Progressing Social Justice

In her address for commencement 2015 at Oberlin College, Michelle Obama encourages the new graduating class not to be discouraged when pursuing social justice in the real world. The First Lady of the United States, in fact, tells graduates to seek out the most polarized and gridlocked places in the name of progress. She references both race relations and women's rights repeatedly within the context of the college.

The address for commencement discusses civil life and the need to support political representatives and policy that reflect your vision and values, from homelessness to marriage equality. Despite the instant gratification their generation seeks, the speaker encourages them to be patient when it comes to change and to resist the urge to become cynical. She asks them to "rise above the noise and shape the revolutions of your time."