May 22, 2023
Providence College 2023 commencement address: Hill Harper
Hey Providence College. It is a pleasure. A pleasure to be here once again. I would like to first thank President Father Sicard, Executive Vice President Ann Manchester-Molak, chair of the Honorary Degree Committee Steve Maurano, Provost Sean Reid, the members of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, family and friends, but most importantly, the Providence College Class of 2023.
Now, since you all have already gotten your degrees and you’ve moved your tassels, I’m sure you want my speech to be as short as possible. I understand that. Which reminds me of one of the greatest commencement speeches ever given, by Winston Churchill. As he was getting up in age, he accepted a commencement address in a very prestigious London school. And as he got closer to it, there was anticipation about what Winston Churchill was going to say. He walked up to the podium and he said, “Never, ever, ever give up.” And he went and sat down.
I am going to be a little longer than that. But the theme is the same. It’s a great honor to stand before you as the commencement speaker in 2023. And I cherish every opportunity I have to come to Providence. It was my stomping grounds during college. And, in fact, the name of this building when I was an undergrad up on College Hill, it was called the Providence Civic Center. And I know it’s the Amica Mutual Pavilion, but I think that Dunk sounds better. That’s just me. I agree. Now, despite all that has changed, two things remain the same: this building is still the home of the Friars, and Providence College is still a beacon of faith, true hope and light in Rhode Island and around the world.
Commencement, of course, means a beginning or a start. Class of 2023 — every time I say that, I need you all to make some noise. The Class of 2023. Thank you. I’m just — I don’t want you all to get quiet. I mean, think like this is Black church time, just to make noise.
So now that you have your degrees, let’s just think back for a little second. Over these past four years — for some of you five or six years, because some of you came across the stage summa cum laude, some came across the stage magna cum laude, some came across the stage thank you, Lord — think back to your favorite moments here at PC.
Maybe it was when you drove on to campus on Move-In Day and saw the iconic billboard saying, Welcome to Friartown. Maybe it was when you stormed the court last year after the Friars won their first ever BIG EAST regular season title. That’s right. Or maybe it was the first time you caught your first glimpse of a friar — and I’m talking about a priest, not a basketball player sipping on a beer at McPhail’s. It was in those moments that I’m sure you felt the fullness of the Friar family.
Over the past few months, I’ve learned about some of those moments since I was here in January. And yes, as Emily (Cavanaugh) said earlier, I learned about that email you received on March 11, 2020, and then nine days later letting you know that you wouldn’t be going back to campus. And for those of you who returned, you slept, Zoomed, socialized, I’m sure, in a mask.
And as you continued through with test after test, you answered a very simple question. In times of crisis, how does the Friar family respond? And you’ve spent the last three years writing your answer. You’re never alone in Friartown. The truth of that simple phrase emblazoned on the front of your gray Nike hoodies was even in the hours spent doing your homework with classmates and friends on Slavin Lawn or even out on the folding chairs. As you look around campus, you could pop a squat next to someone who’s sitting by themselves. The free food trucks brought together friars of all backgrounds to celebrate the common identity of being starving college students. You know, after thousands of COVID tests administered in Peterson, hundreds of campus wide emails from Dean Sears — I heard he emailed a lot — and many semesters of Civ, you all made it, so pat yourself on the back for a second, but also remember how far you’ve come and how far you’re going to go, because this right here is a celebration of new beginnings.
As soon as you walk out of here, it’s about your future. And one of my favorite quotes about the future is a quote from Bobby Kennedy, where he said, “The future does not belong to those who are fearful of bold projects and new ideas, but rather the future belongs to those who can blend passion, reason and courage into a personal commitment to the great ideals and enterprises of American society.”
You all represent passion, reason, and most importantly, courage. And we just watched you walk across the stage and into that next stage of your own future. And you’re probably reflecting back on the food from Ray. I got something to say about that. When I was here, I went to Ray and I heard some complaints and I didn’t understand why. That was a fantastic cafeteria. It was much better than even the cafeteria I saw at Google. You could make your own salad. You could go to the pasta bar. It was fantastic. So give it up one more time for Ray. And this is my point. As you walk forward, you’re not going to have a Ray. It’ll seem that you’re going to be walking to a world that is much different than Friartown.
Unfortunately, there are many things that your generation will have to face that you’ve inherited from mine, and I’m sorry for that. You know, there’s a climate crisis that threatens our agriculture, our infrastructure, and our very way of life. There’s rising inequality that led to over 30% of the nation’s household wealth to be concentrated in the hands of the wealthiest 1%.
There are hate crimes on the rise. Nearly half of all American adolescents have struggled with some type of mental health disorder at some point in their lives. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death of children in the United States. There are all these are all facts, but truthfully, these are facts that might be lived experiences for many of you.
Temperatures and sea levels continue to rise here around my beloved Rhode Island. And there are those of you in this Class of ‘23 who know about the struggles of poverty and racism or both firsthand. And many of you have personal experiences of anxiety and depression and know how painful it is to suffer in silence. All the while you’ve been prayed over by parents, loved ones, friars who keep asking you to keep Providence College from being the next Michigan State or Virginia Tech or Aurora or Uvalde or Sandy Hook or Parkland.
You know, it breaks my heart that the challenges of this world probably no longer come as a surprise to you. And that they have instead become somewhat routine, normal, and expected. But I’m here to remind you that just because something might be expected does not mean you must accept it. Now. Now more than ever, Class of 2023. You guys got it. See, the world needs your leadership. The world needs your brilliance. The world needs your magnificence. The world needs you to step into your purpose. You know, I know, that you’ve gained a lot of knowledge in the classroom and lessons you learned here in Providence College.
Your education here has prepared you to answer a very specific call, the linking of faith and education. There’s nothing more powerful than how you answer that call, as evidenced right here by some of your classmates. There’s a Justin Babu, whose passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, coupled with his love for Providence College, led him to undertake a research study focused on the experiences of students of color on the campus in a recent study that led to concrete recommendations on how to ensure the Friar family remains a community in which all feel like they belong. There’s also a Bianca LaBella, who’s made a lasting impact not only as a student leader here at PC, where she helped launch initiatives to support mental health and well-being for her fellow friars, but also a social worker in the greater Providence community. She’s inspired so many through her commitment of uplifting all around her and. What about Jacqueline Carpenter? If you ever visited McPhail’s on a Thursday night, I’m told that without fail you would have seen, or rather heard, Jacqueline calling out a game of bingo. As trivial as that may sound, it’s just one example of the mission that Jacqueline has been on since her first day in Friartown, a mission that makes sure freshmen all the way up to seniors feel supported, feel heard, feel seen, that their experience in Friartown is the one that she knows and loves.
You see, these three friars are just an example of so many of you who have a vision for the world in what the world can be, as opposed what it is. And you all are going to work to make that happen. But it can’t be real. You know, people may call you crazy if you follow your heart and follow your dreams. They may sow seeds of fear and doubt and say that the world can’t be changed or that couldn’t be the one to change it. But P.S. Class of 2023, you all are going to be the ones that change it. You all represent that because it’s the odds are the same. People who sow fear and doubt are the same people who had dreams themselves that were told by someone that they couldn’t do it.
And, you know, and I am speaking from firsthand experience. When I when I graduated from Harvard with two graduate degrees, you know, I got some six figure job offers from some law firms in New York City. But I turned them down because I wanted to be a professional actor. And when I was when I was here in Providence going to college, I would go to Trinity Rep or I’d come to PC and see theater up at Brown. And I had an opportunity to say, this is what I want to do. This is what my makes my heart beat faster. But so I graduated with these degrees. But I chose a job that you didn’t even need a high school diploma to do. And people called me crazy. And of course, my parents were thrilled. But I started acting when I was young and it was something that I loved, but I didn’t know can actually make a career of it.
Could I do it for a living? And after all these years, the answer is yes, because I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV. I’ve always wanted to say that thank you, because I grew up watching greats like Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte, who did so much to redefine roles that black men could play on stage or screen and used platforms to drive positive social change.
I wanted to, more than anything, to have impact like those men. And even though I was told by so many that I could not, I kept acting anyway because I felt deep down that the change I wanted to impart was a specific way that I had to live through my own purpose. So yes, I applied myself in school, but I gave my all to acting, a thing that made my heart sing and my heart beat faster more than anything else.
And I did not catch my break Early on. I had all these graduate degrees, but I worked in a diner every night from 11 at night to seven in the morning. I’d go home smelling like burgers and fries so that my days could be free to audition and continue my acting classes.
And what kept me going through those long days and long nights was the belief that I was actually walking into my purpose, that I was waiting tables in my purpose, that I was washing dishes in my purpose, that I was sleeping in my purpose. And now, almost three decades later, I know for sure that I was, because through acting, I’ve been able to show the world, including all the young people out there, that doctors can look like me, that intelligence officers can look like me, that crime scene investigators can look like me, that their elected officials can look like me, that garbage men can look like me. Black actors can play all of those roles and many more. And with my platform, I have been able to write these bestselling books to inspire young people, to mobilize resources, to support people, for instance, in Flint, Michigan, after one of the largest public health crises in the state’s history, and advise the president of the United States, who I was honored to go to school with, on our nation’s approach to fighting cancer after being diagnosed with cancer myself. I’ve been able to do all of that simply because I ended up being surrounded by people that told me I could. I often say that fear stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. 99.9% of the fears you carry are false. Surround yourself as you go forward with people who encourage you to take more risk.
Because what’s amazing, PC Class of 2023, is that barring some outlandish pandemic, you’re going to live to be like 150 years old. You do know that, right? Which means you can have three or four different 20-year careers with 10 years in between each to learn a new skill. I don’t think the way my generation and previous generations thought, that you just choose one thing to do and that’s it. You can do so many things. You can live a life so varied, so different if you follow your heart and follow your passion. So how do you want to answer your call, and how do you not want to let folks talk you out of something that deep down in your heart, you know, is connected to your purpose? You all live a life prescribed and hear and see the fears, the doubts and the lies that other people want you to accept is true.
But I want you to step out in faith and believe. Believe me when I say this world needs all of you from all of you. You know, I trust each of you to make the right choice. And as I close, I’ll just end with this quick story. When I was here in January, I wanted to take my time, you know, walking around. I get kind of nostalgic and emotional when I come back to Providence. You’ll find that when you come back here, the same will happen to you. What you’ll see will remind you of these last four years and friends and experiences and things that that won’t be repeated in the rest of your life. And those emotions will come up. So I was I was walking around campus and it was January, so it was a little cold. And I stroll down Eaton Street through Martin Hall and along the brick path that leads from Saint Dominic Chapel to Philips Memorial Library. And when it was finally time for me to head to Peterson for my speech, I made my way over there.
And you know, I was probably 20 feet away from the Slavin doors. And a student was walking out and it looked like she was kind of in a hurry. So I fully expected her to just keep on walking and left the door closed behind her. After all, I was at least 20 feet away.
And I was kind of in my moment, just taking it all in, and taking my sweet time. But I very quickly realized that she was not going to let that door close before I walked through it. And when I finally did, she flashed me a smile, and she said three words: “Friars hold doors.” It was not until much later that I discovered the significance of that phrase here at Providence College.
I can’t tell you how and moved I am to now be a member of the Friar family. That honorary doctorate that was just conveyed means that I can join the alumni board, just like all of you should. But what that means to me is that Friars hold doors open for others. Sure. While entering a building or exiting beyond. But it also means that friars also always help those in need. You know, graduates, the past four years you’ve come across your fair share of doors, doors that stood between you and some goal that you set for yourself, doors that that were uncomfortable, doors that just set out something that was a little bit more difficult than maybe it should have been.
And some doors were heavier than others. They required more strength to open than maybe you even believed you could muster. And although you made it all the way to the door, perhaps you considered just turning around and trying to find another one that wasn’t quite as hard to open, like opening a Sears email. But every time you dug a little deeper and you pulled a little harder than you ever thought you could, you found a way to open the door because Friars hold doors, and just like the friar you are, you didn’t open the door. You held the door for those coming behind. Class of 2023, as you go forth into this world and seek to make a change that only you can, you’ll come across others trying to make a change that only they can make. But because of how life goes, sometimes they may have hit a rough patch and fall down on their luck. But see, you’re a PC friar and you recognize that all they need might just be a little help with the door. They might be on the verge of a scientific breakthrough. But just because of a break down, they just need a little help with the door in. A PC friar can do that. They might be about to launch a world-changing social enterprise, but because of some type of discrimination in the banking system, they may need a little help with the door, and a PC Friar can do that. He might be returning from serving in the military, but because of some visible or invisible wounds, they need a little help with the door. A PC friar can do that. They might be one step away from landing their first role on Broadway, but because of the rising cost of living, they just need a little help with the door. And a PC friar can do that. They might even be preparing to launch some type of activist or political campaign to run for public office because the system favors insiders, not outsiders. They just may need a little help with the door and friars can do that. When you come across these people, no matter what they look like, where they come from, whether they know about Providence College in its greatness, whether they know about Friartown, whether they know what this amazing institution represents or not.
Remember, you are a friar and that friars hold doors. And who knows, maybe by holding the door, you will leave it open for thousands more to walk into their destiny. Providence College Class of 2023, I am so immensely proud of you and I am so immensely excited to see what your future holds. Go forth with passion, with reason, with courage.
Thank you all. God bless you. And go, Friars.
