Good evening ladies and gentleman, Class of 2018, next and previous classes. Good evening America and the rest of the world. I don’t mean for this to be a political speech, I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

My name is Susana Rafaela Santos Sousa, I am a woman, an immigrant, the first educated generation,  a Dreamer and a believer. I am from a small country in Southern Europe called Portugal. I lived there 17 years of my life before I started the journey to my American Dream.

I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but I am sure at the end of this huge mountain, I will have a golden spoon on my table. My parents and I left everything in our land to provide me with a better education and a brighter better future. Being the only child that they have, I am the only hope that they have for a better life, too.

So today, this diploma is for you two. Mae e pai, mom and dad, thank you for the unconditional support, for every single morning wishing me a good day at school and the last question you asked asked late at night when I come home from work, “How did school go?” Thank you, for even though you do not speak English perfectly, you were 101% with me when I needed and even when I didn’t need you. Excuse me ladies and gentleman, but I have to thank them in the language that we speak, because they deserve to hear it and understand it: Obrigada mãe e pai.

Today I write this for the ones who are not usually represented, the ones whose stories are not told, and even the ones who want to tell their story but they are scared.  I want to thank Hall High School for giving me the tools and the stage to say our truth.

I remember my first day in high school as if it was today. When I saw the yellow bus, I cried. I cried with happiness because all my dreams came true, I stepped on the bus: Days passed, months passed and I started figuring out that my dream was not going to come true, because, unfortunately, the system doesn’t give a chance to the original Dreamers who came to this country with an already formed idea of the land of opportunities. So all I asked for was a chance to educate myself, and Hall High gave me that opportunity.

I never took an AP class, not even an honors class. I took the SAT, not even knowing what it was and not understanding most of the words. I didn’t write a college essay, but I wrote tons of papers talking about me in English class that I wish I could have been used for a college essay.

None the less, I learned how to handle sadness when somebody made fun of my accent or my peers. I learned how to take a deep breath and try to explain to people that we are only looking for an education and are not stealing anything from anybody; we are just kids with dreams.

Seeing all my friends going to the colleges I wish I could go, but I can’t. I know my path will be two times harder, but let me tell you something, as soon as I get to the top, nobody will stop me. I haven’t given up. Hall didn’t allow me to give up, and if any of you, Class of 2018, is in my same situation, do not give up.  We got this! I started in the ESL program in October 2016 and I passed the exam successfully in May 2017 despite the fact that when I started English at Hall, I didn’t know the difference between do/did and catch/caught.

Now that we are going to have this diploma in our hands, we scream with happiness because it’s done. Yes, it is done, but real life starts tomorrow. We won’t have our counselors asking us what’s going on in our life or Zandra yelingl sweetly at us in the morning, “Go to class don’t be late!”

Right now, Class of  2018, we are closing this important door in our journey, to open a thousand more doors. Never forget that no matter what door you open, never forget that any door you open is important! Not going to college is ok, going to college is ok, going to community college is ok, and working right after high school graduation to earn money to go to school is also ok! Don’t let the fact that you might not be going to the best school or you are not continuing to go to school influence your education. Never stop educating yourself, even if your school career ends today!

My father, who was a sixth grade dropout of school, teaches people how to do carpentry.  What he always taught me was never let your ego elevate your stupidity and let you forget your humble self.

No matter what you’re going to do now and forever after, never forget what Hall taught me:  Good enough isn’t good enough and always try to be the best. Hall taught me that my success will be different from my neighbor’s success, but what matters, my fellows, is before you go to bed, you look at the mirror washing your face and you are proud of the young adult you turned yourself into!

Dear Hall community:

I am your proud graduated student.

I am your sister.

I am your friend.

I am your neighbor.

I am your prima.

I am your partner.

I am your lover.

I am your teacher.

I am your Dreamer.

Thank you!