Learn English Pharrell Williams Dont be like the previous generation with BIG subtitles
[Applause]
hi everybody
I’d like to start by thanking President
Andrew Hamilton trustees in the New York
State in the NYU students and the
faculty for welcomed me into your halls
last year and letting me have an
experience that I honestly could have
never imagined and I want to thank all
of you for this humbling experience
today this is major it’s super heavy and
I’m very grateful my mom is a lifelong
educator so this is going to be a really
good look for me to be a part of a group
like this is unimaginable to speak on
the behalf of our group is an honor that
I’m not sure I’m qualified for their
accomplishments the body of work
represented on the stage is staggering
we have history-makers miracle workers
in their own way if their names aren’t
on buildings yet they’re totally going
to be I’d like to say that I’m forever a
student and it’s people like this that
I’m forever grateful to learn from their
fearless their boundless
multi-disciplined and multitalented they
break down barriers and embody the focus
and dedication that this planet needs
even if Mark Kelly it means leaving from
time to time some may call them perfect
public servants but their work is
actually in the service of humanity and
standing with them here today and it’s
totally mind-blowing
[Music]
[Applause]
in this day and age it’s easy to lose
sight of the fact that it’s the people
who serve humanity that make the world
really go round most social media and
media itself would lead you to believe
otherwise but this group’s work doesn’t
feel gossip sadly it doesn’t generate a
lot of clicks amongst the sea of
headlines designed to bait their work is
often too important to be boiled down to
just a quick headline the work has never
been more important yet as a society we
seem to celebrate less important
achievements far more frequently I’m
glad to be a part of a moment that
recognizes these people the real movers
and shakers
[Applause]
think about it these great scientists
public servants and activists cannot be
bothered with building their Instagram
followers or how many views they get on
YouTube but they are the real
influencers their work makes us
healthier safer more enriched and more
intelligent their work is designed to
improve the quality of life for all
people not just themselves they are not
motivated by attention but rather
they’re motivated by the idea of
creating change for the better
I personally find out incredibly
inspiring I hope you guys do as well
NYU the school all you guys chose to
attend is going out of his way to honor
this distinguished group
what will they honor you guys for
someday
what will they honor you for someday
speaking to you guys today is charge me
up
it really has as you find your ways to
serve humanity it gives me great comfort
knowing that this generation is the
first that understands that we need to
lift up our women
[Applause]
imagine the possibilities when we remove
imbalance from the ether because it’s
unbalanced right now imagine the
possibilities when women are not held
back your generation is unraveling
deeply entrenched laws principles and
misguided values that have held women
back for far too long and therefore have
held us all that the human race the
world that you will live in will be a
lot better for it this is the first
generation that navigates the world with
the security and the confidence to treat
women as equal
you guys and gals are the first ever I’m
gonna say that again you guys are the
first ever our country has never seen
this before and it makes some people
uncomfortable but still I say just
imagine the possibilities today is in
many ways a celebration of higher
education I am forever a student as I
said before I believe is that a trait
it’s a trait that we all share yet we
live in a time when a great education is
harder and harder to come by but like
anything in life if there is enough
demand somebody will supply it so to the
graduates you might think your time and
education is done but after you leave
here today I’m asking you guys to let
your actions out there in the world fill
the demand for better and accessible
education
[Applause]
engage and inspire whether on an
individual level or loudly within your
communities talk about your complement
talk about your accomplishments it’s
very important talk about your
accomplishments be humble but not too
humble
don’t be invisible
sidebar
the days of being anonymous activists
our participant are over how can we
inspire if we’re only behind the scenes
how will an anonymous donation ever
inspire another that was the way of the
previous generations
no disrespect but don’t be like them
[Applause]
let your actions serve as an endorsement
for education and watch the demand rise
shining the light on a group of
individuals like these on stage also
helps feel the demand it’s why all of
our sustaining here do what we do that
same gene those same feelings an
adrenaline that feels us is inside of
all of you guys as well just like you
these recipients are brothers sisters
sons and daughters we put all of our
pants on one leg at a time we all have a
daily commute but we do so with an eye
towards something much bigger serving
humanity there is no humanity without
education there is no education without
demand you are all walking endorsements
for education so please embrace that
thank you again to the students and the
faculty at NYU thank you to all these
remarkable individuals that I’m up here
standing with for your service
leadership and inspiration we’ll all
forever grateful and I know that
somebody out there right now in this
class just might occupy the White House
one day
and let me be clear not red and not blue
but maybe purple like in why you thank
you