Julian Castro: The American dream is not a sprint or even a marathon b...

The American dream is not a sprint, or even a marathon, but a relay. Our families don't always cross the finish line in the span of one generation. But each generation passes on to the next the fruits of their labor. My grandmother never owned a house. She cleaned other people's houses so she could afford to rent her own. But she saw her daughter become the first in her family to graduate from college. And my mother fought hard for civil rights so that instead of a mop, I could hold this microphone.

Julian Castro

daughter mother dream

My grandmother's generation and generations before always saw beyond the horizons of their own lives and their own circumstances. They believed that opportunity created today would lead to prosperity tomorrow.

Julian Castro

grandmother generations opportunity

Now, in Texas, we believe in the rugged individual. Texas may be the one place where people actually still have bootstraps, and we expect folks to pull themselves up by them. But we also recognize there are some things we can't do alone. We have to come together and invest in opportunity today for prosperity tomorrow.

Julian Castro

texas opportunity believe

I especially cannot imagine anyone who grew up during the Cold War era listening to Donald Trump and saying, you know what, that's a guy that I want to support. It makes zero sense.

Julian Castro

support zero war

I stand before you tonight as a young American, a proud American, of a generation born as the Cold War receded, shaped by the tragedy of 9/11, connected by the digital revolution and determined to re-elect the man who will make the 21st century another American century - President Barack Obama.

Julian Castro

digital-revolution men war

In the end, the American dream is not a sprint, or even a marathon, but a relay. Our families don't always cross the finish line in the span of one generation. But each generation passes on to the next the fruits of their labor.

Julian Castro

generations lines dream

This president [Barack Obama] is someone who has done more to protect and keep together families with DACA and then with DAPA.

Julian Castro

done president together

My grandmother didn't live to see us begin our lives in public service. But she probably would have thought it extraordinary that just two generations after she arrived in San Antonio, one grandson would be the mayor and the other would be on his way - the good people of San Antonio willing- to the United States Congress.

Julian Castro

grandmother two people

My family's story isn't special. What's special is the America that makes our story possible. Ours is a nation like no other, a place where great journeys can be made in a single generation. No matter who you are or where you come from, the path is always forward.

Julian Castro

journey special america

As my family story shows, Latinos have been a blessing for USA for many generations. The future of America depends in part on the success of the Latino community, and this opportunity is just one more signifier of that.

Julian Castro

usa blessing opportunity

Donald Trump ought to realise that being a president is different to being a candidate and that there is a responsibility that comes with the office.

Julian Castro

office president responsibility

When it comes to letting people marry whomever they love, Mitt Romney says, "No."

Julian Castro

romney people

Opportunity today, prosperity tomorrow.

Julian Castro

tomorrow opportunity today

I wanted to be a quarterback. I used to like Johnny Unitas, the old quarterback for the Colts.

Julian Castro

colts quarterback used

My hope is Donald Trump will take a longer view and a more unified approach.

Julian Castro

trump approach views

You can't be pro-business unless you're pro education.

Julian Castro

I understand Spanish better than I speak it.

Julian Castro

speak

My grandmother spent her whole life working as a maid, a cook and a babysitter, barely scraping by, but still working hard to give my mother, her only child, a chance in life, so that my mother could give my brother and me an even better one.

Julian Castro

brother mother children

My hope is Donald Trump will focus on building bridges instead of walls.

Julian Castro

wall focus bridges

I couldn't help but to think back to my classmates at Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio. They had the same talent, the same brains, the same dreams as the folks we sat with at Stanford and Harvard. I realized the difference wasn't one of intelligence or drive. The difference was opportunity.

Julian Castro

dream opportunity school

The American dream is not a sprint or even a marathon but a relay.