Brigadier Speech - Class of 2022

(This speech was given at the Class of 2022 Commencement Exercises on May 20, 2022)

Fr. Guillermo M. García-Tuñón, S.J, President of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, José Roca, Principal, Mr. Armando Codina, Jesuit fathers, board of advisors, administration, alumni association, faculty, staff, families, friends, and all those who couldn’t be here today, I have the honor and privilege of presenting to you, my brothers, the class of 2022! 

Through pictures, handshakes, hugs, and congratulations, everyone in different ways is telling us one thing: we got the job done. But not only that we’ve made it to this point, but we did it our way, extraordinarily, the 2022 way. We did it in the manner of Fr. Guillermo M. García-Tuñón, S.J victory and success, the only way we know. We earned twenty million dollars in scholarship funds. We had 5 National merit finalists and 79 AP Scholars. We were the first class in the history of Belen to help run a Tombola that raised over one million dollars for financial assistance. We have a 6-time state champion, 13 athletes going to play collegiate sports, and we are also the only class, in the history of Belen, to win a state championship in each FHSAA season, cross country in the fall, soccer in the winter, and water polo in the spring. But these successes did not come with rays of sunshine and rainbows. None of our teams or individuals could’ve done it without their fair share of long nights, injuries, doubts, blood, sweat, or tears. But they didn’t quit, or say why me, or what could’ve been different? They said: what can I do next? This is a question that I try my hardest to answer when I feel like I’ve failed, or left cards on the table. It’s a question that I encourage you to continuously ask yourself. Rather than dwell on what-ifs or could haves, rather than ask yourself why me, ask yourself what can I do now? 

It’s this question that allows us to continue to pursue our goals, move forward, and at the same time cherish the present. Jesus answered this question when he decided to save all of us. When we seem like we may not know what to do next, or how to move forward, we can always turn to God, to prayer, and faith. We can pause. Belen’s prestige in academics is only secondary to the forging of our faith. And I don’t mean just blindly going through the motions as Catholics, but truly believing and practicing your faith. It’s no secret that each of us isn’t close friends with every single person in the grade. We have friend groups, but specific events like Closeup, proms, and the senior gratitude retreat that brought us closer than ever, are times that I’ll cherish for life. Senior gratitude was one of the most impactful times we shared as a class and one of the many experiences that makes Belen students live in a lifelong brotherhood. or “the Belen mafia” as the cynics call it. That night, although maybe you didn’t realize it, we were practicing our faith in one another and with one another. That’s something we must continue to do. 

Sitting next to all of you tonight, you may see some of your best friends. Those will be the best men and groomsmen at your weddings, they will be the godfathers to your kids. But as you look at all your brothers, you see the people that will clean your teeth, file your taxes, operate on you or your loved ones, ask for your vote, and maybe even represent you after your car crash, injury, slip or fall. And the best part about that would be that after you win the case you can use your compensation to make a recurring donation of twenty dollars and twenty-two cents to your alma mater. 

Honestly, that lifelong bond and impact, although hard to describe, is what makes Belen different. We know the academic rigor of this school because we lived it out. The grueling weeks of assignments, studying, and balancing work with clubs and sports prepared us, but it’s not necessarily what I’m going to miss. What I’m going to miss is the in-between. What some of us Hispanics like to call the “relajo”, which translates directly to the word relax, but we all know it means so much more. It’s the messing around, laughs, long talks at lunch, student sections, events, sports, clubs, and teams. Those are the things we’re going to miss. I’m also going to miss those teachers, which I know almost all of us have, that we became so close to that when we see them later, we won’t be saying bye to a faculty member, we will be saying bye to a friend. For me, some of those people are Mr. Peña, Ms. Busto, Mr. Williams, Mrs. Guerrero, and others. Without them, I wouldn’t be pursuing what I want to pursue or have the right skills and mindset. I’d also like to take a moment to thank my parents, who not only have done so much for our class, but have made me the man I am today. Thank you for instilling in me your values and being my never-ending support. I love you guys. 

Today, May 20th happens to be Cuban Independence Day. In a special way, we remember Belen’s founding fathers’ strife and eventual perseverance to make what we enjoy today. Faculty and students, like the great Father Cartaya, were exiled by a communist regime with nothing left to their name. They, too, were the ones who didn’t ask why me or what if, they asked what next. And the answer, well this is the answer. We are the answer. But prior to that exile, exactly 120 years ago today, a United States Brigadier General and politician handed the keys of Cuba to the Cuban president, and an era of pain was over. This reminds us to always go out of our way to help others, even if we think it’s not our problem. It reminds us to not accept complacency. We can always work together to achieve freedom and a brighter tomorrow. As all of you embark on new 4, 7, or even 10-year journeys, just know to never make money or power a target, because it will be that much more devastating to miss. Don’t use your career as a pedestal to stand on, put your career and the impact that you make on the biggest pedestal: you. 

Since yesterday morning we’ve been members of the alumni association and technically still students at the same time. But as soon as I walk off of this stage, we will be students no longer. If I can leave just one message for you to hold in your hearts and minds today, it’s this: although this may be the end of an era, it’s only the beginning of a lifetime. I want to thank you all for the past 7 years, for all the memories, and for this incredible honor. I love you all. May God bless you all, and God bless Belen Jesuit.