There were many times in my life where graduating from the University of Michigan seemed like a dream that would never come true. As a Michigan native, U of M was always my dream school. But as a child of a single, teenage mother who had to raise me with little support, attending any university didn’t feel possible sometimes. Fortunately, my mother is the epitome of overcoming the odds. She is the person who first taught me how important school is. She always reminded me that an education is the key to success and also the key to my chance of living a different lifestyle than the one in which I grew up. Thanks to my mother, I developed a lifelong love of learning and a determination to pursue higher education no matter what it took.

Once I began college, the battle became mine. My mom had overcome the odds by getting me here. It was now my turn. The universe definitely made sure to put up a fight. The summer before my sophomore year, I was diagnosed with cancer. I spent that fall semester having the rest of the cancerous cells surgically removed from my body. I also failed a class and barely passed my others that semester. A short month after going into remission in October, I started developing a weird neck pain that I chalked up to sleeping in a weird position. At least, I tried to blame it on that until my left knee swelled up two times its size in January. Shortly after, my other knee, finger and wrist joints, shoulder joints, and ankle joints followed. I could barely walk without knee braces or crutches. I was showering maybe once a week because I didn’t have the strength to turn the water on-and-off. My hair lived in a ratty bun because I couldn’t lift my arms to brush it. All I wanted to do was sleep and cry because those were the only two times that I wasn’t in excruciating pain. After months in-and-out of the emergency room, I was finally diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and arthritis.

It was hard to go from fully able-bodied to dealing with a disability while simultaneously working two jobs and taking 17-18 credits a semester. Despite everything, I was determined to continue with my schooling and to graduate on time. I managed to complete both of my majors while struggling to balance my invisible illness, my jobs, volunteering, homework, and being the best daughter, sister, girlfriend, and friend I could be. I would say that, like my mom, I have managed to beat the odds. I would not be here today without her.

I am honored to be among you as the first person in my family to possess a degree from a four-year university. To be completely honest, I could care less what is even on this degree. I fought like crazy just to have it. I think that is a sentiment we should all express today. No matter what GPA you may have or what you and your families had to sacrifice to be here, celebrate your achievement. Just by being here, you have overcome the odds. No one knows what you had to go through to be graduating today, but you. So, be proud of yourself. Thank that person who helped you get here. If there is no person celebrating with you today, thank yourself because you are that person. Now, go, continue to beat the odds. Go out there and flourish. Be an inspiration for yourself and others and always remember to hold a hand backwards and help those who are in the position that you once were in.

It is my deepest honor and privilege to say, “Congratulations, we did it!”

Despite all our tribulations, nothing stopped us from chasing our dream of graduating. Our ceremony may look a bit different this year, but nonetheless, we are bound by our experiences at the University of Michigan.

My experience here began the summer of 2018. I had the honor of being part of the Summer Enrichment Program (SEP), which exposes undergraduate students to public health and prepares them for graduate school. I loved my SEP experience so much that I decided to come to Michigan for my graduate education.

Unfortunately, my transition was not as smooth as I had hoped. Coming straight from an undergraduate institution, I struggled with imposter syndrome. Coming from a mixed status family, I often worried about their physical and financial security as our xenophobic administration targeted, and separated, hard-working “undocumented” individuals. Faced with these uncertainties, I remembered a phrase my SEP program manager Mr. Clarke often told me, “These are just small potatoes,” and I find joy in sharing this with you, today.

This phrase is an analogy for overcoming adversity by always keeping the end goal in mind. You deconstruct obstacles into smaller-digestible pieces, like small potatoes, and view them for what they are, minor obstacles. You then work on these obstacles until eventually, you reach your desired goal. Using this analogy, I sought mentorship from Drs. Lopez, Beck, Burns, Dotson, and others, who ignited my passions as a student and leader, and helped me turn my life crises into small potatoes.

As we graduate, we are faced with combatting another life crisis. And I am not referring to what our generation calls, “Rona;” I am talking about racism. What many do not know is that George Floyd had coronavirus, but recovered. It was not a biological disease that ultimately stopped his breathing, but the systemic disease of racist police violence.

As first-generation students, we and our loved ones have often been victims of this same racism. Yet our lived experiences are often dismissed, or simply used as a statistic. Therefore, it is time to rise up and change the narrative.

As leaders, we can draw upon our diverse departmental skills and passions to collectively tackle segments of racism, so that even systemic racism is just small potatoes. This collective power is THE most precious gift we have to offer the world, so use it wisely.

And because I strongly believe in our capabilities, I challenge us to be fearless advocates for those who have been silenced. Engage in difficult and uncomfortable conversations, create new seats at the table for those directly impacted, and never stop calling out power, privilege, and oppression.

Lastly, as we anxiously plan the next steps in our lives, and wrestle with feelings of uncertainty. Yet again, I hope you pause, take a deep breath, and believe in yourself and your capabilities. When in doubt, utilize this “small potatoes” analogy to guide you towards your next step.