NC State’s GLBT Center hosted its 2017 Lavender Graduation, an annual tradition celebrating graduating LGBTQ students on Wednesday night in the Piedmont Mountains Ballroom in Talley Student Union.
During the ceremony, 18 undergraduate students and eight graduate students were recognized for their achievements and contributions to NC State and shared their plans upon graduation.
The Lavender Graduation ceremony was created in 1995 by Ronni Sanlo, a former director of the LGBT Campus Resource Center at the University of Michigan. She wanted to create a ceremony where LGBTQ students felt supported by their university while also recognizing them “not only for their achievements but for surviving their college years.”
Today, Lavender Graduation is held at more than 100 colleges and universities nationwide.
Preston Keith, the assistant director for the GLBT Center, organized the event and emphasized the importance of recognizing LGBTQ students through a separate graduation ceremony.
“Lavender Graduation recognizes that there are so many obstacles and barriers that stand in the way of GLBT students and other marginalized communities [that prevent them] from accessing higher education,” Keith said. “[This is] taking a moment to step back and actually celebrate these accomplishments and making sure that we recognize that these barriers exist and that people have overcome them to get to this moment in their lives.”
The ceremony featured an address by Alaina Kupec, an NC State alumni and transgender woman. She currently serves as the co-chair of the board of directors for the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, and has appeared in the first transgender awareness ad which was aired nationally during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions in 2016.
In her address, she marveled at how far NC State has come in terms of visibility and support for the LGBTQ community over the last 25 years.
“When I came to campus in the late ‘80s … there was no visible gay, lesbian, bisexual, much less transgender community here on campus,” Kupec said. “It just didn’t exist. [The LGBTQ community] is an amazing, dynamic community you all have built here. You have inspired me and helped me grow when I come back and see the next generation.”
She offered advice to the audience and graduates and urged them to “be visible,” “honor those who came before you,” “always love yourself and those in our community” and “live your legacy.”
“You’re only at the very beginning of a long journey in an amazing life and each day is an opportunity to live your legacy,” Kupec said. “Think about how you want to be thought of long after you’re gone and left this earth.”
The second speaker and graduate address came from John Miller IV, a graduate student studying higher education administration. Miller spoke about his experiences on campus and how his race and sexual orientation shaped his personality throughout his career at NC State. He also congratulated his fellow graduates and offered encouragement upon graduation.
“You have earned this,” Miller said. “I don’t know what the future holds but I know it holds a place for all of us to show up as our whole selves. And if it doesn’t, we will make it.”
The ceremony was concluded by Linda McCabe Smith, the vice provost of the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity. She reflected on the challenges to diversity that have occurred over the past year and reaffirmed NC State’s commitment to “fairness and respect.”
“Tonight we show the strength of our community, praise our accomplishments and recognize our successes,” Smith said.
“I applaud each and every one of you for persevering in your individual journeys and overcoming your own unique obstacles to stand here today, proudly and triumphantly. Congratulations to you all.”
