美国联邦参议员陆天娜在瓦萨尔学院毕业典礼英语演讲稿.docx

美国联邦参议员陆天娜在瓦萨尔学院毕业典礼英语演讲稿.docx

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美国联邦参议员陆天娜在瓦萨尔学院毕业典礼英语演讲稿

美国联邦参议员陆天娜在瓦萨尔学院2019年毕业典礼英语演讲稿

　　ThankyoutoActingPresidentChenette,mydearestfriendandthepersonwhoinvitedmeGerryLaybourne,theboard,thefacultyatVassar,alloftheproudparentsthatarehere,ouralumnaeandouralumni,andallthedistinguishedguests.AndtotheVassarClassof2019–manycongratulations.

　　Vassartrulystandsasabeaconofhopeandopportunitythatcontinuestoinspireallofus.Youhaveshownastrongsenseofjustice,community,andboldactivism.AlthoughIknowthereisalwaysmoreworktobedone,youhaveshatteredmanyglassceilingshere...womenhavealwaysbeeninleadership…youareadvancingLGBTequalityandacceptance,andyoudohaveacampusthat’sdiverseinmorewaysthaneverbefore!

　　TheeducationthatyoureceivehereatVassarisapreciousopportunity,onethattensofmillionsofyoungpeopleacrosstheworldaredeniedeverysingledayduetopoverty,violence,prejudiceandinjustice.

　　ButIknowthatsomedaywecanactuallychangethat–withstudentslikeyouleadingtheway.StudentswhostooduptothebigotryoftheWestboroBaptistChurch.Youdidnotstandquietlyby.Youcreatedanationalconversation.Youraisedover$100,000,andyoumadeyourvoiceheard,inspiredactioninothers,andproducedrealresults.

　　Myhopeforthisclassisthatthisdeterminedcourage,thisspiritofactivism,thisfierceoppositiontohatewillbetherule,nottheexception.

　　SoI’vecomeheretoaskyoutoday,eachandeveryoneofyou,justonequestion:

Howareyougoingtotakethelessonsthatyou’velearnedhereatVassar,andcarryonthislegacyofmakingarealdifference?

　　Ihopethateachoneofyoufindstheopportunitytodopublicservice,andtrulyhaveanimpactonthelivesofsomanyothers.

　　SoIwanttotellyouallalittlebitaboutmyownjourneytopublicservice.IwasveryluckybecauseIgrewupinafamilythathadaverystrongrolemodel.Therolemodelwasmygrandmother.Shestartedhercareerasayoungwoman…sheneverwenttocollege…sheworkedasasecretaryinourstatelegislatureinAlbany.

　　Shehadthisveryboldideathatwomen’svoicesshouldbeheard.Therewereveryfewwomeninelectiveoffice75yearsago.Shewantedtohaveasay,andshewantedtohaveanimpact.

　　Andsheknewsomethinginstinctivelythatallofusknownow,thattospeakinonevoiceisveryimportant,buttospeakalongwithmanyvoicesisfarmorepowerful.ShesheaskedallthewomeninthelegislatureandallthewomensheknewinUpstateNewYorktogetinvolvedinpolitics.

　　Togethertheycreatedanorganizationofactivism,wherethesewomenrancampaignsforaboutfiftyyears.Theydidallthedoortodoorwork,alltheenvelopestuffing,allthekindsofthingsittakestowinmoderndaycampaigns.Andthatiswhytheywereabletohaveavoice.Theywereabletoelectpeoplewhosharedtheirvalues,whosharedtheirconcerns,andwantedtohavethesameimpactontheircommunitythattheydid.

　　Sowhatthattaughtmeasayounggirlwatchingheristhatnotonlydowomen’svoicesmatter,butwhatyoudowithyourtimematters.Grassrootsactivismmatters.Fightingtomakeadifferencematters.

　　AfterIwenttocollegeandlawschool,IsawmyselfworkinginNewYorkCityinabiglawfirm,andIwatchedourFirstLady,thenHilaryRodhamClinton,gotoChina.

　　Nowifyouremember,shewenttoChinain1995,andshegaveherhistoricspeechonwomen’srights.Shesaid,“Letitbeknownthathumanrightsarewomen’srightsandwomen’srightsarehumanrightsonceandforall.

　　NowIwasincrediblyinspiredbyheratthatmomentbecauseI’dbeentoBeijing,Ihadstudiedthere,IhadlearnedMandarin,andIknewhowpowerfulitwasforherastheFirstLadytobegivingthatspeechatthattimeinthatplacetothataudience.TheywerestillkillinggirlbabiesinthecountrysideandIknowthatshewasmakingadramaticimpactontheworldatthatmoment.

　　AndIthoughttomyself,whatamIdoingwithmylifeandamImakingadifference?

AndIthoughtifIwasgoingtoeverbewithheratthatconferenceinBeijingwithher,Iwouldhavehadtobeinvolvedinpolitics.Andthat’swhatspurredmetogetoffthesidelinesandfocusonmakingadifference.Andthat’swhenIengagedinpolitics.

　　SoofcourseIfollowedinmygrandmother’sfootsteps.Istartedworkingoncampaigns.Istartedorganizingotherwomenanddoingthetoughworkittakestoelectcandidates.AndthemoreIgotinvolved,themoreIrealizedthatIreallylovegrassrootsactivism,andIdecidedIwantedtoleavethelawanddosomeformofpublicservice.

　　Itriedallsortsofwaystogetthere,andmywaywasn’tclear.FirstItriedtheU.S.Attorney’sOffice.Ididnotgetthejob.ThenItriedabunchofcharitiesinNewYork.Ididn’tevengetaninterview.

　　TheHillaryClintondecidestorunforSenate,andIsay,“Thisismychance!

Iwillgetajobonhercampaign.”Icouldn’tgetapaidposition,soIcouldn’taffordit.

　　SoIwenttoalargeevent,andourthen-secretaryofhousingandurbandevelopment,ournow-governorAndrewCuomo,wasgivingaspeech,aspeechnotunlikethisaboutpublicservice.AndIwentuptohimafterwardsandIsaid,“Well,Mr.Secretary,I’vebeentryingtogetintopublicservice,andit’snotaseasyasyousay.”

　　AndrewbeingAndrew,ourgreatgovernorsays,“Well,wouldyoumovetoWashington?

”Andofcourse,determined,Isaid,“Yes,IwillmovetoWashington.”Truthbetold,IhadnointerestinevermovingtoWashington.But,Ididinfacttakethatopportunity,andIwoundupgoingtoWashingtonandservingashisspecialcounsel.

　　Now,neverinmylifehaveIgottenoutofbedasquicklyasIdidoverthosefewmonths,becauseIlovedhelpingothers.Andwhentheadministrationlostthenextelection,therewerenomorejobsinWashington.AndsoIthoughtlongandhard.AndIsaid,“CouldIrunforoffice?

CouldIactuallyserve?

”Andovert

　　Whyshouldn’tIserve?

Whyshouldn’tImakethatjump?

SoItalkedtoafriendofminewhoisapollster.HisnameisJeffrey.He’sstillmypollster.AndIgotohimandIsay,“Jeffrey,couldyoujustlookupthisdistrictforme?

I’mthinkingofrunninginUpstateNewYorkwhereI’mfrom.”Andhelooksitup,andhesays,“Hmmm.Thatisatwo-to-oneRepublicandistrict.Youhavenochanceofwinning.”

　　AndIthought,really?

Nochance?

“WhathappensifIruntheperfectcampaign?

Can’tIwinthen?

”Hesaid,“No.”HesaidthattherearemorecowsthanDemocratsinthatdistrict.Isaid,“Well,whathappensifIraisetwomilliondollarsandreallygetmymessageout?

”Hesaid,“No,Kirsten,I’msorry.Youjustcan’twin.”

　　Isaid,“Well,whathappensifthisguygetsindicted?

He’satroublemaker.Icouldsurelywinthen.”Andhesaid,“Well,itdependswhathegetsindictedfor.”

　　Well,thestorygoes,Ididwinthatelection.Anditwassomethingthatnoonethoughtwaspossible.Infact,eventheNewYorkTimescalledmea“dragonslayer”becauseitwassuchatoughdistricttowin.

　　Sothattaughtmeafewthings.Ittaughtmetoalwayschallengeconventionalthinking.Ittaughtmetothinkanddreambigandcertainlynevergiveup.Andthetruthis,there’snothingtoobigforanyoneofyouheretoachieve.Youjusthavetobelieveinthatdream,evenifnooneelsebutyourmotherbelievesinitwithyou.Becauseyoucangoasfarasyourvisionwilltakeyouandasfarasyourhardworkwilltakeyou.

　　Sonowyou’veheardthebeginningofmystory.Iamfarmoreinterestedinyourstory.I’dliketoknowwhatyourpathwillbe?

Whatwillyouaccomplishinyourlife?

Whatwillyousetouttochange?

　　Ichallengeyoutorefusetoacceptthatthingscan’tchangesimplybecauseotherstellyouso.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“whynotcreateawomen’sinstitutionforlearningequaltomen’s”--athoughtthatseemedabsolutelyrevolutionary,evendangeroustosome,adreamthatwasfullyrealizedhere.

　　By1969,VassarCollege,inasignofitsstrength,madethedecisiontobecomeacoeducationalinstitution,rejectinganinvitationtomovetoNewHavenandjoinforceswithYale,declaring:

“whynotbecomeacoeducationalinstitutionwherestrongwomen’svoicesareheardandmenwhoarecomfortablewithstrongwomen’svoicesareheardequaltothem.”

　　MenlikeBillPlapinger,yourboardchairfromtheclassof1974sittingrighthere,thelegendaryclassof1974thatledyoutothisimportantnextstage.AndBillseemstohavesurvivedtheexperimentmoreorless.

　　Sobecauseofsuchgroundbreakingleadership,wehaveactuallyachievededucationalparityinthiscountry.Morethanhalfofourcollegegraduatesandouradvanceddegreesaregiventowomen.Butthequestionis,howfarhavewecomeinreachingourgoalofeconomicorpoliticalparityforwomen.

　　Lookingfrommycommencementin1988tonow,therewereonlytwowomenintheSenatewhenIgraduated.Todaythereare20.Thereareonly18percentwomenintheHouseofRepresentatives.

　　W