Canto CCCLIX: My High School Graduation Speech to MaCES

Gentle cabrones:

Almost a month ago, I had the honor of giving the graduation speech at Maywood Center for Enriched Studies in Maywood — except no one calls it that.

Everyone calls it MaCES. Not MaCES High School. Not MaCES Academy. Not MACES. MaCES.

It’s one of the newest high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, if not the newest, a gorgeous, modernistic campus in tiny Maywood, one of the collection of tiny cities just south of East L.A. collectively known as Southeast L.A. County — or SELA, for short. And since MaCES opened in 2017, it’s only had one principal: Gabriel Duran.

Name sounds familiar? It’s because he shares the last name of my compa Beto Duran, namely because they’re brothers.

I met Mr. Duran at a college going-away party for Beto’s son last summer. He and Beto have the same eyes and smile, but Mr. Duran is far more Zen than his #sehace little brother. It was Mr. Duran who gave me the idea I needed to anchor my piece earlier this year about a new generation of SELA politicians, because he had lived through the era of corruption and the era of hope, as evidenced by one of his assistant vice principals, Maywood councilmember and my fellow jerezano, Heber Marquez.

Mr. Duran is a zacatecano también, born in the rancho of Las Delicias, in the municipio of Nochistlán. He helped to will MaCES into being and is still young — but it’s time for him to retire, so he can enjoy the rest of life, you know?

He’s the type of principal who brought his father and family to his last graduation, the type of educator who introduced me to his outgoing senior class president and vice president and incoming senior class president and vice president.

The type of son who kept a molcajete on his desk throughout his career to remind him of his roots. The type of man who had a picture of his former student from another school, whose daughter was now about to graduate from MaCES.

Mr. Duran is too humble of a person to have told me about his incredible career and accomplishments. And for the first time in his life, Beto was too modest to play up his brother. Locos, Mr. Duran would’ve been total columna material.

So instead, I’ll do this canto.

Beto showed up in a Stetson for some reason to the graduation, and Mr. Duran treated us to some Sinaloa-style sushi, because we’re in SELA, after all. It was a hot afternoon — a preview of the brutal summer we’re already experiencing — but the stands in MaCES’ stadium were packed with thrilled parents, friends, cousins, siblings and more.

What was extra special about this graduation was that Mr. Duran was going out with his first class, whom he greeted at MaCES when they entered sixth grade and the school had no guarantee it would succeed. Now, Mr. Duran and his Class of ‘24 were leaving a strong school of traditions for the next generation.

Following is my speech. As usual, it hews mostly to what I said, with some asides in italics. And a one, and a two…

Congratulations on this momentous day for all of you. But you graduates aren't the only people celebrating a milestone this evening. As others have said, today is the last day of work for this school’s principal, Mr. Duran. He’s the only principal MaCES has ever had, so most people have known him here for seven years, …but he’s retiring after 33 years of serving students in LA Unified. So another round of applause to him. (round of deserved applause)

Mr. Duran seems to be far away from where you graduates today stand in life. You are all finishing your high school education, which marks the official end of your teenage years. Mr. Duran, on the other hand, is done with his career. He’s now ready for the Don Duran phase of his life, jubilado y listo pa’ lo que séa.

So when I think about what I can offer you graduates today as advice, I think of Mr. Duran and ustedes. Today, each of you end something significant. Tonight, you're all going to celebrate those achievements. Who has family members that have a tamborazo outside ready to jam? (No one raised there hand. There was barely a reaction, except for the guy who swung a matraca, which I acknowledged. Later, Mr. Duran said there was a guy who raised his hand, but I missed him. It happens)

Y’all deserve to celebrate for many reasons. Not just your individual accomplishments, but your class. Many of you are the original MaCES class — the first to have gone the full sixth-grade to 12th-grade track here. That’s bsolutely incredible.

But tomorrow? It’s done. You must start something new. Are you ready?

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Life is all about beginnings and endings. And what I’ve learned — and what I pass along to ustedes — is that the people who succeed the most in life are the ones who take advantage of those similar yet different moments.

An end marks a conclusion of something, obviously. A lot of people do it, then never look back. So I challenge all of you to not do that. Remember as much of what happened during your time at MaCES this summer, as you prepare for what’s next. What did you learn? Not just history and math and all the requirements, but about life? About being a better human being?

What was the good that you did? Because you did do good. What were the mistakes that you made? Because you did make mistakes. Every year as you got older, did you leave things better than how you found them, so that the people who followed you had it easier than you did?

Interrogating yourself should become a habit, not a one-time thing. And that’s what ends are for. Reflection. Summation. Assessment of what just happened. Learning from looking back. Because you can always do better. Because you must always do better. Improve, for the next thing.

Another thing. So, okay, you’re done with MaCES. But are you finished with it? Key difference. The best people never truly leave that which made them — the people, the places, the institutions, the communities. You can’t go back, technically, but the best people always try to give back.

Life is going to scatter you all around this world. Some of you are going off to community college. Some of you are going to universities. Some of you are going to the military. Some of you are going to go directly to work and nothing else, and others are just going to try to figure out what's next. I respect whatever decisions you have made for the near future.

But ask yourself: What are you going to do to make sure that MaCES stays as great as it was during your time? What are you going to do to make it better even though you won’t be attending classes here anymore? Because you can give back.

Giving back is what the best people do when they’re done with something that has shaped them. It can be as simple as serving as an example for those who follow you. Giving back could also be deeper. Giving money to help, or mentoring the next generation – just because y’all are still technically teens doesn’t mean you cannot involve yourself in bettering the lives of people younger than you.

So I urge you all: even though you ended the MaCES part of your life, don't feel that you’re finished with it. Endings happen; finishes don’t have to. I challenge you to consider tonight as just a blip in a lifelong assignment to keep MaCES great…even as you begin something different.

So how are beginnings different than endings, besides the obvious? You can now look back at something you did, and figure out how to use those lessons for what’s next. Because what’s next is unknown, despite all the plans you may have. That makes life exciting and full of hopes and dreams — but it’s also scary and intimidating.  

It’s okay to feel that. But that's why it's important to follow and connect with people like Mr. Duran and your teachers and parents and older siblings, who have been down the road that ustedes are about to embark on. Because even though you're going to do something new, you're not the first person to have done this.

The book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible says that there is nothing new under the sun. So this is why it's important that as you go begin the next phase of life, you don’t do it alone. Look, it's not going to be easy. There will be a lot of good, of course. But you are going to struggle. You are going to fail. You are going to hit bad times. And so that's why it's important to have people who will be there with you, who will love you and respect you and also call you out when you need to be called out.

I always tell people: don’t suffer in silence. Too many people do. So right now is the time to ask yourself: Who do I want by my side as I go forward? Who do I need to leave behind? Where will I take myself to meet new people who can help?

Beginnings and endings will happen every day, every year, every month. Every week. They will come at you so fast that one day, you’re going to end up like Mr. Duran: proud of what you accomplished, everything a blur, nothing forgotten — and ready for what’s to come. Keep this in mind, and you will find success more often than not.

So again: felicidades, MaCES class of 2024. Congrats on ending this part of your life. Good luck on what’s beginning. Gracias, and God bless.

I got some good applause, and Mr. Duran said I did well. His retirement party is today, and I’m going to try to go but it’s hard because Beto barely told me yesterday #sehace.

Mr. Duran: Gracias for allowing me to be the speaker at your final graduation. Enjoy your retirement, and may your students show the world what SELA can do. You TOTALLY deserved a columna, so let’s blame Beto for not playing you up!

Beto: I still owe you dinner — details to come…

**

Enough rambling. This was the semana that was:

IMAGE OF THE WEEK: Just a couple of my volumes on etymology. Almost in the photo: Mencken’s The American Language, complete with an addendum and a book of quotes, I believe. If you have these books and that Mencken collection, send me a photo and I’ll get you a free michelada at Alta Baja Market!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Surely. We wil ltest you with a bit of fear and hunger, and loss inw ealth and lives and fruits, and give good tidings to the patient” — Surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 155

LISTENING: “Abre el Corazón,” Angélica María con Banda el Recodo. So on IG and Facebook, I’m seeing female friends of mine from the rancho who used to make fun of me for liking country artists like Brooks & Dunn and Bill Monroe when we were growing up…going to Chris Stapleton and Tim McGraw concerts. WTF! I wish I could hop back in the time machine and show young them current them, and remind both of them that ranchera has always loved great country music — like this song! Only until this week did I realize it’s “Open Up Your Heart” by Buck Owens, even though the English lyrics are right there! I think its because I continually underestimate Buck Owens because I’ve never cared for his whiny voice — but, man, anyone whose songs were covered by Banda El Recodo, Ray Charles AND the Beatles AND hosted Hee-Haw, you gotta pay attention and love.

READING: “The Cherubs Are Rumbling”: Have I shared this one before? I must’ve — Italian American youth gangs (NOT the Mafia) in working class New York in the 1950s, with a former one of their ranks trying to save them through youth programs? If I shared it, how could I not want to share it again!

BUY MY NEW CO-BOOK! People’s Guide to Orange County tells an alternative history of OC through the scholarship and reporting of myself, Elaine Lewinnek, and Thuy Vo Dang. There’ll be signings all year — in meanwhile, buy your copy TODAY. And, yes: I’ll autograph it!

Gustavo Events  

July 12, 3:30 p.m.: I’ll be on a panel during the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ annual convention on book bans at the Loews Hollywood Hotel, 1755 Highland Ave., Los Angeles. Gonna cost ya, so register here.

July 13, 9 a.m.: Me and my co-authors of A People’s Guide to Orange County will be giving a tour of spots in downtown SanTana! We start at Alta Baja Market, 201 E. Fourth St., Ste. 101, SanTana — it’s $20, so buy your tickets here!

July 20, 9 a.m.: Me and my co-authors of A People’s Guide to Orange County will be doing our first-ever tour of Anacrime! It’s $20, so buy your tickets here — not giving out an address for our starting because I don’t want Curt Pringle to crash it hahahaha

July 27, 4 p.m.: I’ll be in conversation with author Alex Espinoza about his brilliant new novel, The Sons of El Rey, at Libromobile, 1180 S. Bristol St., SanTana. Lecture, FREE; books, BARATO.

Gustavo in the News

“This fraternal order made California’s flag official. How will they face their racist past?”: An Los Angeles Times newsletter you should subscribe to plugs my columna.

“Slingshot: The Mexican Anarchist Who Led OC's Citrus Strike 🍊“: My colleague/forever compa Gabriel San Blogman’s newsletter has me in the footnotes on a topic I wrote about 18 years ago — and the seasons, they go round and round…

“Latino political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz honored by city of LA for work to inspire community”: I come out in the photo!

“'La Cucaracha' creator Lalo Alcaraz gets his flowers from the Los Angeles City Council”: Former Random Cool Person I Know Abelardo de la Peña, Jr. writes a story from L.A. City Hall involving another former Random Cool Person I Know.

Gustavo Stories 

“Grítale a Guti”: Latest edition of my Tuesday night IG Live free-for-all.

“OC considers new tap water source: The ocean”: My latest KCRW “Orange County Line” commentary talks about getting brackish water from North OC’s massive aquifer.

“Gustavo Arellano: NAHJ 40th Anniversary Conference & Expo”: The homie Matt Muñoz and his BakoTunes podcast hits me up about the coming convention.

"Edin Alex Enamorado: Street vendor avenger”: My latest L.A. Times columna talks about a travesty of a criminal case outta Victorville, a story I’ve covered before. KEY QUOTE: “To paraphrase the conclusion of the Batman film, “The Dark Knight,” he was the hero taqueros deserved — and the one they still need.”

“A trip to the U.S. Capitol reminds me what I celebrate this Fourth of July”: My next latest L.A. Times columna is my latest dispatch from a place I was supposedly on vacation for but couldn’t resist to write about. KEY QUOTE: “I approached an unfenced area, and a police officer politely but firmly told me to move on. It felt like a crime scene — and the victims are us.”

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