Remembering our spiritual, courageous ancestors who forsook oppression with security to gain freedom with opportunity,

may we go forth to master ourselves by accepting duty with responsibility,

by showing balance in our judgments and by having breadth of vision in our deliberations.

May we be exemplars of that spirit, moving forward with conviction and commitment,

with unity and without uniformity, with brotherhood and sisterhood to serve the truth that sets us free. Amen.