Famous people from all walks of life have been dropping by virtual graduation ceremonies; last week, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter even On Sunday YouTube hosted a “Dear Class of 2020” hoedown, featuring a number of well-known speakers, trying to impart hope in despairing times. Additionally, Mrs. Obama’s Reach Higher initiative will host a full hour of content to kick off the celebration.Commencement speakers include BTS, Lady Gaga, former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Malala Yousafzai.
Overseeing the project for YouTube are Nadine Zylstra, head of learning for YouTube Originals along with Danny Zaccagnino, Laurel Stier, Lauren Vrazilek, and Zoe Di Stefano on the learning development team.Separately, on May 16 at 2 p.m., Barack Obama will participate in “Show Me Your Walk, HBCU Edition,” a two-hour live-streaming event for historically black colleges and universities.In addition, President Obama is set to deliver a commencement message during “Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020,” a one-hour multimedia event on May 16 hosted by XQ Institute, the LeBron James Family Foundation, and the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Especially in a time like this. His words came nearly three months into a nationwide quarantine to combat the coronavirus pandemic and almost two weeks after the killing of George Floyd, whose death at the hands of police has inspired protests both at home and abroad.“I can barely imagine how head-spinning these last few months have been for you,” Obama told the nation’s graduates. Barack Obama Gave An Inspiring Speech To Graduating Students Music Yo… Graduates can also set a reminder for the show and sign their name on the Dear Class of 2020 Shout Out Board at YouTube is partnering with Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative, Born This Way Foundation, Malala Fund, NBC’s “Today,” and Ideas United to showcase student stories and feature graduates around the world, including a crowd-sourced commencement speech.“Graduation is a tradition that students and families look forward to and with the current state of the world, YouTube is lending some inspiration in the form of a virtual commencement,” said Susanne Daniels, global head of content for YouTube. YouTube’s “Dear Class of 2020” original special will feature other celebs and notable names including The multihour event premieres Saturday, June 6, on the YouTube Originals channel (at Headlining “Dear Class of 2020” are President Obama and Michelle Obama, who will each deliver individual commencement speeches — and a joint message — to graduates. “Graduation is a big achievement under any circumstances, yours comes as the world is turned upside down.”Still, Obama refused to surrender to despair, instead seeing the various calamities that have affected the nation and the world as an excuse to see what it’s exposed about how our society functions — or doesn’t.“The thing is, Class of 2020, what these past few weeks have shown us is that the challenges we face go well beyond a virus, and that the old normal wasn’t good enough — it wasn’t working,” Obama told them.“In a lot of ways, the pandemic just brought into focus problems that have been growing for a very long time, whether it’s widening economic inequality, the lack of basic health care for millions of people, the continuing scourge of bigotry and sexism, or the divisions and dysfunction that plague our political system.”“Similarly, the protests in response to the killing of George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and Nina Pop aren’t simply a reaction to those particular tragedies, as heartbreaking as they are,” Obama said.
BTS and others will perform at a virtual grad night after-party.“Dear Class of 2020” also will include special appearances by Alicia Keys, Kelly Rowland, Kerry Washington, Chloe x Halle, Zendaya, and YouTube creators Jackie Aina, AsapSCIENCE, Dude Perfect, Mr. Kate, and The Try Guys.YouTube’s full schedule of commencement events will be available on the Learn@Home site beginning on May 17. “They speak to decades worth of anguish and frustration over unequal treatment and a failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system.”Obama admitted that looking to what lies ahead of them, and all of us, can be “downright scary,” but he also warned about what not to do. “We hope bringing together noteworthy, influential speakers along with performances from some of their favorite artists will provide encouragement for the students who have worked so hard to get here.”The special is being produced by Done and Dusted.