but some people say success is when opportunity meets preparation.  Right?  So I think one of the most important things you can be is prepared.  And preparation means you have to have a good education, first and foremost.

        There is just no -- there's no alternative, and there shouldn’t be.  And to have a good education means you have to work hard and you have to take your education seriously.  You got to do your homework.  Finish what you start.  Be there.  Be on time.  

        And the one thing I always say is that you have to practice success.  Success doesn’t just show up.  And if you’re not practicing success today, you won’t wake up in 20 years to be successful because you won’t have developed the habits of success, right, which is small things like finishing what you start; and putting a lot of effort into everything you do; being on time; treating people well.  

        You can get into the habit of just bad habits.  So you’ll have to practice it now so that you get into the habit of, well, this is naturally what I do.  I put 120 percent into everything I do, even if it’s washing my socks, right?

        So -- and I think finally the last thing I think that defines success is being a good person, you know, because you can have all the money in the world and all the titles, and if you’re just not good, you don't treat others well, if you’re not ready to invest in something bigger than yourself, if you’re selfish, you’re never successful.  So be a good person.  And be prepared.  Okay?

        DR. RAMPHELE:  Well, I think you have started very well, all of you here, by preparing.  Being here is already the beginning of success.

        We’re going to hear from Mogamat Nur Marcus from Spine School.

        Q    What advice can you give the youth today?  What advice of a practical nature can you give the youth today in order to achieve their dreams?

        MRS. OBAMA:  What advice to achieve your dreams?  It’s similar to what I said in my comments:  preparation and being able to envision your dreams.

        What the Chancellor and I talked about is that if there are kids who never see a place like this, and if you don't even know that it exists, and there are many kids all over the world who don't even know this is possible, then how can you expect kids to work for it?

        Kids rise to the bar they’re given, and if the bar is low, what else can they do?  So being able to raise your bar and envision your dreams is the beginning of it.  And you all are blessed with people who are investing in that.  

        So now the next question is how do you pass that on?  Because we have to multiply the advantages that some kids get, because not every kid in this country is getting that.  So how do we multiply that?  How can you be a part of expanding the vision of other kids in your lives, in your sphere of influence?  How do you share this experience with other kids so that they can know, you know -- UCT, wow, that's a phenomenal place, and college is something that you should aspire to, and let me -- let’s talk about the stories, let’s talk about what's possible.  I mean, you can be doing that now at your age with kids that are younger.  

        And that's how it builds, you know?  I mean, that's really why I do what I do, not as First Lady, but I feel like I have a responsibility to multiply what I have, because I come from a background where I know there are kids just as talented as me from my neighborhood.  They were just as smart.  They had just as much potential.  There's no way that I’m better than them.  I just got -- I had a chance to see a vision that they didn’t.  

        So I can’t be content that somehow I’m First Lady, this means something, I did something special.  No.  I work hard.  But I was lucky.  I was blessed.  I was fortunate, as well.

        So how do I pass that on, because this isn’t -- there shouldn’t be a space that's limited.  We’re not competing with each other.  We want to bring more people in, right?

        DR. RAMPHELE:  Great.  Now you are all going to be the multipliers of success.  So we are going to have great success.

        Ngcokomfi Buhlali?  You are from Sophumelela School.  Great.

        Q    Okay, I would like to know that -- how is the relationship between U.S.A. and South Africa, in terms of education?

        MRS. OBAMA:  The relationship?  You know, first of all, I think the relationship between our two countries generally is strong because we share such a common history.  But I think that there's greater exchange happening.  I know that there are more and more young students from South Africa who are coming to the United States to get an education, and there are more and more students from the United States who are coming here to get an education, to serve in the Peace Corps, to teach, to work in communities.

        And I think that that's the important beginning of the shared relationships between our countries.  Again, it starts with young people, you all starting to get to know each other’s worlds, and not being afraid to step in and out of it.  

        So that's another sort of challenge that comes your way in this generation, is that as you get your education here, how do you start beginning to think of yourselves as citizens of the world, too?  

        And I say this to young people in the United States, is that if you ever have the opportunity to go outside of this country and live for a moment, to work for a second, to experience something else other than your own culture and your own reality, that's where education begins for so many people.  And that's true for all of you.

        So you’ve got to envision yourself here.  And then envision yourself in the world.  Start -- keep thinking big.  So you’re going to come here, you’re going to get your degree, but maybe right before you finish, you go to work, you think, I’m going to travel to another place.  It doesn’t have to be the United States.  It could be somewhere else, just to expand your horizons and to keep building your own vision.  And I think that our countries can start -- or expand on that process.  

        But the truth is we all have challenges when it comes to education.  There's more work that we need to do.  Every child in each of our countries should have equal opportunity for greatness and to learn, and we’re all still working towards that goal.  That's another one of the challenges, quite frankly, you all are going to have to figure out, and are going to have to help build on that.

        DR. RAMPHELE:  Well, there we have it.

        Charné Behr from Oude Molen, what's your question?

        Q    Do you still feel pressure being the first African American First Lady?

        MRS. OBAMA:  Do I feel --

        Q    The pressure.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Pressure, oh, the pressure.  I thought you said the “pleasure.”  (Laughter.)  

        The pressure.  That's a really good question.  I don't know if I feel pressure.  But I feel deep, deep responsibility, and that -- sort of that practice habit I got into.  I think whether I’m First Lady or whether I was a nurse or a mother, I feel like -- the pressure to be absolutely good at what I’m doing, probably so that I could make my parents proud, I could make myself proud, and I don't disappoint my country.

        So I guess in a sense there is pressure, because I don't want to let people down, you know?  I didn’t necessarily run for office.  I was actually trying to talk my husband out of running for office.  (Laughter.)  

        But now that we’re here, I want to be good because this is a big job, and it’s a big, bright light.  And you don't want to waste it.  So I’m constantly thinking, how do I use this light?  And, you know, the light is limited, fortunately, for a term or two.  

        So no matter what, it’s short-lived.  So how will I feel -- my husband and I, we talk about how will we feel when it’s time to leave?  We’ll be fine leaving, but what will we have left, right?  And will we feel like this was worth it?  Everybody who voted, and looked up -- you know, will you guys -- I think about that.  When I leave here, I think about, was this worth it for you?  Is this going to matter?

        So I guess, yeah, there's a little pressure because this is an opportunity that you can’t waste.  And I think some of that is the practice, because I felt that way when I was seven, probably.  I see it in my kids, that sort of -- the practice of wanting to be excellent at what you do.

        So there probably is a little pressure.  There's probably a little bit.  (Laughter.)

        DR. RAMPHELE:  I think a little pressure is very good for all of us.

        Zandile from LEAP school.

        Q    When choosing careers, we are -- whether -- live in a society where mostly men choose science careers.  So how do you as a female make sure that your voice is heard?

        MRS. OBAMA:  We talked about this a lot yesterday with -- you know.  It was funny -- not funny -- the forum yesterday -- the young women that were there -- so powerful, so vocal.  I didn’t have to say a word.  I listened.  I was like, that's so rare; it’s good.  

        But I think the answer to that, for women, is, first of all, to use your voice.  Use it.  Again, there's no magic to it.  You just have to decide, as a woman, as a young woman, that my voice is actually important.

        And I think sometimes we as women are trained to, you know, just sort of be a little more quiet.  We’re going to let these sort of men talk and talk.  Sometimes they don't know what they’re talking about.  (Laughter.)  

        But I think women, we check ourselves more.  We’re more inclined to wait a second; and maybe I shouldn’t say it because I don't know it’s 100 percent right; maybe I won’t do it because I might fail; maybe I shouldn't compete because competing isn’t polite.  

        There are a lot of things that we’re just taught that keep us from using our voice.  So to break that habit, you just have to start using it, right, and it’s as small as when you are in class, ask a question, no matter what.  Just open your mouth.  Don't be afraid to be wrong.

        I tell my girls this all the time, because I know that that's part of my issue as a -- I don't want to be wrong; what if I get it wrong; what if I embarrass myself?  

        Boys, you guys don't really care.  You do boneheaded things all the time -- (laughter) -- and seem to recover from it, and you practice it, so you get good at it.  It’s like, yeah.  You know, Sasha is like that.  She talks about boys in the -- “Why do they keep talking?  Why don't they listen?” -- because they can stumble a little bit, and you guys compete, and you’re used to, you know.

        I think young girls have to start practicing, just actually using your voices, and asking for help, and stepping up, and pushing a little bit to the front, and not waiting for somebody to tell you that it’s okay.

        DR. RAMPHELE:  Well, you’ve got it.  You’ve got it.

        Vuyolwethu from Cape Academy.  What's your question, my dear?

        Q    Thank you, ma’am.  Mrs. Obama, one of your most vital elements of your visit is youth leadership and development.  My question to you is, how vital of a role do you think the youth of any nation contributes to its development?

        MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, it’s absolutely critical.  I spoke of this in my remarks because I believe it to be true.  The changes that we need to make in this world are big, and they’ll take time.  So a lot of the things that our generations are working towards just will not be actualized in our lifetime, and it’s not because the path isn’t the right path.  It’s just that change is slow sometimes.  Meaningful change is -- takes time.

        So that means that we all may be laying the foundation for our children and our grandchildren.  And just because we won’t see it, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be doing it.  

        You look at Mr. Nelson Mandela, right?  I mean, I’m sure at some point during his detention he could have thought, man, this is a bad idea, huh?  (Laughter.)  I don't know if this is working out that well.

        But he is 92; he will be 93 this year.  And in his lifetime, just imagine -- because he has been fortunate enough to live that long, he has seen the full -- not the complete, but the huge impact of his legacy, and most people just don't get to see that.  So he is blessed to know that it was worth it, right?  

        So maybe you don't live that long.  But know that if you are doing the right thing, that in a generation or two or three, it will matter.  

        So that's where youth leadership comes in, because we are always passing the baton.  You all are always in a position to come with new ideas and new realities.  Some of the hurts and the wounds of the past, fortunately, you just haven’t lived through.  So you can perceive it differently, right?

        That's why youth is important.  Forgiving, moving beyond, not forgetting -- know your history, know the origins of the circumstance -- but adding your own experience and your voice.  That's how we build nations.  It starts with young people.

        DR. RAMPHELE:  Fantastic.  So you guys are going to sort out all the issues that we failed to sort out.

        Nuhaa Sentso from Spine school.

        Q    How did you meet your husband, and what are his endearing qualities?  (Laughter.)  

        MRS. OBAMA:  How did I meet my husband?  (Laughter.)  It’s a good question.

        Oh, how did I meet my husband?  

        DR. RAMPHELE:  How did you meet your husband?

        MRS. OBAMA:  How did I meet my husband?

        DR. RAMPHELE:  Yes.  (Laughter.)

        MRS. OBAMA:  There are a lot of people sitting up now.  (Laughter.)  I actually -- I met him -- we went to the same law school, but we went at different times.  He is older than me, I have to point out.  

        But I went straight through law school, and I was working as a lawyer, so I was -- it was my first year as a lawyer, and my husband was just starting law school, but he got a job as an apprentice, or an intern, in my law firm.  And I was his advisor -- which, as he points out, doesn’t mean that I was supervising him.  I didn’t give him work -- which is true.  It’s actually true.  I wasn’t his boss, but I was sort of like his mentor, you know, helping him get adjusted.  

        And he asked me out.  (Laughter.)  And I first said no, because I thought, you know, we work together; that seems a little strange. But eventually I said yes because of all the things I said before.  I saw the qualities.  I saw him practicing good stuff in his life.  Not a perfect person, but a person who was committed to something beyond himself; the fact that he wasn’t just a law student who wanted to make a lot of money, even though he could.  He was a community organizer.  He had real passion about change.  

        And he added something to me.  He added more to who I was.  And I always say this to people.  If you’re going to have somebody in your life, whether it’s a mate or a friend, make sure they add value to you, right, because part of that practice is who you surround yourself with.

        And if you want to be great, you can’t be hanging out with people who aren’t practicing greatness, because they can pull you down.  You want to be pulling people up along the way.

        So Barack made me better. And hopefully he would say I made him better, too.  Let’s just say that.  (Laughter.)  I made him better.  (Laughter.)  

        DR. RAMPHELE:  So, guys, if you want to have beautiful wives, you better up your game, eh?  (Laughter.)

        And we have the last very tough question from Chad Bell from Oude Molen school.  The toughest question of all.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Uh oh.

        Q    I'd just like to know what are your favorite foods?  (Laughter.)  

        MRS. OBAMA:  What -- I missed that.  What --

        DR. RAMPHELE:  Your favorite foods.

        MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite?  Oh, this is a tough one.  It is tough -- (laughter) -- you know, because if I say something not healthy, people will be like, you aren’t really committed to health.  If I say something healthy, you know -- I do -- honestly, I like all kinds of foods.  I like Italian food, I like Indian food, I really -- I like Mexican food.  I love -- you know, it’s hard to pick one.

        No, if I picked one favorite, favorite food, it’s French fries.  (Laughter.)  Okay?  It’s French fries.  I can’t stop eating them.  (Laughter.)  But eat your vegetables.  (Laughter.)  And exercise.  (Laughter.)  

        But if that was our last question, one thing -- and I hope my staff doesn’t lose their minds, but Mamphela, talk to these young people.  Now, you’re here.  You’re moderating.  But I know you have words for these young people.  Please.

END 2:54 P.M. (Local)

Remarks by The First Lady during Keynote Address at Young African Women Leaders Forum

Regina Mundi Church
Soweto, South Africa

10:16 A.M. (Local)

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  It is such a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you today.

I want to start by thanking Graca Machel for that just gracious, kind introduction.  It is overwhelming.  And I want to thank her for her lifetime of service as a champion for women and children.  And from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for all of the kindness and generosity that you have shown my family for our visit here.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)

I am also honored to share the stage with another remarkable leader, Baleka Mbete.  (Applause.)  She has played a vital role in advancing equality and promoting development here in South Africa.  Thank you to the both of you for joining us here for sharing this moment with all of us.

I also want to thank the Archbishop of Johannesburg for honoring us today with his presence.

And of course, I want to recognize our guests of honor –- these 76 extraordinary young women leaders from here in South Africa and across the continent.  (Applause.)

These are young women transforming their communities and their countries, and let me tell you I am so impressed by all of them.  I am so proud of everything they have achieved.

And finally, I want to thank the leaders and the congregation of Regina Mundi for hosting us in this sacred space today.  It has been more than three decades, but those bullet holes in the ceiling, this broken altar still stand as vivid reminders of the history that unfolded here.

And you all know the story –- how 35 years ago this month, a group of students planned a peaceful protest to express their outrage over a new law requiring them to take courses in Afrikaans.  Thousands of them took to the streets, intending to march to Orlando Stadium.

But when security forces opened fire, some fled here to this church.  The police followed, first with tear gas, and then with bullets. 

And while no one was killed within this sanctuary, hundreds lost their lives that day, including a boy named Hector Pieterson, who was just 12 years old, and Hastings Ndlovu, who was just 15.

Many of the students hadn’t even known about the protest when they arrived at school that morning.  But they agreed to take part, knowing full well the dangers involved, because they were determined to get an education worthy of their potential.

And as the Archbishop noted, that June day wasn’t the first, or the last, time that this church stood in the crosscurrents of history.  It was referred to as “the parliament of Soweto.”  When the congregation sang their hymns, activists would make plans, singing the locations and times of secret meetings.  Church services, and even funerals, often became anti-Apartheid rallies.  And as President Mandela once put it, “Regina Mundi became a world-wide symbol of the determination of our people to free themselves.”

It is a story that has unfolded across this country and across this continent, and also in my country -- the story of young people 20 years ago, 50 years ago, who marched until their feet were raw, who endured beatings and bullets and decades behind bars, who risked, and sacrificed, everything they had for the freedom they deserved.

And it is because of them that we are able to gather here today.  It is because of them that so many of these young women leaders can now pursue their dreams.  It is because of them that I stand before you as First Lady of the United States of America.  (Applause.)  That is the legacy of the independence generation, the freedom generation.  And all of you -– the young people of this continent -– you are the heirs of that blood, sweat, sacrifice, and love.

So the question today is, what will you make of that inheritance?  What legacy will you leave for your children and your grandchildren?  What generation will you be?

Now, I could ask these questions of young people in any country, on any continent.  But there is a reason why I wanted to come here to South Africa to speak with all of you.

As my husband has said, Africa is a fundamental part of our interconnected world.  And when it comes to the defining challenges of our times –- creating jobs in our global economy, promoting democracy and development, confronting climate change, extremism, poverty and disease -- for all this, the world is looking to Africa as a vital partner.

That is why my husband’s administration is not simply focused on extending a helping hand to Africa, but focusing on partnering with Africans who will shape their future by combating corruption, and building strong democratic institutions, by growing new crops, caring for the sick.  And more than ever before, we will be looking to all of you, our young people, to lead the way.

And I’m not just saying that to make you all feel good.  (Laughter.)  The fact is that in Africa, people under 25 make up 60 percent of the population.  And here in South Africa, nearly two-thirds of citizens are under the age of 30.  So over the next 20 years, the next 50 years, our future will be shaped by your leadership.

And I want to pause for a moment on that word -– leadership -- because I know that so often, when we think about what that word means, what it means to be a leader, we think of presidents and prime ministers.  We think of people who pass laws or command armies, run big businesses, people with fancy titles, big salaries.

And most young people don’t fit that image.  And I know that often when you try to make your voices heard, sometimes people don’t always listen.  I know there are those who discount your opinions, who tell you you’re not ready, who say that you should sit back and wait your turn.

But I am here today because when it comes to the challenges we face, we simply don’t have time to sit back and wait.

I’m here because I believe that each of you is ready, right here and right now, to start meeting these challenges.

And I am here because I know that true leadership -– leadership that lifts families, leadership that sustains communities and transforms nations –- that kind of leadership rarely starts in palaces or parliaments.

That kind of leadership is not limited only to those of a certain age or status.  And that kind of leadership is not just about dramatic events that change the course of history in an instant.

Instead, true leadership often happens with the smallest acts, in the most unexpected places, by the most unlikely individuals.

I mean, think about what happened here in Soweto 35 years ago.  Many of the students who led the uprising were younger than all of you.  They carried signs made of cardboard boxes and canvass sacks.  Yet together, they propelled this cause into the consciousness of the world.  And we now celebrate National Youth Day and National Youth Month every year in their honor.

I mean, think about the giants of the struggle –- people like Albertina Sisulu, whose recent passing we all mourn.  Orphaned as a teenager, she worked as a nurse to support her siblings.  And when her husband, Walter Sisulu, became Secretary-General of the ANC, it was up to her to provide for their family.  When he was imprisoned for 26 years, it was up to her to continue his work.  And that she did.  With a mother’s fierce love for this country, she threw herself into the struggle.

She led boycotts and sit-ins and marches, including the 1956 Women’s March, when thousands of women from across this country, converged on Pretoria to protest the pass laws.  They were women of every color, many of them not much older than all of you.  Some of them carried their babies on their backs.  And for 30 minutes, they stood in complete silence, raising their voices only to sing freedom songs like Nkosi Sikelel iAfrica.  Their motto was simple, but clear: “If you strike a woman, you strike a rock.”  (Applause.)

Ma Sisulu, the students of Soweto, those women in Pretoria, they had little money, even less status, no fancy titles to speak of.  But what they had was their vision for a free South Africa.  What they had was an unshakeable belief that they were worthy of that freedom –- and they had the courage to act on that belief.  Each of them chose to be a rock for justice.  And with countless acts of daring and defiance, together, they transformed this nation.

Together they paved the way for free and fair elections, for a process of healing and reconciliation, and for the rise of South Africa as a political and economic leader on the world stage.

Now, I know that as your generation looks back on that struggle, and on the many liberation movements of the past century, you may think that all of the great moral struggles have already been won.

As you hear the stories of lions like Madiba and Sisulu and Luthuli, you may think that you can never measure up to such greatness. 

But while today’s challenges might not always inspire the lofty rhetoric or the high drama of struggles past, the injustices at hand are no less glaring, the human suffering no less acute.

So make no mistake about it: There are still so many causes worth sacrificing for.  There is still so much history yet to be made.  You can be the generation that makes the discoveries and builds the industries that will transform our economies.  You can be the generation that brings opportunity and prosperity to forgotten corners of the world and banishes hunger from this continent forever.  You can be the generation that ends HIV/AIDS in our time -- (applause) -- the generation that fights not just the disease, but the stigma of the disease, the generation that teaches the world that HIV is fully preventable, and treatable, and should never be a source of shame.  (Applause.)

You can be the generation that holds your leaders accountable for open, honest government at every level, government that stamps out corruption and protects the rights of every citizen to speak freely, to worship openly, to love whomever they choose.

You can be the generation to ensure that women are no longer second-class citizens, that girls take their rightful places in our schools.  (Applause.)

You can be the generation that stands up and says that violence against women in any form, in any place -- (applause) -- including the home –- especially the home –- that isn’t just a women’s rights violation.  It’s a human rights violation.  And it has no place in any society.

You see, that is the history that your generation can make.

Now, I have to be honest.  Your efforts might not always draw the world’s attention, except for today.  (Laughter.)  You may not find yourself leading passionate protests that fill stadiums and shut down city streets.  And the change you seek may come slowly, little by little, measured not by sweeping changes in the law, but by daily improvements in people’s lives.

But I can tell you from my own experience –- and from my husband’s experience -– that this work is no less meaningful, no less inspiring, and no less urgent than what you read about in the history books.

You see, it wasn’t that long ago that my husband and I were young, believe it or not -- (laugher) -- just starting out our careers.  After he graduated from university, Barack got a job as a community organizer in the struggling neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago.  A lot of people there were out of work and barely getting by.  Children had few opportunities and little hope for their future.  And trust me, no one thought that this skinny kid with the funny name -- (laughter) -- could make much of a difference.

But Barack started talking to people.  He urged them to start working on the change they wanted to see.  Soon, slowly, folks started coming together to fight for job training programs and better schools and safer housing for their families.

Slowly, the neighborhoods started to turn around.  Little by little, people started feeling hopeful again.  And that made Barack feel hopeful.

And I had a similar experience in my own career.  Like my husband, I came from a modest background.  My parents saved and sacrificed everything they had so that I could get an education.  And when I graduated, got a job at a big, fancy law firm -- nice salary, big office.  My friends were impressed.  My family was proud.  By all accounts, I was living the dream.

But I knew something was missing.  I knew I didn’t want to be way up in some tall building all alone in an office writing memos.  I wanted to be down on the ground working with kids, helping families put food on the table and a roof over their heads.

So I left that job for a new job training young people like yourselves for careers in public service.  I was making a lot less money.  My office wasn’t so nice.  (Laughter.)   But every day, I got to watch those young people gain skills and build confidence.  And then I saw them go on to mentor and inspire other young people.  And that made me feel inspired.  It still does.

See, my husband and I, we didn’t change any laws, we didn’t win any awards, get our pictures in the paper.  But we were making a difference in people’s lives.  We were part of something greater than ourselves.  And we knew that in our own small way, we were helping to build a better world.  And that is precisely what so many young people are doing every day across this continent.

These 76 young women are outstanding examples.  Take Gqibelo Dandala from here in South Africa.  She left a lucrative career in investment banking to found the Future of the African Daughter Project, an organization that lifts up young women in rural and township areas.  Of her work, she says: “…we are building a legacy which will outlive and outgrow us…”

And then there’s Robyn Kriel.  She’s a young reporter from Zimbabwe who has written about corruption and human rights abuses in her country.  She was beaten by police; her home raided, her mother imprisoned.  But she still hasn’t lost her passion for reporting, because, as she put it, the people of Zimbabwe “want their stories to be told.”

And then there’s Grace Nanyonga, who joins us today from Uganda.  Hey, Grace!  (Applause.)  You go, girl.  (Laughter.)  Orphaned at the age of 13, she started cooking and selling fish during her school vacations to support her six siblings.  Determined to get an education, she founded her own company, and she made enough money to put herself through university.  And she’s now started an organization that trains local women to work at her company so that they can support their own families.  (Applause.)  Of her achievements, she says, simply -- these are her words -- “I made it against all odds” and “I want to be an example for girls in my country and beyond.” 

Now, Grace could have been content to make lots of money, and just provide for her own family.  Gqibelo could have climbed the corporate ladder, and never looked back.  Where is she?  Please stand.  Grace got to stand.  (Laughter.)  Come on, where is she?   Is she out there?  (Applause.)  And no one would’ve blamed Robyn -- where’s Robyn?  (Applause.)  No one would have blamed Robyn if after all she’d been through she decided to quit reporting and pursue an easier career.  But these young women -- and these are just examples of stories that go on and on -- these young women could not be content with their own comfort and success when they knew that other people were struggling.

You see, that’s how people of conscience view the world.  It’s the belief, as my husband often says, that if any child goes hungry, that matters to me, even if she’s not my child.  (Applause.)  If any family is devastated by disease, then I cannot be content with my own good health.  If anyone is persecuted because of how they look, or what they believe, then that diminishes my freedom and threatens my rights as well.

And in the end, that sense of interconnectedness, that depth of compassion, that determination to act in the face of impossible odds, those are the qualities of mind and heart that I hope will define your generation.

I hope that all of you will reject the false comfort that others’ suffering is not your concern, or if you can’t solve all the world’s problems, then you shouldn’t even try.

Instead, as one of our great American presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, liked to say, I hope that you will commit yourselves to doing “what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are,” because in the end, that is what makes you a lion.  Not fortune, not fame, not your pictures in history books, but the refusal to remain a bystander when others are suffering, and that commitment to serve however you can, where you are.

Now it will not be easy.  You women know that already.  You will have failures and setbacks and critics and plenty of moments of frustration and doubt.  But if you ever start to lose heart, I brought you all here today because I want you to think of each other.  

Think about Grace, supporting her family all by herself.  And think about Robyn, who endured that beating so she could tell other people’s stories.  Think about Ma Sisulu, raising her kids alone, surviving banishment, exile, and prison.  When reflecting on her journey, Ma Sisulu once said, with her signature humility, she said, “All these years, I never had a comfortable life.”

So you may not always have a comfortable life.  And you will not always be able to solve all the world’s problems all at once.  But don’t ever underestimate the impact you can have, because history has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.

It’s what happens when folks start asking questions -- a father asks, “Why should my son go to school, but not my daughter?”  Or a mother asks, “Why should I pay a bribe to start a business to support my family?”  Or a student stands up and declares, “Yes, I have HIV, and here’s how I’m treating it, and here’s how we can stop it from spreading.” 

See, and then soon, they inspire others to start asking questions.  They inspire others to start stepping forward.

And those are the “ripples of hope” that a young U.S. senator named Robert Kennedy spoke of when he came here to South Africa 45 years ago this month.  In his words, he said, the “numberless diverse acts of courage and belief which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

And that is how a church can become a parliament.  That is how a hymn can be a call to action.

That is how a group of young people with nothing more than some handmade signs and a belief in their own God-given potential can galvanize a nation.

And that’s how young people around the world can inspire each other, and draw strength from each other.

I’m thinking today of the young activists who gathered at the American Library here in Soweto to read the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King for their inspiration.

And I’m thinking of how Dr. King drew inspiration from Chief Luthuli and the young people here in South Africa.

And I’m thinking about how young South Africans singing the American civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome” in the streets of Cape Town and Durban.

And I’m thinking of how Nkosi Sikelel iAfrica echoed through university campuses in the U.S., as students -– including my husband –- planned boycotts to support students here in South Africa.

And I’m thinking of this church and how those stained windows depicting the struggle were donated by the people of Poland, and how the peace pole in the park outside was donated by people from Japan, and how every week, visitors from every corner of the globe come here to bear witness and draw inspiration from your history.

And finally, I’m thinking of the history of my own country.  I mean, America won its independence more than two centuries ago.  It has been nearly 50 years since the victories of our own civil rights movement.  Yet we still struggle every day to perfect our union and live up to our ideals.  And every day, it is our young people who are leading the way.   They are the ones enlisting in our military.  They’re the ones teaching in struggling schools, volunteering countless hours in countless ways in communities. 

And in this past presidential election, they were engaged in our democracy like never before.  They studied the issues, followed the campaign, knocked on doors in the freezing snow and the blazing sun, urging people to vote.  They waited in line for hours to cast their ballots.

And I have seen that same passion, that same determination to serve in young people I have met all across the world, from India to El Salvador, from Mexico to the United Kingdom to here in South Africa.

So today, I want you to know that as you work to lift up your families, your communities, your countries and your world, know that you are never alone.  You are never alone.

As Bobby Kennedy said here in South Africa all those years ago: “…you are joined with fellow young people in every land, they struggling with their problems and you with yours, but all joined in a common purpose…determined to build a better future.”

And if anyone of you ever doubts that you can build that future, if anyone ever tells you that you shouldn’t or you can’t, then I want you to say with one voice –- the voice of a generation –- you tell them, “Yes, we can.”  (Applause.)  What do you say?  Yes, we can.  (Applause.)  What do you say?  Yes, we can!

AUDIENCE:  Yes, we can!

MRS. OBAMA:  What do you say?

AUDIENCE:  Yes, we can!

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you all so much.  God bless you.  (Applause.)

END
10:50 A.M. (Local)