Address to the Graduates: Krish O’Mara Vignarajah

Good morning, and congratulations! My name is Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, and I'm the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. I'm honored to speak with you all on this exciting day – even if I never imagined giving a commencement speech from my home office. 

I'm sure you never imagined a graduation like this, either. The word "unprecedented" has been thrown around a lot lately, but as the Class of 2020, you truly are celebrating this milestone in a year like no other. But as you embark on your new lives, I hope you wear your graduation year as a badge of honor. You have persevered through a global pandemic – to complete your education. That's astounding, and you should be so proud. 

At the organization I lead, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, we talk a lot about resilience. The immigrants and refugees we serve have often come from unimaginable circumstances, facing war, violence, and persecution. And yet, they remain hopeful. In many ways, immigration is the embodiment of hope: despite the difficulties they've faced, these men, women, and children believe that a better life is possible. 

I myself am a proud immigrant. My parents left Sri Lanka as it was entering civil war and brought me to this country when I was just 9 months old. They came with no jobs, just $200 in their pockets, and 2 very young kids in their arms. We arrived as strangers on foreign soil but were welcomed by the community in our new hometown of Baltimore. Neighbors treated us as friends and eventually family. The superintendent of the Baltimore City Public Schools, where my dad got a job, found us our basement apartment; the vice principal of my dad’s school helped us move in and vouched for my parents so they could open a bank account. That warm welcome gave my parents the opportunity to plant roots, to become educators, and opened a path for me to speak to you today. I went from that basement in Baltimore to Yale, to Oxford, and eventually to the White House as Policy Director for First Lady Michelle Obama, and I now serve as the only female head of a refugee resettlement agency. 

I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, as I hope you are. However, I’ve learned that my success – and, I’m willing to bet, your future successes – has primarily hinged on two things: resiliency and the kindness of others: strangers, neighbors, mentors, and so many more.  

I don't know your individual circumstances, but I'm sure each of you has had to overcome a lot to be here today – even before the COVID-19 pandemic. You have more than demonstrated your resilience – you have embodied it. And that is precisely what our world needs in this precarious moment.

I don’t need to tell you that, in many ways, you are entering a world in crisis. News from recent weeks has brought a sense of optimism, but there is still significant work to be done. And that is where that second piece – kindness –comes in. I hope that you have been shown kindness in your journey to this moment—from family, friends, professors, classmates, and the whole Concordia community. It’s time to pay that kindness forward. 

Our nation needs healing. Our world needs healing. You have a unique opportunity to help. You’re entering the adult world with not only an excellent education, but with purpose, passion, and a dedication to serve. You are empathetic, engaged citizens. And that’s incredibly valuable – not only as we heal as a nation, but as we move forward and take a hard look at the challenges we face. You can, and will, leave an indelible mark on the lives of others, no matter the path you choose or stumble upon. 

Just remember, stumbling is alright. So long as you get up. I remember when I first got to Yale, I wasn’t sure I belonged. I remember when I ran for office, former Senator Barbara Mikulski warned me that people would say what they said to her – that you don’t look the part. Well, tell them: this is what the part looks like.

You deserve to be here. You’ve earned this moment. And even if it looks a little different than you thought it would, it’s truly something to celebrate. Now go out and build a better world. 

Thank you, and again--congratulations! 

 

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah is President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

Ms. Vignarajah arrived in America as a refugee before her first birthday, inspiring her to pursue a career in public service. She previously served in the Obama White House as Policy Director for First Lady Michelle Obama and at the State Department as Senior Advisor under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of State John Kerry.

She holds a BS in Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology as well as a master’s degree in Political Science from Yale, where she graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She was a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University, where she received an M.Phil. in International Relations, before returning to Yale Law School, where she served on the Yale Law Journal.