Colleges Introducing Identity-Exclusive Events for Class of 2023 Graduation

As universities prepare for their annual graduation events, some institutions, both public and private, are providing separate celebration events that are exclusively open to graduates who identify with specific racial, ethnic, cultural, or sexuality-based groups. These events are advertised to be geared towards a specific identity group, although they are open to all students, regardless of their identity. Some of these events are hosted by academic departments, such as African American studies or “Latinx” studies.

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) offers several identity-oriented graduation celebrations that are student-led and separate from the main university commencement event. For instance, students can take part in the lavender graduation, which is particularly for transgender and gay students and facilitated by the campus LGBT resource center. Additionally, students can partake in the “Afrikan Student Union Celebration,” “Vietnamese Student Celebration,” “Latinx Student Celebration,” or the “Asian Pacific Islander Graduation Ceremony.”

Columbia University had a similar experience, where students could attend seven different celebrations, including the “lavender” celebration for gay and transgender graduates, and separate events for black, Asian, Native American, Latinx, first-generation graduates, and those from low-income backgrounds. The university’s website reads, “In honor of Columbia’s diverse student community and complementing the school- and University-wide graduation celebrations, we are proud to also offer Multicultural Graduation Celebrations, which provide a more intimate setting for students who self-identify in a variety of ways. These events invite community members to reflect on personal growth and community experiences that have impacted their time as students through to graduation.”

Other colleges and universities that offer similar events include Harvard University, Grand Valley State, and California Polytechnic State University.

It’s worth noting that while these events are aimed at celebrating identity and culture, they are in no way intended to be divisive or exclusive. Rather, they provide an opportunity for students to celebrate their distinct identities and experiences as they transition from their academic journey to their professional lives.