LEBRON JAMES and BARACK OBAMA were the main commencement speakers for the "Graduate Together" virtual ceremony this weekend.
It was broadcast live on Saturday night, across a ton of platforms including CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook . . . and it featured a lot of celebrities including the Jonas Brothers, Pharrell, Malala Yousafzai, Kane Brown, Maren Morris, Olivia Wilde, and Zendaya.
The whole thing is online . . . but here are a few highlights:
1. It started with a bunch of students singing the National Anthem, distantly.
2. Soccer star Megan Rapinoe encouraged the graduates to not only come together, but to "demand better, together." She said, quote, "Who is leading matters . . . take the torch and leave your mark."
3. Alicia Keys performed.
4. LeBron told the Class of 2020, quote, "Don't forget your safety net" of teachers, coaches, pastors, friends and family. He asked the graduates to "recommit to your community."
And he added, quote, "Class of 2020, I know the last thing you want to hear right now is stay home. It's not my message to you. My message is stay close to home. Maybe not physically but in every other way possible . . . the world has changed. You will determine how we rebuild."
5. President Obama offered three pieces of advice, which were generally: Don't be afraid, do what you think is right, and build a community. He said, quote, "You won't get it right every time. You'll make mistakes like we all do.
"But if you listen to the truth that's inside yourself even when it's hard, even when it's inconvenient, people will notice. They'll gravitate toward you. And you'll be part of the solution instead of part of the problem."
Here is the whole ceremony: