“I think all states but one allow gay adoption – that’s a position that’s been decided by most of the state legislatures, so I simply acknowledge the fact that gay adoption is legal in all of the states but one.”

No state specifically restricts lesbian, gay or bisexual single individuals from adoption (Florida’s ban ended in 2011). Beyond that, Governor Romney’s comments are incorrect. By law, same-sex couples cannot adopt in Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Utah.  By law, second-parent adoption is explicitly legal in just 26 states and the District of Columbia; with joint adoption explicitly legal in 18 states and the District of Columbia. The truth is that in the vast majority of states, adoption by LGB individuals and families is unclear and left to the discretion of judges, state agencies and adoption agencies who may discriminate. Learn more about state-by-state laws governing same-sex adoption.

“Mitt Romney’s remarks last week regarding same-sex adoption are wrong and, worse, they trivialize the very real and persistent obstacles qualified LGBT individuals and couples face in adopting and starting families,” said HRC Vice President of Communications Fred Sainz. “Every year, there are hundreds of thousands of kids who desperately need their forever family. LGBT individuals and families are perfectly qualified to provide that loving home. Leading medical, mental health and child welfare organizations have said time and again that sexual orientation and gender identity have absolutely nothing to do with the ability to be a parent to a child in need of a loving home. Governor Romney should clarify his muddled position and embrace adoption by loving and committed gay and lesbian parents.”

Even in those states that allow LGBT individuals to adopt, many still face discrimination. In fact, 29 states have no non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation, and 34 states on the basis of gender identity.

This isn’t the first time Romney has sent head-scratching messages on same-sex adoption. In a CNN interview during the 2008 GOP primary, Romney reiterated his belief that every child should have a mother and a father, but pointed out that as governor of Massachusetts, he took no action to prevent LGBT individuals or couples from adopting. This is yet another example of Romney sending different messages to different audiences as he seeks the presidency.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, an organization dedicated to the health and well-being of children, supports legislation that allows both partners in a same-sex couple to jointly adopt children.  The American Psychological Association supports initiatives which allow same-sex couples to adopt and co-parent children and supports all the associated legal rights, benefits, and responsibilities which arise from such initiatives.

The Courage Campaign has initiated a petition to remove Pacquiao as Nike spokesperson.

“He has lost many fans, unfortunately, and gained many critics.” said Anna Leah Sarabia, anthropologist and gender and development specialist. “He is trying to make up for lack of knowledge on social issues by being self-righteous and quoting the Bible out of context, and parroting the brainless statements of homophobic and misogynist priests and politicians.”

Danton Remoto, chair of the Ladlad LGBT political party, also told the Inquirer: “Like Miriam Quiambao, Pacquiao speaks with the zeal of the newly converted about things he knows nothing about. His reading of Christian teachings is narrow-minded, bigoted and, I am sorry to say, ignorant.”

The New Civil Rights Movement has dismissed much of the original interview at the Examiner citing poor writing and bad journalism skills that misinterpreted the boxer’s words. Last year, Pacquiano partnered with Cat Power and Giovanni Ribisi in a music video in which proceeds benefited LGBT youth.

According to Pacquiano’s official statement, the boxer does not believe the gay community deserves death as the original article in the Examiner quoted:

Manny Pacquiao has never stated that anyone in the Gay Community deserved death.

His statements were taken out of context, and were not his opinion.

Pacquiao is simply against the marriage of anyone that is not Man and Woman as he believes is stated in theBible.

“I didn’t say that, that’s a lie… I didn’t know that quote from Leviticus because I haven’t read the Book of Leviticus yet,” he said.

Pacquiao does not now and has never believed that people deserve death because of their sexual orientation.

Tuesday, the San Diego City Council approved a 65’ Rainbow Flag monument to be built on the median of Normal St. and University Ave.

The announcement follows one week after the Same City Council approved the renaming of Blaine Avenue to Harvey Milk street, marks two major victories for the LGBT community is San Diego.

Speaking in opposition were James Hartline an anti-LGBT activist, Steven Greenwald a lesser known mayoral candidate and Jack Sampier a pastor of the Assembly of God Calvary Temple.

“Private businesses on private property can fly whatever flag they want or advertise the way they want on their private property.” Hartline said. “This issue at hand is the middle of a major public transit intersection on public, government land and a median that is paid for by the taxpayers. It is a huge leap of unconstitutional prowl on the part of the city to take that public land and give it away. Particularly without any open bid process and give it to a private and give that land to a private political group to build a particular political message, a message which has no basis for government endorsement or government promotion”

“I did not object to the street name change.” said Pastor Jack Sampier referencing Blaine avenue’s renaming to Harvey Milk Street. “It’s a street I have no problem with that but a flag of the size that we’re talking about here represents more than a place designation. It represents power, authority, dominion, governments and governance such as that. It is one thing to place a flag over a building which you have ownership but to place a flag of this nature over a community signifies ownership.”

“The flag represents tolerance and diversity which are both values that are very important to Hillcrest.” said Nicholas Meade, president of the Hillcrest Business Association.

“One of the concerns that have at the planning commission and have come up today was that this sets some sort of precedence on public land. It is our position that there is already a precedent for cultural monuments on public land and San Diegans celebrate these monuments.”  Said Benjamin Nichols, Executive Director of the Hillcrest Business Association highlighting cultural monuments such as the Japanese Friendship Garden, and the International village in Balboa park.

Also speaking in favor were Christopher Ward of the Uptown Planners; Dwayne Crenshaw, executive director of San Diego LGBT Pride and various community activists and leaders.

Courtney Ray of Urban Mo’s and Sean Cute business owner and secretary for the Hillcrest Business Association describe themselves as straight allies. Cute gave an emotional testimony of his support for the project. “This flag right here, it represents everybody.” Said Cute as he held a rainbow flag. “It’s an iconic symbol right now of the diversity of our neighborhood as well as the civil rights movement in our country right now. “

“This is an excellent opportunity to show everyone who lives in San Diego and who visits San Diego that we are a loving and tolerant people.” Said Council President Young in his remarks.

Councilmember Todd Gloria, who is openly gay and represents District 3, where the flag will be placed confirmed with the city attorney’s office the legality of the action and with Benjamin Nichols the fact that no there was no taxpayer liability before making the motion to support the measure, seconded by Council Member Carl DeMaio, another openly gay council member and leading candidate to succeed termed out San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders.

Before voting, Council Member Sherri Lightner asked Benjamin Nichols when the project would be done. When he responded “assuming” she interrupted. “No assuming, come on, when is it going to be done?”

Benjamin Nichols informed the council that construction would start on June 18th with the intent of being done for this year’s San Diego Pride celebration. “I look forward to seeing it.” Lightner said. “It better be done.” The audience erupted in applause.

“She serious!” Said Council President Young.
The motion passed unanimously with 7 council members in favor and Council Member Lorie Zapf in opposition. Council Member Zapf was unable to attend due to a family medical situation.

While approved unanimously by the City Council the project had faced significant opposition on its way to the council dais. At a Feb. 17 Uptown Planners meeting the project narrowly passed in an 8-6 vote.

On Apr. 26 the San Diego Planning Commission, an advisory body to the City Council voted 4 to 2 to send a recommendation of disapproval of the project.

With the final decision now made by the City Council construction will begin on Jun 18th and the raising of the flag will occur at the San Diego LGBT Pride Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 20.

The project is still in need of private donors, and an event, the Amazing High Heels Race to be held on Jun. 19 will help towards the costs of the project. San Diego LGBT Pride has committed to the maintenance of the flag year round.

The LAPD immediately launched an investigation into the threat since it appeared to have been generated from a local pay phone. As of 12:30pm, there has been no additional evidence to validate the threat. The investigation is ongoing and the department will continue to coordinate efforts with counterparts in Washington DC. The LGBT authorities were notified by Washington Metro Police Department and they have taken measures to ensure the safety of their patrons and employees.

Det. Villanueva of LAPD said it is routine for the department to notify any agency, individuals or entities where the threat is located to “ensure public safety.” He said they don’t know yet whether the call was credible or not, nor would he release any more information such as the location of the pay phone from which the call was made.

Photo Credit: Pink News

Four men are scheduled to hang in the town of Choram in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province of Iran. Saadat Arefi, Vahid Akbari, Javid Akbari and Houshmand Akbari have been sentenced to death for alleged sodomy, according to the Iranian Human Rights Activist News. Reports of their pending execution coincide with the launch of “LGBT Republic of Iran”, a pioneering report that documents the experiences of a diverse range of LGBT Iranians who live, or have lived, under the repressive, homophobic Tehran regime – and the importance of the internet to their lives, as means to meet, support each other, learn about LGBT life in the outside world and evade the censorship of their government.

The launch takes place on the eve of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), on Wednesday 16 May 2012 at 6:30pm, at Amnesty International’s Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London, EC2A 3EA. Map: goo.gl/eS9C7

Admission to the event is free, however, those who wish to attend need to reserve in advance. Please register here: goo.gl/ZLjRL
Wednesday’s event includes an overview of the report’s findings by Small Media’s Director of Operations, Dr Bronwen Robertson, a music performance from Iranian guitarist Ramtin Montazemi, a Q&A panel of Iranian experts moderated by the Guardian’s Brian Whitaker, featuring lesbian activist Shadi Amin, human rights lawyer Mehri Jafari, Guardian journalist Saeed Kamali Dehghan; as well as human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

There will be a poetry reading of work by Iranian LGBT literary activists, a short film about Iranian LGBT refugees in Turkey, and video messages from LGBT Iranians who are enduring the repression of the Iranian government.

In an interview that aired Tuesday on ABC’s “The View,” Obama wouldn’t commit to fighting for the the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act — a federal law that defines marriage as the legal union between one man and one woman.

“My Justice Department has said to the courts, we don’t think the Defense of Marriage Act is constitutional,” the president said. “This is something that historically had been determined at the state level and part of my believing ultimately that civil unions weren’t sufficient.”

But pressed further about whether he would fight to repeal DOMA, Obama would only say, “Congress is clearly on notice that I think it’s a bad idea.”

More than 30 states have voted in favor of constitutional amendments that defend the traditional definition of marriage as a heterosexual union.

The president does see the issue looming large in the 2012 election.

“This is going to be a big contrast in the campaign, because you’ve got Gov. (Mitt) Romney saying we should actually have a constitutional amendment installing the notion that you can’t have same-sex marriages,” Obama said in the interview, recorded Monday.

Last week, Romney reaffirmed his position on gay marriage, saying marriage “should be a relationship between a man and a woman.”

“Let me make it very clear, that my preference is to have a national standard that defines marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman,” Romney said. “That would then allow states to determine what rights would be provided for people of the same gender that wanted to have a relationship.”

While the full political implications of the president‘s same-sex marriage statement remain to be seen, Gallup released a poll Friday showing 51% of Americans approve of Obama’s support for allowing gay couples to marry, while 45% disapprove. The survey was conducted entirely after he announced his endorsement in an ABC News interview on Wednesday.

And a new Gallup poll out Monday gave further details into American attitudes on the topic. While 50% approve of same-sex marriage, a further breakdown of the numbers shows a significant gender gap: 56% of women say couples of the same gender should be legally allowed to marry, while 42% of men feel the same way.

This is Obama’s fourth appearance on “The View” and his second since taking up residence in the White House.

	POL-Obama-Same-Sex-Marriage-2-Image(s) Available (Originally Published: 5/15/2012 4:24 AM)  Update 12:12 p.m. — retops with interview aired Highlights  Poll: 51% of Americans approve of President Obama’s support for same-sex marriage This issue is going to be a big contrast in the 2012 campaign, Obama says Mitt Romney says marriage should be between a man and a woman This is Obama’s fourth appearance on “The View” Obama talks same-sex marriage on ‘The View’   By the CNN Wire Staff (CNN) — Last week, Barack Obama went on record as the first American president to support same-sex marriage, but he doesn’t appear ready to take his commitment beyond the endorsement stage. In an interview that aired Tuesday on ABC’s “The View,” Obama wouldn’t commit to fighting for the the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act — a federal law that defines marriage as the legal union between one man and one woman. “My Justice Department has said to the courts, we don’t think the Defense of Marriage Act is constitutional,” the president said. “This is something that historically had been determined at the state level and part of my believing ultimately that civil unions weren’t sufficient.” But pressed further about whether he would fight to repeal DOMA, Obama would only say, “Congress is clearly on notice that I think it’s a bad idea.” More than 30 states have voted in favor of constitutional amendments that defend the traditional definition of marriage as a heterosexual union. The president does see the issue looming large in the 2012 election. “This is going to be a big contrast in the campaign, because you’ve got Gov. (Mitt) Romney saying we should actually have a constitutional amendment installing the notion that you can’t have same-sex marriages,” Obama said in the interview, recorded Monday. Last week, Romney reaffirmed his position on gay marriage, saying marriage “should be a relationship between a man and a woman.” “Let me make it very clear, that my preference is to have a national standard that defines marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman,” Romney said. “That would then allow states to determine what rights would be provided for people of the same gender that wanted to have a relationship.” While the full political implications of the president‘s same-sex marriage statement remain to be seen, Gallup released a poll Friday showing 51% of Americans approve of Obama’s support for allowing gay couples to marry, while 45% disapprove. The survey was conducted entirely after he announced his endorsement in an ABC News interview on Wednesday. And a new Gallup poll out Monday gave further details into American attitudes on the topic. While 50% approve of same-sex marriage, a further breakdown of the numbers shows a significant gender gap: 56% of women say couples of the same gender should be legally allowed to marry, while 42% of men feel the same way. This is Obama’s fourth appearance on “The View” and his second since taking up residence in the White House. The-CNN-Wire/Atlanta/+1-404-827-WIRE(9473) ™ & © 2012 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.	President Obama Gay…

President Obama at Barnard College/Source: Barnard College - Asiya Khaki

President Obama gave a commencement address at Barnard College today, taking the stage just moments after Evan Wolfson, president and founder of Freedom to Marry, received the Barnard Medal of Distinction from the prestigious women’s college.

Coming on the heels of Obama’s historic statement last week in support of same-sex marriage, the speech was infused with enthusiasm for action on behalf of civil rights and greater equality nationwide.

At one point, Obama noted the struggle that many young people face when striving to make their mark on society – but added that, “What young generations have done before should give you hope.”

“Young folks who marched and mobilized and stood up and sat in, from Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall, didn’t just do it for themselves. They did it for other people. That’s how we achieved women’s rights, that’s how we achieved voting rights, that’s how we achieved workers rights, that’s how we achieved gay rights, and that’s how we’ve made this union more perfect,” the president said.

Obama’s decision to reiterate his support for gay rights at Barnard comes only a few days after Mitt Romney, the president’s presumptive challenger for the White House this fall, addressed graduates at an evangelical university that bans openly gay students from attendance.

Read the official White House transcript of the president’s address below:

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

AT BARNARD COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

Barnard College

Columbia University

New York, New York

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Please, please have a seat.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

Thank you, President Spar, trustees, President Bollinger.  Hello, Class of 2012!  (Applause.)  Congratulations on reaching this day.  Thank you for the honor of being able to be a part of it.

There are so many people who are proud of you — your parents, family, faculty, friends — all who share in this achievement.  So please give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  To all the moms who are here today, you could not ask for a better Mother’s Day gift than to see all of these folks graduate.  (Applause.)

I have to say, though, whenever I come to these things, I start thinking about Malia and Sasha graduating, and I start tearing up and — (laughter) — it’s terrible.  I don’t know how you guys are holding it together.  (Laughter.)

I will begin by telling a hard truth:  I’m a Columbia college graduate.  (Laughter and applause.)  I know there can be a little bit of a sibling rivalry here.  (Laughter.)  But I’m honored nevertheless to be your commencement speaker today — although I’ve got to say, you set a pretty high bar given the past three years.  (Applause.)  Hillary Clinton — (applause) — Meryl Streep — (applause) — Sheryl Sandberg — these are not easy acts to follow.  (Applause.)

But I will point out Hillary is doing an extraordinary job as one of the finest Secretaries of State America has ever had.  (Applause.)  We gave Meryl the Presidential Medal of Arts and Humanities.  (Applause.)  Sheryl is not just a good friend; she’s also one of our economic advisers.  So it’s like the old saying goes — keep your friends close, and your Barnard commencement speakers even closer.  (Applause.)  There’s wisdom in that.  (Laughter.)

Now, the year I graduated — this area looks familiar — (laughter) — the year I graduated was 1983, the first year women were admitted to Columbia.  (Applause.)  Sally Ride was the first American woman in space.  Music was all about Michael and the Moonwalk.  (Laughter.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Do it!  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  No Moonwalking.  (Laughter.)  No Moonwalking today.  (Laughter.)

We had the Walkman, not iPods.  Some of the streets around here were not quite so inviting.  (Laughter.)  Times Square was not a family destination.  (Laughter.)  So I know this is all ancient history.  Nothing worse than commencement speakers droning on about bygone days.  (Laughter.)  But for all the differences, the Class of 1983 actually had a lot in common with all of you.  For we, too, were heading out into a world at a moment when our country was still recovering from a particularly severe economic recession.  It was a time of change.  It was a time of uncertainty.  It was a time of passionate political debates.

You can relate to this because just as you were starting out finding your way around this campus, an economic crisis struck that would claim more than 5 million jobs before the end of your freshman year.  Since then, some of you have probably seen parents put off retirement, friends struggle to find work.  And you may be looking toward the future with that same sense of concern that my generation did when we were sitting where you are now.

Of course, as young women, you’re also going to grapple with some unique challenges, like whether you’ll be able to earn equal pay for equal work; whether you’ll be able to balance the demands of your job and your family; whether you’ll be able to fully control decisions about your own health.

And while opportunities for women have grown exponentially over the last 30 years, as young people, in many ways you have it even tougher than we did.  This recession has been more brutal, the job losses steeper.  Politics seems nastier.  Congress more gridlocked than ever.  Some folks in the financial world have not exactly been model corporate citizens.  (Laughter.)

No wonder that faith in our institutions has never been lower, particularly when good news doesn’t get the same kind of ratings as bad news anymore.  Every day you receive a steady stream of sensationalism and scandal and stories with a message that suggest change isn’t possible; that you can’t make a difference; that you won’t be able to close that gap between life as it is and life as you want it to be.

My job today is to tell you don’t believe it.  Because as tough as things have been, I am convinced you are tougher.  I’ve seen your passion and I’ve seen your service.  I’ve seen you engage and I’ve seen you turn out in record numbers.  I’ve heard your voices amplified by creativity and a digital fluency that those of us in older generations can barely comprehend.  I’ve seen a generation eager, impatient even, to step into the rushing waters of history and change its course.

And that defiant, can-do spirit is what runs through the veins of American history.  It’s the lifeblood of all our progress.  And it is that spirit which we need your generation to embrace and rekindle right now.

See, the question is not whether things will get better — they always do.  The question is not whether we’ve got the solutions to our challenges — we’ve had them within our grasp for quite some time.  We know, for example, that this country would be better off if more Americans were able to get the kind of education that you’ve received here at Barnard — (applause) — if more people could get the specific skills and training that employers are looking for today.

We know that we’d all be better off if we invest in science and technology that sparks new businesses and medical breakthroughs; if we developed more clean energy so we could use less foreign oil and reduce the carbon pollution that’s threatening our planet.  (Applause.)

We know that we’re better off when there are rules that stop big banks from making bad bets with other people’s money and — (applause) — when insurance companies aren’t allowed to drop your coverage when you need it most or charge women differently from men.  (Applause.)  Indeed, we know we are better off when women are treated fairly and equally in every aspect of American life — whether it’s the salary you earn or the health decisions you make.  (Applause.)

We know these things to be true.  We know that our challenges are eminently solvable.  The question is whether together, we can muster the will — in our own lives, in our common institutions, in our politics — to bring about the changes we need.  And I’m convinced your generation possesses that will.  And I believe that the women of this generation — that all of you will help lead the way.  (Applause.)

Now, I recognize that’s a cheap applause line when you’re giving a commencement at Barnard.  (Laughter.)  It’s the easy thing to say.  But it’s true.  It is — in part, it is simple math.  Today, women are not just half this country; you’re half its workforce.  (Applause.)  More and more women are out-earning their husbands.  You’re more than half of our college graduates, and master’s graduates, and PhDs.  (Applause.)   So you’ve got us outnumbered.  (Laughter.)

After decades of slow, steady, extraordinary progress, you are now poised to make this the century where women shape not only their own destiny but the destiny of this nation and of this world.

But how far your leadership takes this country, how far it takes this world — well, that will be up to you.  You’ve got to want it.  It will not be handed to you.  And as someone who wants that future — that better future — for you, and for Malia and Sasha, as somebody who’s had the good fortune of being the husband and the father and the son of some strong, remarkable women, allow me to offer just a few pieces of advice.  That’s obligatory.  (Laughter.)  Bear with me.

My first piece of advice is this:  Don’t just get involved.  Fight for your seat at the table.  Better yet, fight for a seat at the head of the table.  (Applause.)

It’s been said that the most important role in our democracy is the role of citizen.  And indeed, it was 225 years ago today that the Constitutional Convention opened in Philadelphia, and our founders, citizens all, began crafting an extraordinary document.  Yes, it had its flaws — flaws that this nation has strived to protect (perfect) over time.  Questions of race and gender were unresolved.  No woman’s signature graced the original document — although we can assume that there were founding mothers whispering smarter things in the ears of the founding fathers.   (Applause.)  I mean, that’s almost certain.

What made this document special was that it provided the space — the possibility — for those who had been left out of our charter to fight their way in.  It provided people the language to appeal to principles and ideals that broadened democracy’s reach.  It allowed for protest, and movements, and the dissemination of new ideas that would repeatedly, decade after decade, change the world — a constant forward movement that continues to this day.

Our founders understood that America does not stand still; we are dynamic, not static.  We look forward, not back.  And now that new doors have been opened for you, you’ve got an obligation to seize those opportunities.

You need to do this not just for yourself but for those who don’t yet enjoy the choices that you’ve had, the choices you will have.  And one reason many workplaces still have outdated policies is because women only account for 3 percent of the CEOs at Fortune 500 companies.  One reason we’re actually refighting long-settled battles over women’s rights is because women occupy fewer than one in five seats in Congress.

Now, I’m not saying that the only way to achieve success is by climbing to the top of the corporate ladder or running for office — although, let’s face it, Congress would get a lot more done if you did.  (Laughter and applause.)  That I think we’re sure about.  But if you decide not to sit yourself at the table, at the very least you’ve got to make sure you have a say in who does.  It matters.

Before women like Barbara Mikulski and Olympia Snowe and others got to Congress, just to take one example, much of federally-funded research on diseases focused solely on their effects on men.  It wasn’t until women like Patsy Mink and Edith Green got to Congress and passed Title IX, 40 years ago this year, that we declared women, too, should be allowed to compete and win on America’s playing fields.  (Applause.)  Until a woman named Lilly Ledbetter showed up at her office and had the courage to step up and say, you know what, this isn’t right, women weren’t being treated fairly — we lacked some of the tools we needed to uphold the basic principle of equal pay for equal work.

So don’t accept somebody else’s construction of the way things ought to be.  It’s up to you to right wrongs.  It’s up to you to point out injustice.  It’s up to you to hold the system accountable and sometimes upend it entirely.  It’s up to you to stand up and to be heard, to write and to lobby, to march, to organize, to vote.  Don’t be content to just sit back and watch.

Those who oppose change, those who benefit from an unjust status quo, have always bet on the public’s cynicism or the public’s complacency.  Throughout American history, though, they have lost that bet, and I believe they will this time as well.  (Applause.)  But ultimately, Class of 2012, that will depend on you.  Don’t wait for the person next to you to be the first to speak up for what’s right.  Because maybe, just maybe, they’re waiting on you.

Which brings me to my second piece of advice:  Never underestimate the power of your example.  The very fact that you are graduating, let alone that more women now graduate from college than men, is only possible because earlier generations of women — your mothers, your grandmothers, your aunts — shattered the myth that you couldn’t or shouldn’t be where you are.  (Applause.)

I think of a friend of mine who’s the daughter of immigrants.  When she was in high school, her guidance counselor told her, you know what, you’re just not college material.  You should think about becoming a secretary.  Well, she was stubborn, so she went to college anyway.  She got her master’s.  She ran for local office, won.  She ran for state office, she won.  She ran for Congress, she won.  And lo and behold, Hilda Solis did end up becoming a secretary — (laughter) — she is America’s Secretary of Labor.  (Applause.)

So think about what that means to a young Latina girl when she sees a Cabinet secretary that looks like her.  (Applause.)  Think about what it means to a young girl in Iowa when she sees a presidential candidate who looks like her.  Think about what it means to a young girl walking in Harlem right down the street when she sees a U.N. ambassador who looks like her.  Do not underestimate the power of your example.

This diploma opens up new possibilities, so reach back, convince a young girl to earn one, too.  If you earned your degree in areas where we need more women — like computer science or engineering — (applause) — reach back and persuade another student to study it, too.  If you’re going into fields where we need more women, like construction or computer engineering — reach back, hire someone new.  Be a mentor.  Be a role model.

Until a girl can imagine herself, can picture herself as a computer programmer, or a combatant commander, she won’t become one.  Until there are women who tell her, ignore our pop culture obsession over beauty and fashion — (applause) — and focus instead on studying and inventing and competing and leading, she’ll think those are the only things that girls are supposed to care about.  Now, Michelle will say, nothing wrong with caring about it a little bit.  (Laughter.)  You can be stylish and powerful, too.  (Applause.)  That’s Michelle’s advice.  (Applause.)

And never forget that the most important example a young girl will ever follow is that of a parent.  Malia and Sasha are going to be outstanding women because Michelle and Marian Robinson are outstanding women.  So understand your power, and use it wisely.

My last piece of advice — this is simple, but perhaps most important:  Persevere.  Persevere.  Nothing worthwhile is easy.  No one of achievement has avoided failure — sometimes catastrophic failures.  But they keep at it.  They learn from mistakes.  They don’t quit.

You know, when I first arrived on this campus, it was with little money, fewer options.  But it was here that I tried to find my place in this world.  I knew I wanted to make a difference, but it was vague how in fact I’d go about it.  (Laughter.)  But I wanted to do my part to do my part to shape a better world.

So even as I worked after graduation in a few unfulfilling jobs here in New York — I will not list them all — (laughter) — even as I went from motley apartment to motley apartment, I reached out.  I started to write letters to community organizations all across the country.  And one day, a small group of churches on the South Side of Chicago answered, offering me work with people in neighborhoods hit hard by steel mills that were shutting down and communities where jobs were dying away.

The community had been plagued by gang violence, so once I arrived, one of the first things we tried to do was to mobilize a meeting with community leaders to deal with gangs.  And I’d worked for weeks on this project.  We invited the police; we made phone calls; we went to churches; we passed out flyers.  The night of the meeting we arranged rows and rows of chairs in anticipation of this crowd.  And we waited, and we waited.  And finally, a group of older folks walked in to the hall and they sat down.  And this little old lady raised her hand and asked, “Is this where the bingo game is?”  (Laughter.)  It was a disaster.  Nobody showed up.  My first big community meeting — nobody showed up.

And later, the volunteers I worked with told me, that’s it; we’re quitting.  They’d been doing this for two years even before I had arrived.  They had nothing to show for it.  And I’ll be honest, I felt pretty discouraged as well.  I didn’t know what I was doing.  I thought about quitting.  And as we were talking, I looked outside and saw some young boys playing in a vacant lot across the street.  And they were just throwing rocks up at a boarded building.  They had nothing better to do  — late at night, just throwing rocks.  And I said to the volunteers, “Before you quit, answer one question.  What will happen to those boys if you quit?  Who will fight for them if we don’t?  Who will give them a fair shot if we leave?

And one by one, the volunteers decided not to quit.  We went back to those neighborhoods and we kept at it.  We registered new voters, and we set up after-school programs, and we fought for new jobs, and helped people live lives with some measure of dignity.  And we sustained ourselves with those small victories.  We didn’t set the world on fire.  Some of those communities are still very poor.  There are still a lot of gangs out there.  But I believe that it was those small victories that helped me win the bigger victories of my last three and a half years as President.

And I wish I could say that this perseverance came from some innate toughness in me.  But the truth is, it was learned.  I got it from watching the people who raised me.  More specifically, I got it from watching the women who shaped my life.

I grew up as the son of a single mom who struggled to put herself through school and make ends meet.  She had marriages that fell apart; even went on food stamps at one point to help us get by.  But she didn’t quit.  And she earned her degree, and made sure that through scholarships and hard work, my sister and I earned ours.  She used to wake me up when we were living overseas — wake me up before dawn to study my English

lessons.  And when I’d complain, she’d just look at me and say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.”  (Laughter.)

And my mom ended up dedicating herself to helping women

around the world access the money they needed to start their own businesses — she was an early pioneer in microfinance.  And that meant, though, that she was gone a lot, and she had her own struggles trying to figure out balancing motherhood and a career.  And when she was gone, my grandmother stepped up to take care of me.

She only had a high school education.  She got a job at a local bank.  She hit the glass ceiling, and watched men she once trained promoted up the ladder ahead of her.  But she didn’t quit.  Rather than grow hard or angry each time she got passed over, she kept doing her job as best as she knew how, and ultimately ended up being vice president at the bank.  She didn’t quit.

And later on, I met a woman who was assigned to advise me on my first summer job at a law firm.  And she gave me such good advice that I married her.  (Laughter.)  And Michelle and I gave everything we had to balance our careers and a young family.  But let’s face it, no matter how enlightened I must have thought myself to be, it often fell more on her shoulders when I was traveling, when I was away.  I know that when she was with our girls, she’d feel guilty that she wasn’t giving enough time to her work, and when she was at her work, she’d feel guilty she wasn’t giving enough time to our girls.  And both of us wished we had some superpower that would let us be in two places at once.  But we persisted.  We made that marriage work.

And the reason Michelle had the strength to juggle everything, and put up with me and eventually the public spotlight, was because she, too, came from a family of folks who didn’t quit — because she saw her dad get up and go to work every day even though he never finished college, even though he had crippling MS.  She saw her mother, even though she never finished college, in that school, that urban school, every day making sure Michelle and her brother were getting the education they deserved.  Michelle saw how her parents never quit.  They never indulged in self-pity, no matter how stacked the odds were against them.  They didn’t quit.

Those are the folks who inspire me.  People ask me sometimes, who inspires you, Mr. President?  Those quiet heroes all across this country — some of your parents and grandparents who are sitting here — no fanfare, no articles written about them, they just persevere.  They just do their jobs.  They meet their responsibilities.  They don’t quit.  I’m only here because of them.  They may not have set out to change the world, but in small, important ways, they did.  They certainly changed mine.

So whether it’s starting a business, or running for office, or raising a amazing family, remember that making your mark on the world is hard.  It takes patience.  It takes commitment.  It comes with plenty of setbacks and it comes with plenty of failures.

But whenever you feel that creeping cynicism, whenever you hear those voices say you can’t make a difference, whenever somebody tells you to set your sights lower — the trajectory of this country should give you hope.  Previous generations should give you hope.  What young generations have done before should give you hope.  Young folks who marched and mobilized and stood up and sat in, from Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall, didn’t just do it for themselves; they did it for other people.  (Applause.)

That’s how we achieved women’s rights.  That’s how we achieved voting rights.  That’s how we achieved workers’ rights.  That’s how we achieved gay rights.  (Applause.)  That’s how we’ve made this Union more perfect.  (Applause.)

And if you’re willing to do your part now, if you’re willing to reach up and close that gap between what America is and what America should be, I want you to know that I will be right there with you.  (Applause.)  If you are ready to fight for that brilliant, radically simple idea of America that no matter who you are or what you look like, no matter who you love or what God you worship, you can still pursue your own happiness, I will join you every step of the way.  (Applause.)

Now more than ever — now more than ever, America needs what you, the Class of 2012, has to offer.  America needs you to reach high and hope deeply.  And if you fight for your seat at the table, and you set a better example, and you persevere in what you decide to do with your life, I have every faith not only that you will succeed, but that, through you, our nation will continue to be a beacon of light for men and women, boys and girls, in every corner of the globe.

So thank you.  Congratulations.  (Applause.)  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

In the first case, a man with HIV filed a claim after seeking care at Mercy Medical Group Midtown Clinic in Sacramento, California. The United States found that, although surgery was a viable treatment option, the attending podiatrist at the clinic told the claimant he would not perform surgery due to risk of contracting HIV during the procedure – an act that violates ADA, or the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The second case involved a male HIV patient seeking care for injuries sustained in a car accident at the Knoxville Chiropractic Clinic North in Knoxville, Tennessee. While the chiropractor who treated the patient initially recommended 24 visits, the claimant was turned away after only two visits after the receptionist said that they could not offer care to people “like him” at the facility. The United States found the chiropractic clinic’s policy to be in violation of ADA.

Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, said of the claims, “It is critical that people with disabilities, including HIV, not be denied equal access to goods and services, especially to health care services.  The Civil Rights Division takes discrimination based on unfounded fears and stereotypes about HIV very seriously.”

Both the Sacramento and Knoxville clinics will be required to implement non-discrimination policies as part of the settlement terms, as well as civil penalty fees. The Mercy Medical Group and CHW Medical Foundation must also pay $60,000 in damages to the complainant.

In response to this year’s ranking, the company issued the following press release:

Ernst & Young LLP ranks no. 6 on The 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list, marking the fourth consecutive year the firm appears in the top 10. This is also the seventh consecutive year the firm ranks in the top 50, of its nine appearances on the list to date.

Additionally, Ernst & Young LLP was named The 2012 DiversityInc Top Company for Global Cultural Competence and will be one of eight companies recognized for unique achievements and diversity management innovations at the 2012 DiversityInc Special Awards event this October.

In other awards announced by DiversityInc, Ernst & Young ranks:

No. 1 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities

No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity

No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women

No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees

No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention

Luke Visconti, CEO of DiversityInc, said the following regarding Ernst & Young LLP’s 2012 listing: “Ernst & Young has strong values and a talent-development model that is exemplary in the United States and around the world. The organization’s leadership is deeply committed to creating an inclusive workforce, including major efforts to help disadvantaged youth. Led by Global Chairman and CEO James Turley, the global Ernst & Young organization has had remarkable success in getting its employees involved in diversity and inclusion. For example, Ernst & Young LLP has 88% more employees as members of at least two resource groups than the remaining DiversityInc Top 10. The recent appointment of Karyn Twaronite, a partner with significant experience and influence, to head the diversity efforts in the Americas is a signal of how important diversity is at this company.”

The 12th annual list was announced on April 24 at The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity Dinner in New York City, attended by nearly 600 corporate leaders. A total of 587 companies participated in the 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 competition, up 11 percent from last year. The list includes companies from a wide range of industries, such as consulting, retail, manufacturing and banking.

“We’ve moved beyond examining our return on investing in diversity and inclusiveness,” said Stephen Howe Jr., Managing Partner, Ernst & Young LLP. “Given this is a global business priority of our organization, it’s embedded in everything we do. Our diversity and inclusiveness leader reports to me and is on our operating committee. Business imperatives don’t settle for the sidelines.”

Karyn L. Twaronite, Americas Inclusiveness Officer, Ernst & Young LLP, added, “Diversity and inclusiveness are not an appendage to our business strategy — both are central to the success of our people and our markets. All of our people bring diverse talents we can leverage, so we expect, reinforce and reward inclusive leadership. Differences matter in our business and make us better.” Twaronite was a panelist during the Best Practices From the DiversityInc Top 50 event on April 24, participating in the interactive session, “Best Strategies for Women.”

To qualify for The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity, applicants must have at least 1,000 employees and are asked to answer a 300-field survey divided into four parts: CEO Commitment, Human Capital, Corporate and Organizational Communications, and Supplier Diversity.