[00:00.00]本字幕由TME AI技术生成
[00:00.53]And when i talk about students
[00:02.47]Needing to take responsibility for their education
[00:05.05]I want want you all to know that
[00:06.49]I'm speaking from my perpersonal life experience like monmbara growing up
[00:11.65]I considered myself pretty lucky
[00:14.07]Even though my parents didn't have a lot of money
[00:16.01]They never went to college themselves they had an unwaivering beliein the power of education
[00:24.39]So they always pushed me and my brothers to do whatever it took to succeed in school
[00:30.19]So when it came time for me to go to high school
[00:34.03]They encourage me to enroll in one of the best schools in chicago
[00:39.31]It was a school a lot like this one
[00:41.39]And listening to embarra story was so similar
[00:44.01]Because my school was way across the other side of the city
[00:48.13]From where i lived so at six
[00:50.45]Six am every morning i had get on a city bus
[00:54.22]And write for an hour sometimes more just to get to school
[00:59.14]And i was willing to do that
[01:00.70]Because i was willing to do whatever it took for me to go to college
[01:04.12]I set my sight eei decided i was going on to princeton
[01:10.35]But i quickly realize that for me a kid
[01:13.49]Like me getting in into princewasn't n't just going to happen on its own say i went to a great school
[01:20.20]But at my school we had so many kids so few guids council
[01:23.38]They were dealing with hundreds of students
[01:25.94]So they had always have much time to help me personally get my applications together
[01:31.14]Plus i know i coulldn't ford to go on a bununch of college visits
[01:37.73]I couldn't hire a personal tutor ii couldn't enroll in sa t prep classes
[01:42.45]We didn't have money
[01:44.23]And then yet this some of my teachers straight up told me
[01:49.59]That i was setting my sight's too high
[01:53.27]They told me
[01:53.95]I was never going to get into a school
[01:56.17]I princeton
[01:57.63]And i still hear that doubt ring and in my head
[02:02.73]So it was clear to me
[02:04.59]That nobody was going to take my hand and lead me to where i needed to go
[02:11.89]Instead it was gonnbe up to me to reach my goal
[02:15.63]I would have to chart my own course
[02:18.46]And i knew that the first thing i needed to do
[02:20.46]Was have the strongest academic record possible
[02:23.64]So i worked hard to get the best grades i could in all of my classes
[02:28.72]I got involved in leadership opportunities in school
[02:31.28]Where i developed close relationships with some of my teachers and administrators
[02:36.16]I knew i needed to present very solid and thoughtful college application
[02:41.40]So i stayed up late
[02:42.98]Got a brlly in the morning to work on my essays and personal statements
[02:47.42]I knew my parents would not be able to pay for all of my tuition
[02:52.04]So i made sure that i applied for financial
[02:54.78]A that fast perform was my best friend
[02:56.96]I knew the deadlines
[02:58.50]Everything most importantly
[03:02.40]When i encountered oubtters
[03:04.92]When people told me
[03:06.16]That i wasn't going to cut it
[03:08.93]And let that stop me in fact
[03:11.73]I did the opposite
[03:13.31]I use that negativity to fuel me
[03:16.75]To keep me going
[03:18.45]And at the end i got into princeton
[03:20.63]And i was one of the proud ous days of my life
[03:22.75]But getting in to princeton was only the beginning graduating from princeton was my ultimate goal
[03:32.98]So i'd start all over again developing an executing a plan that would lead me to my goal
[03:40.40]And of course i struggle a little bit
[03:43.37]I had to work hard again to find a base of friends and build a community of support for myself in this ivy league university
[03:52.49]I remember as a freshman
[03:53.99]I mistakenly rolled into a class
[03:57.13]That was met for juniors and seniors
[04:00.97]And there were times when i felt like i could barely keep my head above water
[04:05.97]But through it all i kept that college diploma as my north star and four years later i reach that goal
[04:14.10]And then i went on to build a life
[04:15.68]I never could have imagined from myself
[04:17.82]I went to law school became a lawyer
[04:20.46]Have been a vice president for a hospital
[04:22.42]I've been the head of a nonprofit organization
[04:25.10]And i am here today
[04:26.28]Because i want you to know that my story can be your story
[04:32.63]The details might be a different
[04:35.41]But let me tell you so many of the challenges and the triumph will be be the same you
[04:42.37]You might be dreaming
[04:43.35]Becoming a doctor
[04:44.43]A teacher may be a mechanic or a software designer
[04:48.15]Or you might not know what you want to do right now
[04:51.90]And that's fine
[04:54.04]But no matter what path you choose
[04:56.24]No matter what dreams
[04:57.46]You have
[04:58.54]You have got to do
[04:59.78]Whatever it takes to continue your education after high school again
[05:05.08]Whether that's going to community college
[05:06.92]Getting a technical certificate or completing a training opportunity or go on off to for your college
[05:13.80]And once youyou've compleyour education
[05:16.36]You will have the foundation
[05:18.40]You need to build a successful life
[05:22.31]That's how me
[05:23.11]That's how manbara
[05:24.71]That's how
[05:25.23]So many other students have overcome adversities to reach our goals