2026 Ford School Commencement: Breah Marie Flores Willy speech

[applause] >> Thank you so much, Sean. That was fantastic. Our next speaker was elected by the undergraduate class of 2026. Bria Marie Flores Willy is a Metro Detroit native who has earned a BA in public policy and a minor in quantitative methods in the social sciences with a focus on urban inequality and development. At the Ford School, Bria served as a research assistant for our inaugural Bridge Builders program, strengthening her skills in facilitating dialogue across differences. Work she cares deeply about as we all navigate a more polarized environment. Bria played a key role in shaping and facilitating constructive dialogue, helping design and lead discussions within the Ford School and across campus that foster curiosity, respect, and deeper understanding. Through this work, she helped strengthen a culture of thoughtful engagement at the Ford School, leaving a lasting impression on the students she worked with. Outside the classroom, she has advocated for positive change as co-president of the Michigan Institute for Progressive Policy. And she is I hear you. And she has built community through song as vice president of the University of Michigan's Women's Glee Club. >> [cheering] >> There they are. After graduation, she plans to use her public policy and quantitative analysis skills to advance economic and housing justice in Michigan. I am so pleased to welcome Bria Marie Flores Willy to the podium. >> [cheering] [cheering] [applause] >> Thank you so much, Dean Watkins-Hayes. It has been a privilege to learn in the light of your leadership and to feel your unwavering support, especially in the Sunday night messages. The biggest thanks to Ford School faculty and staff who challenge us to think critically and give us the skills to serve the public good. To our parents, family, friends, and loved ones, thank you for answering our phone calls, giving us confidence, and enabling us to be where we are today. We would not be here celebrating this accomplishment if it weren't for your support and guidance. Last, but certainly not least, to my friends and fellow 40s, thank you for making our college experience unforgettable and dedicating yourself to the public good. We came to the University of Michigan because we wanted to address the injustices facing our communities. Despite coming of age in the 21st century, we still witness unequal access to education, health care, and clean water too often determined by race or socioeconomic status. We grew up with some leaders who tried to change these outcomes while others further entrenched disparities. We watched so many videos of police brutality and gun violence, we feared becoming desensitized. Coming to college, I didn't know where to start until I found the Ford School of Public Policy. And I don't know about many of you, but once I was accepted and proudly announced my major to anyone who asked, I was often met with the response of wait, what is that again? So, what is public policy? Some define public policy as whatever governments choose to do or not to do. Others say it is the sum of government activities and its influence on the life of citizens. Ford School Professor and former Dean, Susan Collins, defines public policy as our collective quest to address the most pressing and stubborn problems and to seize opportunities for society. In context, public policy is the seatbelt law that has saved over 300,000 people since its passing in 1985. Public policy is establishing programs to give people more access to transportation and housing. And public policy is, too often, a failure to solve the problems it aims to address. With racial, sexual, and class discrimination entrenched in our systems, even well-intentioned policy can fall short and further perpetuate inequality. My fellow classmates, I know this is not news to you. We have taken classes in politics and institutions, economics, and program evaluation. Electives in social justice, philanthropy, climate policy, poverty, and urban inequality. We have written our memos, completed our final exams, and mostly passed our classes. And even outside of the classroom, you are making your voices heard at protests, club meetings, or spending evenings organizing events to advocate for immigrant rights or those in solitary confinement. We are working hard, but sometimes it feels like the systems of inequality are working harder. When policy and leadership fail, what do we do? And when polarization impairs relationships with family, friends, and our ability to work together, where do we turn? When we witness political violence, the reversal of rights, discrimination, government shutdowns, and immeasurable loss abroad, and we can't even talk about it, how do we move forward? The Ford School addressed this challenge through a program called the Bridge Builders. Kicked off by Jennifer Niga Meyer and guided by Claire Lo Wandie and Dr. Stephanie Sanders, Bridge Builders is a student-led program that advances conversations across difference at the Ford School. The opportunity to serve in the inaugural cohort of the Bridge Builders has been a defining experience of my time at the Ford School and has left me with lessons I will always try to honor. Those lessons are let go of winning, ask questions, share stories, respond rather than react, and find what's shared. I believe that all of these principles are important, but I like to focus on one of them, asking questions. While we Fordies love our data, spitting facts at someone will never change their mind and certainly won't encourage them to truly listen to your point of view. Asking thoughtful questions to understand the why of someone's story tells us their values and leads to deeper understanding. The next time you face a difficult conversation, try asking questions like, "Can you say more about that? Have you always felt this way?" to keep the conversation going. You may be wondering, "How is asking questions going to reduce polarization, let alone solve world peace?" As we've learned, there is never one silver bullet method that is going to fix every problem we set out to address. Just as asking questions is only one important piece of the puzzle. As bridge builders, we were fortunate enough to meet with the Ford School Committee made up of esteemed alumni and leaders to share the work we've been doing. After our presentation, Mike Ford, son of Gerald R. Ford, came to shake our hands and told us that engaging in constructive dialogue with whom we disagree is exactly the legacy President Ford hoped to leave us. I challenge you, my fellow 40s and everyone here today, to carry President Ford's legacy forward and to try. Try to let go of winning. Try to ask more questions. Try to share stories and listen. Try to respond rather than react. And try to find what's shared. As leaders, we must try. Never to lead from a place of hate. Instead, we should lead from a place of love and care, including those we disagree with, so that we can work together to build a democracy and a world we are all proud to live in. Fellow 40s, as soon to be alumni of the Ford School, I can't think of anyone more prepared to carry this legacy forward than us. I know we will not only change the world with our ideas and courage, but in these divisive times, we will reach across differences, not only with questions, but with understanding and love. And speaking of love, I'll leave you with the words of musician and activist Marvin Gaye, written in another time of uncertainty, war, and division. Only love can conquer hate. Class of 2026, thank you from the bottom of my heart for enriching my Ford School experience with your empathy, dedication, friendship, and most of all, your hope. I cannot wait to see the love we have to share and the legacy we will leave. Thank you so much. Congratulations, and go blue. >> [cheering] [applause] >> Go blue! >> [applause]