THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2026 Page 13 Mohammed B. Ma t Maicol S. Mayorga Gonzalez Michael R. McKoy Mayte Medina Rivas Emiliano Medinna Roldan Sophie V. Medrano Mena Yeilim A. Mejia Chinchilla Johana M. Mejia Maldonado Gabriella Mejia Ovalle Nanfel A. Melendez Ethan Men Leonardo M Carvalho Diego Mendez Jimenez Kaylin E. Mendez Ramos Isabella M. Mendieta Andrea M. Mendieta Deras Lesly E. Mendoza Joshua R. Menjivar Landaverde Lindsay A. Mercado Hugo Merida Diaz Kendrick R. Merida Lopez Samarah R. Meristal Amishia Y. Merveille Youssef A. Mohamed Ali A. Mohsen Alexander Molina Torres Lina I. Moncef Anderson S. Monge Garcia Belky A. Mon el Sanchez Ashley N. Montoya Ponce Kimberly M Moore Jeff erson S. Morales Umana Ashley J. Moran Rodriguez Ashley S. Moreira Jordan A. Moreno Ava R. Morris Joslin A. Moscoso Wilinton E. Munera Jaramillo Valen na Muneton Salazar Esteban Munoz Mesa Roberto O. Murga Vasquez Adam Nadir Deven P M. Nagle Hadassa M. Negrini Isaiah F. Newton-Baker Nghia M. Nguyen Kathy Nguyen Lillen Nogoa Cas llo Nicollas F. Nonato Malory Ochoa Munoz Jenifer Y. Ochoa Santos Adallson Oliveira Souza Alejandra P. Olortegui Sena Daireny M. Orellano Garcia Maicol E. Orozco Uribe Dayana Ortega Echavarria Andy E. Or z Henry E. Or z Baires Ana S. Or z Salazar Mya K. Osias Jeronimo Osorio Alvarez Emilia Osorio Isaza Melanie Ospina Alzate Mauro A. Otero Calderon Dina S. oufessa Anass S. Ouldzenagui Bilal Ouriour Arianna M. Pacheco Keven R. Paixao Da Silva Henry D. Palacios Calderon Angela R. Palacios Chinchilla Joshua A. Palma Cas llo Yug M. Patel Isaac Patente Juan E. Pa no Tabon Nicolas S. Pedroza Avila Nina M. Pena Dos Santos Giovanni A. Pena Rivas Joseluis Perez Alarcon Juan D. Perez Aris zabal Karime Perez Gomez Marie A. Perez Lopez Steven Z. Pineda Salazar Richard Pineda Taborda Joseph R. Pinto Kaique Dias Pires Juan P. Plata Tavares Isaac A. Por llo Landaverde David E. Por llo Santaaria Dhimitri Pri i Michael RJ Pyram Valeria A. Quijada Clavel Julia A. Quiles Stanley J Quintanilla Brandon E. Ramirez Grace A. Ramirez Carpio Valeria Ramirez Haro Leandro Ramos Del Rio Amilcar O. Ramos Mar nez Danni Hope Randall Nezar Raoui Anas MS. Rasheed Moustafa Francesca V. Reed Dante J. Regne a Daniel J. Remolina Arevalo Deren C. Renderos Alejandra P. Renderos Herrera Cris an A. Requeno Por llo Salome Restrepo Cano Julian Restrepo Gomez Mateo Restrepo Guillen Stephanie A. Reyes Lizeth A. Reyes Esli T. Reyes Argueta Emely D. Reyes Sorto Fajr M. Riazi Keziah C. Rios Luis D. Rivas Castaneda Amy D. Rivas Castro Nelson I. Rivera Flores Eliel O. Rivera Saenz Jeremy J. Rodas Padilla Bianca C. Rodrigues David J. Rodriguez Joshua D. Rodriguez Gulian De. Rodriguez Leslie E. Rodriguez Danna R. Rodriguez Soto Josue I. Rodriguez Zelaya Jhs n Rojas Zarate Melany G. Romero Aguilar Raul A. Romero Ardon Daniel S. Roque Orellana David Kossol Rorth Geselle Y. Ruiz Julius O Ruiz Yari A. Ruiz Alzate Nicholas P. Rupp Olivia N. Rupp George S. Sacco Basma Sahibi Hafssa N. Sahrour Salaheddine Said Ayman Said Shabadpreet Saini Laura M. Saldana Castro Valen na Saldarriaga Agudelo Yoanna L. Salguero Rubi Michael A. Salguero Rubi Jorge A. Salmeron Reyes Maximiliano Salvador Gu errez Zephaniah S. Samateh Josue A. Sanabria Jadrian N. Sanchez Juan M. Sanchez Restrepo Jose D. Sanchez Rivas Mariana Sanchez Soto Kevin E. Sandoval Mar nez Sphia A. Santana Da Silva Zachary R. San si Rebecca A. Santos Connor G. Santos Darlyn Y. Santos Aguilar Adrian Santos Francisco Katherine R. Santos Garza Maria G. Santos Morales Hilda S. Sarmiento Devin A. Savini Berry Abdurrahim Sayar Sara Sbai Jacob B. Schwartz Valeria Sepulveda Quintero Damien L. Serve Luca R. Shanley Jason M Sharxhi Alyssa J. Shea Hira K Sheikh Sonithi Sieang Ezekiel A. Silva Greisi Sinoballa Shayna E. Smith Alexander Solis Ochoa Adja R. Sore Helen Sorto-Cruz Junaida V. Sosa Kailyn Y. Sosa Vaquerano Edvin A. Soto Estrada Jaqueline N. Soto Perez Kauanny R. Souza Gemma G. Stamatopoulos Mario E. Suhul Arias Linsay C. Tabares Ortega Mia A. Tabares Rodriguez Samuel Taborda Gonzalez Jhoan Tamares David A. Tamayo Toro Ricardo Araujo Teixeira Gabriel San ago Tejada Wilbert A. Tejada Rivas Helena S. Tercero Zacala Caterina M. Testa Angelo J. Testa-Duff y Jackson l. Thomas Darielle M. Thomas Jose G. Torres Carmen M. Torres Nicole Torres Alvarez Cris an A. Torres Arango Eddy Torres Barrientos Maria I. Torrez Benitez Mercy J. Torres Galdamez Oscar D. Troche-Lemus Alana R. Trunkey Henry D. Umana Calderon Katherine G. Umana Lopez Carlos A. Umanzor Burgos Benjamin F. P. Umlah Sovannita Va Daniel Valencia Patrick F. Valen m Matheus F. Valen m Daniela M. Valen ne Yovier S. Varelas Machado David A. Vasquez Cindy A. Vasquez Guzman Victor. A. Vasquez Rodriguez Maria L. Vasquez Valle Johana A. Velasquez San ago Veles Pemberthy Mia G. Ventura Mayor Patrick Keefe, Jr. G ood Evening Friends, families, faculty, and — most importantly — the Class of 2026. I try each year to deliver a message that not only has an impact, but is memorable so that, years down the road, you can refl ect on something more meaningful than just a “good luck” on the next chapter of your life. I feel this responsibility as a parent and as your Mayor. My message to you is simple, yet very complex. Life can feel at times like a giant competition. We are told that to win, you must be the strongest, the loudest, the smartest, and even the most guarded. We are told empathy is a “soft skill,” or even a sign of weakness, something to set aside when it’s time to get down to business. I’m here to argue the opposite. I believe that the most powerful version of yourself is the one that is both deeply empathetic and fi ercely unrelenting. To be empathetic is not just about being “nice.” True empathy is a form of deep intelligence. It is the discipline required to look at someone whose life, politics, or struggles are entirely diff erent from your own and say, “I see you. I want to understand you and want to be understood. In a world that thrives on snap judgments and “us versus them” mentalities, choosing to understand someone is a radical act of strength. It is the bridge that allows us to solve problems that others say are impossible. But empathy without action is just a feeling. And that is where being tenacious comes in. Life is going to give you a thousand reasons to “throw in the towel” and walk away, give up and give in. There will be moments when your kindness is mistaken for weakness, or when your vision is met with silence. In those moments, you must have an iron will. Being unrelenting means that once you have used your empathy to identify a problem—whether it’s an injustice in your community or a hurdle in your career— you do not stop until you’ve moved the needle. Think of the leaders who changed the world. They weren’t just “tough.” They were moved by the plight of others, and they used that empathy as fuel for an unstoppable fi re. They were soft enough to care, but hard enough to endure. So, as we walk out of this stadium today, challenge you to be a “compassionate and fi erce competitor.” Don’t let the world harden you into someone who doesn’t care, but don’t let your sensitivity turn you into a victim. Be the person who listens intently, who feels deeply, and who works harder than anyone else in the room to make things better. The world doesn’t need more people who are merely “successful.” It needs more people who are kind, brave, and relentless in the pursuit of a better way. Be a Compassionate Warrior. Class of 2026. Congratulations Go out there, stay human, be kind, be ferocious, and relentless.
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