WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en-US

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Good morning, everyone.

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Thank you very much for joining us
on this beautiful June 1.

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I am very excited and thankful

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that I can introduce to all of you

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the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC

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to lead us in the national anthem.

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(singing)
O say can you see,

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by the dawn's early light,

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What so proudly we hail'd

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at the twilight's last gleaming,

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Whose broad stripes and bright stars

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through the perilous fight

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O’er the ramparts we watch’d 

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were so gallantly streaming?

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And the rocket’s red glare, 

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the bombs bursting in air,

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Gave proof through the night

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That our flag was still there,

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O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

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O’er the land of the free

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and the home of the brave?

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How about a round of applause

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for the beautiful rendition

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(applause)

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Let the applause

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also apply to the raising of 
the flag for gay pride month.

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You know, last year, when I spoke

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on this occasion,

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I spoke about the fact that I explained

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to our two daughters in our family

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the importance of the Windsor
decision of the Supreme Court.

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And our daughters actually

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didn't quite understand its significance,

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only because they had lived
according to its

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constitutional principle
well before that decision

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had been issued.

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And I must say, standing here
with the highest ranking

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Asian-American Pacific Islander 
in this Department's history...

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I'm the first Latino
Secretary of the Department...

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Chris Magnus is the first openly gay
Commissioner of the U.S.

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Customs and Border Protection.

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I know it's it's June 1 of 2022.

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I do hope that at some point very,
very soon,

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perhaps starting today,

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we start to celebrate
milestones of achievement

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rather than milestones of catching up

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with basic principles of human equality.

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And that is my wish on this day.

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And I am very proud to introduce
John Tien, 

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our Deputy Secretary. 

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(applause)

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Thanks, Mr. Secretary. 
Appreciate that.

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So good to be standing here
next to Chris the Commissioner, C1.

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I will tell you that in about 
a week's time,

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I see Stephanie.
I think Melissa is here as well,

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I'll be raising the pride flag
in a very proud way at the NAC.

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So if you guys want to come to that,

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we would appreciate that.

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No pressure. No pressure.

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It's out by American University,

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I didn't know if you knew that. 
In all seriousness,

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I really appreciate the secretary's
comments on that.

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I will tell you very similar, reinforce
what the secretary said,

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while we have 30 days to be allies

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on Pride Month, really
this should be a year and it should be

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infinite years in terms of being allies,
and being proud, of being with

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and for our fellow LGBTQ
colleagues and citizens.

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Thank you

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 (applause)

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And now a groundbreaker 
in many different regards.

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Chris Magnus, Commissioner of  
U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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Chris

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We were actually

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thinking this morning that I could get
a new set of abbreviations, you know,

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instead of C1, for the day
I could be G1.

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I'll let you figure 
that one out.

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Just a thought. So...

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Yeah. So a couple of quick thoughts.

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I really wanted...there's a message that
I really wanted to convey this morning,

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and I want to go back a second
in my own career because,

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you know, as a gay young person
who was growing up in the seventies

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and then a young adult in the eighties
and nineties, I really never imagined...

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I just didn't imagine

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the personal and career opportunities
that I might have someday.

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It was hard to imagine
even being out of the closet,

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let alone being open about my full self,
my full identity

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at home, at work, or even around friends.

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I never contemplated
that I'd be able to get married,

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have children, or be able to
meaningfully advance at work...

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and a job like CBP...CBP Commissioner!?!
Get out of here, come on!

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I remember being actually harassed
in the police academy

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because some people suspected
I might be gay. For years and years,

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I felt like I had to be ambiguous
about what I did

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on my days off
and the pronouns that I chose;

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things like, you know, "I went camping
with a friend" or "I hung out with them."

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"Don't you have a girlfriend?"

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"When do we get to meet her?"

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This is what I heard for
many years of my life.

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In my early days of policing,

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I did everything I could to avoid certain
officers, including supervisors,

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who openly made derogatory comments
around me about gays

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and basically encouraged others
to do the same. Words like "Faggot" and "Queer."

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This was before "Queer"
got the legitimacy it has now.

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Were routinely thrown

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around in locker rooms, briefings.

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Hey, even out in the field.

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Over time by being the first
to help out in the fight,

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never shying away
from the most dangerous calls

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and making good decisions
under challenging circumstances...

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I won the respect of my coworkers, yet

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I still knew with absolute certainty
that coming out of the closet

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it would keep me from getting promoted
and achieving the goals I wanted.

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No question about it.

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So I remained closeted.

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Back then, there were no openly gay

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men in policing that I could 
talk to or seek advice from.

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When it came to who I really was

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I couldn't be my whole self. It was lonely,

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isolating, depressing...

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honestly, was somewhat scary at times.

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So I didn't come out. But I did
well in promotional processes,

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and I think I brought...
I think I brought some good contributions

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to the agencies I worked for.
And as a result, I did move up the ladder.

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And over the years I became a sergeant,
a lieutenant, and then a captain.

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Now, after many

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years being a supervisor
on the night shift...which just as a side

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note, was great because he didn't have
any administration around

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and there was a lot of cool stuff to do.

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I then worked in Internal Affairs
and ran the agencies

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jail,
and I took on a lot of special assignments

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and then I decided
it was time to seek a Chiefs job,

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and not because I had a gay agenda,

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but because I had a good policing agenda.

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So it was during my first Chiefs
job in Fargo, North Dakota, no less,

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that I decided
it was long past time

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to take the plunge and come out,

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and I was lucky that I had a supportive
partner to help me direct.

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You know I'd like to tell you it was 
smooth sailing from there on...

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It was not.

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But there's not time for that today.

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I team two more Chiefs
Jobs, one in Richmond, California,

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and the other in Tucson, Arizona.

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And it was Richmond where I met
my husband, Terrance,

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who I've been with for 16 years.

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We've been married 
since it became legal.

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And now...

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Wow, here we are in DC.

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What an honor to be part of DHS

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as the Commissioner.

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Let me share a couple of...

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I'll make this quick but important points,
and I know there are those in the choir

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who already know this. 
I'm not just talking to

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you guys frankly...

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I mean, the choir of LGBT folks here.

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There are many people

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who are L, G, P, T or Q

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who don't have an easy time

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in school, who don't receive fair
treatment in the workplace,

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and who still struggle to be accepted

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by their families, even in their faith.

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Law enforcement
agencies across the country,

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and yes, those within DHS,

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still have a lot more progress to make.

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Are we doing enough to recruit and hire

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members of the LGBT community?

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What's the workplace like for them?

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Is retention an issue?

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It honestly feels like there's

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a lot that we don't know.

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So even though tremendous 
progress has been made,

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there is still work to be done.

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Pride Day...Week...Month...

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is a time for LGBTQ folks and their allies

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to celebrate how far we've come.

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Young people today,

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in many, definitely not all, places,

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can come out when they're even teenagers,

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be there full selves,
and know that someday they can be married

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and have children...
if that's what they want.

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Just as a side note,
our two dogs kind of are our kids.

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They also can find opportunities
and greater

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acceptance and more jobs and careers

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than ever before.

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So, celebrate?

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Yes, absolutely.

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But, while we're celebrating,

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let's make sure we look around us;

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transgender persons are facing
discrimination and harassment

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in many states and localities.

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Code words are springing up

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that associate LGBTQ

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persons with criminal behavior.

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And in some places,
if you're a young person,

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just having the opportunity
to talk to a teacher or counselor

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about your identity has been taken away.

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Now, I firmly believe

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CBP should be run as a nonpolitical,

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and it's really something
that I've committed to.

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But LGBTQ issues first and...first

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and foremost are human rights issues.

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And I have never shied away

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from defending human rights of all kinds,

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no matter where I've worked or what
my job has been.

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So kudos to the Secretary for his support

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of the LGBTQ community
and for his commitment...

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your commitment as well, to help make DHS

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an inclusive place where employees

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who are part of a community

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can feel safe, valued,

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and assured of equal treatment.

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So I know it's really hot 
and  humid today,

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and, God, the sun's like 
right on us...

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But all that said, it is really been an
honor and a pleasure to speak to you today.

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To share a little bit of my background
and express my hopes for the future.

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And and I have high hopes, so.

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Wow, that's pretty cool.

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Happy Pride to all of you.

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(applause)

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Thank you very much Chris,

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Commissioner, for the personal remarks and
for everything that you've accomplished,

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and what you stand for.

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And I mean that in the most
in the broadest, broadest sense.

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It is a month of celebration.

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It is also, I think it should 
be a month of hope; that

00:14:54.994 --> 00:14:56.662
it doesn't require

00:14:56.662 --> 00:15:00.599
courage to express oneself

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and one's identity openly

00:15:03.535 --> 00:15:06.939
in the United States and in the world.

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With with a note of hope

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we will turn to a few notes of beauty

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and the chorus will conclude

00:15:17.149 --> 00:15:20.152
this morning's flag raising ceremony.

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Thank you.

00:15:25.224 --> 00:15:26.759
(singing)

00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:31.163
Go out and tell our story

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Let it echo far and wide

00:15:34.500 --> 00:15:37.736
Make them hear you

00:15:38.504 --> 00:15:44.510
Make them hear you

00:15:44.510 --> 00:15:48.981
How Justice was our battle

00:15:48.981 --> 00:15:52.117
And how Justice was denied

00:15:52.117 --> 00:15:55.354
Make them hear you

00:15:56.221 --> 00:16:01.560
Make them hear you

00:16:01.560 --> 00:16:05.764
And say to those who blame us

00:16:05.764 --> 00:16:09.335
For the way we chose to fight,

00:16:09.335 --> 00:16:12.938
That sometimes there are battles

00:16:12.972 --> 00:16:17.609
Which are more than black or white

00:16:17.609 --> 00:16:21.547
And I could not put down my sword

00:16:21.547 --> 00:16:24.350
When Justice was my right

00:16:24.350 --> 00:16:27.786
Make them hear you

00:16:28.454 --> 00:16:34.126
Make them hear you

00:16:34.126 --> 00:16:39.298
Go out and tell our story

00:16:39.298 --> 00:16:42.801
to your daughters and your sons

00:16:42.801 --> 00:16:46.038
Make them hear you

00:16:46.672 --> 00:16:51.710
Make them hear you

00:16:51.710 --> 00:16:56.515
And tell them, "In our struggle,

00:16:56.515 --> 00:16:59.284
We were not the only ones"

00:16:59.284 --> 00:17:02.354
Make them hear you

00:17:02.988 --> 00:17:07.393
Make them hear you

00:17:07.393 --> 00:17:11.330
Your sword could be a sermon

00:17:11.330 --> 00:17:15.267
Or the power of the pen

00:17:15.267 --> 00:17:18.637
Teach every child to raise their voice

00:17:18.637 --> 00:17:22.474
And then my family, then

00:17:22.474 --> 00:17:25.644
Will justice be demanded 

00:17:25.644 --> 00:17:28.814
by ten million righteous friends

00:17:28.814 --> 00:17:32.751
Make them hear you

00:17:32.751 --> 00:17:37.089
When they hear you,

00:17:37.089 --> 00:17:50.335
I'll be near you 
Again

00:17:50.335 --> 00:18:00.779
(applause)

00:18:00.779 --> 00:18:03.549
That was exquisite.

00:18:03.549 --> 00:18:05.084
Let them hear us.

00:18:05.084 --> 00:18:06.452
Let them hear all of us.

00:18:06.452 --> 00:18:10.189
Thank you all very much
for joining us.