Georgia World Congress Center
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Jerry Gonzalez, Executive Director of GALEO
Remarks at Georgia State University Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Commencement Address
10:00 A.M.
Jerry Gonzalez: Good morning. Let me just begin by saying it is truly an honor and a pleasure to be with you today.
I want to thank Dean Mary Beth Walker, for her kind introduction, as well as all of the faculty and staff at Georgia State University Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. I am extremely proud to be able to be a part of this institution’s commitment to education.
Before I do begin with my remarks, I would like to congratulate all of the graduates! Let’s hear it for the graduating Class of 2016! All of your hard work, dedication and perseverance have culminated with the celebrations of today. Once again, congratulations graduates!
In addition, we cannot forget to recognize your families. So, graduates, let’s hear it for all of your family & friends!
(applause)
They encouraged you and pushed you to continue with your efforts during your time at GSU. Without their support, we would not be here today celebrating your accomplishments.
Family is always important to recognize and honor. Without my family, I would not be where I am today.
As part of your studies at this great institution, you understand statistics and policy. You study the statistics and the science to form and to recommend sound policy decisions and alternatives to address our pressing social challenges and opportunities. Given my familial background, the deck was stacked against me; despite those challenges, I found a way to overcome through perseverance and support from people who cared about my success.
But I do want to emphasize that it was through policy that truly enabled me to achieve more and provided me with the opportunity to succeed to make a difference for others.
To begin with, I was born in Laredo, Texas, a border town on the banks of the Rio Grande between the United States and Mexico. A few months ago, a headline from my local hometown paper read “Laredo’s poverty rate ranked second highest in country” with a poverty rate of 32% and median family income at $42,000. The Laredo Independent School District’s graduation rate was 63% and it was below the Texas state average of 83%. My former high school serves many students who qualify for free or reduced lunches—94% of them qualify. And, yes, I was one of those students who qualified for the free lunches.
After my father and mother divorced, my mother, who didn’t have a high school diploma, was faced with the reality of having to raise four children without a husband nor his financial support. After my mother struggled with low wage jobs to provide for us, she then decided to get her GED. She knew she wanted to go to the local community college to earn an Associates degree because it would mean more opportunities for her to earn more money. So, at a very young age I quickly learned about the value of an education because of my mother’s sacrifice and passion for her own education.
So, I dedicated myself to study throughout high school and graduated with top honors. Because of my academic achievement, I was able to get a minority outreach scholarship to the prestigious Texas A&M University in College Station. When I arrived at the university, I had a strong support system through the Minority Engineering Program, set up specifically to help students like me succeed.
Through some hard work and lots of studying, I earned a Bachelors of Science in mechanical engineering. As many of you graduates likely were during these last few semesters, I, too, was actively interviewing intensely during my last few months in college. Eventually, I was offered an opportunity to work with Allen Bradley, a division of Rockwell Automation. My job would be to engineer, to install and to provide maintenance on industrial systems around the country. Accepting the job opportunity took me to their world headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Then, that work brought me to Atlanta to serve as a Field Support Engineer. However, as I progressed in my career, I came to a realization that I enjoyed working with people more than I enjoyed working on machines. Fortunately, I was able to transition within the same company to a marketing role for engineering services. Soon after my career changed, I also made the decision to pursue a graduate degree from GSU at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. Because I was working full time, I choose the part time route to get my graduate degree.
So, as I was taking policy classes, I had transitioned away from the corporate world and was working with MALDEF, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, as a policy analyst for the Southeast. I worked with elected officials during a period of time that saw many anti-immigrant legislative initiatives at both the state and local levels of government. While I was still a graduate student at this fine institution, I was able to have an impact on the immigration debate right here in Georgia.
Then, shortly after working in the Georgia Legislature on these policy matters, two newly elected Latino legislators and I decided to create and organization to become a catalyst for civic engagement and leadership development of the Latino community. That decision and leap of faith lead to the creation of GALEO.
All of this was happening as I was still in graduate school. So, some of you may be wondering how long it actually took me to get my graduate degree by now…(laughs) Yes, I know, it took me a long time but I finished in six years because of the demanding work schedule and academic challenges.
I decided to provide you with a more close up glimpse of my personal journey in order for you to better understand how policy impacted my life and I wanted you to challenge you today to think about that in your future roles and careers.
NOW, more than ever, we need more people to be dedicated public servants and work to bring communities together. We need this because the policy challenges we face as a nation need big and bold solutions.
You should be proud of your education at this globally recognized institution; however, that pride and accomplishment comes with a significant price. With the great talent and the amazing skills you have developed in your academic setting, you NOW have a greater responsibility to make our world a better place.
Policy is not a theoretical exercise we do in the confines of academia, but it is something that is formulated by us as a society and it actually impacts people’s daily lives.
Because of Pell Grants and student loans, both my mother and I were able to get an education.
Because of affirmative action policies and minority outreach strategies, I was able to further hone my educational experience at Texas A&M University.
Because of hard work in many states and the eventual reality of gay marriage, my husband and I are protected under the law just like any other family.
Because of policy changes made under President Obama’s Executive Orders for young immigrants, over 40,000 young people in our state have access to work permits and driver’s licenses. NOW, they also have access to attend Georgia State University.
Because of global warming, our weather patterns are becoming more intense and there is growing serious concern. Policy solutions are needed to address this threat to both economic and democratic institutions around the world.
Because BLACK LIVES MATTER and the shooting of unarmed black people around the country by police is a sign of serious problems and tensions between law enforcement officials and communities of color. BUT, policies are needed to ensure a greater sense of public safety for us all.
Because of recent study revealed that today’s 30 year olds have just a 50 percent chance of earning more than their parents. Clearly, the study demonstrated a disturbing finding about the American Dream being more out of reach for this generation. In addition, the analysis indicates a growing tide of income inequality that deserves serious study, analysis and policy solutions. The trendlines point toward a decline in economic mobility that is simply unsustainable for our nation.
Because we must have sound policies that respect and honor our Muslim brothers and sisters as we continue to fight terrorism. This nation has a horrible history of racist and horrific internment camps that this nation should not ever see again.
For all of these pressing social challenges and opportunities, YOU are part of the solution.
(PAUSE)
While staging a sit in at the nation’s Capitol after the Orlando gay nightclub mass shooting and in order to draw attention to sensible gun control laws, Congressman John Lewis said:
“Sometimes you have to do something out of the ordinary.
Sometimes you have to make a way out of no way.
We have been too quiet for too long.
There comes a time when you have to say something, when you have to make a little noise, when you have to move your feet.
This is the time.
Now is the time to get in the way.
The time to act is now.
We will be silent no more.
The time for silence is over.”
(PAUSE)
You see, POLICY impacts our families and the lives of our neighbors.
But policy must also reflect our values as a nation.
YOUR talents, your voice and YOUR ideas are needed now more than ever. Our nation is at a very serious cross road and is facing very serious cross-currents.
It is easy to ignore these signs and the changes happening all around us.
BUT you know better.
You cannot look away.
You cannot walk away.
So I ask each and every one of you.
How will you live up to the RESPONSIBILITY you have to challenge the status quo on some of these pressing issues facing us today?
How will you recommend and implement policies that make our world a better place for us ALL?
In one of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies videos online, we heard from Ambassador Andrew Young say this:
“We might not have all the answers. But we face all the questions. And we bring in some of the brightest and most energetic young minds in the world.”
Whether we engage through formal networks, within our institutions, or work within our communities as activists, we must engage now more than ever.
While we face uncertain and challenging times right now, your choices on what you decide to do will have an impact for the near term and for future generations to come.
Once again, I challenge all of you to rise up to the responsibility to make positive change happen for our communities, for our state, for our nation, and for our world.
Si se puede!
(Yes we can!)
Thank you.