Jo Lieb, who blogs as “Poetic Justice,” posted the powerful graduation speech written and delivered by Coral Ortiz, with Coral’s permission. Coral just graduated from a public high school in New Haven, Connecticut.
When we were young, we were taught that we were “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Our country taught us that no matter our income or race, we would all have the same chance to achieve our dreams. We were taught that there would never be a bias against a certain group of people, and that society believes in each and every one of us. These lessons of equality were taught as self-evident. These lessons of equality have and continue to be a lie.
The reality is that despite the fact that we recite the words “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” it has been 50 years since the civil rights movement that our country has never been equal. We—a class mostly made up of minority, low income, and first generation students—have had the odds stacked against us, but here we are standing at this graduation with 3 state championships, college acceptances, and one of largest increases in graduation rates in the State, because we didn’t let the inherent inequality stop us from achieving our goals.
I would be lying if I said today is like any other day, because today is not like any other day. Most importantly, Today is not your typical high school graduation; it is more than that. Today is the day when we walk across a stage and take our diplomas, as an act of defiance to those who said we could not. We have had many students, administrators, and teachers come and go. We have had heart break; we have had our nation turn its backs on us, through supporting those who support hate. So, to those that believed my classmates and I were incapable, I have decided to leave a message for you:
To the teacher who said my classmates and I would fail and that the taxpayers wasted resources on our education -– Today, we teach you that you were wrong.
To the counselor who told me students at this school never get into prestigious colleges – we didn’t let your perception of us define who we are.
To the people who assume we are robbing their stores because of the color of our skin – don’t judge a book by its cover.
To the people who told us that only boys were good at math – Girls are more than just pretty faces.
To the people who violated our bodies – no means no.
To the people who questioned our dedication to the things we were involved in – you didn’t see our sleepless nights and three championship trophies.
To the person who believed that our socio-economic status would define us – you do not need to be a millionaire to succeed.
To the lady on the bus who told me my peers and I would go to jail because of the high school we attended – we are still free.
To the politicians and corporations that refuse to address gun violence because it might cost them money- life has no price.
To the people who assume that our names are too ghetto to be qualified – our names have taken us farther than you could have imagined.
To the leaders who thought it was okay to make decisions that forced us to go to classes without textbooks – it is far from okay.
To the person who told us we only got into college because we were minorities – the color of one’s skin does not determine intelligence.
To the people that talked poorly about us in the newspaper – you taught us how to be fearless.
To the people who thought it was okay to experiment with our education – the math of 5 principals in 4 years just doesn’t add up.
To the people who want to privatize education – public education is the reason we succeeded.
To the politicians who choose unqualified people to affect our lives because you feel loyal to your party – you did not take a vow to serve a party. You
took a vow to serve the people.
To the person who believes my classmates and I are dangerous – we are human.
To the people who told me my friends and I are not beautiful – black is beautiful.
To those who believed that my peers and I would drop out – looks like you were wrong.
To everyone who voted for hate – love wins.
I could go on for hours talking about the people who defined us as something other than successful. But today is not solely about the obstacles that were placed in front of us. Today is about the truth. The fact that there were several times people underestimated us and we were able to prove them wrong. We stand here and take our diplomas not only as an act of defiance, but also as an act of gratitude. Thankful for the adults that cared, thankful for the teacher that spent hours educating us, thankful for the parents, family members, counselors, friends, politicians, and mentors that believed we could make it to this moment.
We could not have done this without you because it takes a village to raise a child. Despite the fact that our education was treated like an experiment, lacked in resources, and was marked by the presence of people who stopped believing we were capable, we did it. In 6 years we were capable of going from a 51 percent graduation rate to a 91 percent graduation rate. Today we acknowledge the fact that our country is not equal and that we have it harder than many other people. We acknowledge that, despite this inequality, we beat the odds. We did it, and now we have the chance to not only reach our own dreams, but also to help others reach theirs.
If we were able to overcome all of these obstacles, then there is nothing that can stop us. No one that can stop us, no dream that we can’t reach, and no adversity that we cannot overcome, because in the end, they said we couldn’t, so we did, and when they say we won’t, we will. Thank you and congratulations to the class of 2017.P
This is one of the most powerful statements about what character and moral fortitude mean !!!It defines how character and achievement are intertwined !! And, it defines the reality of the inherent inequality that has always existed, despite so many ignoring and denying its existence and pervasiveness !!!
This is, indeed, as powerful and inspirational a graduation address as I have EVER read !!!
David,
What is an “education laureate”?
Gracias,
Duane
“To the people who thought it was okay to experiment with our education – the math of 5 principals in 4 years just doesn’t add up.”
One of many statements about the condition of education for these students.
This speech on behalf of a graduating class gives me hope.
Thank you Carol Ortiz , and congratulations on a wonderful graduation speech.
As we used to say in the 1970s, while I was in high school: Right on! And congratulations….
Powerful speech but she was wrong on one point.
“To the politicians who choose unqualified people to affect our lives because you feel loyal to your party – you did not take a vow to serve a party. You took a vow to serve the people.”
Elected officials do not vow to serve the people or their political party or whoever donated the most money to their election campaign. When elected, they take an oath of office to defend and serve the U.S. Constitution because that document was written to protect all the people even from themselves. The problem is that too many elected officials don’t serve or defend the U.S. Constitution. They lie when they take the oath of office.
If an elected representative or even an appointed U.S. Supreme Court Justice promises to by loyal to their party, a billionaire, a corporation, the people that elected them, an ideology, and/or a religion then they have lied under oath when they took their oath of office.
An individual, except the President, elected or appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed services, shall take the following oath: “I, _________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.” This section does not affect other oaths required by law.
(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 424.)
An individual, except the President, elected or appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed services, shall take the following oath: “I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 424.)
The President’s oath is similar: Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—”I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The evidence is overwhelming that Donald Trump and most if not all of his cabinet lied when they took their oath of office and they have already broken the oath repeatedly branding them traitors and liable for impeachment. Many members of both Houses of Congress are also guilty of violating their oath of office.
GUILTY of violoating their oath of office is CORRECT. Thanks, Lloyd.
What an insightful look at what it means to be educated in a poor school district today! What a testament to the persistence and dedication of both the teachers of the school and the young people that beat the odds! I hope they go on to achieve their goals despite the obstacles and negativity of others. Young black and brown students should be judged by the content of their character, not what high school they attended.
To add to your last thought, rt: “. . . they attended nor by some invalid standardized test scores.”
So true
I think Coral has quite a future ahead of her. I’ll have to archive this and reread whenever I get pessimistic about our nation’s fate.
What an outstanding speech – such a powerful indictment of our political “leaders!” — Upon reading it, I immediately thought of Langston Hughes’ poem: “I,Too.”
I, Too
BY LANGSTON HUGHES
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.
Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I, too, am America.
Love your comment!!! Thanks for sharing
IMHO, two concise and utmost important paragraphs are:
[start paragraph]
We stand here and take our diplomas not only as an act of defiance, but also as an act of gratitude. Thankful for the adults that cared, thankful for the teacher that spent hours educating us, thankful for the parents, family members, counselors, friends, politicians, and mentors that believed we could make it to this moment.
[end paragraph]
And also, there are an acknowledgement and a promise that should follow right after the above paragraph:
[start paragraph]
Today we acknowledge the fact that our country is not equal and that we have it harder than many other people. We acknowledge that, despite this inequality, we beat the odds. We did it, and now we have the chance to not only reach our own dreams, but also to help others reach theirs.
[end paragraph]
All other rants are unnecessary to people whose thick skulls are already made up. It is sad but true. Back2basic
Poverty has enough of its own challenges without the churn and burn of “reform,” a totally unnecessary, man made disruption of staff turnover and endless experimentation on poor young people.
Let us hope that “…the teacher who said my classmates and I would fail and that the taxpayers wasted resources on our education -– Today, we teach you that you were wrong.” has been churned.
Hi retired teacher
I hope that you will agree with “what cannot kill you, will make you stronger.”
Frederick Douglass confirms that: “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”
In short, diamond did not exist in normal or nurturing condition. In other word, those rich kids are much easily becoming druggies than those fortified POOR KIDS.
I would pray God who will bless all conscientious people on earth with healthy mind and body in order to overcome all evil challenges which will sharpen them to be diamond. May,
Reblogged this on Literary Nirvana and commented:
This needs wider distribution. This graduate speaks eloquently of the struggle that is public schools in our communities. He is speaking of New Haven CT, but can easily apply to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools; though they won’t admit it.
Go Coral! As the browning of America continues I have hope and faith in people like you. It’s exactly people like Coral that have scared the current powers that be and have caused them to carefully craft laws to continue their control. and exploitation.