Stanford University
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING
STERLING K. BROWN.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> STERLING K. BROWN:
CLASS OF 2018, NERD NATION HOW WE DOING THIS
MORNING?
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> YES.
I'M A LITTLE HYPED.
I'M A LITTLE HYPED.
BRING IT DOWN.
BRING IT DOWN.
WOOOO.
OKAY.
PRESIDENT TESSIER-LAVIGNE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
SHARING THOSE BEAUTIFUL WORDS
WITH US THIS MORNING.
AND THANK
YOU FOR SUCH A GRACIOUS WELCOME.
IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU COULD TRY
TO UNDER PROMISE AND OVER
DELIVER, I WOULD APPRECIATE
THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
WE DON'T WANT THESE PEOPLE
GETTING TOO HIGH ON THEIR
EXPECTATIONS.
THEN WHEN I COME OFF SOUNDING
HALF WAY DECENT, EVERYBODY WILL BE LIKE,
"OH MY GOODNESS WASN'T THAT REFRESHING?
THAT YOUNG MAN WAS SO ARTICULATE.
WHAT'S THE NAME OF HIS SHOW AGAIN?
I'M GOING TO WATCH IT JUST FOR HIM."
[ LAUGHING ]
>> BEFORE I GET INTO MY SPEECH,
I NEED TO MAKE ONE STATEMENT AND
THEN POSE ONE QUESTION.
STATEMENT: I WILL FROM TIME TO
TIME BE SLIPPING INTO A DIALECT
KNOWN AS AAVE.
FOR THE
UNINITIATED THAT IS AFRICAN
AMERICAN VERNACULAR ENGLISH.
OK?
IN SOME SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY THEY REFER TO THIS DIALECT AS EBONICS.
BUT HERE AT LELAND STANFORD JR. UNIVERSITY
WHERE IT WAS TAUGHT TO ME BY
PROFESSOR JOHN R RICKFORD, WE CALL
IT AAVE.
I UTILIZE THIS DIALECT
BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING I'M
FAMILIAR WITH AND COMFORTABLE WITH
AND SINCE I'M HOME TALKING TO ALL MY
FUTURE FELLOW ALUMNI OF THE FARM, I MIGHT AS WELL
MAKE MYSELF AS FAMILIAR AND COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE.
[APPLAUSE]
I ALSO USE IT PERIODICALLY BECAUSE
SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING A POINT
HOME, I FIND THE KINGS TO BE
SOMEWHAT LACKING.
THUS HOW I
APPREHEND MY PERSPECTIVE.
I WANTED TO MAKE THIS DISCLAIMER UPFRONT
JUST IN CASE ANYONE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT RANDALL.
RANDALL UH, HE DOES NOT HAVE A MOHAWK.
HE WAS STILL RAISED BY JACK AND
BECKY WITH A GOOD HAIR AND AND HE DOES
NOT UTILIZE AAVE AS MUCH AS I DO.
BUT HE MIGHT.
JUST HOLD ON AND WAIT AND SEE.
NOW, MY QUESTION: HAVE ANY OF
YOU EVER BEEN ASKED TO DO
SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE
AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMES YOU'LL BE
GREAT AT, BUT IN THE BACK OF YOUR
MIND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU
ARE GOING TO DO?
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED OF
LOOKING FOOLISH AND LOATHE THE
FACT YOU EVER AGREED TO DO IT IN
THE FIRST PLACE?
THAT FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER,
PEOPLE CONSIDER YOU TO BE THIS
DEEP THINKER WITH PROFOUND
INSIGHTS TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD
WHILE ALL ALONG
WHERE YOU FEEL ABOUT AS DEEP AS THE
SHALLOW END OF A KIDDIE POOL?
IF SO, WELCOME TO THE 127TH
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AS
DELIVERED TO YOU BY STERLING K.BROWN.
[ APPLAUSE ]
HEY MTL, THAT IS THE WAY YOU UNDER
PROMISE.
SEE WHAT I'M DOING HERE?
[ LAUGHING ]
>> REAL TALK.
I MUST HAVE
STARTED THIS SPEECH ABOUT FIFTY-ELEVEN
TIMES.
EVERY TIME I STARTED IT,
IT WOULD BE A'ALL RIGHT.
BUT I WANTED IT TO BE GREAT.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL SOMETHING SPECIAL.
BECAUSE I'VE SAT WHERE
YOU'VE SAT.
I'VE IMAGINED WHAT THE NEXT PHASE
OF MY LIFE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
I'VE CELEBRATED WITH
MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
I'VE STRUGGLED THROUGH THE QUARTER SYSTEM FOR
FOUR YEARS AND MADE IT THROUGH
TO THE OTHER SIDE.
GRANTED, AS
A DRAMA MAJOR.
BUT STILL, THE
STRUGGLE WAS REAL.
[ LAUGHING ]
>> YOU YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE BEST
OF THE BEST.
AND YOU DESERVE
THE BEST FROM ME. AND I HAVE
HAD A REALLY HARD TIME FINDING IT.
THE BIGGEST HURDLE I'VE HAD
TO OVERCOME IN PREPARING THIS
SPEECH IS ONE OF MY OWN
CREATION.
IT WAS AN UNCONSCIOUS
STORY I HAD ABOUT MYSELF WHICH
HAS BEEN FORCED TO THE SURFACE
THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR EXERCISE
IN PUBLIC SPEAKING.
IT GOES
SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
BROWN, I SAY TO MYSELF,
YOU ARE NOT A WRITER.
YOU ONLY GOT A 600 ON
YOUR BEST VERBAL SAT SCORE.
#SOSTANFORD
#NEVERWOULDHAVEADMITTEDTHAT20YEARSAGO
YOU HAVEN'T WRITTEN A SPEECH OF ANY SIGNIFICANCE
SINCE YOUR JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL
WHEN YOU RAN FOR STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT-
I DID WIN BY THE WAY-
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST
PULL 15 MINUTES OUT OF YOUR
BACKSIDE WHEN YOU HAVEN'T PUT
PEN TO PAPER IN FOR A PUBLIC ADDRESS
IN 25 YEARS?
NOW, I CAN ALREADY HEAR YOUR
BEAUTIFUL JOHN FORBES NASH-LIKE MINDS
WORKING PREPARING REBUTTAL.
ALLOW ME TO GIVE THEM VOICE.
MR. BROWN,
BECAUSE YOU ARE RESPECTFUL,
YOU WON ALL THESE
AWARDS OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS
FOR THEOSE ROLES YOU'VE
PLAYED AND WE'VE HEARD YOUR
SPEECHES.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING
ABOUT?
TO THAT I SAY, YES, I HAVE BEEN
BLESSED TO WIN A FEW THINGS AND
I'VE GIVEN A FEW SPEECHES BUT I
DIDN'T WRITE THEM DOWN.
BULLET POINTS.
I MAKE A FEW BULLET POINTS
AND THEN SHOOT FROM THE HIP.
THAT'S PRETTY EASY FOR ME,
THAT'S COMFORTABLE.
BUT THIS, THIS IS
NEW. AND ANY TIME YOU DO
SOMETHING NEW, USUALLY,
INEVITABLY, THERE'S FEAR.
ESPECIALLY, IF YOU'VE EVER
SUFFERED FROM PERFECTIONISM.
I WOULDN'T IMAGINE ANY OF YOU
NERDS WHO HAVE BUSTED YOUR HUMP
TO GET INTO THE DOPEST
UNIVERSITY IN THE COUNTRY WOULD KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT THAT.
HERE'S THE THING I HAD TO REMIND
MYSELF ABOUT FEAR.
AS A HUMAN
BEING, IT IS MY GOAL IN LIFE TO
BECOME THE BEST VERSION OF
MYSELF POSSIBLE.
WHICH IS
ULTIMATELY, I BELIEVE, DIVINE.
IF ALL OF MY LIFE IS COMFORTABLE
AND CONVENIENT, I ROB MYSELF OF
THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW, TO
STRETCH, TO EXPAND.
WHEN I FEEL FEAR,
AS UNCOMFORTABLE IT MAY BE,
I KNOW I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
WHETHER YOU ARE 22 OR 42,
NEVER ALLOW FEAR TO KEEP YOU
FROM EXPANDING YOUR DEFINITION
OF SELF.
MTL -- Y'ALL CALL HIM MTL.
I THINK THAT'S PRETTY COOL.
SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENTS,
BY INVITING ME TO BE YOUR COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER TODAY,
YOU HAVE PROVIDED ME WITH
AN OPPORTUNITY TO STEP INTO THE
UNKNOWN WHERE POSSIBILITIES ARE
LIMITLESS.
AND WHILE I MAY HAVE
SILENTLY CURSED YOU A FEW TIMES
WHILE I WAS WRITING THIS THING,
PLEASE ALLOW ME NOW TO THANK YOU FOR
PROVIDING ME THE LANDSCAPE FOR
MY OWN INDIVIDUAL GROWTH.
NAMASTE.
NOW, BACK TO THE HELL
OF ACTUALLY WRITING THIS THING.
SINCE WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT
I WAS WORKING UNDER THE RATHER
DESTRUCTIVE SELF-INFLICTED
NARRATIVE OF I AM NOT A WRITER,
I TURN TO THE WRITINGS OF OTHERS.
AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
FRESHMAN YEAR AS PART OF WHAT
WAS KNOWN AS CIV, MY FOCUS WAS
PHILOSOPHY AND IT WAS A PERSONAL
REVELATION.
PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS
RAISED CHRISTIAN IN
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,
I WAS QUITE STUNNED TO FIND THAT NO ONE RELIGIOUS
GROUP NOR INDIVIDUALS WHO SUBSCRIBE TO
NO PARTICULAR FAITH AT ALL HAVE A
MONOPOLY ON WISDOM.
THERE WAS A
WEALTH OF PHILOSOPHERS AND
PHILOSOPHIES TO CONSULT, BESIDES THE GOSPELS AND PROVERBS.
THE LATTER STILL HOLD A VERY SPECIAL
PLACE IN MY LIFE BUT SO TOO NOW
DO THE FORMER.
FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE IN WHICH I LIVE MY LIFE
TODAY, THE DIVINE IS ACCESSIBLE
TO ALL.
SO I CONSULTED MY BIG
THREE.
BIG THREE.
BIG THREE.
SOCRATES, PLATO AND LAO TZU.
QUITE A FEW PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM THESE SAGES.
ALLOW ME TO READ A FEW THAT
HELPED ME GET THE BALL ROLLING.
SOCRATES.
"AN UNEXAMINED LIFE IS
NOT WORTH LIVING."
#STAYWOKE.
DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU
ARE THINKING ABOUT?
OR DO YOU TREAT YOUR THOUGHTS AS
IF THEY WERE REAL AND YOU HAVE
NO CONTROL OVER THEM?
NO ANSWERS HERE, JUST QUESTIONS.
I THINK SOCRATES WOULD PREFER IT THAT WAY.
"BEWARE THE BARRENNESS OF A BUSY LIFE."
THERE WILL BE ENORMOUS PULL WHEN YOU
ENTER INTO THE REAL WORLD
TO BE BUSY.
TO ALWAYS DOING
AND ALWAYS HUSTLING AND BUSTLING.
HAVE YOU CONTEMPLATED THE IMPORTANCE
OF STILLNESS?
IS BEING BUSY THE SAME THING AS
BEING PRODUCTIVE?
"I AM NOT AN ATHENIAN OR A GREEK
BUT CITIZEN OF THE WORLD."
I LIKE THIS ONE.
THIS IS
NATIONALISM VERSUS GLOBALISM.
THIS IS VERY BLACK PANTHER.
WHO ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR?
ARE YOU YOUR BROTHERS' AND
SISTERS' KEEPER OR ARE YOU ONLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN PEOPLE
OR FOR YOUR OWN PATH, FOR THAT
MATTER.
AND LASTLY, AND THIS IS
ONE THAT LANDED REALLY ON ME.
"I KNOW NOTHING EXCEPT THE FACT OF
MY IGNORANCE."
CAN I GET AN AMEN?
LOOK, DO Y'ALL KNOW SOME OF THE
PEOPLE YOU'VE HAD DELIVER THIS
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS?
I'M TALKING ABOUT MULTIPLE
SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, MULTIPLE
MAYORS OF MAJOR METROPOLISES.
METROPOLISES, THAT'S THE WAY YOU SAY THAT WORD,
I LOOKED UP THE, BUT IT SOUNDS WEIRD METROPOLISES.
TECH TITANS WHO ONLY NEED ONE NAME.
GATES.
JOBS.
AND OF COURSE, THE QUEEN,
OR AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT WE CALL
HER IN THE COMMUNITY.
FOR THE UNINITIATED,
I'M TALKING ABOUT OPRAH.
[ LAUGHING ]
>> NOW, FROM WHERE I'M SITTING,
THESE PEOPLE KNOW SOMETHING.
THEY MAKE LAWS RUN CITIES, MAKE BANK,
MOVE THE CULTURE.
WHILE ME AND SOCRATES
ON THE OTHER HAND ARE SWIMMING IN
A SEA OF IGNORANCE AS VAST AS
THE PACIFIC ITSELF.
JUST DON'T
KNOW NOTHING, YOU KNOW?
PEOPLE, I'M THE DUDE WHO TAKES
THE WORDS OF ANOTHER DUDE AND
MAKES IT SEEM LIKE HE CAME UP
WITH THEM HIMSELF.
THAT'S WHAT
I DO FOR A LIVING.
I CAN'T
BELIEVE YOU GOT ME UP HERE
TALKING TO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE,
MAN.
THIS IS CRAZY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> BUT THEN I TAKE A BREATH AND I
REMEMBER MY SPEECH DOESN'T HAVE
TO LOOK LIKE ANYBODY ELSE'S.
MY SPEECH IS MY SPEECH.
AND THEY
CAN'T DO WHAT I CAN DO AND THEY I
CAN'T DO WHAT I THEY CAN DO.
SO WHY AM I EVEN TRYING?
AND IT'S NOT FOR THEM.
IT'S NOT
EVEN FOR ME.
IT'S FOR YOU.
IT IS A REFLECTION OF ME AND
HOPEFULLY IT IS AUTHENTIC TO WHO
I AM AS A PERSON.
BUT WHEN I
PLACE THE FOCUS ON WHERE IT
TRULY BELONGS, ON THIS GORGEOUS
OPPORTUNITY TO BE OF SERVICE TO
THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY, TO
THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD, I STOP
WORRYING ABOUT HOW I COMPARE TO
OTHERS AND I JUST GIVE YOU THE BEST
THAT I GOT.
LET ME MOVE ON TO PLATO.
FIRST QUOTE, THIS ONE
INSPIRED ME THROUGHOUT THE
ENTIRETY OF MY SPEECH.
"THE BEGINNING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
PART OF THE WORK.."
JUST WRITE SOMETHING, BROWN.
IT DON'T GOTTA BE PERFECT,
IT DON'T GOTTA BE PRETTY, YOU CAN TELL
THEM YOU WRITING AAVE AND MAKE IT
SEEM LIKE A CONSCIOUS CHOICE LATER.
THEY WON'T KNOW NOTHING.
BUT WRITE SOMETHING.
ONE MORE FROM PLATO.
[ LAUGHING ]
>> "WE CAN EASILY FORGIVE A CHILD
WHO IS AFRAID OF THE DARK.
THE REAL TRAGEDY OF LIFE IS WHEN MEN
ARE AFRAID OF THE LIGHT."
NOW THIS ONE WAS BIG.
IT WAS BIG BECAUSE
IT REMINDED ME OF ANOTHER QUOTE
THAT CHANGED MY LIFE.
THE QUOTE
IS BY MARIANNE WILLIAMSON AND IT
GOES LIKE THIS:
"OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS NOT THAT WE ARE
INADEQUATE.
OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS
THAT WE ARE POWERFUL BEYOND MEASURE.
IT IS OUR LIGHT, NOT OUR DARKNESS,
THAT FRIGHTENS US MOST.
WE ASK OURSELVES, WHO AM I
TO BE BRILLIANT, GORGEOUS,
TALENTED AND FAMOUS?
ACTUALLY, WHO ARE YOU NOT TO BE?
YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD.
YOU'RE PLAYING SMALL DOES NOT SERVE THE
WORLD.
THERE IS NOTHING
ENLIGHTENED ABOUT SHRINKING SO THAT
PEOPLE WON'T FEEL INSECURE AROUND YOU.
WE WERE BORN TO MAKE MANIFEST
THE GLORY OF GOD THAT IS WITHIN US,
AND IT'S NOT JUST IN SOME OF US,
IT'S IN ALL OF US.
AND WHEN WE
LET OUR OWN LIGHT SHINE, WE UNCONSCIOUSLY GIVE
OTHER PEOPLE PERMISSION TO DO
THE SAME.
AS WE ARE LIBERATED FROM
OUR OWN FEAR, OUR PRESENCE
AUTOMATICALLY LIBERATES OTHERS."
GRADUATES OF THE CLASS OF 2018,
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO LET YOUR
LIGHT SHINE.
IT IS YOUR BIRTH RIGHT,
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, BECAUSE WE GROW
TOGETHER.
I REMEMBER WORKING ON A COMMEDIA PIECE
IN GRAD SCHOOL AND MY TEACHER WAS ASKING
ME TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS
INCREDIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE,
AS ARE FREQUENTLY THE REQUESTS MADE BY
FACULTY IN AN ACTING
CONSERVATORY PROGRAM.
LET ME REMIND YOU THAT I LOATHE
LOOKING FOOLISH.
AND HE KNEW THAT.
AND HE DID NOT ALLOW ME
TO RECEDE INTO MY FEAR.
HE WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO USE THAT
AS AN EXCUSE TO KEEP FROM MOVING
FORWARD.
HE TOLD ME
"IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU, STERLING.
WE'RE ALL
LEARNING FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE."
HAVE YOU EVER WALKED INTO A ROOM
AND FELT THE ENERGY OF THAT ROOM CHANGE?
BETTER YET, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN
IN A ROOM AND HAD SOMEONE WALK
INTO THE SPACE AND YOU FELT IT
SHIFT FOR THE BETTER?
OR FOR THE WORSE?
MY MAMA ALWAYS TOLD ME WHEN YOU
VISIT SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE,
LEAVE THINGS BETTER THAN THE WAY
YOU FOUND THEM, THAT WAY YOU'LL
ALWAYS BE ASKED BACK.
YOU WANT
TO BE THAT PERSON THAT CHANGES
THE ROOM FOR THE BETTER.
YOU WANT TO BE THAT PERSON THAT
KEEPS GETTING ASKED BACK.
YOU DO THAT BY TURNING ON YOUR
LIGHT.
SOMETIMES WHEN I'M IN
THE GYM OR ON THE TREADMILL,
GETTING IN MY LITTLE CARDIO,
FREQUENTLY I SAY IN MY HEAD
I SAY THIS STUFF IS FOR THE
BIRDS.
I WANT TO GO HOME.
I'M DONE.
AND THEN I LOOK UP AND
I'LL SEE SOMEONE LETTING THEIR
LIGHT SHINE AND I AM REMINDED OF
THE LUMINESCENCE THAT IS ME.
SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY THAT'S MY
COMPETITIVE NATURE COMING OUT.
SURE THAT'S ONE WAY OF LOOKING AT IT.
BUT I CHOOSE TO SEE IT AS MY
INSPIRED NATURE COMING OUT.
I AM INSPIRED BY THE EXCELLENCE OF
OTHERS.
I STRIVE FOR PERSONAL
EXCELLENCE.
LOOK, THERE'S NO
SENSE IN DOING SOMETHING IF YOU
ARE NOT GOING TO TRY TO DO YOUR
BEST.
BUT ALSO, BECAUSE I KNOW
THAT IT INSPIRES EXCELLENCE IN
OTHERS.
I GOT TO PAY IT FORWARD.
THE INSPIRATION CAN'T STOP WITH ME.
YOU GUYS, MY FRIENDS FROM STANFORD ARE SOME
BAD MEN.
I GOT TWO LAWYERS, ONE
WHO IS TRANSITIONING TO BEING A
STAND-UP COMIC BECAUSE HE KNOWS
THAT'S WHERE HIS LIGHT SHINES
BRIGHTEST.
A JUDGE,
A UROLOGIST.
GREAT AT DINNER PARTIES BY THE WAY,
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A UROLOGIST,
THEY GO THROUGH SOME CRAZY STUFF.
AND A DOCTORAL STUDENT IN COMMUNICATIONS
WITH A SUB-DISCPLINE IN PERFORMANCE STUDIES.
RARELY HAVING AN EXPLICIT DISCUSSION ABOUT IT,
WE ARE EXCEPTIONALLY PROUD OF EACH OTHER.
BY CHALLENGING OURSELVES, WE CHALLENGE EACH
OTHER TO BE THE BEST POSSIBLE
VERSIONS OF OURSELVES.
I SURROUND MYSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO
LET THEIR LIGHT SHINE.
YO, NOT TO MENTION THE HOTTEST CHICK IN
THE GAME, ROCKING MY CHAIN,
FELLOW GRADUATE OF THE CLASS OF 98,
DOUBLE MAJOR IN ENGLISH AND AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES,
PROUD MEMBER OF DELTA SIGMA
THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED,
OMICRON CHI CHAPTER , WRITER, SINGER, ACTOR,
PRODUCER AND PROUD MOTHER OF
TWO FUTURE STANFORD GRADUATES TO BOOT,
RYAN MICHELLE BATHÉ.
YOU ARE THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT
IN MY LIFE.
THANK YOU FOR SHINING WITH YOUR BOY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, ALL
RIGHT.
OH I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT
THE THIRD OF A BIG THREE.
LAO TZU.
IT'S LIKE LEAVING RANDALL AT THE HOSPITAL, MY BAD.
THE AUTHOR OF THE TAO TE CHING'S WISDOM IS SO PURE AND SIMPLE,
IT REQUIRES VERY LITTLE EXPLICATION.
"WHEN YOU ARE
CONTENT TO BE SIMPLY YOURSELF
AND DON'T COMPARE OR COMPETE,
EVERYBODY WILL RESPECT YOU."
RIGHT?
THAT'S GOOD.
"WHEN I LET GO OF
WHAT I AM, I BECOME WHAT I MIGHT BE."
BRIEFLY, WHEN I FIRST GOT
TO STANFORD, I THOUGHT I HAD IT
ALL FIGURED OUT.
MAJOR IN ECON,
GO INTO BUSINESS OR FINANCE,
MAKE BANK.
AND TAKE CARE OF MY
FAMILY.
IT MADE SENSE.
IT WAS
THE PRUDENT THING TO DO.
AND WHILE I HAD ALWAYS LOVED ACTING,
IT JUST WASN'T PRACTICAL.
IN MY MIND, A CAREER IN ACTING WAS
RESERVED FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE
WEALTHY WHO DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT MAKING A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE
LIVELIHOOD OF THEIR COMMUNITIES,
OF THEIR FAMILIES.
BUT THE CALL
OF THE STAGE NEVER WAINED.
THE DESIRE TO ILLUMINATE THE HUMAN CONDITION
WAS ALWAYS THE THING THAT GAVE
MY LIFE THE GREATEST SENSE OF
PURPOSE.
SEE WHAT I DID THERE, MTL?
I TIED IT BACK INTO THE THING.
I HAD TO LET GO OF WHO I WAS IN
ORDER TO BECOME WHO I AM.
AND IF YOU WISH FOR YOUR LIGHT TO
SHINE CONTINUOUSLY, IT IS A
PROCESS THAT YOU MUST GO THROUGH
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
LASTLY…
"A GOOD TRAVELLER HAS NO FIXED
PLANS, AND IS NOT INTENT ON
ARRIVING."
NOW, THIS IS FOR MY
HOMIES SIMILAR TO MYSELF WHO BATTLE/HAVE BATTLED
WITH PERFECTIONISM.
GOALS ARE
GREAT.
THEY GIVE US A SENSE OF
ACCOMPLISHMENT, THEY HELP
ESTABLISH A ROAD MAP OF THE GENERAL TRAJECTORY OF OUR
LIVES AND HOPEFULLY THAT
TRAJECTORY IS ONWARD AND UPWARD.
HOWEVER, DO NOT BE SO OBSESSED
WITH GETTING THE PUDDING MADE
THAT YOU FORGET TO ENJOY THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE PUDDING.
BECAUSE MOST OF LIFE IS THE PROCESS.
YOU SPEND WAY MORE TIME ON THE
JOURNEY THAN YOU DO AT THE FINAL
DESTINATION.
THINK OF
PERFECTION LIKE AN ASYMPTOTE.
THE JOURNEY TOWARDS IT IS INFINITE
BUT THE DESTINATION CAN NEVER BE REACHED.
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO TAKE THAT
JOURNEY AND ENJOY IT KNOWING THAT
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ENDLESS
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, THEN
YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT.
IF YOU STILL FOOL YOURSELF INTO
THINKING THE END POINT OF
PERFECTION IS SOMETHING THAT
EXISTS AND CAN BE OBTAINED,
I WORRY THAT YOU MAY MISS THE BEAUTIFUL
CURVE OF THE LIFE WELL LIVED.
NEVER ENJOYING WHERE YOU ARE IN
THE MOMENT.
ALWAYS WISHING YOU
WERE SOMEPLACE, SOMETHING OR
SOMEONE ELSE.
IN CONCLUSION,
FEAR CAN BE A GREAT MOTIVATOR JUST AS
LONG AS IT DOESN'T OVERCOME YOUR
DESIRE TO MOVE FORWARD.
YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY,
A RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAVE THIS
WORLD BETTER THAN HOW YOU FOUND IT.
AND YOU DO THAT BY BEING BRILLIANT.
BY LETTING YOUR LIGHT SHINE.
AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT
ANYBODY ELSE'S LIGHT.
DON'T TRY TO COMPARE YOURS TO ANYONE ELSE'S.
IF YOU FOUND THAT THING, THAT PURPOSE
IN LIFE THAT GIVES YOU ACCESS TO
MAXIMUM ENTHUSIASM, TRUST THAT.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A JOB,
I'M NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT A CAREER.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A CALLING.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT THING
THAT FORCES THE METAPHORICAL
LAMP SHADE FROM YOUR SOUL AND MANDATES THAT EVERYONE
WEARS SUN GLASSES IN YOUR
PRESENCE BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST
THAT DAMN BRIGHT.
THIS IS NOT A
SELFISH ACT.
BECAUSE NOW, THOSE WHO FALL
WITHIN YOUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
KNOW WHAT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU IS
ALSO POSSIBLE FOR THEM.
AND WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE SHINING,
DON'T HATE.
DO NOT TEAR THAT INDIVIDUAL DOWN.
CELEBRATE THEIR SUCCESS AS IF IT WERE YOUR OWN.
BECAUSE WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR
NOT, WE RISE AND FALL TOGETHER.
AY, THE NAME OF THE SHOW AIN'T
US VERSUS THEM.
WE'RE NOT
TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT ALL THE
THINGS THAT DIFFERENTIATE US.
THE SHOW IS CALLED "THIS IS US."
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME
VILIFYING ANYONE THAT DOESN'T
SEE THE WORLD THROUGH THE SAME
LENS AS OURSELVES.
AND I
INCLUDE MYSELF AMONGST THAT
GROUP.
THE DARK SIDE OF THE
FORCE IS INCREDIBLY APPEALING.
THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING AN SITH
OR JEDI EXISTS WITHIN US ALL.
WHEN
FOLKS DISAGREE WITH YOU, WELCOME
THE OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER CLARIFY YOUR
OWN POSITION FOR YOURSELF.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO DEVOLVE INTO ANIMUS.
AND BELIEVE ME, I SAY THIS AS MUCH FOR ME
AS I DO FOR YOU, DIALOGUE WITH THOSE
OF DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES HELPS
US DEVELOP EMPATHY.
AS AN ACTOR,
I DO NOT HAVE TO LIKE
EVERY CHARACTER I PLAY.
IT HELPS, BUT IT'S NOT A NECESSITY.
BUT I DO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
THEM.
AND I CANNOT JUDGE THEM
AS I TELL THEIR STORY.
THE DALAI LAMA SAYS
"EDUCATION IS THE PROPER WAY TO
PROMOTE COMPASSION AND TOLERANCE
IN SOCIETY."
I REMIND MYSELF OF
THIS FREQUENTLY.
INTOLERANCE IS
STILL INTOLERANCE EVEN WHEN IT'S
FOR THE INTOLERANT.
DON'T GIVE
WAY TO HATING.
DO NOT GIVE
ANYONE THE POWER TO ROB YOU OF
YOUR LIGHT.
ONE OF MY DEAREST
FRIENDS FROM STANFORD WAS ANDREW
JACOB DAHER.
WE LIVED IN UJ TOGETHER
FRESHMAN YEAR AND WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE YEAR HE SPENT
ABROAD AT THE LONDON SCHOOL OF
ECONOMICS, WE SPENT EVERY OTHER YEAR EITHER
ACROSS THE HALL FROM EACH OTHER
OR RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
HE HAD A
BEAUTIFUL MIND AND AN EXQUISITE SOUL.
I REMEMBER ONCE FRESHMAN
YEAR SOMEBODY TRIED TO PUT AJD
ON FRONT STREET AND THEY SAID
"YO ANDREW.
WHY YOU ALWAYS
HANGING OUT WITH THESE BLACK PEOPLE MAN?"
AND MR.
PHI-BETA-CAPA-IN ECON
AND WITHOUT HESITATION,
HAT PULLED WAY LOW OVER ON HIS EYES, HE SAID
"BECAUSE I'M DOWN."
YEAH, ANDREW WAS WHITE.
AND IN JUST BEING HIMSELF, AFFECTATION-FREE,
HE HAD AS MUCH SOUL AS ANYBODY IN THAT DORM.
AND IN CASE YOU FORGOT WHAT I'M TALKING
ABOUT, I'M TALKING ABOUT --
UJAMAA!
THANK YOU FOR NOT LETTING ME DOWN.
IN ANDREW, I FOUND A KINDRED SPIRIT.
SOMEONE WHO WAS ALWAYS
LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO IMPROVE HIMSELF.
WE STUDIED TOGETHER,
WE WORKED OUT TOGETHER.
THE FIRST TIME I RAN THE STEPS IN
THIS STADIUM, IT WAS WITH
ANDREW.
I REMEMBER ONE NIGHT IN
BURBANK STERN -- WE GOT A BAD
DRAW NUMBER.
WHAT CAN I SAY?
[ LAUGHING ]
>> ANDREW AND I WERE WORKING ON
AN ECON 180 PROBLEM SET AND I
WAS STRUGGLING.
FRUSTRATION WAS
GETTING THE BEST OF ME AND THIS
DUDE WHO HAD FINISHED HIS
PROBLEM SET LONG AGO STAYED UP
WITH ME TO THE SUN CAME UP AND
MADE SURE I FINISHED MY
HOMEWORK.
HE WOULDN'T LET ME FAIL.
I GOT A FEW STORIES LIKE
THAT ABOUT AJD, I WON'T BORE YOU WITH THEM ALL.
UMM I WISH I HAD A
FEW MORE BUT UNFORTUNATELY
ANDREW DIED THE YEAR AFTER I
GRADUATED.
MULTIPLE TRAUMATIC
INJURIES SUSTAINED WHEN HE FELL
FROM THE THIRD STORY OF THE
BUILDING WHERE HE WORKED.
WHETHER IT WAS INTENTIONAL OR
NOT WAS UNCLEAR.
THERE IS A
TREE AND A BENCH IN LAGUNITA
COURT IN REMEMBRANCE OF ONE OF
THE BRIGHTEST HUMAN BEINGS I'VE EVER
KNOWN IN MY LIFE.
BRIGHT LIKE INTELLIGENT YES, BUT BRIGHT LIKE LUMINOUS.
ANDREW JACOB DAHER IS ONE OF THE ONLY
PEOPLE I KNOW WHO ALWAYS DID HIS
ABSOLUTE BEST.
AND EVEN THOUGH
HE'S BEEN GONE FOR 19 YEARS NOW,
I STILL FIND MYSELF SAYING ONE
DAY WHEN I GROW UP, I'M GOING TO
BE JUST LIKE ANDREW.
MY SON,
HIS NAMESAKE, IS HERE TODAY.
AND WHEN I SEE MY BOY AND I SAY
HIS NAME, I SMILE.
BECAUSE I
GET A CHANCE TO KEEP MY FRIEND
WITH ME STILL.
CLASS OF 2018,
NO ONE IS AN ISLAND UNTO
THEMSELVES.
WE HAVE ALL
BENEFITED FROM AND BEEN
SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITIES WHICH HAVE
NOURISHED US ALONG THE WAY.
OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIENDS,
OUR TEACHERS.
THE EASIEST WAY I CAN
THINK OF SHOWING YOUR APPRECIATION
FOR THEIR INVESTMENT IN YOUR HUMAN CAPITAL
IS BY SHINING.
YOU ARE STANFORD GRADS NOW.
YOU GET TO WALK AROUND
WITH AN S ON YOUR CHEST.
WHY NOT SHINE?
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> AND REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT A
SELFISH ACT.
THIS IS THE WAY WE
GIVE PERMISSION TO THE WORLD TO
COLLECTIVELY STEP INTO THE LIGHT.
I SHINE FOR MY CITY.
BIG UP, ST. LOUIS.
I SHINE FOR MY FAMILY.
I SHINE FOR MY FRIENDS.
I SHINE FOR YOU CHOCOLATE CARDINAL.
I SHINE FOR YOU, NERD NATION.
AND I SHINE FOR YOU ANDREW JACOB DAHER.
CLASS OF 2018, IT IS YOUR
TIME NOW.
DO ME A FAVOR, WILL YOU?
TAKE YOUR LIGHT AND SHOW US THE WAY.
GOD BLESS YOU.
I LOVE YOU.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
[ APPLAUSE ]
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