By snoadmin
Students, families, friends and faculty gathered in the University Student Union Ballroom Saturday for the 2nd annual Lavender Graduation celebration at Cal State Long Beach, hosted by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center.
Graduating students, who donned special lavender sashes, mingled with family and friends in the lobby minutes before the ceremony began. Senior journalism major Jeffrey Spafford, also a co-chairman and student organizer of the event, was among the 18 participating graduates.
“Lavender Graduation has become this wonderful opportunity for people within and outside of the [LGBT] community to share this moment of accomplishments and express their individuality with their family, friends, loved ones – their personal allies,” Spafford said.
According to Spafford, who also co-chaired last year’s ceremony, this year’s event was a vast improvement from the previous years. The ballroom was decorated with purple and white balloons and nearly all of the 160 seats were filled.
The theme of this year’s Lavender Graduation was “Who’s Your Ally?” The theme emphasized the importance of having allies in the community who support LGBT students and the various struggles they experience in their college years. The theme was also meant to show appreciation to allies within the community as well as to heterosexual allies.
Participating graduate Sylvia Rodemeyer, a senior journalism major, attended the event with the support of her parents and friends. Rodemeyer and her parents decided to be a part of the Lavender Graduation, which is meant to complement the general graduation ceremony, because it is “smaller and more intimate.”
The ceremony, which began at 2 p.m., was hosted by women’s studies associate professor Elizabeth Philipose. The students walked the academic procession with Bon Jovi’s “Welcome to Wherever You Are” playing in the background. Keynote speakers included Julie Brown, president of Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride, Inc., and Seventh District Long Beach City Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga.
In her speech, Brown spoke about the achievements the Long Beach LGBT community has made, including the Long Beach Pride Festival’s 25th anniversary on May 17 and 18. LBLGP, Inc. also donated $14,000 to this year’s graduation celebration fund.
Spafford also represented the Lavender Graduation class and gave a speech, stressing the importance of having allies and thanking the allies in the audience who came to support students who have struggled with LGBT issues. Spafford also surprised Matt Cabrera, Student Resource Center coordinator at the Student Life and Development Center, with the Outstanding Ally of the Year Award.
Following the speeches, the 18 graduates were presented with their certificates. Philipose also read a sentence written by each student as they walked across the stage. Aunnie Ganier, a women’s studies major and graduating senior, gave a message to her friends and family, saying “this is how I roll.”
The Lavender Graduation celebration is part of the Cultural Graduation Celebrations, which also include African-American, Chicano/Latino, American Indian, Pacific Islander and Filipino celebrations.
Next year’s Lavender Graduation theme will be “Show Your True Colors” and will focus on embracing the differences in leadership.
