Speeches & Op-Eds
"Overcoming Obstacles" Commencement Address to Disabled Students
August 2, 2006
I feel blessed to be here today to celebrate the achievements of this exceptional group of students, and their commitment to academic excellence. These students have faced considerable hardships on their road through school. There were some - though they may not be here today - who did not believe you could make it this far and that your disabilities would deter you from reaching for the stars, but boy were they wrong. As I stand before you today, my heart is filled with joy. Despite the doubters - despite the odds against you - you have persevered. And because of the character you have shown working through your challenges, I am convinced you are better prepared than your peers to succeed at life.
History has demonstrated that the most impressive athletes and successful people are those who have usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won and were successful because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats. These were individuals like all of you who set goals for themselves and refused to give up.
Aristotle believed that courage is the first human virtue because it makes other virtues possible. Courage is needed to translate intentions into actions, to take what we believe in and to use our potential to make it happen. A courageous leader must be confident and committed to personal and professional values, as some courageous acts will expose vulnerability and evoke criticism. Courage will then be needed to stand firm.
You are a true example of what it means to be courageous. Many people in your position would have given up because the road was too hard to travel, too bumpy or too difficult to maneuver but you all recognized the importance of education and have fought to continue.
I want explore three basic questions today:
First, how do seemingly ordinary people achieve extraordinary things? Second, what are the characteristics that lead to extraordinary achievement? Third and finally, what should people who achieve extraordinary things do with their gifts? In order to answer these questions, I will use the example of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. an ordinary man who accomplished extraordinary things through hard work and perseverance.
Let’s begin with the first question: How do seemingly ordinary people achieve extraordinary things, and the answer is because they are people who believe they can achieve. These are people like Dr. King who see a problem and instead of letting it defeat them and accepting it as simply "the way things are," they a determined to make a difference.
The modern civil rights movement in the United States began on December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama when Rosa Parks, an African American woman, refused to stand and give up her seat on a city bus to a white man as was then required by Alabama state law.
Her act of defiance might have been in vain if Dr. King had not been determined to make a difference and lead a 382-day struggle to integrate the city's public transportation system. Despite the resistance to his efforts, he believed he could achieve.
Just as Dr. King dared to dream, just as Dr. King believed he could achieve, so did you. Perhaps coming out of one of your surgeries, or perhaps coming out of chemotherapy, you did something extraordinary. You said, I want to fight on. I want to finish school. I believe I can achieve. And you have.
Dr. King also answers our second question: what key qualities help people achieve? A belief in oneself, yes, but also more. When Dr. King began as a Baptist Minister, in the 1950’s Deep South, all the odds were stacked against him. Not many people believed that he would have the courage, strength, or ability to mobilize one of the most important movements in U.S. history. Nevertheless, in pursuit of his "Dream" of racial equality he endured beatings, he endured arrests, he endured dog bites, he endured bombings and death threats. But he refused to be deterred.
As a result of his resilience and refusal to give up on his dream Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. is one of the most important figures in American history.
What qualities lead to extraordinary achievement? I look at my own character, and wonder how I might have responded to Dr. King’s challenges. I hope I would have had his belief in himself, his courage, and his faith. I hope I would have had those qualities, but I know that you do. You have belief in spades, courage beyond measure and the faith of saints. We honor you because of these things today.
This leads us to our third question. Because I think we can all agree that you have shown the character to succeed. You are truly extraordinary persons proven by your presence here today to believe in yourself, with faith and courage. Our question now is what should extraordinary persons like you do now?
More than ever, the world needs ethical and courageous leaders who are willing to do what is right. I am sure that an education you have fought so hard for has provided the knowledge and tools to practice courageous leadership and lead virtuous and meaningful lives. The opportunities to put that education to work now lie ahead. Be firm in your beliefs. Find empathy in your heart. Search for wisdom in your decisions. Continue to be courageous in your life and continue to fight for what you want.
By showing fortitude, determination, creativity, and resourcefulness in transcending your physical limitations, you are an example to all who cross your path. By overcoming adversity, you encourage those around you to overcome their own difficulties and inspire others to excel and challenge themselves to discover their strengths.
What is the way forward? You can continue to fight and continue to inspire others with your efforts. People who have obtained extraordinary achievement, as you have, are obligated to reach back and help others along the way.
You all have accomplished and overcome so many obstacles in achieving your goal of finishing school. I want you to know that the U.S. Embassy, your parents, teachers, friends, and entire country are proud of you and your accomplishments. You are living proof that no obstacle is too big to overcome with hard work. Thank you for serving as an example that most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them. [Pause.] You have humbled me with your strength. Continue to inspire those around you and to shine your light of determination for the entire world to see. Congratulations.