Message from an inspired youth...

Dear Doug,

This is Gabby, one of the three girls that thanked you after your second speech today at South San Francisco High, and I just wanted to thank you again in greater detail. Your speech was exactly what I needed to hear.

The thing that really got to me was the representation of the three chairs. I've been discouraged so many times because I work so hard in school and my passion for dance, even in basketball when I used to play, and yet, other people get chances to move up while I'm still in the same place. Like the camper chair. And my parents, or my family in general, tell me that I don't have to go to an amazing college to be successful- but that's the problem. I do want to go to an amazing college. They never went to a 4-year college. I used to think that money was the main issue that would prevent me from going to the college of my dreams, but hearing your speech and everything you've been through, I realized that if you were able to go through all of that drama and still graduate Harvard and Stanford AND meet the president of the United States- I don't have any more excuses, do I?

You have honestly motivated me to power through high school with purpose for the rest of my high school career, despite the large percentage of students at my school who don't even try. I almost got sucked into their deep trenches of uncaring attitudes a few months ago. It's actually really funny because at all the school assemblies we have at school, there's usually a bunch of people talking and laughing so loud that you can't hear the actual assembly- but today, no one was talking or laughing during your speech. That's saying something.

Just thank you so much because, now, I'm more than ready to fight and break through all the barriers that I used to think were holding me back.