My MOSAIC End-of-the-Year Closing Remarks

Video version of this milestone is also available here.

Author's note: This article was originally posted on Medium.

My name is Rodrigo Argumedo. I have been in the MOSAIC program for three years. Before I begin with my closing remarks speech, please join me for a moment of silence for the horrific events that happened in Santa Fe High School. Thank you!

We are proud for who we are. We are now able to show everyone to best version of who we are. Our education here in MOSAIC and Humble ISD has helped us develop that best version of us! More than ever, our voices will be heard loud and clear; therefore, we won’t stop. We are people who have different cultures and backgrounds with distinctive and unique abilities & skills who have been joined together to learn. We would have not made it today if we didn’t have the exchange of power and the leadership that motivated us to achieve our goals. We must stand together as young adults who see the power of our possibilities. We have the same goals as people without disabilities and have the right to achieve those goals. Emilie Wapnick highlighted one of the most important and influential quotes delivered at one of her TEDx talks that sparked the influence of our talents:

I hope that it is this: embrace your inner wiring, whatever that may be. If you’re a specialist at heart, then by all means, specialize. That is where you’ll do your best work.

WE are strong and our disabilities do not define what we can do or who we are! They give us power! Power to achieve what we set our minds to. Power to be the best us!

The Vice President of Student Success at Lone Star College — Kingwood, Dr. Darrin Q. Rankin, once said to college student leaders that we’ve got to “be tough-minded, but be tender-hearted.” This emphasizes that we must be kind to one another and persistent in meeting our goals. My words to you: Never Ever Give Up!

This is just the beginning of our story! Thank you so much and congratulations to all of you!