With so many graduations moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, various various virtual commencements have been planned to celebrate the high school and college classes of 2020.
Besides the Obamas, the live stream boasts a star-studded group wishing the Class of 2020 well including Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, Taylor Swift, John Green, The Try Guys, Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Bill and Melinda Gates, and more.
The ceremony begins at 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT) on Saturday June 6 and can be enjoyed by students, their families and whoever else wants to join in celebrating the grads on the YouTube Originals channel.
The YouTube ceremony marks the third virtual commencement that Obama has participated in this graduation season. He had previously given remarks for Chase’s “Show Me Your Walk, HBCU” edition and the “Graduate Together” ceremony for high school students, hosted by Lebron James.
In his speech to during the “Graduate Together” ceremony, Obama joked that high school students would soon not mind missing their real-life ceremonies. “I’ll be honest with you. The disappointments of missing a live graduation: those will pass pretty quick. I don’t remember much of my own high school graduation. I know that not having to sit there and listen to a commencement speaker isn’t all that bad. Mine usually go on way too long. Also, not that many people look great in those caps, especially if you have big ears like me,” he said. He also encouraged graduates to follow values like “honesty, hard-work, responsibility, fairness, generosity, respect for others.”
As previously reported, in his remarks for the “Show Me Your Walk” ceremony, the former president took the opportunity to criticize leaders’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic, but also offered wise words of hope to graduates. “More than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing. A lot of them aren’t even pretending to be in charge,” he said. “If the world’s gonna get better, it’s gonna be up to you. With everything suddenly feeling like it’s up for grabs, this is your time to seize the initiative. Nobody can tell you anymore that you should be waiting your turn. Nobody can tell you anymore, ‘This is how it’s always been done.’ More than ever, this is your moment, your generation’s world to shape. In taking on this responsibility, I hope you are bold.”
