Michelle Obama slips dig at Donald Trump into her final commencement address
The first lady, delivering her final commencement address, seemed to warn graduates away from the rhetoric of Donald Trump, though she didn't identify him by name.
In an apparent reference to the presumed Republican nominee, Obama said, "Some folks out there today seem to have a very different perspective. They seemed to view our diversity as a threat to be contained rather than as a resource to be tapped" The First Lady added, "They act as if name calling is an acceptable substitute for thoughtful debate."
"We don't build up walls to keep people out," the First lady declared to the 2016 class of the City College of New York, adding, "We know that our greatness has always depended on contributions from people who were born elsewhere but sought out this country and made it their home."
She went on to talk about the contributions of American immigrants, including companies Google and Ebay, inventions like the artificial heart, and architectural gems like the White House.
"There is a reason I chose this particular school in this particular city," the first lady told graduates.. Obama hand-picked the college for its diversity, which boasts a student body of over 40 percent first-generation college students, almost 40 percent non-native English speakers, and half from lower-income households. Over a third of undergraduates at City College of New York identify as Hispanic.
And 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue came up again, too. "It's the story that I witness every single day when I wake up in a house that was built by slaves," she said. "I watch my daughters--two beautiful young black women--head off to school, waving goodbye to their father, the president of the United States."
This was Obama's twenty-third graduation speech during her time in office. She often brings a message beyond general advice to graduates. Last year, she voiced the frustrations of next-generation African Americans in her address at Tuskegee University and others.
Obama singled out first-generation members of the Class of 2016, applauding them for of balancing classwork with their challenging lives back at home.
One of those students was salutatorian Orubba Almansouri, who moved from Yemen to New York in 2006, becoming the first woman in her family to attend high school. Almansouri detailed the many battles she faced in convincing her father to allow her to pursue college. "I personally fought and broke a tribal tradition that destined girls of the Almansouri family in Yemen to the 'University of Kitchen,' rather than a proper education."
The Muslim graduate of English and history addressed her classmates, echoing the sentiments of the First Lady. "I look at all of you standing before me today, I am reassured that no, we do not need walls or bans against Muslims or bans against any religious or ethnic groups, because hatred and terrorism has no religion, has no ethnicity."
The First Lady concluded her last commencement address as first lady by forming a heart with her hands as she looked out into the audience. "Thank you for allowing me to share this final commencement with you. I have so much faith in who you will be." The audience roared with chants of "four more years" as the First Lady exited stage left.