On June 7, YouTube released a commencement ceremony called "Dear Class of 2020" that featured some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Star-studded ceremony
The commencement ceremony featured voices from Former President Barack Obama, Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and BTS.
The video can be found on the YouTube Originals channel and YouTube's Learn@Home site, learnathome.withyoutube.com. It can also be watched through desktops, mobile devices, and connected TVs.
During the first hour of the YouTube original special, Michelle Obama's initiative called "Reach Higher" included a commencement address from Beyonce and the former first lady.
After former President Barack Obama gave his address and it was followed by the ceremonial tassel-turn and the commencement rights ended with a message from singer Katy Perry.
The other celebrities who spoke during the virtual commencement rights were Lady Gaga, K-Pop boy group BTS, Malala Yousafzai, Google an Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
A special feature showed a performance of "Beautiful Day" a song produced by Finneas. The song featured Camila Cabello, Leon Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Tove Lo, Khalid, Noah Cyrus, Ben Platt, and Chris Martin. Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise" was also featured including Misty Copeland, Madison Calley, Naya Lovell, Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi, Shonda Rhimes, Janelle Monae, and Kelly Rowland.
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The four-hour YouTube special also featured Lizzo, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, Megan Thee Stallion, Shawn Mendes, Justin Timberlake, Billie Eilish, Demi Lovato, Seth Rogen, John Mulaney, Chris Pine, Jack Black, Jimmy Kimmel, the cast of The Simpsons and Schitt's Creek.
The virtual commencement celebration, "Dear Class of 2020" is a celebration that brings celebrities, inspirational leaders and YouTube creators to give messages to graduates, their communities, and their families.
This year's graduation was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the social media platform wanted to honor both high school and college seniors.
Messages from celebrities
Pop singer Beyonce shared a lengthy statement, encouraging graduates to keep investing in themselves and keep betting on themselves. She mentioned the pandemic and the recent violence and murder that is inflicted on the black community in America, saying that the incidents left everyone broken.
Beyonce added that the earth is ripping the bandaid off of the old wounds of the country, so that true healing may begin. She said that graduation is a big achievement, no matter what the circumstances are. She acknowledged how overwhelming the past few months have been for the students.
Taylor Swift sent a short message to graduates and said that she used to fantasize about high school graduation as she started going on tour at a very young age and how she always spent time in rental cars.
Michelle Obama said she struggled to find the right words to say to the graduates as what is happening to the United States now is the direct result of decades of undressed inequality and prejudice. She added that there are too many people in the country that are structural barriers working against others and it makes the road longer and rockier, and sometimes it is almost impossible to move forward.
To the graduates of 2020, Mrs. Obama shared lessons for how to move forward in these times, and the lessons include life will always be uncertain, share your voice with the rest of the world as everyone's voice matters, and treating people right will never fail.
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