Marielle Buxbaum 鈥�24: Being ambitious about friendship
Marielle Buxbaum 鈥�24 did not write her Commencement speech locked away in the library. Instead, she was with friends watching 鈥淩iverdale.鈥�
On a tight deadline to submit a speech for consideration, Buxbaum hoped that watching the show would inspire her. While the series takes endless dramatic turns, Riverdale at its heart is a show about friends.
Buxbaum鈥檚 speech 鈥� one of two student speeches chosen by the University for Commencement 鈥� centers around being ambitious in friendships.
Brown does not traditionally bring an outside speaker to Commencement ceremonies, giving the role to students. Guest speakers typically deliver speeches at the Baccalaureate Service. Jessica Meir '99, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronaut, will address the service Saturday.
Buxbaum hopes that her speech is celebratory, inspiring and actionable. The class of 2024, she said, had to work intentionally to make friends when it entered Brown at the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen what it鈥檚 like to be deprived of socialization,鈥� she said.
But the experience helped forge special bonds, Buxbaum explained. In her speech, she will urge the class of 2024 to bring that spirit of intentionality beyond College Hill.
鈥淔riendship becomes less central in your life after college,鈥� she said, noting that the United States is in a loneliness epidemic.
Brown students enter the world with a wide breadth of ambitions, Buxbaum said. But she argues they shouldn鈥檛 forget to be ambitious about friendship.
鈥淟et鈥檚 change what friendship means by finding unique and special ways to be a part of each other鈥檚 lives,鈥� Buxbaum said.
In her junior spring, Buxbaum studied abroad in Ecuador, a country known for its collectivist culture. The experience gave her a newfound appreciation for the community at Brown.
鈥淎t a place like Brown, it鈥檚 so collaborative,鈥� she said.
The class of 2024鈥檚 unique introduction to college life makes them particularly committed to fostering community, Buxbaum said. She recalled a play put on by students from across the first-year class. That play was an aberration from typical years when students split off into different theater groups.
But the pandemic created unique circumstances, Buxbaum said, remembering sweltering summer rehearsals fondly. 鈥淓verything felt so unusual and special.鈥�
When the Class of 2024 leaves Brown, Buxbaum hopes they 鈥渒eep that outside-the-box spirit.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e used to the idea that social structures are fixed,鈥� Buxbaum said. She believes the class of 2024 has gotten the chance to upend them, though. 鈥淚 see a lot of upstart spirit in our grade.鈥�
As her class鈥檚 time on campus comes to a close, Buxbaum hopes that Brunonians can imagine a life centered around friendships and overcoming 鈥渉armful social structures.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 inspired to see the ways that people will be the architects of their own lives, out of a true intention of their desires,鈥� she said. She hopes her peers opt 鈥渢o connect no matter what.鈥�
Caziah Mayers 鈥�24: 鈥楰eep moving forward鈥�
Caziah Mayers 鈥�24 will tell a story about 鈥渙vercoming and having gratitude through the process of overcoming,鈥� they said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very hard to remember the things that you have and what you still have potential to do 鈥�. when you鈥檙e in the midst of real chaos and strife,鈥� they said.
In the spring of 2021, instead of starting their second semester at Brown, Mayers found themselves in Brooklyn, working three jobs and taking care of their family.
鈥淚t was really hard to be excited and to have this mentality of 鈥業鈥檓 still lucky,鈥欌�� they said.
In their sophomore year, Mayers found 鈥減eople to lean on鈥� 鈥� and learned how to lean on them. They delved into poetry and joined Word!, a poetry space for queer students as well as Black and Indigineous people of color.
鈥淚 was surrounded by this community of people who were way ahead in their understanding of gender and sexuality and what it means to be otherwise, especially as a Black person at a place like Brown and how they鈥檝e incorporated their art into their lives,鈥� they recalled.
Mayers said that one of their proudest moments at Brown was reviving the group Students of Caribbean Ancestry. 鈥淚 missed the connection to home that I鈥檇 had being in New York,鈥� they said.
In embracing different elements of their identity, Mayers said they aimed to create a space for others to do the same.
鈥淗ypermasculinity and homophobia are mobilized in various Caribbean cultures,鈥� they said. As president of SOCA, Mayers wanted to build a space 鈥渨here people could be themselves and be Carribean in whatever capacity that meant for them.鈥�
Mayers experienced tragedy their junior year, as their mother passed away following a battle with cancer. They learned the news in a seminar, where they had two friends who are Black and masculine-presenting.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a certain sort of playbook of how you鈥檙e supposed to behave as a black man,鈥� they said.
But their friends did not pull from that playbook, Mayers said.
鈥淚t was really beautiful 鈥� to be in this space where we鈥檙e all holding each other and I can cry.鈥�
Mayers described the moment as 鈥渁nother testament鈥� to the importance of building community and 鈥渓eaning into your strengths.鈥�
Following their mother鈥檚 passing, Mayers reconnected with art and took a step back from other commitments. They wrote poetry and music, including an album. 鈥淭hat time actually gave me the space to feel what I needed to feel and handle what I need to handle but also space to pour into art again.鈥�
During this time, Mayers wrote and performed poems around campus and Providence, where some attendees would donate to a GoFundMe to help Mayers fund logistical support for their family.
The Commencement speech, Mayers said, offers an opportunity for them to express gratitude for what they鈥檝e done at Brown 鈥� and what the Brown community has in turn given back to them.
鈥淚鈥檝e become the person that I was dreaming about when I was first thinking about what it would mean to be at Brown,鈥� they said.
Mayers gave three words to summarize their speech: 鈥淜eep moving forward.鈥�
Ryan Doherty is a Section Editor covering faculty, higher education and science & research. He is a sophomore concentrating in chemistry and economics who likes to partially complete crosswords in his free time.
