Booker shared that his grandfather would tell him at every graduation to 'have the courage to be you,' alongside corny jokes like 'the tassel is worth the hassle.' As life went on, Booker began to understand the depth of that simple advice. He quoted Abraham Lincoln to drive the point home, telling the graduates that the nation was yearning for their authenticity and originality. He then told the story of a kid in an after-school program who, when challenged to raise his hand the highest, sprinted out of the room — because he knew a way to get to the roof.