Humberto Juarez

Good afternoon. My fellow Comets, today marks a very special day. Everything has been leading up to this moment.

For the past two years, we have endured something that none of us could have ever imagined. Each and every single one of us has gone through challenges that no one could have predicted. A global pandemic, the confusion, and at times, the disorganization of schools and institutions that had no idea what to do in the face of a deadly disease the likes of which we have only seen in movies. Some of us have been more directly affected than others, but we’ve all been touched by this horrid disease in some form or fashion. Combine this with the hardships that come with classes, the all-nighters, the self-doubt, the disappointment, the frustration.

At times, we asked ourselves why do we have to take certain classes? What`s the point? Why, as animation students, do we have to take CMS classes? Why, as CMS students, do we have to take coding classes? For some of us, these classes become new and unexpected passions. For others, maybe the less said, the better. For some of us, we may have used our academic journey as an escape from the world around us. For others, we have used it to confront the world head-on. Like Rocky Balboa said, “It’s not how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” Well, we’re here, aren’t we?

None of us made it here just because our parents forced us to. None of us made it here just because it will add to our resume; well, that’s just a small part of it. We are here because, at some point, someone or something inspired us. Now we are the ones in the position to inspire those around us. What happens after today is up to each and every single one of us. For some of us, we’ve got a plan already laid out. Maybe we already have a job or an interview lined up that we think sets us up for the rest of our lives. Maybe so, maybe not.

None of us are getting graded; there are no assignments to turn in next week, there are no papers to write or research, no art project to present in front of a class. Instead, it’s deadlines that we have to meet in a company that is so big that, over time, you start to feel lost and forget why you went there in the first place. Maybe it`s a company that is luxurious and recognized and you thought this was going to be the place that would give you everything you ever wanted. But over time, we start to forget about that passion we had. Maybe that’s at a place that we thought was going to fulfill our dreams, but over time, that place starts to drain us of all our energy.

But isn’t that why we came here; isn’t that why we’re here right now? We have the power to avoid that; we have the power to do whatever we want. We can forge our own paths with the fire burning inside in each and every single one of us. We have spent time learning. Now it’s time to go out and experiment and do what we want, and do what we are passionate about, and show who we are.

Maybe you have been thinking about that animation short you have in your pocket, ready for the chance to finally do it. Maybe you have been thinking about that short film that you wanted an excuse to finally film. Or that art project that you desperately wanted to show the world, or that story exposing the wrongs or beauty in the world. Share them, share those animations, share your film, share your story and share who you are with the world. What are we afraid of? What’s there to lose? Failure? Rejection? They are all learning experiences that help us become better.

So, the most important thing that I can say right now, and this goes for every single one of us graduating, every single staff and faculty member, and everyone in attendance: If at any point you get to a place where you need help, do what many health advocates and professional wrestler CM Punk say: Go get it. Ask for it. Stand up. Reach out. Text someone, call someone, talk to someone. There is nothing harder yet more courageous you can do. Some people that can even begin to at least understand what you might be going through might be your fellow graduates.

Nobody knows the future. Do you know why? Because the future is for you to make. For those of you who don’t know where to go after today, don’t worry, you will. For those of you worried about making mistakes, don’t worry, you will, and that’s OK. We can always pick ourselves back up. No one expects any of us to be perfect. For those of you worried about failure, don’t worry, you will, and you will learn. Failure should not be something to be embarrassed or ashamed of. Failure is another part of success. Just because we are graduating does not mean we will stop learning.

Your future is yours, and remember, you will never have to do it alone. That’s what all this is. It’s a leap of faith.

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Humberto Juarez is graduating today magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in arts, technology, and emerging communication with a concentration in critical media studies. He transferred to The University of Texas at Dallas from Dallas College Eastfield, where he was a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society. He is a first-generation graduate who has been on the Dean’s List several times. He was the lead in LabSynthE’s Culture Jamming Hershey’s Workshop. After a yearlong break, he plans to earn an MS/PhD in film and visual studies.