Los Angeles High School senior Lincoln Debenham took to Twitter last month asking former President Barack Obama to give a national commencement address to graduates across the country.
In response to his viral post that tallied a quarter-million likes, the former President and First Lady Michelle Obama are now planning to do just that.
A YouTube special, called “Dear Class of 2020,” will take place on June 6, but it won’t be just an ordinary commencement speech.
It has turned into a star-studded event featuring appearances by Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and the Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist Malala Yousafzai.
YouTube is partnering with Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative to showcase student stories, and feature graduates around the world, including a crowd-sourced commencement speech.
This will mark the first time the former President has given a commencement address since he left office in 2017. As President, he gave more than 20 graduation addresses at schools and universities across the country. Read some of his inspiring words here.
In addition, Mr. 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, featuring LeBron James, Malala, the Jonas Brothers, Pharrell Williams, and others, which will air on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC as well as many digital streaming partners from 8-9 p.m. ET.
