Sen. Cruz Delivers Virtual Commencement Address for Texas Southmost College

I recently delivered the virtual commencement address for the fall 2020 graduates of Texas Southmost College, located in Brownsville, Texas.

Watch my commencement address for Texas Southmost College here and read my full remarks below.

Welcome to Fall 2020 Commencement. It is a privilege and honor to speak to the graduating class of Texas Southmost College today. I'd like to thank President Dr. Roberto Rodriguez for having me, and for his leadership during these unprecedented times. I'd also like to thank Mayor Trey Mendez, Chair of the Board Adela Garza, the board of trustees, and the faculty here at Texas Southmost College.

Thank you all for your generous contributions to this community. The city of Brownsville and the lower Rio Grande Valley has a long history of showcasing the exceptionalism of Texas, and I have no doubt that today's graduates will continue that legacy.

The trials of this year have changed all of our lives, especially the lives of the students graduating today. Y'all have persevered and overcome these unique challenges, and for that, I congratulate you. And I think I can speak for every professor who helped you adapt to a new learning environment and every family member who supported you along the way, in saying that y'all are graduating with skills that will benefit you for the rest of your lives as each of you works to achieve the American dream.

We are blessed to live in a nation that is unique in the history of the world. There has been no nation that has allowed so many people to come here with nothing and to achieve anything. What is so extraordinary in the United States is that your success doesn't depend on who your parents are and it doesn't depend on the color of your skin, your race, your ethnicity, or your religion.

Your success instead depends on your talent, your passion, your perseverance, and critically, on the content of your character. That is an extraordinary legacy and it's one I know firsthand in my family. As Americans, we value freedom and opportunity above all else, so let me encourage you to defend liberty and to keep making a difference in the lives of others.

As you leave here and enter a new phase of your lives in what can feel like a very uncertain time, it is important to remember that Texans are resilient. Americans are resilient. And so thanks to exceptional young people like each of you, we can keep going, we can keep moving forward, and together, we can and we will emerge even stronger than before.

Congratulations, God bless you, and go Scorpions!