Editor’s note: Screenwriter, director and rapper Boots Riley was among some famous alumni of Oakland’s Skyline High School who gave video addresses to the school’s class of 2020 during its recent graduation ceremony. Below we reprint excerpts from Riley’s remarks.
Skyline High class of 2020, what’s going on? Congratulations! . . . Check this out, tell you a couple of things that we all already know. We live in an economic system that thrives off of oppression and exploitation. And the more that we leave it alone, the more oppression and economic exploitation happens. We can’t sit by and expect it to not be the way it is and worse. . . . Good thing for y’all is you’re graduating at an exciting time in history. Right now, there are movements happening all over the world. For instance, there’s an unprecedented strike wave . . . [and] in colleges and universities and high schools, people are shutting things down and taking control. And this is the way you’re going to be part of history.
. . .you need to take responsibility for the way the whole world is; not just you, us. It’s all of our responsibility to change the world, right? . . . whatever your career is, your job is to change the world. And that has to be the highest priority. . . . [and] you don’t have to do it alone. You can’t do it alone.
You must join organizations. . . . campaigns and movements, and be part of those things that have a direct goal of changing things. Look, the generation before you, 51% of them say they want a whole different economic system and they’re willing to fight for it, even more so for your generation. So I’m really excited. I’m really hiked on y’all coming out into the world because I know that things are going to be changing. And I know that we’re welcoming you to this fight and you are going to be important comrades in it. Look class of 2020. You’re inspiring. You’re going to inspire the world. Congratulations. Let’s see what you’re about.
