IhadtheprivilegeofhelpingtocelebratemembersofourcommunitywhowererecentlysworninasnewUnitedStatescitizens–graduatesoftheHarvardBridgeProgram.Throughtheirownhardwork,andwiththegeneroushelpofvolunteerstudentandalumnitutors,theycannowenjoythefullrightsandprivilegesofcitizenship–andthefullsenseofbelongingthatcomeswithit.Itwastrulyaninspiringceremony.
Atatimewhensomanypeoplearedispiritedbythedeepdivisionsinourcountry,whenourpoliticsseemsodysfunctional,ourgraduatesaretakingupthecauseofpublicservicebyrunningforofficeinrecordnumbers.Theworldneedsthem,andtheirwillingnesstoservegivesmehope.
AsMargaretnoted,thispastyear,ItraveledtomeetalumniwhoarehelpingtostrengthencommunitiesinDetroit,Dallas,andHouston;inMiami,Phoenix,andNewYork;inLosAngeles,SanFrancisco,andSanDiego–inChina,Japan,andEngland–peoplewhoarenotonlylaunchingandbuildingbusinessesandcreatingopportunity,butpeoplewhoarealsoteaching,volunteering,advancingimportantlegislation,workingfornon-profits,andservingthepublicgood.