Delbarton prides itself on building the leaders of tomorrow. But what you may not realize is that at this very moment, the person sitting to your left and the person sitting to your right is a leader. It may be obvious— it may not be, but we are all called to be leaders. Dr. King isn’t just a relic of the past, he is a guideline for the future. 

There’s a reason why his memorial in Washington, DC is an incomplete sculpture. It’s because his work isn’t done. I call on all of you today to think and reflect on what you can do to progress his mission. I say “progress” because it is realistic to say that his work will never be finished. There will always be injustice in the world. There will always be corruption and deceit. It’s in our nature. 

But in this very moment, what matters is the progress we are making. In this very moment, what matters are the stories that your brothers shared with you today on this stage. In this very moment, what matters is that small step you are taking to carve out King’s sculpture. And when the day comes that future generations can go to Washington and see the complete statue of King, I will say that the work is finished. But until then, I will not rest, and I hope that you don’t either.

Thank you.