The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Agnes Scott graduates get advice from Oprah
Budding alumnae told to live a life of substance, service.
Oprah Winfrey delivered an impassioned commencement address Saturday morning at Agnes Scott College, one of the metro Atlanta locations where her HBO movie “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” was filmed.
After a roaring welcome from the Class of 2017, she delighted graduates and their families with remarks that combined humor, candor and inspiration.
“All my life, before I became interested in television, I thought I was going to be a teacher or professor,” she said. “I think it is the most noble profession there is.”
Following more robust applause and a few lighthearted anecdotes, the entertainment icon and media mogul offered some advice to the budding alumnae.
“You’re nothing if you’re not the truth,” Winfrey said. “I’ve made a living, I’ve made a life — I’ve made a fortune, really — all good! — from being true to myself. If I can leave you with any message today: The biggest reward is not financial benefits, (though it’s really good, you can get a lot of great shoes). Those of you who have a lot of shoes know having a closet full of shoes doesn’t fill up your life. Living a life of substance can. Substance through your service.”
Winfrey spends a good bit of time in Atlanta. In addition to the recently released “Henrietta Lacks,” her OWN network show “Greenleaf ” films here, as did the 2014 film “Selma,” directed by her close friend and frequent artistic partner Ava DuVernay.
Agnes Scott President Elizabeth Kiss introduced the school’s much anticipated speaker.
“I cannot think of a more perfect commencement speaker, for Agnes Scott, for this class and for this moment in history than global media leader, philanthropist, producer and actress Oprah Winfrey,” she said. “From a difficult and abusive childhood she has proven that with faith, strength and the courage of a lion, your dreams are not out of reach.”
Kiss noted Winfrey’s decades of unparalleled success in the entertainment industry as well as her philanthropic triumphs, which include the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa.
“She is a trailblazer in so many ways,” she said. “In 2013 Oprah Winfrey was awarded a very well deserved Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. There’s really nothing she can’t do. Maybe, just maybe, she will run for president.”
That brought more thunderous applause.
Incidentally, President Donald Trump also pulled graduation duty on Saturday, telling graduates at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., that the more detractors say something can’t be done, “the more you should be absolutely determined to prove them wrong.”
Trump said his presidency pits him against “a small group of failed voices who think they know everything and understand everyone, want to tell everybody else how to live and what to do and how to think. You aren’t going to let other people tell you what you believe, especially when you know that you’re right.”
Winfrey didn’t speak of any political ambitions, but she called for unity, compassion and living a life of commitment and service. In the weeks following the 2016 election, she said, she hosted a diverse gathering of women including those who had supported former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and those who voted for Trump. Initially, nobody from either side of the aisle seemed interested, she recalled.
“After 2 1/2 hours I had those women not only eating croissants but sitting around the table listening to each other’s struggles, hearing both sides and by the end they were holding hands and exchanging emails and phone numbers,” she said. “It’s possible. It can happen. I want you to work in your own way to change the world in respectful conversations with others. I want you to enter every situation aware of its context, open to hearing the truth of others and most important, open to letting the process of changing the world change you. That is the spirit of constructive engagement.” An online petition by musician and LGBTQ advocate Sarah Rose urges Atlanta city officials to restore the rainbow crosswalks at 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue – removed after the 2015 Atlanta Pride weekend. The gesture would be one of affirmation, Rose says. But would it be appropriate?
I am strongly in favor of having the crosswalks at 10th and Piedmont painted in rainbow colors on a permanent basis. ... As far as it being a “safety” issue, I think it makes the crosswalks far more visible to drivers who, in Atlanta, are quite prone to running right through crosswalks. Yes, money spent there could always be spent on other worthy causes. That always has and always will be the situation. In truth, we spend our money where our hearts are.
The LGBTQ community has every right to express themselves and assume their meaningful role in society, but crosswalks are placed there for public safety, not for advertising points of view. Painted intersections were a bad idea in the first place and should not have been approved. The streets are public. If one group is allowed to do so, then any group who wants to paint an intersection should also be allowed.
If they don’t want to make it permanent, I suggest that for buildings, decorated flags on all corners; maybe paint the buildings, too.
If a crosswalk is marked on behalf of one group, then all other groups may want one. For example, the intersection where the Peachtree Road Race starts should be marked because the race now draws 60,000 participants and an unknown number of spectators, all for the benefit of the economy and reputation of Atlanta. The issue presented today involves your community – add your voice to the discussion. Submissions should be no longer than 150 words. They may be edited for length and clarity and may be published in print or other formats. Email is preferred. Email: communitynews@ajc.com.