Hi, all. Today's report features:
- The President speaks about education, dedication and overcoming adversity in a commencement address at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, TN. The school was the winner of the 2011 Commencement Challenge contest.
- The winning video from Booker T. Washington High School.
- Remarks by the President in a surprise drop-by with Booker T. Washington Class of 2011.
- The First Lady's commencement address to the 2011 graduating class of Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a private, independent, liberal arts, historically Black college for women.
- The launch of space shuttle Endeavour on a 16-day visit to the International Space Station, and a briefing from the staff of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona) NASA's Kennedy Space Center following Monday's launch of STS-134. The mission is commanded by Giffords' husband, astronaut Mark Kelly. Giffords, who continues to recover from a January shooting in her home district of Tucson, was at Kennedy to witness the launch
- Administration officials meet at the White House to introduce an international strategy for cyberspace that will help ensure an open and secure Internet.
- The President's Weekly Address, 5/14/11: As part of his long-term plan to reduce our reliance on foreign oil, President Obama lays out his strategy to continue expanding safe and responsible domestic oil production.
- First Lady Michelle Obama joins the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) to announce a new fitness industry effort to support our military families, particularly our National Guard and Reserve families, to further the goals of both of the First Lady's initiatives, Let's Move! and Joining Forces.
- The President, along with Vice President Joe Biden, welcomes the winners of the 2011 National Association of Police Organizations TOP COPS award for law enforcement officials who have shown bravery and valor in the line of duty to the White House.
- West Wing Week, 5/13/11: This week the President talks clean energy and gas prices in Indiana, focuses on fixing our broken immigration system in Texas, and honors Top Cops here in the Rose Garden.
White House, May 16, 2011:
President Obama Gives Commencement Address at Booker T. Washington High School
The President speaks about education, dedication and overcoming adversity in a commencement address at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, TN. The school was the winner of the 2011 Commencement Challenge contest.
Office of the Press Secretary, May 16, 2011:
Remarks by the President at Booker T. Washington High School Commencement
Cook Convention Center, Memphis, Tennessee
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.) Everybody, please have a seat. Thank you, Chris. Hello, Memphis! (Applause.) Congratulations to the class of 2011! (Applause.)
Now, I will admit being President is a great job. (Laughter.) I have a very nice plane. (Laughter.) I have a theme song. (Laughter.) But what I enjoy most is having a chance to come to a school like Booker T. Washington High School and share this day with its graduates. (Applause.) So I could not be more pleased to be here.
We've got some wonderful guests who are here as well, and I just want to make mention of them very quickly. First of all, the Governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam, is here. Please give him a big round of applause. (Applause.) Three outstanding members of the Tennessee congressional delegation, all of whom care deeply about education -- Senator Bob Corker, Senator Lamar Alexander, and Congressman Steve Cohen is here. (Applause.) You’ve got one of Memphis’s own, former Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. is in the house. (Applause.) And the Mayor of Memphis, A.C. Wharton is here. Please give him a big round of applause. (Applause.)
I am so proud of each and every one of you.
STUDENT: Thank you!
THE PRESIDENT: You're welcome. You made it -- and not just through high school. You made it past Principal Kiner. (Laughter and applause.) I’ve spent a little bit of time with her now, and you can tell she is not messing around. (Laughter.) I’ve only been in Memphis a couple of hours, but I’m pretty sure that if she told me to do something I’d do it. (Laughter.)
Then I had the chance to meet her mom and her daughter, Amber, a little while back, and we took a picture. It turns out Amber actually goes to another high school. She was worried that the boys would be afraid to talk to her if her mom was lurking in the hallways -- (laughter) -- which is why my next job will be principal at Sasha and Malia’s high school. (Laughter and applause.) And then I’ll be president of their college. (Laughter.)
Let me also say to Alexis and Vashti -- I heard that you were a little nervous about speaking today, but now I’m a little nervous speaking after you, because you both did terrific jobs. (Applause.) We’ve had some great performances by Shalonda and Tecia and Paula, and the jazz band. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)
Last but not least, I want to recognize all the people who helped you to reach this milestone: the parents, the grandparents, the aunts, the uncles, the sisters, the brothers, the friends, the neighbors -- (applause) -- who have loved you and stood behind you every step of the way. Congratulations, family.
And I want to acknowledge the devoted teachers and administrators at Booker T. Washington, who believed in you -- (applause) -- who kept the heat on you, and have never treated teaching as a job, but rather as a calling.
Every commencement is a day of celebration. I was just telling somebody backstage, I just love commencements. I get all choked up at commencements. So I can tell you already right now, I will cry at my children’s commencement. I cry at other people’s commencements. (Laughter.) But this one is especially hopeful. This one is especially hopeful because some people say that schools like BTW just aren’t supposed to succeed in America. You’ll hear them say, “The streets are too rough in those neighborhoods.” “The schools are too broken.” “The kids don’t stand a chance.”
We are here today because every single one of you stood tall and said, “Yes, we can.” (Applause.) Yes, we can learn. Yes, we can succeed. You decided you would not be defined by where you come from but by where you want to go, by what you want to achieve, by the dreams you hope to fulfill.
Just a couple of years ago, this was a school where only about half the students made it to graduation. For a long time, just a handful headed to college each year. But at Booker T. Washington, you changed all that.
You created special academies for ninth graders to start students off on the right track. You made it possible for kids to take AP classes and earn college credits. You even had a team take part in robotics competition so students can learn with their hands by building and creating. And you didn’t just create a new curriculum, you created a new culture -- a culture that prizes hard work and discipline; a culture that shows every student here that they matter and that their teachers believe in them. As Principal Kiner says, the kids have to know that you care, before they care what you know. (Applause.)
And because you created this culture of caring and learning, today we’re standing with a very different Booker T. Washington High School. Today, this is a place where more than four out of five students are earning a diploma; a place where 70 percent of the graduates will continue their education; where many will be the very first in their families to go to college. (Applause.)
Today, Booker T. Washington is a place that has proven why we can’t accept excuses -- any excuses -- when it comes to education. In the United States of America, we should never accept anything less than the best that our children have to offer.
As your teacher Steve McKinney -- where’s Steve at? There he is. (Applause.) AKA Big Mac. (Laughter.) And I see why they call you Big Mac. (Laughter.) As Mr. McKinney said in the local paper, “We need everyone to broaden their ideas about what is possible. We need parents, politicians, and the media to see how success is possible, how success is happening every day.”
So that’s why I came here today. Because if success can happen here at Booker T. Washington, it can happen anywhere in Memphis. (Applause.) And if it can happen in Memphis, it can happen anywhere in Tennessee. And it can happen anywhere in Tennessee, it can happen all across America. (Applause.)
So ever since I became President, my administration has been working hard to make sure that we build on the progress that’s taking place in schools like this. We’ve got to encourage the kind of change that’s led not by politicians, not by Washington, D.C., but by teachers and principals and parents, and entire communities; by ordinary people standing up and demanding a better future for their children.
We have more work to do so that every child can fulfill his or her God-given potential. And here in Tennessee we’ve been seeing great progress. Tennessee has been a leader, one of the first winners of the nationwide “Race to the Top” that we’ve launched to reward the kind of results you’re getting here at Booker T. Washington.
And understand, this isn’t just an issue for me. I’m standing here as President because of the education that I received. As Chris said, my father left my family when I was two years old. And I was raised by a single mom, and sometimes she struggled to provide for me and my sister. But my mother, my grandparents, they pushed me to excel. They refused to let me make excuses. And they kept pushing me, especially on those rare occasions where I’d slack off or get into trouble. They weren’t that rare, actually. (Laughter.) I’m sure nobody here has done anything like that. (Laughter.)
I’m so blessed that they kept pushing; I’m so lucky that my teachers kept pushing -- because education made all the difference in my life. The same is true for Michelle. Education made such a difference in her life. Michelle’s dad was a city worker, had multiple sclerosis, had to wake up every day and it took him a couple hours just to get ready for work. But he went to work every day. Her mom was a secretary, went to work every day, and kept on pushing her just like my folks pushed me.
That’s what’s made a difference in our lives. And it’s going to make an even greater difference in your lives -- not just for your own success but for the success of the United States of America. Because we live in a new world now. Used to be that you didn’t have to have an education. If you were willing to work hard, you could go to a factory somewhere and get a job. Those times are passed. Believe it or not, when you go out there looking for a job, you’re not just competing against people in Nashville or Atlanta. You’re competing against young people in Beijing and Mumbai. That’s some tough competition. Those kids are hungry. They’re working hard. And you’ll need to be prepared for it.
And as a country, we need all of our young people to be ready. We can’t just have some young people successful. We’ve got to have every young person contributing; earning those high school diplomas and then earning those college diplomas, or getting certified in a trade or profession. We can’t succeed without it.
Through education, you can also better yourselves in other ways. You learn how to learn -- how to think critically and find solutions to unexpected challenges. I remember we used to ask our teachers, “Why am I going to need algebra?” Well, you may not have to solve for x to get a good job or to be a good parent. But you will need to think through tough problems. You’ll need to think on your feet. You’ll need to know how to gather facts and evaluate information. So, math teachers, you can tell your students that the President says they need algebra. (Laughter.)
Education also teaches you the value of discipline -- that the greatest rewards come not from instant gratification but from sustained effort and from hard work. This is a lesson that’s especially true today, in a culture that prizes flash over substance, that tells us that the goal in life is to be entertained, that says you can be famous just for being famous. You get on a reality show -- don't know what you’ve done -- suddenly you’re famous. But that's not going to lead to lasting, sustained achievement.
And finally, with the right education, both at home and at school, you can learn how to be a better human being. For when you read a great story or you learn about an important moment in history, it helps you imagine what it would be like to walk in somebody else’s shoes, to know their struggles. The success of our economy will depend on your skills, but the success of our community will depend on your ability to follow the Golden Rule -- to treat others as you would like to be treated.
We’ve seen how important this is even in the past few weeks, as communities here in Memphis and all across the South have come together to deal with floodwaters, and to help each other in the aftermath of terrible tornadoes.
All of these qualities -- empathy, discipline, the capacity to solve problems, the capacity to think critically -- these skills don’t just change how the world sees us. They change how we see ourselves. They allow each of us to seek out new horizons and new opportunities with confidence -- with the knowledge that we’re ready; that we can face obstacles and challenges and unexpected setbacks. That’s the power of your education. That’s the power of the diploma that you receive today.
And this is something that Booker T. Washington himself understood. Think about it. He entered this world a slave on a Southern plantation. But he would leave this world as the leader of a growing civil rights movement and the president of the world-famous Tuskegee Institute.
Booker T. Washington believed that change and equality would be won in the classroom. So he convinced folks to help him buy farmland. Once he had the land, he needed a school. So he assigned his first students to actually build the chairs and the desks and even a couple of the classrooms. You thought your teachers were tough.
Booker T. Washington ran a tight ship. He’d ride the train to Tuskegee and scare some of the new students. This is before YouTube and TMZ, so the kids didn’t recognize him. (Laughter.) He’d walk up to them and say, “Oh, you’re heading to Tuskegee. I heard the work there is hard. I heard they give the students too much to do. I hear the food is terrible. You probably won’t last three months.” But the students would reply they weren’t afraid of hard work. They were going to complete their studies no matter what Booker T. Washington threw at them. And in that way, he prepared them -- because life will throw some things at you.
The truth is, not a single one of the graduates here today has had it easy. Not a single one of you had anything handed to you on a silver platter. You had to work for it. You had to earn it. Most of all, you had to believe in yourselves.
I think of Chris’s stories, and what he’s faced in his life: Lost his father to violence at the age of four. Had a childhood illness that could have been debilitating. But somehow he knew in his heart that he could take a different path.
I think of all the graduates here who had to leave their homes when their apartments were torn down, but who took two buses each morning to come back to Booker T. Washington. (Applause.)
I think of Eron Jackon. Where is Eron? Eron has known a lot of setbacks in her young life. There was a period when she lashed out and she got into trouble and she made mistakes. And when she first came to Booker T. Washington, she struggled. Is that right? There are plenty of people out there who would have counted Eron out; a lot of people who would have thought of her as another statistic. But that’s not how the teachers here at Booker T. Washington saw her. And that’s not how Eron came to see herself. So she kept coming back to school, and she didn’t give up and she didn’t quit. And in time, she became a great student.
And she remembered what Principal Kiner told her: “You can’t let the past get you down. You have to let it motivate you.” And so now here Eron is, graduating. (Applause.) She’s going to keep studying to get her barber’s certificate so she can cut hair and save for college. She’s working toward her dream to becoming a lawyer. She’s got a bright future.
Everybody here has got a unique story like that to tell. Each of you knows what it took for you to get here. But in reaching this milestone, there is a common lesson shared by every graduate in this hall. And Chris said it himself in a recent interview: “It's not where you are or what you are. It’s who you are.”
Yes, you’re from South Memphis. Yes, you’ve always been underdogs. Nobody has handed you a thing. But that also means that whatever you accomplish in your life, you will have earned it. Whatever rewards and joys you reap, you’ll appreciate them that much more because they will have come through your own sweat and tears, products of your own effort and your own talents. You’ve shown more grit and determination in your childhoods than a lot of adults ever will. That’s who you are. (Applause.)
So, class of 2011, the hard road does not end here. Your journey has just begun. Your diploma is not a free pass. It won’t protect you against every setback or challenge or mistake. You’ll make some, I promise. You’re going to have to keep working hard. You’re going to have to keep pushing yourselves. And you’ll find yourselves sometime in situations where folks have had an easier time, they’re a little bit ahead of you, and you’re going to have to work harder than they are. And you may be frustrated by that.
But if you do push yourselves, if you build on what you’ve already accomplished here, then I couldn’t be more confident about your futures. I’m hopeful and I’m excited about what all of you can achieve. And I know that armed with the skills and experience and the love that you’ve gained at Booker T. Washington High School, you’re ready to make your mark on the world.
So thank you. Thanks for inspiring me. God bless you. God bless the United States. (Applause.)
White House, May 10, 2011:
And the Winner of the 2011 Commencement Challenge Is…
Posted by Katelyn Sabochik
(On May 10) Vice President Joe Biden called Principal Alisha Kiner of Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, Tennessee to tell her that her school had won the 2011 Race to the Top Commencement Challenge! ....
Check out Booker T. Washington High School’s finalist video:
The Race to the Top Commencement Challenge invited the nation’s public high schools to submit applications that demonstrate their commitment to preparing students for college and a career. Hundreds of applications were received and were judged based on the schools’ performance, essay questions and supplemental data. The six finalists were selected for their creativity in engaging and supporting students, academic results, and progress in preparing students to graduate college and career ready.
Congratulations to Booker T. Washington High School and all the finalists in the Race to the Top Commencement Challenge!
White House, May 16, 2011:
President Obama Surprises Booker T. Washington Graduates
The President does a surprise drop-in on the graduating class at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, TN before he speaks at their graduation ceremony. The school was the winner of the 2011 Commencement Challenge contest. May 16, 2011.
Office of the Press Secretary, May 16, 2011:
Remarks by the President in a Surprise Drop-By with Booker T. Washington Class of 2011
Cook Convention Center, Memphis, Tennessee
THE PRESIDENT: How’s everybody doing? (Applause.) You’re all excited about graduating, huh? (Applause.) Listen, I just had a chance to meet with your principal and these two outstanding classmates of yours, and I just want to say how inspired we were. We were inspired by the video you sent. We’re inspired by the stories you told. We’re inspired by how you’ve turned this school around. But obviously a lot of that has to do with your outstanding principal. (Applause.)
She says you guys know how old she is. How old is she?
STUDENTS: Twenty-five!
THE PRESIDENT: Twenty-five. She started when she was seven. (Laughter.) Teaching high school at seven years old. (Laughter.)
Obviously it has a lot to do with great teachers, but this is mainly your day and your success, because a lot of you -- and I’m going to talk about this at the commencement -- a lot of you had to struggle to get here. Most of you weren’t born with a silver spoon in your mouth. But what you’ve shown is determination. What you’ve shown is character. What you’ve shown is a willingness to work hard and the ability to steer clear of folks that were trying to send you down the wrong path. And so as a consequence, you’ve now become role models for all the young people coming in behind you. You’ve become an inspiration to the city and the state of Tennessee and the country.
So I just wanted you all to know, you inspire me. That’s why I’m here. I could not be prouder of what you do. But I’ve still got some big, big expectations for you, so don’t think just because you graduate from high school that that’s it. You’ve got a lot more work to do, because I expect all of you to be leaders in this community and communities all across the country. And this is just the beginning. This is not the end. All right?
So God bless you guys. I’m so excited to be here. (Applause.)
Mskekemichel, May 16, 2011:
First Lady Michelle Obama Commencement Speech at Spelman College May 2011
First Lady Michelle Obama Inspires Graduates to Change the World: A dedicated proponent of service and working with young people, first lady Michelle Obama is an example of how one woman can positively influence the world. On Sunday, May 15, Mrs. Obama inspired more than 500 graduates when she delivered the Commencement address. Honorary degrees were bestowed upon director, actress and choreographer Debbie Allen, and her sister, actress and director Phylicia Rashad. Wendy Kopp, CEO and founder of Teach For America received the National Community Service Award
Office of the First Lady, May 15, 2011:
Remarks by the First Lady at Spelman College Commencement
Georgia International Convention Center, Atlanta, Georgia
MRS. OBAMA: Well, goodness. Thank you. (Applause.) Let me tell you it is a pleasure and an honor -- yes, Chicago -- (laughter and applause) -- to be with all of you today.
And I want to thank President Tatum for her leadership and for that very kind and generous introduction. She is such an inspiration to all of the women who are part of the
Spelman family, so let’s give her our thanks and round of applause. (Applause.)
I also want to acknowledge a few people who are here in the audience: Senator Isakson, Representative Johnson, and of course Mayor Reed. Thank you all so much for joining us today. Thank you all for your leadership. (Applause.)
And I want to give a special shoutout to one of my people, one of my staff members, Ms. Kristen Jarvis of Spelman class of 2003. (Applause.) Look, ladies, you want to know what Spelman does for you? Kristen is my right-hand woman. She travels with me all across the country and around the world. I don't know what I would do without her. She has been with me from the very beginning, looking after my girls, taking care of my mom. So I want to thank Spelman for giving me Kristen. (Applause.)
And again, let’s take a moment to thank all of those beautiful people sitting behind you all today and standing behind you every day, the folks who brought you into this world -- (applause) -- the folks who showed you, with their love, that you belong here. They pushed you, they believed in you, and they answered calls those late nights, even when you were just calling for money. (Laughter.) So again, let’s give a special round of applause for all the families here today. (Applause.)
And of course, most of all, to the Spelman class of 2011, congratulations! (Applause.) We are so, so proud of you. We’re proud of the effort you’ve invested and the risks that you took. We’re proud of the bonds that you forged, the growth that you’ve showed. We’re proud of how, for the past four years, you’ve immersed yourselves in the life of this school and embraced all that it has to offer. In doing so, you didn’t just write a chapter in your own life story. You also became part of the Spelman story –- a story that began 130 years ago about 10 miles down the road from where we are today.
And by now, all of you know the details: about how two white women from up North –- Sophia Packard and Harriet Giles -– (laughter) -- came here to Atlanta to establish the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary. Now we want the world to know this story. They started out in a dank church basement loaned to them by a kindly preacher named Father Quarles. And their first class had just 11 students, many of whom were former slaves.
Back then, the thought of an African American woman learning to read and write was, to so many, laughable at best, an impossibility at worst. And plenty of people tried to dissuade Miss Packard and Miss Giles from founding this school. They said the South was too dangerous. They said that at the ages of 56 and 48, these women were too old.
But these two ladies were unmoved. As Miss Giles put it –- and these are her words –- they were determined to lift up “these women and girls who have never had a chance.”
It’s a story that has been told and re-told, enacted and re-enacted, in every generation since the day that Spelman first opened its doors.
In a time of black codes and lynching, this school was training African American women to be leaders in education, in the health professions.
In a time of legalized segregation, this school was establishing math and biology departments and training a generation of black women scientists. (Applause.)
At a time when many workplaces were filled with not just glass ceilings, but brick walls, this school was urging black women to become doctors, and lawyers, engineers, ambassadors.
Now, that is the story of Spelman college: that unyielding presumption of promise, that presumption of brilliance, that presumption that every woman who enrolls at this school has something infinitely valuable to offer this world.
And ladies, that is now your story. That legacy is now your inheritance. And I’ve chosen that word –- inheritance –- very carefully, because it’s not an entitlement that you can take for granted. It’s not a gift with which you can do whatever you please. It is a commitment that comes with a certain set of obligations, obligations that don’t end when you march through that arch today.
And that’s really what I want to talk with you about this afternoon. I want to talk about the obligations that come with a Spelman education, and how I believe you all might fulfill those obligations going forward.
So let’s go back again to those first 11 women in that church basement all those years ago. Their teachers started with nothing but a couple of Bibles, some notebooks and some pencils. When it rained, it got so damp in that church that grass started growing on the floor. Often, the stove was so smoky, and the light was so poor, that students could barely see their teachers.
But still, week after week, more women showed up to enroll. Some walked eight or nine miles each way. Many were older, in their 30s, 40s and 50s. Doesn’t sound so old to me. (Laughter.) And often, they were ridiculed. But they kept coming.
One student, a woman named Mary Ann Brooks, simply stated –- and these are her words: “I spoke of going to school, and people laughed at me and said ‘You go to school! You too old! You’re so old you’ll die there.’ But I told them it was just as good a place to die in as I ever wanted, and I knew Miss Packard and Miss Giles would bury me, so I just came right along.” (Laughter and applause.)
Now, that spark, that spirit, that odds-defying tenacity has defined the alumnae of this school from its very first graduating class.
I mean, think about one of my heroines, Marian Wright Edelman, class of 1960 -- (applause) -- working as a young civil rights lawyer down in Mississippi. Attorneys in judge’s chambers refused to shake her hand. The sheriff locked the doors against her when she came to visit her clients in jail. She was always careful to leave the door open when she started her car in the morning. That way, if somebody had planted a car bomb, she had a chance of being injured rather than killed. But through it all, she continued to represent her clients. She continued to resist unjust laws with every fiber of her being.
Then there’s Janet Bragg, class of 1925, who was determined to be a pilot. When she was barred from flying out of segregated airports, she worked with her flying school classmates and instructors to build their own airfield.
When she was rejected from the Women Airforce Service pilots because of her race, she enrolled in a civilian training program instead.
And when she completed her training, but an instructor unfairly prevented her from receiving her license, she picked up and moved to Chicago, passed the exam, and became the first African American woman to earn a commercial pilot’s license. (Applause.) Of her experiences, she said: “There were so many things they said women couldn’t do and blacks couldn’t do. Every defeat to me was a challenge.”
And for six generations, that is what Spelman women have done. They have seen every defeat as a challenge. Now, did they have moments of doubt, anxiety and fear? Did they have moments of despair when they thought about giving up, or giving in? Of course they did. We all do.
And I am no exception. I mean, some of you may have grown up like me, in neighborhoods where few had the chance to go to college, where being teased for doing well in school was a fact of life, where well-meaning, but misguided folks questioned whether a girl with my background could get into a school like Princeton.
Sometimes, I’d save them the trouble, and raise the questions myself, in my own head, lying awake at night, doubting whether I had what it took to succeed. And the truth is that there will always be folks out there who make assumptions about others.
There will always be folks who try to raise themselves up by cutting other people down. That happens to everyone, including me, throughout their lives. But when that happens to you all, here’s what I want you to do. I want you to just stop a minute. Take a deep breath, because it’s going to need to be deep -- (laughter) -- and I want you to think about all those women who came before you, women like those first 11 students. (Applause.) Think about how they didn’t sit around bemoaning their lack of resources and opportunities and affirmation.
I want you to think about women like Marian Wright Edelman and Janet Bragg. They didn’t go around pointing fingers and making excuses for why they couldn’t win a case or soar above the horizon. They were Spelman women with the privilege of a Spelman education. And instead of focusing on what they didn’t have, they focused on what they did have: their intellect, their courage, their determination, their passion.
And with few advantages and long odds, with doors closed to them and laws stacked against them, still they achieved, still they triumphed, still they carved a glorious path for themselves in this world.
And graduates, every single one of you has an obligation to do the same. You have an obligation to see each setback as a challenge and as an opportunity to learn and grow. You have an obligation to face whatever life throws your way with confidence and with hope.
And don’t ever let anyone get into your head, especially yourself, because if it’s one thing I can promise you, it’s this: With a Spelman education, you all have everything you need, right here and right now, to be everything you’ve ever wanted to be. (Applause.)
But let’s be clear, the Spelman legacy isn’t just about those first 11 women. And it’s not just about the generations of students and alumnae who came after them. It’s about everyone who believed in those women, it’s about everyone who invested in those women, right from the beginning.
I mean, make no mistake about it, Miss Packard, Miss Giles, they were ambitious for their students. Even as they started their classes at a first grade level, teaching the alphabet and basic arithmetic, they had big dreams. They were planning to build a full-scale liberal arts college for African American women.
I mean, think about that. They could barely afford to keep their doors open. Their students could barely read or write. But already, they were planning to build something big, a college. And in those early years, they actually rejected an offer to merge with the Atlanta Baptist Seminary, the school that eventually became Morehouse. Yep, said, “No thank you, brothers!” -- (laughter and applause) -- because this move would have -- may have solved all their financial problems. But they were afraid that a coed school -- their students would be treated as second class citizens. And they weren’t going to stand for that. No. (Applause.)
Then there was Father Quarles, the preacher who lent them his church basement. He undertook an arduous journey North to raise money for the school. And his last words to the students were: “I am going North for you. I may never return. But remember, if I die, I die for you and in a good cause.”
And those words turned out to be prophetic. In the end, the harsh climate was too much, and he got sick and passed away not long after.
Miss Giles, Miss Packard, Father Quarles, they weren’t the only ones who believed in these students. In those early years, thousands of dollars of donations poured in from the black community itself. I mean, these were folks who likely didn’t have a dime to spare, digging deep into their wallets to support this school. See, that fierce devotion to the potential of others, that commitment to give even when you’re barely getting by yourself, all of that is your legacy as well.
That is your mission now too. (Applause.) Your mission is to find those 11 women wherever in the world your journey may take you. Find those folks who have so much potential, but so little opportunity, and do for them what Spelman has done for you. Maybe it’s a group of kids in your community. Maybe it’s a struggling family at your church. And I’m not just talking about here at home. Maybe it’s folks in a village or an inner-city halfway around the world.
Wherever you go, I guarantee you that you will find folks who have been discounted or dismissed, but who have every bit as much promise as you have. They just haven’t had the chance to fulfill it. It is your obligation to bring Spelman to those folks -– to bring that same presumption of value and worth, to make that same kind of sacrifice, to be as ambitious for them as Spelman has been for you.
And in so doing, I can promise you that you won’t just enrich their lives, you’ll immeasurably enrich your own lives as well.
All of you already know this from your own experiences here at Spelman. Over the past four years, you all have been serving your community in every way possible: tutoring kids, bringing meals to seniors, building homes, and so much more.
And I can tell you from my own experience just how rewarding it can be to make this kind of work the work of your careers. Back when I was sitting right where you are, I was certain that I wanted to be a lawyer. I knew it. So I did everything I was supposed to do. I got my law degree. Got a prestigious job at a fancy law firm. Had a nice big ‘ol paycheck and was finally making a dent in my student loans. My friends were impressed. My family proud -- and relieved. (Laughter.) By all appearances, I was living the dream.
But all the while, I knew something was missing, because the truth is, I didn’t want to be up in that tall building, alone in an office writing memos. I wanted to be on the ground, working with the folks I grew up with. I wanted to be mentoring young people. I wanted to be helping families put food on the table and a roof over their heads. I wanted to be out there giving folks the same kind of chances that I had. (Applause.)
So much to the surprise of my family and friends, I left that secure, high-paying job and eventually became the Executive Director of a non-profit, working to help young people get involved in public service. I was making a lot less money -- a lot -- and my office was a lot smaller. But I woke up every morning with a sense of purpose and possibility. I went to work every day feeling excited -- (applause) -- because with every young person I inspired, I felt myself becoming inspired. With every community I engaged, I felt more engaged and alive than I’d felt in years.
Now, I’m not saying that you have to devote your entire career to public service, though I hope that many of you will. The private sector has all kinds of meaningful, satisfying opportunities. And there is nothing wrong with taking home a nice paycheck. And many of you will need that money to help pay off your student loans and support your families. That, I know. And it is vitally important that you all rise to the highest ranks of every industry and of profession. (Applause.)
But as you climb those career ladders, just remember to reach down and pull others up behind you. (Applause.) That’s what so many folks have done for you all. And now it is your turn to repay the favor.
Now, juggling these obligations to yourself and to others won’t be easy. And I know that along with the pride and joy you’re feeling today, you may also be feeling some worry and some anxiety. Some of you may be worrying about getting a job or getting into grad school. Others may be wondering what it will be like to move back home with mom and dad again. And let me tell you there are plenty of moms and dads here who are wondering the same thing. (Laughter.)
But today, and every day going forward, I want you to remember one last legacy that Spelman has left you. It has left you each other.
I mean, look at all these beautiful, magnificent women beside you. (Applause.) It is breathtaking. (Applause.) Think of all the connections that you have, all those experiences that you’ve shared. The first time you set foot on the campus during Spelbound. Crying your eyes out together at the parting ceremony. Sweating through the night in those un-air conditioned freshman dorms. (Applause.) Sounds pretty rough. (Laughter.) Maybe the alumni can help out with that. (Laughter and applause.) All those classes, convocations, Christmas concerts -- ooh, and the late night conversations about some man. (Laughter.) You all know you were doing that. (Laughter.) You all are the keepers of each other’s histories. And the bonds that you’ve formed here will nourish you and sustain you for the rest of your lives. Now, that is sisterhood. (Applause.)
And look at all these magnificent women around all of you –- the alumnae of this institution who led you through that arch on Friday, cheering you on as you start your journey into the world.
I’m told that back in the depths of the recession in 2009, when many seniors here couldn’t pay their tuition bills, President Tatum made an appeal to Spelman alumnae, parents and friends asking for help. And even though times were tough for everyone, enough gifts poured in to help 100 seniors graduate from Spelman that year. (Applause.) That is sisterhood. (Applause.)
And finally, think back over the years to all those who have made this day possible: Miss Giles, Miss Packard, Father Quarles, and so many others. Think about all those anonymous folks who were just barely getting by themselves, but still found a way to support this school. Those folks never had the chance to get an education themselves -- never -- but they were determined that other young people would. Even if it wasn’t their daughters. Even if it wasn’t their grand-daughters, because, see, what you all have to understand is that hope, that yearning, that wasn’t just about themselves and their own families. It was about a vision for us as a people, and as a nation, where every child can develop every last bit of their God-given potential. (Applause.)
Graduates, you are their dream come true. You are the culmination of their sacrifice, of their longing, of their love. You are part of a glorious sisterhood –- past, present and future. You have a diploma that will take you places you’ve never even dreamed of. (Applause.)
And no matter what obstacles you encounter, no matter what hardships you endure, all of you have that for life. No one can ever take that away from you.
And today, I want to end with some words from Tina McElroy Ansa, Spelman class of 1971. (Applause.) In one of her novels, she wrote, simply: “Claim what is yours…You belong anywhere on this earth you want to.”
And graduates, if you go out there and make that claim, if you reach back to help others do the same, then I am confident that you will lead lives worthy of your dreams, and you will fulfill that precious Spelman legacy that is now yours.
So congratulations, graduates, on all that you have achieved. I am so proud of you, all of you. We are so proud of you. Do big things. Thank you, and God bless. (Applause.)
White House, May 16, 2011:
Launching the U.S. International Strategy for Cyberspace
Administration officials meet at the White House to introduce an international strategy for cyberspace that will help ensure an open and secure Internet.
NASAtelevision, May 16, 2011:
"Perfect" Launch Kicks Off Endeavour's Final Flight
The launch of space shuttle Endeavour on STS-134 tops the video highlights of Flight Day 1; Endeavour's crew commanded by Mark Kelly will spend 16 days on its visit to the International Space Station.
Embedding disabled; watch 34:36 min. video here
NASAtelevision, May 16, 2011:
Giffords' Staff Briefs Media
The staff of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona) met with reporters at NASA's Kennedy Space Center following Monday's launch of STS-134, the mission commanded by Giffords' husband, astronaut Mark Kelly. Giffords, who continues to recover from a January shooting in her home district of Tucson, was at Kennedy to witness the launch.
White House, May 16, 2011:
Launching the U.S. International Strategy for Cyberspace
Posted by Howard A. Schmidt, White House Cybersecurity Coordinator
Today, I am proud to announce the United States’ first, comprehensive International Strategy for Cyberspace. The International Strategy is a historic policy document for the 21st Century — one that explains, for audiences at home and abroad, what the U.S. stands for internationally in cyberspace, and how we plan to build prosperity, enhance security, and safeguard openness in our increasingly networked world.
Today, Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan and I were joined by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Deputy Secretary of Defense Bill Lynn in announcing this landmark document’s release, here at the White House....
The International Strategy lays out the President’s vision for the future of the Internet, and sets an agenda for partnering with other nations and peoples to achieve that vision. It begins by recognizing the successes networked technologies have brought us, in large part due to the spirit of freedom and innovation that has characterized the Internet from its early days as a research project. While the strategy is realistic about the challenges we face, it nonetheless emphasizes that our policies must continue to be grounded in our core principles of fundamental freedoms, privacy, and the free flow of information.
To achieve our vision, the United States will build an international environment that ensures global networks are open to new innovations, interoperable the world over, secure enough to support people’s work, and reliable enough to earn their trust. To achieve it, we will build and sustain an environment in which norms of responsible behavior guide states’ actions, sustain partnerships, and support the rule of law.
The International Strategy is larger than any one department or agency. It is a strong foundation for the diverse activities we will carry out across our entire government. It is about the principles that unite our nation, the vision that unites our policy, and the priorities that unite our government.
With our partners around the world, we will work to create a future for cyberspace that builds prosperity, enhances security, and safeguards openness in our networked world. This is the future we seek, and we invite all nations, and peoples, to join us in that effort.
You can read the full strategy and a fact sheet on the strategy.
White House, May 14, 2011:
Weekly Address: Expanding Responsible Oil Production in America
As part of his long-term plan to reduce our reliance on foreign oil, President Obama lays out his strategy to continue expanding safe and responsible domestic oil production.
Office of the Press Secretary, May 14, 2011:
Weekly Address: President Obama Announces New Plans to Increase Responsible Domestic Oil Production
WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Obama laid out his strategy to continue to expand responsible and safe domestic oil production, leveraging existing authorities as part of his long-term plan to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. He is directing the Department of the Interior to conduct annual lease sales in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve – while respecting sensitive areas, to speed up the evaluation of oil and gas resources in the mid and south Atlantic, and to create new incentives for industry to develop their unused leases both on and offshore. Also, to give companies more time to meet higher safety standard for exploration and drilling, the administration is extending drilling leases in areas of the Gulf of Mexico that were impacted by the temporary moratorium, as well as certain leases off the coast of Alaska. And, he is establishing a new interagency working group to ensure that Arctic development projects meet health, safety and environmental standards. The past few months, rising gas prices have put an added strain on American families. While there are no quick fixes to the problem, these are steps, along with eliminating taxpayer subsidies for oil companies and rooting out fraud and manipulation in the markets, that are worth taking.
Recently, there have been signs that the economy is picking up steam. Last month, we saw the strongest job growth in five years, and have added more than three-quarters of a million private sector jobs in just three months. But there are still too many Americans who are either looking for work, or struggling to pay the bills and make the mortgage. Paychecks aren’t getting any bigger, but the cost of everything from groceries to college tuition keeps on rising.
Without a doubt, one of the biggest burdens over the last few months has been the price of gasoline. In many places, gas is now more than $4 a gallon, meaning that you could be paying more than $60 to fill up your tank.
These spikes in gas prices are often temporary, and while there are no quick fixes to the problem, there are a few steps we should take that make good sense.
First, we should make sure that no one is taking advantage of consumers at the pump. That’s why we’ve launched a task force led by the Attorney General that has one job: rooting out cases of fraud or manipulation in the markets that might affect gas prices, including any illegal activity by traders and speculators.
Second, we should increase safe and responsible oil production here at home. Last year, America’s oil production reached its highest level since 2003. But I believe that we should expand oil production in America – even as we increase safety and environmental standards.
To do this, I am directing the Department of Interior to conduct annual lease sales in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve, while respecting sensitive areas, and to speed up the evaluation of oil and gas resources in the mid and south Atlantic. We plan to lease new areas in the Gulf of Mexico as well, and work to create new incentives for industry to develop their unused leases both on and offshore.
We’re also taking steps to give companies time to meet higher safety standards when it comes to exploration and drilling. That’s why my Administration is extending drilling leases in areas of the Gulf that were impacted by the temporary moratorium, as well as certain areas off the coast of Alaska. And to streamline that permitting process, I am establishing a new team to coordinate work on Alaska drilling permits.
Finally, the third step we should take is to eliminate the taxpayer subsidies we give to oil and gas companies. In the last few months, the biggest oil companies made about $4 billion in profits each week. And yet, they get $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies each year. Four billion dollars at a time when Americans can barely fill up their tanks. Four billion dollars at a time when we’re trying to reduce our deficit.
This isn’t fair, it makes no sense. Before I was President, the CEOs of these companies even admitted that the tax subsidies made no sense. Well, next week, there is a vote in Congress to end these oil company giveaways once and for all. And I hope Democrats and Republicans come together and get this done.
The American people shouldn’t be subsidizing oil companies at a time when they’re making near-record profits. As a nation, we should be investing in the clean, renewable sources of energy that are the ultimate solution to high-gas prices. That’s why we’re investing in clean energy technology, helping businesses that manufacture solar panels and wind turbines, and making sure that our cars and trucks can go further on a tank of gas – a step that could save families as much as $3,000 at the pump.
These are investments worth making – investments that will save us money, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and protect the health and safety of our planet. That’s an energy policy for the future, and it’s what I’ll be fighting for in the weeks and months to come.
Thanks.
White House, May 13, 2011:
South Lawn Series: Military Families Wellness
First Lady Michelle Obama joins the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) to announce a new fitness industry effort to support our military families, particularly our National Guard and Reserve families, to further the goals of both of the First Lady's initiatives, Let's Move! and Joining Forces.
White House, May 12, 2011:
President Obama Honors the Nation's TOP COPS
The President, along with Vice President Joe Biden, welcomes the winners of the 2011 National Association of Police Organizations TOP COPS award for law enforcement officials who have shown bravery and valor in the line of duty to the White House.
Office of the Press Secretary, May 12, 2011:
Remarks by the President and Vice President at a Ceremony Honoring National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) TOP COPS
Rose Garden
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the Rose Garden. It’s a lot safer place than -- it’s always safe, but it’s particularly safe today. (Laughter.)
Ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by saying congratulations. It’s a genuine honor to be in the presence of the best of the best. You each are -- the folks behind us -- an inspiration -- an inspiration to not only your fellow law enforcement officers, but to the whole country.
And the President and I recognize, and have for a long time recognized the bravery you display simply by putting on that shield every morning, strapping on a sidearm, kissing your husband or wife good-bye and walking out, knowing that you don't know with any degree of certainty what’s going to greet you.
The officers honored here today have been singled out for going above and beyond the call of duty. And we commend each and every one of them. But we also know that there are thousands and thousands more law enforcement officers out there today on the job, and every day, who are taking risks that are hard for ordinary people to imagine -- risks just to protect their community, to protect people they don't know, protect people they’ve never met, and in some cases, maybe protect people they don't even particularly like. But they go out there and they do it.
And today is a day for them as well; a day for every man and woman in uniform to feel proud and to feel proud of themselves. And today is the day the entire community of police officers should understand that America appreciates what you're doing, and this President and I and the Secretary, we appreciate what you're doing.
The President’s commitment to law enforcement can be seen by the unprecedented -- the unprecedented investment we've been putting in cops on the street and this administration’s plan to give you all access to what we promised a long time ago -- a wireless public safety network so you can actually -- actually communicate with all first responders.
And we're also doing everything in our power to protect the rights of workers -- including you, including law enforcement officers. You're too important to us.
And, folks, let me say -- and I will conclude with this -- what I said to the honorees in the Roosevelt Room before the President came in. We owe the families. We owe the families -- because you, other than those who have men and women deployed or work in the fire service, every single day you kiss your husband or your wife good-bye, your son or your daughter, you know; there’s that little nagging feeling inside you, that nagging feeling inside that I wonder what’s going to be there for them today. And that is a sacrifice. It’s a sacrifice that warrants recognition.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor and privilege to present to you a President whose commitment to law enforcement is in his bones and in every action he’s taken as President. Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States, Barack Obama. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. Thank you, everybody. (Applause.) Thank you. Please, everybody have a seat.
Thank you, Joe, not just for being a great Vice President, but being one of law enforcement’s best friends and strongest advocates over the years. I think they’ve gotten even more love from you than the railroads -– (laughter) -- and that’s hard to -- that's hard to do.
I look forward to this event every single year. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the efforts of law enforcement officials nationwide -– not just because I’ve got several around me 24 hours a day. I have had the special honor of meeting police officers and law enforcement officials in all 50 states. Last week I had the special honor of visiting with the men and women of New York City’s First Precinct, which was the first to respond on 9/11 and serves the area encompassing Ground Zero.
And what I told them is the same thing that I’ll tell all of the law enforcement professionals here today: Thank you. We appreciate your service. You have our support. We're grateful for the sacrifices you and your families make, and my administration is committed to making sure that you get what you need.
Some of the public servants helping us do that today are here: Our excellent Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano. (Applause.) Our Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske, is here -- (applause) -- a longtime police officer who also served as police chief in four different cities.
I'd also like to say that today I am seeking a two-year extension for FBI Director Bob Mueller. (Applause.) And in his 10 years at the FBI, Bob has set the gold standard for leading the Bureau. He’s improved the working relationship with local law enforcement across the country. And I hope that Democrats, led by Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy, who’s here, as well as Republicans in Congress will join together in extending that leadership for the sake of our nation’s safety and security.
We’ve also got several elected officials here today, and I'm grateful for their services and their support of law enforcement. And obviously I want to welcome the leaders of the National Association of Police Organizations, including your president, Tom Nee, and your Executive Director, William Johnson. (Applause.)
And most importantly, congratulations to the 30 officers, sheriffs, detectives, investigators, agents who are behind me -– our nation’s Top Cops -- right here. (Applause and cheering.) We've got the Montana crew hollering. (Laughter.) That was Missoula, right? (Applause.) There you go, Missoula.
I know the families are just bursting with pride for your loved ones’ accomplishments –- but your love and support has had a lot to do with those accomplishments. So, again, we are grateful to you.
This is the third year I’ve had the honor of welcoming America’s Top Cops to the White House. It’s kind of like the Heisman Trophy presentation for law enforcement. But I just spent a little time with these men and women inside, and I can tell you with certainty, they carry themselves with such humility. They don't say to themselves “This is it –- this year I made Top Cop.” “I’m going to train, put in long hours, and go to Washington and stand with the President.” That's not why they do what they do every single day.
None of them put together a PR package for our consideration. Some of them are still recovering from gunshot wounds suffered in the line of duty. Some have heavy hearts for partners who’ve been lost, and they commit themselves to their memory. And all would put forward others in their units who they would say are just as brave, or just as dedicated, or just as capable, or just as deserving of this recognition.
But, you know, a moment came when their actions earned recognition. It wasn’t talk; it was what they did. They didn’t know it that morning, as they pinned on a badge, or strapped on a vest, or holstered a weapon. But that day, something would happen that would make them worthy of this honor -– whether it was a random act of bravery, or a successful outcome that was the results of months or even years of painstaking and dangerous police work.
The men and women we honor today have responded with courage under withering fire to defend the innocent. They’ve skillfully rescued women and children from armed gang members, and have saved the life of a shooting victim when there wasn’t time for paramedics to arrive. They’ve carried out a dangerous and deadly sting operation to get drugs off the streets. They’ve burst into a white-hot building to save paralyzed senior citizens whose beds were engulfed in flames. They’ve doggedly pursued an 18-year-old cold case until justice was done. And they’ve investigated last year’s attempted Times Square bombing, successfully extracting a full confession and a wealth of actionable intelligence leading to arrests that have made this country safer.
Think about the strong stuff that takes. Think about the character it takes to refuse to close the books on a case forgotten by all but the victims’ families; the coolness it takes to talk down an armed and hostile criminal; the courage it takes to run into flames or press forward through a hail of bullets when every natural instinct would say, “Stop. Think about yourself. Survive.”
They’ll be the first to say that they’ve been trained to do it. Some of them will argue they’re not heroes. They’ll tell you a badge doesn’t bestow courage; that special training or physical strength doesn’t make you braver; that heroism isn’t something made evident only after the chaos of a firefight. I think when you talk to most of these guys they’ll say heroism lies just as much in the action of their fellow officers and the hearts of the fellow citizens they’ve sworn to protect.
And it’s true, heroism is all around us, inside of all of us, just waiting to be summoned. But, I tell you what, when gunshots ring out and fire burns hot, when injustice goes unanswered and innocent people cry out for help, it’s one thing to talk about courage; it’s another thing to respond swiftly, decisively, heroically, with little regard for yourself and complete regard for your fellow man.
And these are the men and women who actually responded. These are America’s Top Cops -- who protect and who serve; who walk the beat; who answer the call, and do the dangerous and difficult work of forging a safer, stronger America, block by block, and neighborhood by neighborhood.
So each of you deserves this moment in the sun -- and it is sunny. (Laughter.) Because tomorrow we know that you and your fellow first responders will be back on your diligent duty -- looking out for us, looking out for one another, looking back at times with fallen partners, determined to make sure that their extraordinary sacrifices were not in vain. And we will be standing behind you, as one nation and one people, proud of your actions, awed by your courage, and grateful for your service on our behalves.
So, to all of you and to all who wear the badge, thank you for keeping us safe. (Applause.) God bless you. God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) We're going to knock down this podium and let’s take a picture with America’s Top Cops. (Applause.)
White House, May 13, 2011:
West Wing Week: 5/13/11 or "On the Border"
Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This week the President talks clean energy and gas prices in Indiana, focuses on fixing our broken immigration system in Texas, and honors Top Cops here in the Rose Garden.