美國聯(lián)邦參議員陸天娜在瓦薩爾學(xué)院202X年畢業(yè)典禮英語演講稿

1、美國聯(lián)邦參議員陸天娜在瓦薩爾學(xué)院202X年畢業(yè)典禮英語演講稿ThankyoutoActingPresidentChenette,mydearestfriendandthepersonwhoinvitedmeGerryLaybourne,theboard,thefacultyatVassar,alloftheproudparentsthatarehere,ouralumnaeandouralumni,andallthedistinguishedguests.AndtotheVassarClassof202X–manycongratulations.Vassartrulysta

2、ndsasabeaconofhopeandopportunitythatcontinuestoinspireallofhaveshownastrongsenseofjustice,munity,andboldactivism.AlthoughIknowthereisalwaysmoreworktobedone,youhaveshatteredmanyglassceilingshere.womenhavealwaysbeeninleadershipyouareadvancingLGBTequalityandacceptance,andyoudohaveacampusthatsperseinmor

3、ewaysthaneverbefore!TheeducationthatyoureceivehereatVassarisapreciousopportunity,onethattensofmillionsofyoungpeopleacrosstheworldaredeniedeverysingledayduetopoverty,violence,prejudiceandinjustice.ButIknowthatsomedaywecanactuallychangethat–withstudentslikeyouleadingtheway.Studentswhostoodup

4、tothebigotryoftheWestboroBaptistChurch.Youdidnotstandquietlyby.Youcreatedanationalconversation.Youraisedover$100,000,andyoumadeyourvoiceheard,inspiredactioninothers,andproducedrealresults.Myhopeforthisclassisthatthisdeterminedcourage,thisspiritofactivism,thisfierceoppositiontohatewillbetherule,notth

5、eexception.SoIveeheretoaskyoutoday,eachandeveryoneofyou,justonequestion:HowareyougoingtotakethelessonsthatyouvelearnedhereatVassar,andcarryonthislegacyofmakingarealdifference?Ihopethateachoneofyoufindstheopportunitytodopublicservice,andtrulyhaveanimpactonthelivesofsomanyothers.SoIwanttotellyouallali

6、ttlebitaboutmyownjourneytopublicservice.IwasveryluckybecauseIgrewupinafamilythathadaverystrongrolemodel.Therolemodelwasmygrandmother.ShestartedhercareerasayoungwomansheneverwenttocollegesheworkedasasecretaryinourstatelegislatureinAlbany.Shehadthisveryboldideathatwomensvoicesshouldbeheard.Therewereve

7、ryfewwomeninelectiveoffice75yearsago.Shewantedtohaveasay,andshewantedtohaveanimpact.Andsheknewsomethinginstinctivelythatallofusknownow,thattospeakinonevoiceisveryimportant,buttospeakalongwithmanyvoicesisfarmorepowerful.ShesheaskedallthewomeninthelegislatureandallthewomensheknewinUpstateNewYorktogeti

8、nvolvedinpolitics.Togethertheycreatedanorganizationofactivism,wherethesewomenrancampaignsforaboutfiftyyears.Theydidallthedoortodoorwork,alltheenvelopestuffing,allthekindsofthingsittakestowinmoderndaycampaigns.Andthatiswhytheywereabletohavewereabletoelectpeoplewhosharedtheirvalues,whosharedtheirconce

9、rns,andwantedtohavethesameimpactontheirmunitythattheydid.Sowhatthattaughtmeasayounggirlwatchingheristhatnotonlydowomensvoicesmatter,butwhatyoudowithyourtimematters.Grassrootsactivismmatters.Fightingtomakeadifferencematters.AfterIwenttocollegeandlawschool,IsawmyselfworkinginNewYorkCityinabiglawfirm,a

10、ndIwatchedourFirstLady,thenHilaryRodhamClinton,gotoChina.Nowifyouremember,shewenttoChinain1995,andshegaveherhistoricspeechonwomensrights.Shesaid,Letitbeknownthathumanrightsarewomensrightsandwomensrightsarehumanrightsonceandforall.NowIwasincrediblyinspiredbyheratthatmomentbecauseIdbeentoBeijing,Ihads

11、tudiedthere,IhadlearnedMandarin,andIknewhowpowerfulitwasforherastheFirstLadytobegivingthatspeechatthattimeinthatplacetothataudience.TheywerestillkillinggirlbabiesinthecountrysideandIknowthatshewasmakingadramaticimpactontheworldatthatmoment.AndIthoughttomyself,whatamIdoingwithmylifeandamImakingadiffe

12、rence?AndIthoughtifIwasgoingtoeverbewithheratthatconferenceinBeijingwithher,Iwouldhavehadtobeinvolvedinpolitics.Andthatswhatspurredmetogetoffthesidelinesandfocusonmakingadifference.AndthatswhenIengagedinpolitics.SoofcourseIfollowedinmygrandmothersfootsteps.Istartedworkingoncampaigns.Istartedorganizi

13、ngotherwomenanddoingthetoughworkittakestoelectcandidates.AndthemoreIgotinvolved,themoreIrealizedthatIreallylovegrassrootsactivism,andIdecidedIwantedtoleavethelawanddosomeformofpublicservice.Itriedallsortsofwaystogetthere,andmywaywasntclear.FirstItriedthe.AttorneysOffice.Ididnotgetthejob.ThenItriedab

14、unchofcharitiesinNewYork.Ididntevengetaninterview.TheHillaryClintondecidestorunforSenate,andIsay,Thisismychance!Iwillgetajobonhercouldntgetapaidposition,soIcouldntaffordit.SoIwenttoalargeevent,andourthen-secretaryofhousingandurbandevelopment,ournow-governorAndrewCuomo,wasgivingaspeech,aspeechnotunli

15、kethisaboutpublicIwentuptohimafterwardsandIsaid,Well,Mr.Secretary,Ivebeentryingtogetintopublicservice,anditsnotaseasyasyousay.AndrewbeingAndrew,ourgreatgovernorsays,Well,wouldyoumovetoWashington?Andofcourse,determined,Isaid,Yes,IwillmovetoWashington.Truthbetold,IhadnointerestinevermovingtoWashington

16、.But,Ididinfacttakethatopportunity,andIwoundupgoingtoWashingtonandservingashisspecialcounsel.Now,neverinmylifehaveIgottenoutofbedasquicklyasIdidoverthosefewmonths,becauseIlovedhelpingothers.Andwhentheadministrationlostthenextelection,therewerenomorejobsinWashington.AndsoIthoughtlongandhard.AndIsaid,

17、CouldIrunforoffice?CouldIactuallyserve?AndovertWhyshouldntIserve?WhyshouldntImakethatjump?SoItalkedtoafriendofminewhoisapollster.HisnameisJeffrey.Hesstillmypollster.AndIgotohimandIsay,Jeffrey,couldyoujustlookupthisdistrictforme?ImthinkingofrunninginUpstateNewYorkwhereImfrom.Andhelooksitup,andhesays,

18、HmmmT.hatisatwo-to-onehavenochanceofwinning.AndIthought,really?Nochance?WhathappensifIruntheperfectcampaign?CantIwinthen?Hesaid,No.HesaidthattherearemorecowsthanDemocratsinthatdistrict.Isaid,Well,whathappensifIraisetwomilliondollarsandreallygetmymessageout?Hesaid,No,Kirsten,Imsorry.Youjustcantwin.Is

19、aid,Well,whathappensifthisguygetsindicted?Hesatroublemaker.Icouldsurelywinthen.Andhesaid,Well,itdependswhathegetsindictedfor.Well,thestorygoes,Ididwinthatelection.Anditwassomethingthatnoonethoughtwaspossible.Infact,eventheNewYorkTimescalledmeadragonslayerbecauseitwassuchatoughdistricttowin.Sothattau

20、ghtmeafewtaughtmetoalwayschallengeconventionaltaughtmetothinkanddreambigandcertainlynevergiveup.Andthetruthis,theresnothingtoobigforanyoneofyouheretoachieve.Youjusthavetobelieveinthatdream,evenifnooneelsebutyourmotherbelievesinitwithyou.Becauseyoucangoasfarasyourvisionwilltakeyouandasfarasyourhardwo

21、rkwilltakeyou.Sonowyouveheardthebeginningofmystory.Iamfarmoreinterestedinyourstory.Idliketoknowwhatyourpathwillbe?Whatwillyouacplishinyourlife?Whatwillyousetouttochange?Ichallengeyoutorefusetoacceptthatthingscantchangesimplybecauseotherstellyouso.IhearthatexcuseeverydayinWashington,anditmakesmeevenm

22、oredeterminedtofindaway.IamincrediblyhumbledtoserveinaSenateseatonceoccupiedbygiantsinourAmericanhistory:mymentor,friendandtrailblazerHillaryRodhamClinton,andthebrilliantscholar-turned-politicianDanielPatrickMoynihan.And,theiconiccivilrightshero,RobertF.Kennedy.RFKoncequotedGeorgeBernardShawandsaid,

23、Therearethosethatlookatthingsthewaytheyare,andaskwhy?Idreamofthingsthatneverwere,andaskwhynot?Ilovethosewords,andIthinktheyapplysomuchtoallofusheretoday.TherearethosewholookatallofyouasGenerationY.IlookatyouandseeGenerationY-Not.Yourgenerationispoised,likenoneotherinhistory,tochallengeeverysinglenot

24、ionofequality,justiceandopportunityforall.Youhaveahistoryofsayingwhynot!hereatVassar.In1861,theCivilWarwasabouttomencewhenMatthewVassarassertedwhynotcreateawomensinstitutionforlearningequaltomens-athoughtthatseemedabsolutelyrevolutionary,evendangeroustosome,adreamthatwasfullyrealizedhere.By1969,Vass

25、arCollege,inasignofitsstrength,madethedecisiontobeeacoeducationalinstitution,rejectinganinvitationtomovetoNewHavenandjoinforceswithYale,declaring:whynotbeeacoeducationalinstitutionwherestrongwomensvoicesareheardandmenwhoarefortablewithstrongwomensvoicesareheardequaltothem.MenlikeBillPlapinger,yourbo

26、ardchairfromtheclassof1974sittingrighthere,thelegendaryclassof1974thatledyoutothisimportantnextstage.AndBillseemstohavesurvivedtheexperimentmoreorless.Sobecauseofsuchgroundbreakingleadership,wehaveactuallyachievededucationalparityinthiscountry.Morethanhalfofourcollegegraduatesandouradvanceddegreesar

27、egiventhequestionis,howfarhaveweeinreachingourgoalofeconomicorpoliticalparityforwomen.Lookingfrommymencementin1988tonow,therewereonlytwowomenintheSenatewhenIgraduated.Todaythereare20.Thereareonly18percentwomenintheHouseofRepresentatives.WhenIgraduatedfromcollege,therewerethreewomenCEOsinFortune500th

28、ereare20-only4percent.Frankly,thesenumberswhatarewemissing?Isitleadership?Vision?Acalltoaction?ThishaspromptednoneotherthanWarrenBuffettorecentlycallonbothmenandwomentoaddresstheimbalances–sayingthereisnotjustanethicalargument,butaverypragmaticone:everyonewillbenefitwhenwefullytapintotheun

29、derutilizedtalentsofhalfourpopulation.Anditstrue.Whenwomenserveoncorporateboards,thereturnoninvestmentandreturnonequityarehigherime,Isaid,Whynot?Whentheresatleastonewomanonacorporateboard,thatpanyis40percentlesslikelytohavetorestatetheirearnings.Iwonderwhy?WhenwomenareatthetableinWashington,thereare

30、awholesetofissuesthatareraisedandverydifferentsolutionsthatareoffered.Theresoftenmuchmoremongroundfoundandmoreconsensusbuilt,anditsnotsurprisingthatittookawomanasthechairofthepersonnelsubmitteeontheArmedServicesmitteetoholdthefirsthearingintenyearsonsexualassaultinthemilitary.Clearly,womensequalityi

31、snotjustaboutwomen.LGBTequalityisnotjustaboutourLGBTmunity.Povertydoesnotonlyimpactthepoor.Immigrationreformisnotjustanissueforimmigrants.Whenyouapproachtheworldwithaneyetowardsjustice,equality,andopportunityascore,monvalues,suddenlywestarttolookatsomethingthatisbetterforthegreaterwhole.Thewholebees

32、largerthanthesumofitsparts,andwebeeastrongernationforit.Fightingforwomensequalitynotonlychallengesthestatusquobutpelsthefundamentalquestion,Whynotseekjusticeforallandopportunityforeveryone?Inthe.today,nearly50millionAmericansarelivingbelowthepovertyline,includingone-in-fiveAmericanchildren,andmoreth

33、anaquarterofblackandHispanicmunities.Athirdofhouseholdsheadedbysinglewomenarebelowthepovertyline.Itsunbelievableandunacceptablethatthisistheworldwereintoday.Evenaswomenareout-earningmenincollegedegreesandadvanceddegrees,andareagrowingshareofprimaryhouseholdearners–menstillout-earnwomeninsa

34、lary.ThekeytoagrowingeconomythekeytoathrivingmiddleclassthekeytoanAmericawhereeveryfamilyhasachanceattheAmericanDreamisunleashingthepotentialofallofus,includingwomen.ThatswhyImfightingsohardintheSenate.Inhonoroftodayandinhonorofthisgeneration,wearecallingitourWhyNotAgenda–itwillequipanyonewithanAmericanDreamwiththetoolstoreachitandguaranteesthatopportunityforall.Whynotincreasetheminimumwage?Whynotexpandpaidfamilymedicalleave