The former president and first lady gave sound guidance for scary times.
“Perhaps you’re wishing that things could just go back to the way they were,” she said in a celebrity-packed YouTube ceremony for students whose commencement ceremonies were canceled because of the outbreak.
She said she experienced similar feelings “most profoundly when my father and my best friend died within a year of each other. I was in my late 20s. It felt like my whole world was collapsing in on itself. I would have given anything ―“With everything in pieces around me I had to forge a new path, a path fortunately more focused on meaning and service. So, graduates, I hope that what you’re going through right now, can be your wakeup call.
“It reminds you that our country and our democracy only function when we think not just about ourselves but also about each other... So as scary and uncertain as these times may be, they are also a wakeup call... You don’t have to accept what was considered normal before, you don’t have to accept the world as it is. You can make it into the world as it should be and could be.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Watch Barack and Michelle Obama Headline Star-Studded YouTube Graduation CelebrationBeyoncé, Lady Gaga, BTS, Lizzo, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Shonda Rhimes and more are all set to appear during 'Dear Class of 2020.'
Read more »
Barack and Michelle Obama Deliver Moving YouTube Commencement SpeechBarack and Michelle Obama 'did a little dance' during their heartwarming speech to graduates for YouTube's DearClassOf2020. 'It's a huge day for all of you... We couldn't be more excited to be celebrating with you today.'
Read more »
‘Dear Class Of 2020’ Highlights Joint Address From Barack And Michelle ObamaBecause of the pandemic, traditional commencement activities went online for many of the nation’s 2020 high school graduates. It was a let-down for those looking forward to hearing their hard…
Read more »
Barack and Michelle Obama impart important life lessons to grads in 'Dear Class of 2020' speechesBarack and Michelle Obama addressed YouTube’s “Dear Class of 2020” virtual ceremony, with the former president saying ongoing protests are fueled by “decades worth of anguish, frustration, over unequal treatment and a failure to perform police practices.”
Read more »
Barack Obama Offers Playbook for Creating Real Change: Protest Peacefully and Vote in All Elections'If we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both.'
Read more »