Darren Walker: Thank you to my friend, the incandescent,
the brilliant Andrew Hamilton; the other
most popular man named Hamilton in New
York today. To the trustees, distinguished
guests, and particularly to the family
and friends of the graduates of 2016: I
hope you feel the basking in the glow of
the success of this remarkable group of
young people who represent the future of
the world.
And to the graduates-- the class
of 2016 at NYU-- congratulations!
I am
truly thrilled to be here as we mark a
tremendous achievement for each and
every one of you graduates and I'm
profoundly grateful on behalf of a
special group of NYU degree recipients.
The remarkable men and women on this
platform whose lifetime achievements are
being recognized. Indeed, NYU has
deemed worthy of an honorary degree from
this great institution.
Now you've heard
their credentials, but let me just say
we've got a comedian from Long Island, a
brilliant scientist from France, an
eminent jurist, born in South Africa,
the son of Alabama sharecroppers who has
become, today, a Civil Rights icon.
So what
brings this eclectic and diverse group
of people together at Yankee Stadium on
this beautiful day. Well, in all candor,
who wouldn't turn down the opportunity
who would turn down the opportunity to
be with you to receive an honorary
degree from one of the world's greatest
universities, in one of the world's
greatest cities.
This day of graduation,
this day to acknowledge: it's about
acknowledging what you graduates have
achieved and what you may yet achieve in
the years ahead. This is what brings us
together in this moment. It is, indeed, a
celebration of achievement. Real, hard-won,
achievement. The kind that takes time and
patience and character and determination.
The men and women I am humbled to share
this platform with today are paragons of
this kind of achievement. Their lives,
their careers are a testament to the
enduring power of persistence,
perseverance, humility, and integrity in
the pursuit of excellence. They represent
achievement that goes far beyond service
to themselves. In fact, theirs is the
kind of achievement that seeks to serve
humanity, that pursues human dignity,
justice, and enlightenment. We may know
Billy Crystal as the great actor and
comedian. And, of course, he is a die-hard
New York Yankees fan. But what I love
about Billy Crystal is how he has used
his privilege, his celebrity to shine a
light on those in need. From Comic Relief
to Hurricane Sandy relief. In all of his
work, he has harnessed humor to heal, to
provoke, to challenge us, and to bring us
together and to use his power to speak
truth. The brilliant scientist Emmanuelle Charpentier-- yes, she is one of the
guiding, leading lights in scientific
research, and it is true that her
achievements around editing genetic code
are among the most important scientific
achievements of this century, but it was
not an easy road for her. She decided
early in her career that she wanted to
contribute to human understanding of
medicine, and along the way she has
achieved that through long hours,
incredible drive, and unbridled intensity.
And here comes Margaret Marshall.
Talk about drive. This young South
African, white South African, was on the
side of history when she took up the
fight to end apartheid in her native
country. She came to the United States as
a warrior for justice, and from that
important perch on the Massachusetts
Supreme Court, she changed America.
And then there is the inimitable,
extraordinary Congressman John Lewis.
Congressman Lewis has devoted his life
to the pursuit of justice, but there was a
time when congressman Lewis's parents
told the young man to focus on school
and don't get in trouble, but Congressman
Lewis, a young John Lewis, had to get in
trouble. He had to get in the way of the
injustices that he saw in the American
South. And in the process of marching for
50 years, John Lewis has changed America.
The four very different paths taken by
my fellow honorees all head in the same
direction: towards justice. They have
lived lives of truth, of sacrifice, of
service, and the world is better for it.
Would you join me in thanking them and
recognizing them for their enormous
contribution.
So now, graduates, it's time
to turn to you, because I have some
questions for you today. I'd like to ask
you to reflect in your souls about a set
of questions that I hope will be with
you as you leave the safety and security
of this remarkable University.
How will you change the world?
What might you
achieve that goes beyond yourself?
What sacrifices will you make?
What service
will you render in the cause of justice in the world?
As graduates of this great
university, you have enormous privilege,
and with that privilege comes a
responsibility to not just stand out, but
to stand for something-- whether you are
writing a legal opinion, or editing a
genome, or running for office, or literally
doing stand up-- stand for something and
never ask yourself
the question. Never ever stop asking
yourself the question: what might I achieve
that goes beyond myself? These are the
questions of our time. How can we extend
the ladder of opportunity so that more
people can sit in these bleachers in the
years ahead and experience what you all
have experienced. If you do this, if you
ask these questions you will do
something worthy of this great
institution. You will do something worthy
of all of your hard work. So class of
2016, I implore you to believe in
Dr. King's vision for a beloved community. It
is possible. I challenge you at this
critical moment of transition in your
lives to commit yourself to getting that
job done. Today is a glorious day. Today
is to celebrate all that you have
achieved and all that you will achieve.
Congratulations class of 2016.
