Remarks by the President at a DNC Event

Capital Hilton

Washington, D.C.

8:21 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.

Well, it is good to see all of you here tonight.  (Applause.)  What an incredible honor to be introduced by Ernie Green.  Please give Ernie Green a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  I would not be standing here today were it not for people like Ernie Green.

And how about my new DNC chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz  (Applause.)  She is tireless -- tireless.  And she’s got the most adorable kids, and I don’t know how she keeps up with everything.  (Laughter.)  But as Michelle said, if you want something done, put a woman in charge.  (Applause.)  So -- all right, everybody got -- women, you got a little too excited on that.  (Laughter.)

You know, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about this campaign gearing back up, and obviously it evokes memories of 2008.  And I think back to that night in Grant Park when all the work, all the traveling through Iowa, all the stops by diners and in folks’ living rooms, and in barns in some cases -- (laughter) -- had all culminated in this incredible moment -- a moment that was less about me than it was about the American people and the commitment that we made to each other; that we wanted a country that was true to its founding ideals, but had adapted to a new century; an America that was big in spirit and bold in vision.

And I said on that night that this wasn’t the end, but rather it was the beginning -- because what we understand even then was that our country had reached a crossroads.  That we had a series of decisions that were going to help determine the future not just of our children, but our grandchildren and our great grandchildren.  That we were living in an age in which the world had shrunk, it had become more interconnected than ever before, and that if we did not make some critical decisions now, if we stopped just kicking the can down the road, but we decided that we were actually going to seize the moment, transform our education system and finally fix our health care system, and deal with our energy policy so that we were no longer subject to the whims of the spot oil market, and if we didn’t transform our foreign policy to recognize the visions and dreams of billions of people around the world who were yearning to be free -- if we didn’t make some fundamental changes, that we might be the first generation that was passing on an America that was less hopeful, that was less generous, and that all those people who felt the American Dream slipping out of their fingers, that somehow that loss of hope would continue.

And I said at the time this is going to be an uphill climb.  Now, I didn’t know how uphill it was going to be.  (Laughter.)  None of us did.  It turned out that on that night we had already lost millions of jobs because of the financial meltdown and the recession.  And it wasn’t until a few months after my inauguration that we realized we would ultimately lose 8 million jobs before any of our economic plans had a chance to take effect -- the worst recession since the Great Depression -- and there are families all across the country that are still suffering from the aftershocks of that.

And so we had to immediately start acting.  And in some cases the actions we took weren’t always popular.  But we knew that it was vital for us to act boldly and swiftly to address the crisis.

And let’s take a look at what we were able to accomplish.  An economy that was shrinking by about 6 percent has now grown for five consecutive quarters.  (Applause.)  An economy that was shedding jobs every month now has seen over 2 million jobs created just in the last 14.  An auto industry that some had written off now are making profits again and have hired back all their workers.  (Applause.)  The financial system stabilized.  We got the economy moving in the right direction.

And along the way we did a few other things.  (Laughter.)  Along the way we did a few other things.  We decided that we didn't want equal pay for equal work to be just an empty slogan, so we strengthened laws to make sure that our daughters are treated as well as our sons.  (Applause.)

We decided that in a nation as wealthy as ours, it was unacceptable for people to go bankrupt just because they got sick.  And so after 100 years, we finally delivered on the promise of making sure that we had affordable, accessible health care in this country for all people.  (Applause.)

We made record investments in clean energy, record investments in basic research, and restored science to its rightful place.  (Applause.)

We made the largest federal investment in education in our history, but we didn’t just put more money in.  We decided we were finally going to deliver on reform and help catalyze reforms in 40 states all across the country to make sure that schools are doing right by every single student, K-12.  And we also made sure that young people are able to afford to go to college, so we took away billions of dollars of subsidies that were going to banks, and put those in the student loan systems so that millions more young people were able to go to college without taking on tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt.  (Applause.)  

We appointed a couple more women on the Supreme Court -- including the first Latina.  (Applause.)

We ended the law that said that you could not serve your country because of who you loved.  (Applause.)

We made the biggest infrastructure investment in this century since Dwight Eisenhower built the Interstate Highway System.  (Applause.)

Internationally, we brought 100,000 troops back from Iraq and are ending combat operations.  (Applause.)  We regained momentum in Afghanistan and are now in the process of transition where we can bring our troops home.  (Applause.)  We have gone after al Qaeda relentlessly -- (applause) -- and made America safer in the process.  (Applause.)

And we’ve restored around the world a sense of America as a responsible actor that will uphold the principles of human rights and liberty and democracy.

And in between we’ve dealt with pirates and -- (laughter) -- you remember pirates? -- (laughter) -- H1N1 and an oil spill and locusts.  (Laughter.)  So we’ve been pretty busy.

And I couldn’t be prouder of our record over the last two years.  Promises were made during the campaign and so many promises have been kept.

And yet all across America folks are still struggling.  We’ve been able to avert the worst possible crises, but a lot of those challenges that we confronted in 2008, those challenges are still out there.  Wages and incomes have flat-lined for the middle class all across America.  The rates of poverty in too many communities are way too high.  In too many schools too many of our children still drop out without hope, without vision for the future.

We still don't have an energy policy in this country that is equal to our potential and our greatness.  And we’re still vulnerable to high gas prices that are just killing families all across America right now.

We still haven’t reformed our broken immigration system.  So we have too many people living in the shadows, being exploited by workers, driving down the wages of workers as a consequence because those employers aren’t subject to the rules, and families are being broken up in the process.

We still haven’t fully transformed our economy so that we’re competitive the way we need to be, and are creating jobs at the pace we need and growth at the rate that we need.

And so we still got so much work to do.  The challenges we confronted were not the work of one year or two years or even one term.  And that’s why I’m going to need you.  That’s why, in some ways, this campaign may be even more important and more challenging in 2012.  We have to finish what we started.  (Applause.)  We have to finish what we started in 2012 and beyond.  And that’s why I’m going to need you -- all in.  (Applause.)

Part of what made our campaign special was you -- going out knocking on doors and organizing; some of you traveling to other states in the middle of winter.  Occasionally, getting doors slammed in your faces.  (Laughter.)  “Obama who?”  (Laughter.)  But that energy, that inspiration that you gave me, the commitments you made to each other about the kind of country you wanted to live in, that sprit we need now more than ever.

And that’s part of the reason why we decided not to have our campaign here in Washington, D.C., but to have it based again in Chicago.  Because I don’t want a campaign that suddenly is all about the insiders, suddenly is all about the pundits and the lobbyists and -- I wanted to make sure that we had a campaign that was rooted and grounded in what folks are talking about around the kitchen table and around the water coolers all across America.  And that’s why it’s going to be so important that you are as engaged, as involved, as motivated as you were two and a half, three years ago.  Because what’s at stake right now is not any particular policy -- it has to do with a broader vision of where we want to take our country.

I gave a budget address a while back, and a lot of people reported on the numbers and the debt and the deficit, and why this is so important.  And let me tell you, we as Democrats, we as progressives, need to be just as concerned about the debt as anybody else because that’s how we will be able to move our vision forward -- investing in education, investing in infrastructure, investing in clean energy, if we’ve got a government that lives within its means.  So we’ve got to be concerned about that.

But this broader budget debate that is now carrying over and will probably continue all the way until November of next year, it’s also about what our vision of the country is.  Are we a country that’s going to continue to be able to do big things?  Are we going to continue to make a commitment that every child, regardless of race or station or region can achieve their dreams because they’ve got a school system that’s delivering for them?  Are we going to continue to be a nation that has the best infrastructure, moving products and services and people and information from place to place, because we’ve invested not just in roads and bridges and ports and airports, but in broadband lines and smart grids?  Are we investing in the future the way previous generations invested in us?

Are we going to continue to make sure that here in the United States of America we’re discovering the new great sources of energy that will help us save the planet even as we’re strengthening our economy and are putting our people back to work?  Are we still dreaming big dreams in America?  And are we going to continue to be a country that makes sure that our senior citizens can retire with dignity and respect and that Medicare is going to be there for them and Social Security is going to be there for them?  (Applause.)

And as we grapple through these problems, are we going to make sure that the burden is shared by everybody?  We’re going to have to make tough choices.  But are we going to make sure that folks like me, who have been so blessed by this country, that we’re doing our part?

The other side right now, their only agenda is to provide tax cuts to folks like me.  And you know what, we all like tax cuts, but -- (laughter) -- no, I mean, I’ve never met somebody who said, “No, no, no, no.”  (Laughter.)  But you know what, I don't want $200,000 in my pocket if I know that that means that 33 seniors are going to have to pay an extra $6,000 for their Medicare services.  That's not something I want.  (Applause.)  I don't want special favors for me if it means that a whole bunch of kids are being cut out of Head Start.  (Applause.)

See -- and the reason I don't want it is not just out of a sense of charity.  It’s because my life is better when, as I’m driving down the street and I pass by a school, I know, you know what, that school is doing a great job for those kids.  And if I pass by a senior couple holding hands and I think to myself, you know what, that might be me and Michelle some day.  (Laughter.)  And I like the fact that I live in a country where they’ve got some security in their golden years.  (Applause.)

That makes my life better.  (Applause.)  That's the kind of America that I want Malia and Sasha to inherit.  That's the kind of America I want all of your children and grandchildren inheriting.  That's what this debate is about.  That's what this campaign is about.  That's what this election is about.  (Applause.)

So let me just close by saying this.  There have been times over the last two and a half years where I know you all have gotten frustrated sometimes.  (Laughter.)  I know all these conversations you’re having.  (Laughter.)  “Oh, why did Obama compromise with the Republicans on that?”  (Laughter.)  “Why did health care take so long?”  (Laughter.)  “Where’s my public option?”  (Laughter.)

And I know that even though everybody is saying nice things, people are saying -- (laughter) -- I know people are also saying, you know, he’s looking old.  (Laughter.)  You know, he seemed so fresh and young back in 2008.  Now, look, he’s all gray.  (Laughter.)

You know, we’ve gone through some setbacks.  In some cases we haven’t gotten everything we wanted done as quickly as we wanted it done.  You know, I’m a little dinged up here and there.  (Laughter.)

But I tell you what, though.  The vision that brought us together in 2008, that's undiminished in me.  The confidence I have in the American people, in their decency, that's undiminished.  My faith that we can make tough choices on behalf of future generations, that's undiminished.  My belief in you has not lessened.

So when you think back to these last two and a half years, I want you to do so not with complacency, not with full satisfaction, but I want it to motivate you.  Don't let people tell you that we can’t bring about change.  We have already brought about change.  And we have more work to do.  (Applause.)

And if you are with me, if you’re all in, if you’re willing to knock on doors, and call your friends, and call your neighbors, and keep at it, even when the journey is tough, I have no doubt that we will get to where we set out to go three and a half years ago, and we will deliver the kind of America that we want to our children.

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

END
8:42 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the President in Welcome of the University of Connecticut Huskies

East Room

5:43 P.M. EDT
 
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  Welcome.  Please, have a seat, have a seat.  Have a seat.  Welcome to the White House, and congratulations to the Huskies on being the best college basketball team in the land.  (Applause.)
 
Before we start, I want to acknowledge a big Huskies fan that's in the house –- Senator Joe Lieberman is here.  (Applause.)  I know he is proud of this team.
 
I have to be honest -– this is a bittersweet day for me.  (Laughter.)  On the one hand, I get to congratulate a great team and a great coach on winning the national championship.  On the other hand, I’m reminded once again that my bracket was a bust.  (Laughter.)  I did not pick UConn to win it all.  That was a big mistake.  (Laughter.)  I was just mentioning to Coach that it was because Andy Katz of ESPN told me there’s no way Uconn was winning.  (Laughter.)  I did have these guys going to the Elite Eight, and I was doing pretty well in my pool at the beginning of the tournament, and then things completely fell apart.
 
But I was not alone.  Let’s face it, this was a tough year for a lot of brackets because teams like this one shocked the world.  So next time you guys decide to reel off 11 straight wins, please let me know ahead of time.  (Laughter.)
 
Because the truth is, UConn’s perfect run through the Big East and the NCAA tournament was a surprise to everybody but themselves and Coach.  These guys knew they had something special.  And even though they finished the regular season tied for ninth in the Big East, even though there were some rough spots during the season, these players just put their heads down, they worked hard, and they focused on winning the games that counted.
 
They succeeded because everybody knew that they had a role to play.  There was, of course, Coach Calhoun, who now joins John Wooden, Adolph Rupp, and Mike Krzyzewski and Bobby Knight as the only coaches ever to win three national championships.  That’s pretty good company there, Coach.  (Applause.)
 
There’s Shabazz Napier, who sang and danced and talked his way through a incredible freshman season.  (Laughter.)  If he’s making rabbit ears behind me or anything like that, please stop him.  (Laughter.)
 
At the other end of the spectrum there’s Jeremy Lamb.  He’s sort of the anti-Shabazz.  (Laughter.)  He’s quiet.  (Laughter.) But he let’s his play do the talking, and exploded to average 15 points a game during the postseason.
 
     And then there’s Kemba Walker who -- (applause) -- this is a guy who wanted to go to UConn so badly in high school that he recruited them.  Never afraid to take a last shot.  A player who will go down in history as one of the greatest ever to wear the Huskies’ uniform.  And a player who always lived by his dad’s advice that, “it’s not the size of the person, it’s the size of the heart.”
 
     So if you put all that together -- young team, long-shot odds, and then a postseason run and the Kemba show -- that was a pretty inspiring season.
 
I want to thank all the players, all the coaches who held the basketball clinic earlier this afternoon and inspiring some future stars here from D.C.  I think you made their year.  And I want to thank everybody who is involved in the UConn family, because obviously this has been a great program for many, many years, Coach.  And I know that you could not do it without all the folks who are represented here today -- assistant coaches, trainers, folks in the athletic department, everybody who has been so supportive of this outstanding, outstanding program.
 
     So, congratulations to all of you.  Hopefully, we will see you again soon.  You got a bunch of freshmen, so I don’t see why these guys couldn’t go on a pretty good run here.  But we couldn’t be prouder of them, and I know that the great state of Connecticut couldn’t be prouder of them as well.
 
So, congratulations.  (Applause.)
 
     COACH CALHOUN:  Well, thank you, Mr. President.  As you know, Kemba was waiting for you -- when you were up in the air, he was down on the ground, because -- unfortunately, he actually was up in the air stuck at LaGuardia Airport for three hours.  But he did want that one-on-one game with you.
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  I’m ready.  (Laughter.)
 
     COACH CALHOUN:  Does he have enough game, you think?
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  As long as he’s wearing street shoes and a suit.  (Laughter.)
 
     COACH CALHOUN:  I like a guy with edges.  (Laughter.)  President and folks, I just want to say it’s a thrill for us to be here representing the state of Connecticut, certainly the University of Connecticut.  Joe Lieberman was there a long time ago before we started going to the White House occasionally.
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  It was a really long time ago.  (Laughter.)
 
     COACH CALHOUN.  Matter of fact -- no, we’ll get into that at another time.  But it’s been a thrill.  This year was reminding me in many, many ways, between my wife and myself, rooting you on.  We stopped with the team at the Lincoln Memorial, and I know how much you admired Lincoln.
 
     I was telling our kids just when great things happen, like  -- I happened to be buying some bookmarks for the kids that you might recognize.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Absolutely.
 
COACH CALHOUN:  And I said simply that people like Lincoln and Martin Luther King and so on, maybe our President, were speeding along in the process of being something special that he truly is.  And I believe that and feel that way.
 
     This basketball team, by the way, was kind of an underdog, much as you were.  And who would have thought, 15 years ago -- who would have thought maybe nine months ago we would be here.
But you know what?  Yes, we can.  (Laughter and applause)
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, we can.  I like that.  (Applause.)
 
     COACH CALHOUN:  And like you, Mr. President, yes, we did.  We did because we cared.  We cared as a family.  We cared about each other.  We accepted our roles.  We accepted who we are, and did anything possible to be the best we possibly can become.  I watched your rise -- magnificent.  I’ve watched their rise, and it’s been one of the most emotional seasons of my entire life.
 
     I’m proud of what you’ve done, certainly, and I’m certainly proud of my kids.  And I just thank you very much for having us here.  And I want to especially congratulate you, because last night I knew you were pretty excited to watch the Chicago Bulls. Am I correct?
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  I was.  (Laughter.)
 
     COACH CALHOUN:  That was an easy call.
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  What do you think?  Some of you guys may want to look at the Bulls organization.  They could use a shooter.  (Laughter).
 
     COACH CALHOUN:  But once again, thank you for everything, Mr. President.
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.
 
     COACH CALHOUN:  We really appreciate having you here, and you’re an inspiration to so many young people -- definitely a lot of the people I've coached.  And I just want to say that you make us all feel proud about our country, and certainly feel proud when you interject athletics and education, because it’s very important to us.
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.
 
COACH CLAHOUN:  And I've got someone special to bring up now -- Kemba Walker.  Kemba, come on.  (Applause.)
 
     MR. WALKER:  I just want to say -- I want to thank everybody for coming out.  I have one question for the President.  I wanted to ask you, can you teach me that walk?
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  That walk?  (Laughter.)  That's a special presidential walk.  (Laughter.)  But maybe in a few years.  You look pretty good behind the podium, I got to say.  (Laughter.)
 
     MR. WALKER:  I’m looking forward to that.  (Laughter.)  But on behalf of the team, we all just -- we want to give you this jersey.
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  All right.  Oh, man, that's outstanding.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  That's a good-looking jersey there.
Absolutely.  There you go.  (Applause.)  Fantastic.
 
All right, we’re going to strike the podium and get a good picture with the whole crew.

END
5:53 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the President in a Surprise Drop-By with Booker T. Washington Class of 2011

Cook Convention Center, Memphis, Tennessee

11:13 A.M. CDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  How’s everybody doing?  (Applause.)  You’re all excited about graduating, huh?  (Applause.)  Listen, I just had a chance to meet with your principal and these two outstanding classmates of yours, and I just want to say how inspired we were.  We were inspired by the video you sent.  We’re inspired by the stories you told.  We’re inspired by how you’ve turned this school around.  But obviously a lot of that has to do with your outstanding principal.  (Applause.)

     She says you guys know how old she is.  How old is she? 

     STUDENTS:  Twenty-five!

     THE PRESIDENT:  Twenty-five.  She started when she was seven.  (Laughter.)  Teaching high school at seven years old.  (Laughter.)

     Obviously it has a lot to do with great teachers, but this is mainly your day and your success, because a lot of you -- and I’m going to talk about this at the commencement -- a lot of you had to struggle to get here.  Most of you weren’t born with a silver spoon in your mouth.  But what you’ve shown is determination.  What you’ve shown is character.  What you’ve shown is a willingness to work hard and the ability to steer clear of folks that were trying to send you down the wrong path.  And so as a consequence, you’ve now become role models for all the young people coming in behind you.  You’ve become an inspiration to the city and the state of Tennessee and the country.
So I just wanted you all to know, you inspire me.  That’s why I’m here.  I could not be prouder of what you do.  But I’ve still got some big, big expectations for you, so don’t think just because you graduate from high school that that’s it.  You’ve got a lot more work to do, because I expect all of you to be leaders in this community and communities all across the country.  And this is just the beginning.  This is not the end.  All right?
So God bless you guys.  I’m so excited to be here.  (Applause.)  

END 11:17 A.M. CDT

Remarks by the First Lady at Spelman College Commencement

Georgia International Convention Center

Atlanta, Georgia

3:53 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, goodness.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Let me tell you it is a pleasure and an honor -- yes, Chicago -- (laughter and applause) -- to be with all of you today.

And I want to thank President Tatum for her leadership and for that very kind and generous introduction.  She is such an inspiration to all of the women who are part of the
Spelman family, so let’s give her our thanks and round of applause.  (Applause.)

I also want to acknowledge a few people who are here in the audience:  Senator Isakson, Representative Johnson, and of course Mayor Reed.  Thank you all so much for joining us today.  Thank you all for your leadership.  (Applause.)

And I want to give a special shoutout to one of my people, one of my staff members, Ms. Kristen Jarvis of Spelman class of 2003.  (Applause.)  Look, ladies, you want to know what Spelman does for you?  Kristen is my right-hand woman.  She travels with me all across the country and around the world.  I don't know what I would do without her.  She has been with me from the very beginning, looking after my girls, taking care of my mom.  So I want to thank Spelman for giving me Kristen.  (Applause.)

And again, let’s take a moment to thank all of those beautiful people sitting behind you all today and standing behind you every day, the folks who brought you into this world -- (applause) -- the folks who showed you, with their love, that you belong here.  They pushed you, they believed in you, and they answered calls those late nights, even when you were just calling for money.  (Laughter.)  So again, let’s give a special round of applause for all the families here today.  (Applause.)

And of course, most of all, to the Spelman class of 2011, congratulations!  (Applause.)  We are so, so proud of you.  We’re proud of the effort you’ve invested and the risks that you took.  We’re proud of the bonds that you forged, the growth that you’ve showed.  We’re proud of how, for the past four years, you’ve immersed yourselves in the life of this school and embraced all that it has to offer.  In doing so, you didn’t just write a chapter in your own life story.  You also became part of the Spelman story –- a story that began 130 years ago about 10 miles down the road from where we are today.

And by now, all of you know the details: about how two white women from up North –- Sophia Packard and Harriet Giles -– (laughter) -- came here to Atlanta to establish the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary.  Now we want the world to know this story.  They started out in a dank church basement loaned to them by a kindly preacher named Father Quarles.  And their first class had just 11 students, many of whom were former slaves.

Back then, the thought of an African American woman learning to read and write was, to so many, laughable at best, an impossibility at worst.  And plenty of people tried to dissuade Miss Packard and Miss Giles from founding this school.  They said the South was too dangerous.  They said that at the ages of 56 and 48, these women were too old.

But these two ladies were unmoved.  As Miss Giles put it –- and these are her words –- they were determined to lift up “these women and girls who have never had a chance.”

It’s a story that has been told and re-told, enacted and re-enacted, in every generation since the day that Spelman first opened its doors.

In a time of black codes and lynching, this school was training African American women to be leaders in education, in the health professions.

In a time of legalized segregation, this school was establishing math and biology departments and training a generation of black women scientists.  (Applause.)

At a time when many workplaces were filled with not just glass ceilings, but brick walls, this school was urging black women to become doctors, and lawyers, engineers, ambassadors.

Now, that is the story of Spelman college: that unyielding presumption of promise, that presumption of brilliance, that presumption that every woman who enrolls at this school has something infinitely valuable to offer this world.

And ladies, that is now your story.  That legacy is now your inheritance.  And I’ve chosen that word –- inheritance –- very carefully, because it’s not an entitlement that you can take for granted.  It’s not a gift with which you can do whatever you please.  It is a commitment that comes with a certain set of obligations, obligations that don’t end when you march through that arch today.

And that’s really what I want to talk with you about this afternoon.  I want to talk about the obligations that come with a Spelman education, and how I believe you all might fulfill those obligations going forward.

So let’s go back again to those first 11 women in that church basement all those years ago.  Their teachers started with nothing but a couple of Bibles, some notebooks and some pencils.  When it rained, it got so damp in that church that grass started growing on the floor.  Often, the stove was so smoky, and the light was so poor, that students could barely see their teachers.

But still, week after week, more women showed up to enroll.  Some walked eight or nine miles each way.  Many were older, in their 30s, 40s and 50s.  Doesn’t sound so old to me.  (Laughter.)  And often, they were ridiculed.  But they kept coming.

One student, a woman named Mary Ann Brooks, simply stated –- and these are her words: “I spoke of going to school, and people laughed at me and said ‘You go to school!  You too old!  You’re so old you’ll die there.’  But I told them it was just as good a place to die in as I ever wanted, and I knew Miss Packard and Miss Giles would bury me, so I just came right along.”  (Laughter and applause.)

Now, that spark, that spirit, that odds-defying tenacity has defined the alumnae of this school from its very first graduating class.

I mean, think about one of my heroines, Marian Wright Edelman, class of 1960 -- (applause) -- working as a young civil rights lawyer down in Mississippi.  Attorneys in judge’s chambers refused to shake her hand.  The sheriff locked the doors against her when she came to visit her clients in jail.  She was always careful to leave the door open when she started her car in the morning.  That way, if somebody had planted a car bomb, she had a chance of being injured rather than killed.  But through it all, she continued to represent her clients.  She continued to resist unjust laws with every fiber of her being.

Then there’s Janet Bragg, class of 1925, who was determined to be a pilot.  When she was barred from flying out of segregated airports, she worked with her flying school classmates and instructors to build their own airfield.

When she was rejected from the Women Airforce Service pilots because of her race, she enrolled in a civilian training program instead.

And when she completed her training, but an instructor unfairly prevented her from receiving her license, she picked up and moved to Chicago, passed the exam, and became the first African American woman to earn a commercial pilot’s license.  (Applause.)  Of her experiences, she said: “There were so many things they said women couldn’t do and blacks couldn’t do.  Every defeat to me was a challenge.”

And for six generations, that is what Spelman women have done.  They have seen every defeat as a challenge.  Now, did they have moments of doubt, anxiety and fear?  Did they have moments of despair when they thought about giving up, or giving in?  Of course they did.  We all do.

And I am no exception.  I mean, some of you may have grown up like me, in neighborhoods where few had the chance to go to college, where being teased for doing well in school was a fact of life, where well-meaning, but misguided folks questioned whether a girl with my background could get into a school like Princeton.

Sometimes, I’d save them the trouble, and raise the questions myself, in my own head, lying awake at night, doubting whether I had what it took to succeed.  And the truth is that there will always be folks out there who make assumptions about others.

There will always be folks who try to raise themselves up by cutting other people down.  That happens to everyone, including me, throughout their lives.  But when that happens to you all, here’s what I want you to do. I want you to just stop a minute.  Take a deep breath, because it’s going to need to be deep -- (laughter) -- and I want you to think about all those women who came before you, women like those first 11 students.  (Applause.)  Think about how they didn’t sit around bemoaning their lack of resources and opportunities and affirmation.

I want you to think about women like Marian Wright Edelman and Janet Bragg.  They didn’t go around pointing fingers and making excuses for why they couldn’t win a case or soar above the horizon.  They were Spelman women with the privilege of a Spelman education.  And instead of focusing on what they didn’t have, they focused on what they did have:  their intellect, their courage, their determination, their passion.

And with few advantages and long odds, with doors closed to them and laws stacked against them, still they achieved, still they triumphed, still they carved a glorious path for themselves in this world.

And graduates, every single one of you has an obligation to do the same.  You have an obligation to see each setback as a challenge and as an opportunity to learn and grow.  You have an obligation to face whatever life throws your way with confidence and with hope.

And don’t ever let anyone get into your head, especially yourself, because if it’s one thing I can promise you, it’s this:  With a Spelman education, you all have everything you need, right here and right now, to be everything you’ve ever wanted to be.  (Applause.)

But let’s be clear, the Spelman legacy isn’t just about those first 11 women.  And it’s not just about the generations of students and alumnae who came after them. It’s about everyone who believed in those women, it’s about everyone who invested in those women, right from the beginning.

I mean, make no mistake about it, Miss Packard, Miss Giles, they were ambitious for their students.  Even as they started their classes at a first grade level, teaching the alphabet and basic arithmetic, they had big dreams.  They were planning to build a full-scale liberal arts college for African American women.

I mean, think about that.  They could barely afford to keep their doors open.  Their students could barely read or write.  But already, they were planning to build something big, a college.  And in those early years, they actually rejected an offer to merge with the Atlanta Baptist Seminary, the school that eventually became Morehouse.  Yep, said, “No thank you, brothers!” -- (laughter and applause) -- because this move would have -- may have solved all their financial problems.  But they were afraid that a coed school -- their students would be treated as second class citizens.  And they weren’t going to stand for that.  No.  (Applause.)

Then there was Father Quarles, the preacher who lent them his church basement.  He undertook an arduous journey North to raise money for the school.  And his last words to the students were: “I am going North for you.  I may never return.  But remember, if I die, I die for you and in a good cause.”

And those words turned out to be prophetic.  In the end, the harsh climate was too much, and he got sick and passed away not long after.

Miss Giles, Miss Packard, Father Quarles, they weren’t the only ones who believed in these students.  In those early years, thousands of dollars of donations poured in from the black community itself.  I mean, these were folks who likely didn’t have a dime to spare, digging deep into their wallets to support this school.  See, that fierce devotion to the potential of others, that commitment to give even when you’re barely getting by yourself, all of that is your legacy as well.

That is your mission now too.  (Applause.)  Your mission is to find those 11 women wherever in the world your journey may take you.  Find those folks who have so much potential, but so little opportunity, and do for them what Spelman has done for you.   Maybe it’s a group of kids in your community.  Maybe it’s a struggling family at your church.  And I’m not just talking about here at home.  Maybe it’s folks in a village or an inner-city halfway around the world.

Wherever you go, I guarantee you that you will find folks who have been discounted or dismissed, but who have every bit as much promise as you have.  They just haven’t had the chance to fulfill it.  It is your obligation to bring Spelman to those folks -– to bring that same presumption of value and worth, to make that same kind of sacrifice, to be as ambitious for them as Spelman has been for you.

And in so doing, I can promise you that you won’t just enrich their lives, you’ll immeasurably enrich your own lives as well.

All of you already know this from your own experiences here at Spelman.  Over the past four years, you all have been serving your community in every way possible: tutoring kids, bringing meals to seniors, building homes, and so much more.

And I can tell you from my own experience just how rewarding it can be to make this kind of work the work of your careers.  Back when I was sitting right where you are, I was certain that I wanted to be a lawyer.  I knew it.  So I did everything I was supposed to do.  I got my law degree.  Got a prestigious job at a fancy law firm.  Had a nice big ‘ol paycheck and was finally making a dent in my student loans.  My friends were impressed.  My family proud -- and relieved.  (Laughter.)  By all appearances, I was living the dream.

But all the while, I knew something was missing, because the truth is, I didn’t want to be up in that tall building, alone in an office writing memos.  I wanted to be on the ground, working with the folks I grew up with.  I wanted to be mentoring young people.  I wanted to be helping families put food on the table and a roof over their heads.  I wanted to be out there giving folks the same kind of chances that I had.  (Applause.)

So much to the surprise of my family and friends, I left that secure, high-paying job and eventually became the Executive Director of a non-profit, working to help young people get involved in public service.  I was making a lot less money -- a lot -- and my office was a lot smaller.  But I woke up every morning with a sense of purpose and possibility.  I went to work every day feeling excited -- (applause) -- because with every young person I inspired, I felt myself becoming inspired.  With every community I engaged, I felt more engaged and alive than I’d felt in years.

Now, I’m not saying that you have to devote your entire career to public service, though I hope that many of you will.  The private sector has all kinds of meaningful, satisfying opportunities.  And there is nothing wrong with taking home a nice paycheck.  And many of you will need that money to help pay off your student loans and support your families.  That, I know.  And it is vitally important that you all rise to the highest ranks of every industry and of profession.  (Applause.)

But as you climb those career ladders, just remember to reach down and pull others up behind you.  (Applause.)  That’s what so many folks have done for you all.  And now it is your turn to repay the favor.

Now, juggling these obligations to yourself and to others won’t be easy.  And I know that along with the pride and joy you’re feeling today, you may also be feeling some worry and some anxiety.  Some of you may be worrying about getting a job or getting into grad school.  Others may be wondering what it will be like to move back home with mom and dad again.  And let me tell you there are plenty of moms and dads here who are wondering the same thing.  (Laughter.)

But today, and every day going forward, I want you to remember one last legacy that Spelman has left you.  It has left you each other.

I mean, look at all these beautiful, magnificent women beside you.  (Applause.)  It is breathtaking.  (Applause.)  Think of all the connections that you have, all those experiences that you’ve shared.  The first time you set foot on the campus during Spelbound.  Crying your eyes out together at the parting ceremony.  Sweating through the night in those un-air conditioned freshman dorms.  (Applause.)  Sounds pretty rough.  (Laughter.)  Maybe the alumni can help out with that.  (Laughter and applause.)  All those classes, convocations, Christmas concerts -- ooh, and the late night conversations about some man.  (Laughter.)  You all know you were doing that.  (Laughter.)  You all are the keepers of each other’s histories.  And the bonds that you’ve formed here will nourish you and sustain you for the rest of your lives.  Now, that is sisterhood.  (Applause.)

And look at all these magnificent women around all of you –- the alumnae of this institution who led you through that arch on Friday, cheering you on as you start your journey into the world.

I’m told that back in the depths of the recession in 2009, when many seniors here couldn’t pay their tuition bills, President Tatum made an appeal to Spelman alumnae, parents and friends asking for help.  And even though times were tough for everyone, enough gifts poured in to help 100 seniors graduate from Spelman that year.  (Applause.)  That is sisterhood.  (Applause.)

And finally, think back over the years to all those who have made this day possible: Miss Giles, Miss Packard, Father Quarles, and so many others.  Think about all those anonymous folks who were just barely getting by themselves, but still found a way to support this school.  Those folks never had the chance to get an education themselves -- never -- but they were determined that other young people would.  Even if it wasn’t their daughters.  Even if it wasn’t their grand-daughters, because, see, what you all have to understand is that hope, that yearning, that wasn’t just about themselves and their own families.  It was about a vision for us as a people, and as a nation, where every child can develop every last bit of their God-given potential.  (Applause.)

Graduates, you are their dream come true.  You are the culmination of their sacrifice, of their longing, of their love.  You are part of a glorious sisterhood –- past, present and future.  You have a diploma that will take you places you’ve never even dreamed of.  (Applause.)

And no matter what obstacles you encounter, no matter what hardships you endure, all of you have that for life.  No one can ever take that away from you.

And today, I want to end with some words from Tina McElroy Ansa, Spelman class of 1971.  (Applause.)  In one of her novels, she wrote, simply: “Claim what is yours…You belong anywhere on this earth you want to.”

And graduates, if you go out there and make that claim, if you reach back to help others do the same, then I am confident that you will lead lives worthy of your dreams, and you will fulfill that precious Spelman legacy that is now yours.

So congratulations, graduates, on all that you have achieved.  I am so proud of you, all of you.  We are so proud of you.  Do big things.  Thank you, and God bless. (Applause.)

END
4:19 P.M. EDT