美国联邦参议员陆天娜在瓦萨尔学院20XX年毕业典礼英语演讲稿.doc

美国联邦参议员陆天娜在瓦萨尔学院20XX年毕业典礼英语演讲稿ThankyoutoActingPresidentChenette,mydearestfriendandthepersonwhoinvitedmeGerryLaybourne,theboard,thefacultyatVassar,alloftheproudparentsthatarehere,ouralumnaeandouralumni,andallthedistinguishedguests.AndtotheVassarClassof20XXmanycongratulations.Vassartrulystandsasabeaconofhopeandopportunitythatcontinuestoinspireallofus.Youhaveshownastrongsenseofjustice,community,andboldactivism.AlthoughIknowthereisalwaysmoreworktobedone,youhaveshatteredmanyglassceilingshere.womenhavealwaysbeeninleadershipyouareadvancingLGBTequalityandacceptance,andyoudohaveacampusthatsdiverseinmorewaysthaneverbefore!TheeducationthatyoureceivehereatVassarisapreciousopportunity,onethattensofmillionsofyoungpeopleacrosstheworldaredeniedeverysingledayduetopoverty,violence,prejudiceandinjustice.ButIknowthatsomedaywecanactuallychangethatwithstudentslikeyouleadingtheway.StudentswhostooduptothebigotryoftheWestboroBaptistChurch.Youdidnotstandquietlyby.Youcreatedanationalconversation.Youraisedover$100,000,andyoumadeyourvoiceheard,inspiredactioninothers,andproducedrealresults.Myhopeforthisclassisthatthisdeterminedcourage,thisspiritofactivism,thisfierceoppositiontohatewillbetherule,nottheexception.SoIvecomeheretoaskyoutoday,eachandeveryoneofyou,justonequestion:HowareyougoingtotakethelessonsthatyouvelearnedhereatVassar,andcarryonthislegacyofmakingarealdifference?Ihopethateachoneofyoufindstheopportunitytodopublicservice,andtrulyhaveanimpactonthelivesofsomanyothers.SoIwanttotellyouallalittlebitaboutmyownjourneytopublicservice.IwasveryluckybecauseIgrewupinafamilythathadaverystrongrolemodel.Therolemodelwasmygrandmother.ShestartedhercareerasayoungwomansheneverwenttocollegesheworkedasasecretaryinourstatelegislatureinAlbany.Shehadthisveryboldideathatwomensvoicesshouldbeheard.Therewereveryfewwomeninelectiveoffice75yearsago.Shewantedtohaveasay,andshewantedtohaveanimpact.Andsheknewsomethinginstinctivelythatallofusknownow,thattospeakinonevoiceisveryimportant,buttospeakalongwithmanyvoicesisfarmorepowerful.ShesheaskedallthewomeninthelegislatureandallthewomensheknewinUpstateNewYorktogetinvolvedinpolitics.Togethertheycreatedanorganizationofactivism,wherethesewomenrancampaignsforaboutfiftyyears.Theydidallthedoortodoorwork,alltheenvelopestuffing,allthekindsofthingsittakestowinmoderndaycampaigns.Andthatiswhytheywereabletohaveavoice.Theywereabletoelectpeoplewhosharedtheirvalues,whosharedtheirconcerns,andwantedtohavethesameimpactontheircommunitythattheydid.Sowhatthattaughtmeasayounggirlwatchingheristhatnotonlydowomensvoicesmatter,butwhatyoudowithyourtimematters.Grassrootsactivismmatters.Fightingtomakeadifferencematters.AfterIwenttocollegeandlawschool,IsawmyselfworkinginNewYorkCityinabiglawfirm,andIwatchedourFirstLady,thenHilaryRodhamClinton,gotoChina.Nowifyouremember,shewenttoChinain1995,andshegaveherhistoricspeechonwomensrights.Shesaid,“Letitbeknownthathumanrightsarewomensrightsandwomensrightsarehumanrightsonceandforall.NowIwasincrediblyinspiredbyheratthatmomentbecauseIdbeentoBeijing,Ihadstudiedthere,IhadlearnedMandarin,andIknewhowpowerfulitwasforherastheFirstLadytobegivingthatspeechatthattimeinthatplacetothataudience.TheywerestillkillinggirlbabiesinthecountrysideandIknowthatshewasmakingadramaticimpactontheworldatthatmoment.AndIthoughttomyself,whatamIdoingwithmylifeandamImakingadifference?AndIthoughtifIwasgoingtoeverbewithheratthatconferenceinBeijingwithher,Iwouldhavehadtobeinvolvedinpolitics.Andthatswhatspurredmetogetoffthesidelinesandfocusonmakingadifference.AndthatswhenIengagedinpolitics.SoofcourseIfollowedinmygrandmothersfootsteps.Istartedworkingoncampaigns.Istartedorganizingotherwomenanddoingthetoughworkittakestoelectcandidates.AndthemoreIgotinvolved,themoreIrealizedthatIreallylovegrassrootsactivism,andIdecidedIwantedtoleavethelawanddosomeformofpublicservice.Itriedallsortsofwaystogetthere,andmywaywasntclear.FirstItriedtheU.S.AttorneysOffice.Ididnotgetthejob.ThenItriedabunchofcharitiesinNewYork.Ididntevengetaninterview.TheHillaryClintondecidestorunforSenate,andIsay,“Thisismychance!Iwillgetajobonhercampaign.”Icouldntgetapaidposition,soIcouldntaffordit.SoIwenttoalargeevent,andourthen-secretaryofhousingandurbandevelopment,ournow-governorAndrewCuomo,wasgivingaspeech,aspeechnotunlikethisaboutpublicservice.AndIwentuptohimafterwardsandIsaid,“Well,Mr.Secretary,Ivebeentryingtogetintopublicservice,anditsnotaseasyasyousay.”AndrewbeingAndrew,ourgreatgovernorsays,“Well,wouldyoumovetoWashington?”Andofcourse,determined,Isaid,“Yes,IwillmovetoWashington.”Truthbetold,IhadnointerestinevermovingtoWashington.But,Ididinfacttakethatopportunity,andIwoundupgoingtoWashingtonandservingashisspecialcounsel.Now,neverinmylifehaveIgottenoutofbedasquicklyasIdidoverthosefewmonths,becauseIlovedhelpingothers.Andwhentheadministrationlostthenextelection,therewerenomorejobsinWashington.AndsoIthoughtlongandhard.AndIsaid,“CouldIrunforoffice?CouldIactuallyserve?”AndovertWhyshouldntIserve?WhyshouldntImakethatjump?SoItalkedtoafriendofminewhoisapollster.HisnameisJeffrey.Hesstillmypollster.AndIgotohimandIsay,“Jeffrey,couldyoujustlookupthisdistrictforme?ImthinkingofrunninginUpstateNewYorkwhereImfrom.”Andhelooksitup,andhesays,“Hmmm.Thatisatwo-to-oneRepublicandistrict.Youhavenochanceofwinning.”AndIthought,really?Nochance?“WhathappensifIruntheperfectcampaign?CantIwinthen?”Hesaid,“No.”HesaidthattherearemorecowsthanDemocratsinthatdistrict.Isaid,“Well,whathappensifIraisetwomilliondollarsandreallygetmymessageout?”Hesaid,“No,Kirsten,Imsorry.Youjustcantwin.”Isaid,“Well,whathappensifthisguygetsindicted?Hesatroublemaker.Icouldsurelywinthen.”Andhesaid,“Well,itdependswhathegetsindictedfor.”Well,thestorygoes,Ididwinthatelection.Anditwassomethingthatnoonethoughtwaspossible.Infact,eventheNewYorkTimescalledmea“dragonslayer”becauseitwassuchatoughdistricttowin.Sothattaughtmeafewthings.Ittaughtmetoalwayschallengeconventionalthinking.Ittaughtmetothinkanddreambigandcertainlynevergiveup.Andthetruthis,theresnothingtoobigforanyoneofyouheretoachieve.Youjusthavetobelieveinthatdream,evenifnooneelsebutyourmotherbelievesinitwithyou.Becauseyoucangoasfarasyourvisionwilltakeyouandasfarasyourhardworkwilltakeyou.Sonowyouveheardthebeginningofmystory.Iamfarmoreinterestedinyourstory.Idliketoknowwhatyourpathwillbe?Whatwillyouaccomplishinyourlife?Whatwillyousetouttochange?Ichallengeyoutorefusetoacceptthatthingscantchangesimplybecauseotherstellyouso.IhearthatexcuseeverydayinWashington,anditmakesmeevenmoredeterminedtofindaway.IamincrediblyhumbledtoserveinaSenateseatonceoccupiedbygiantsinourAmericanhistory:mymentor,friendandtrailblazerHillaryRodhamClinton,andthebrilliantscholar-turned-politicianDanielPatrickMoynihan.And,theiconiccivilrightshero,RobertF.Kennedy.RFKoncequotedGeorgeBernardShawandsaid,“Therearethosethatlookatthingsthewaytheyare,andaskwhy?Idreamofthingsthatneverwere,andaskwhynot?”Ilovethosewords,andIthinktheyapplysomuchtoallofusheretoday.TherearethosewholookatallofyouasGenerationY.IlookatyouandseeGenerationY-Not.Yourgenerationispoised,likenoneotherinhistory,tochallengeeverysinglenotionofequality,justiceandopportunityforall.Youhaveahistoryofsaying“whynot!”hereatVassar.In1861,theCivilWarwasabouttocommencewhenMatthewVassarasserted“whynotcreateawomensinstitutionforlearningequaltomens”-athoughtthatseemedabsolutelyrevolutionary,evendangeroustosome,adreamthatwasfullyrealizedhere.By1969,VassarCollege,inasignofitsstrength,madethedecisiontobecomeacoeducationalinstitution,rejectinganinvitationtomovetoNewHavenandjoinforceswithYale,declaring:“whynotbecomeacoeducationalinstitutionwherestrongwomensvoicesareheardandmenwhoarecomfortablewithstrongwomensvoicesareheardequaltothem.”MenlikeBillPlapinger,yourboardchairfromtheclassof1974sittingrighthere,thelegendaryclassof1974thatledyoutothisimportantnextstage.AndBillseemstohavesurvivedtheexperimentmoreorless.Sobecauseofsuchgroundbreakingleadership,wehaveactuallyachievededucationalparityinthiscountry.Morethanhalfofourcollegegraduatesandouradvanceddegreesaregiventowomen.Butthequestionis,howfarhavewecomeinreachingourgoalofeconomicorpoliticalparityforwomen.Lookingfrommycommencementin1988tonow,therewereonlytwowomenintheSenatewhenIgraduated.Todaythereare20.Thereareonly18percentwomenintheHouseofRepresentatives.WhenIgraduatedfromcollege,therewerethreewomenCEOsinFortune500companies.Todaythereare20-only4percent.Frankly,thesenumberspathetic.Sowhatarewemissing?Isitleadership?Vision?Acalltoaction?ThishaspromptednoneotherthanWarrenBuffettorecentlycallonbothmenandwomentoaddresstheimbalancessayingthereisnotjustanethicalargument,butaverypragmaticone:everyonewillbenefitwhenwefullytapintotheunderutilizedtalentsofhalfourpopulation.Anditstrue.Whenwomenserveoncorporateboards,thereturnoninvestmentandreturnonequityarehigherime,Isaid,“Whynot?”Whentheresatleastonewomanonacorporateboard,thatcompanyis40percentlesslikelytohavetorestatetheirearnings.Iwonderwhy?WhenwomenareatthetableinWashington,thereareawholesetofissuesthatareraisedandverydifferentsolutionsthatareoffered.Theresoftenmuchmorecommongroundfoundandmoreconsensusbuilt,anditsnotsurprisingthatittookawomanasthechairofthepersonnelsubcommitteeontheArmedServicesCommitteetoholdthefirsthearingintenyearsonsexualassaultinthemilitary.Clearly,womensequalityisnotjustaboutwomen.LGBTequalityisnotjustaboutourLGBTcommunity.Povertydoesnotonlyimpactthepoor.Immigrationreformisnotjustanissueforimmigrants.Whenyouapproachtheworldwithaneyetowardsjustice,equality,andopportunityascore,commonvalues,suddenlywestarttolookatsomethingthatisbetterforthegreaterwhole.Thewholebecomeslargerthanthesumofitsparts,andwebecomeastrongernationforit.Fightingforwomensequalitynotonlychallengesthestatusquobutcompelsthefundamentalquestion,“Whynotseekjusticeforallandopportunityforeveryone?”IntheU.S.today,nearly50millionAmericansarelivingbelowthepovertyline,includingone-in-fiveAmericanchildren,andmorethanaquarterofblackandHispaniccommunities.Athirdofhouseholdsheadedbysinglewomenarebelowthepovertyline.Itsunbelievableandunacceptablethatthisistheworldwereintoday.Evenaswomenareout-earningmenincollegedegreesandadvanceddegrees,andareagrowingshareofprimaryhouseholdearnersmenstillout-earnwomeninsalary.ThekeytoagrowingeconomythekeytoathrivingmiddleclassthekeytoanAmericawhereeveryfamilyhasachanceattheAmericanDreamisunleashingthepotentialofallofus,includingwomen.ThatswhyImfightingsohardintheSenate.Inhonoroftodayandinhonorofthisgeneration,wearecallingitourWhyNotAgendaitwillequipanyonewithanAmericanDreamwiththetoolstoreachitandguaranteesthatopportunityforall.Whynotincreasetheminimumwage?Whynotexpandpaidfamilymedical