Congressman Joaquin Castro on the value of Fulbright's 'cultural ambassadors'
Channel: Josephine Dorado
Date: 2016-11-18

Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-TX) speaking at the Annual Fulbright Conference 2016 in Washington, DC. He spoke powerfully and passionately about the role of Fulbrighters as cultural ambassadors and the story of immigrants (like his Mexican grandmother) who came to the US and made the American dream possible for many. Transcribed below:

"The American dream is not a sprint or a marathon, but a relay: our families don't always make it there in the span of one generation -- but each generation passes on the fruits of its labor to the next. My [Mexican] grandmother was very proud to be able to do that. That is the story of the immigrants who have come to our country. Those are the stories that you encountered in all of your work. Those are the stories that I hope that you will continue to tell to our fellow Americans in the coming years. That is your value. You have been our ambassadors."