Congrats Grads!
Eva Longoria reminisces about her childhood in powerful virtual graduation speech
The actress encouraged the new graduates to be a ‘bean taco and not a Pop-Tart’
Eva Longoria is encouraging the Class of 2020 to be a bean taco – not a Pop-Tart. The Grand Hotel producer participated in the Her Campus Media’s “I’m Still Graduating” virtual graduation ceremony and offered a pearl of wisdom taken from her days in grade school in Texas. The mother-of-one opened up about being the outcast after she was sent across town to take the Gifted and Talented test that would potentially “qualify her for a superior program that would put me on a brighter path.”
Eva, 45, went on to explain that she would have to leave her friends behind and take the bus with “blonde hair” students who didn’t look like her. Upon her first encounter with the children, she recalled proudly eating a bean taco – made by her mother – while the other children ate Pop-Tarts.
“I took my seat next to one of the kids, and I immediately asked, ‘What’s that?’ And the kid responded, ‘What’s that?’” Young Eva and the other student were both unaware of their respective breakfast items. The Desperate Housewives alum then recalled another student’s response. “And then I heard one of them whisper, ‘She’s Mexican.’”
Eva shared that although at the time she didn’t know what the word meant, she knew it had a negative connotation. Eva recalled rushing home from school and asking her mother if she could start eating Pop-Tarts. Eva’s mother said no and sent her to school with two bean tacos and an appreciation of her culture.
“You go and share your culture,” her mother told her. “Never forget where you came from.” For the multi-hyphanent, the lesson is something she wants all scholars to take with them. “So follow the path that feels right to you, while not being afraid to take a left turn once in a while. Be who you want to be and fight for what you believe in,” she shared. ”Congratulations to you, the class of 2020. When I think about all of you and the journeys that lie ahead for you, I challenge you to stay true to the bean taco and not conform to the Pop-Tart.”
The I’m Still Graduating virtual ceremony included speeches from other celebrities including, Liam Payne, Tamron Hall and more. The full ceremony can be streamed on ImStillGraduating.com.
