Each year, one graduating student from each of the three schools at the University of Redlands is selected to speak during the Commencement ceremonies. This year, biology and chemistry double major Amma Adomaa-Fordjour '18 addressed the audience at the College of Arts and Sciences festivities. Her speech took the form of a poem:
There Was a Light
My parents come from a place where there is no light
My parents come from a place where there is no light
I don’t mean light fixtures but I mean bright futures
They lack production but they don’t lack producers
We were brought here cause rumor was and rumor is that college is bliss
And college is this and college is that
So I went to college and found my habitat
I found my home
My parents come from a place where dreams remain dreams and ideas are invalidated
Though motivated, they are often frustrated because the lack of materials that come in are often donated
I located the importance of education while being on this campus
I’m dancing, with happiness because we have unlimited chances to succeed and chances to achieve all that we want. At our speed, Godspeed
I’m ecstatic, these last 4 years have been dramatic
I have lost my breath so many times you would have thought I was asthmatic
So climatic, to walk on this campus in 2014, with our minds overwhelmed and our dreams in our hands
I have some plans, how many of you all can relate?
Grab our diplomas, graduate, and hope we too can be great
The amount of weight our diplomas carry compared to the rest of the world is more than we can even fathom
Imagine, my enthusiasm when I saw 2018 arrive, I started gasping cause time’s passing
We’re adults now but I don’t really feel it and we are still healing and it’s getting so surreal
But here’s the deal
Not everyone likes the cards that they are dealt with
So be your own dealer, sometimes just be selfish
And lets agree
To all be a light in this world
And shine somebody’s light and inspire little girls
And aim to be king and aim to change things and reach for the moon like we’re jumping on springs
Here’s to the nights in the lib. Here’s to the drinks in the cafe. Here’s to the sweet ladies in the commons that made our day every day
Here’s to our professors. Although you were our stressors, although you kept us up for so long we don’t resent you
Here’s to the sacrifices our loved ones made, the debts they paid and all that wage
Just to see us walk this stage and experience today
I’m so in love with the idea of a future where everyone in my graduating class is shining their light
I’m so in love with the word “future” itself cause in it I see wealth
No monetary wealth, but wealth that’s based on sharing and based on caring
And based on caring and based on something and based on trusting
I think we’re tasting the first bite of our reality
A casualty, would be to live our lives in stagnancy
Magically, we have made it to this day to celebrate that we are worthy and confirm that we are great
It is our fate to keep going and keep growing
And keep showing what we’re really made of. This.
We are movers, we are chasers, we are givers, we are takers
We are forces that cannot be reckoned with. You’ll second this.
I’m sorry mom and dad if I didn’t call you guys enough
I was too nervous to tell you school was getting tough and I was seeing stuff that I thought I’d never see
And I was losing sleep so I could secure this degree
I know you’re proud of me and our parents are proud of us
Our guardian, our loved ones, were there when it was rough
To them, we are more than enough
Isn’t it fascinating
The people we dated. The times we spent so doubtful and so frustrated
All the friends that related
It has been negated and its all equated
To us finally reaching the finish line. In due time we will see our lights shine
We will see the whole nine yards. Its in our stars to succeed
We may not see it yet but it’s in our stars that we lead
Lead a different group. Lead a different troop
Of young minds
To let them know that they too can be in this exact place. They too have lights
My parents come from a place where children have to think about their next meal before they have the chance to think about their education
Across the nation we are so blessed to be in this position
It’s our mission to envision and add our own additions and place our omissions
On whatever is wrong and keep what belongs and keep getting strong and live our lives long
The memories I made here are forever engraved in the mind
I leave behind all the fears and second guessing and stressing
You are just progressing
And moving forward and moving towards what’s truly yours and what we deserve
Who has the nerve to take this moment away from us?
We hold these truths to be self evident
That all men are created equal
But all men, women, he/him/his, she/her/hers, they/their/theirs, non gender conforming and non gender identifying people are not given equal opportunity
Immunity
I’m allergic to any form of discrimination
Or anything that’s stopping the youth from getting an education
Make some donations, advocate for a cause, change a neighborhood, find a gain in every loss
Be your own boss
Buy your dream house. Take care of your parents. Marry your dream spouse
Find purpose in your life and help other find theirs. Because not everybody gets the chance to dream like us
I might sound very repetitive or maybe every word I have said has reached a different part of your heart, mind, or spirit
I hear it. If they are against us we won’t fear it. Or fear them
We are built so uniquely
I will teach you something if you promise that you’ll teach me
Everyone has reached me
Look at our connections. Walking to class, I saw friends in each and every direction
Thankful for the lessons. Its truly been a blessing
Walking on the quad and seeing life, so refreshing
Graduation is not an end goal in itself
It’s a larger journey of life, its one book that’s on our shelf
Whatever it is, wherever it is, wherever you go, whatever you do
As long as it’s for you. You will find it
We are flights that are anxious to be flying. We are lights that are anxious to be shining
It’s all aligning, our stars said that we’re ready so we must be ready
Even if we ourselves don’t believe that we are steady. We are ready
