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Lavender Celebration History

Origin of Lavender Graduation

In 1995, the first Lavender Graduation ceremony was coordinated at the University of Michigan by then LGBT Campus Resource Center director Ronni Sanlo. Dr. Sanlo realized that LGBT students needed to be recognized for “not only their achievements but for surviving their college years” (Sanlo, 2000). The graduation began as an effort for students to feel connected to their institution and celebrate their identity, which are similar reasons for ethnic groups hosting their own graduation ceremonies.

Dr. Sanlo served as the Director at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) LGBT Resource Center. When Dr. Sanlo became director at UCLA, she immediately coordinated their first Lavender Graduation in spring 1998. Fifty-nine of The Advocate Top 100 LGBT Friendly Colleges and Universities sponsor a Lavender ceremony (Windmeyer, 2006).

USC’s Lavender Celebration

The University of Southern California coordinated their first Lavender Graduation on May 9, 1995. The then named Gay Lesbian and Bisexual Assembly (now named QuASA) coordinated then called “Graduation and Honors Evening.” At the event, student leaders Muriel Lynn Jones and Jayzen E.I. Patria served as the Mistress and Master of Ceremony. At this ceremony, 17 graduates were honored. A LGBT-theme graduation ceremony has been an annual event at USC since this 1995 milestone.

In 2004, the Lavender Graduation revamped its image. It became known as the Lavender Commencement Celebration (LCC) and Scholarship Reception. The USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association co-sponsored the celebration with QuASA and LGBT Resource Center to recognize their scholarship recipients and their generous donors. This became an opportunity for students, staff, faculty and alumni to network and celebrate with the recent graduates.

Lavender Celebration Archives

Lavender Celebration Keynote Speakers

  • 2022 Keynote: Jacob Tobia, Actor, Writer, Producer, and Best-selling Author
  • 2020/2021 Keynote: Kerri Cecil (’16), Film and Television Writer/Director/Producer
  • 2020 – No ceremony held due to COVID-19
  • 2019 Keynote: Bamby Salcedo, Transgender Advocate
  • 2018 Keynote: Vivian Romero, Montebello Councilmember
  • 2017 Keynote: Ricardo Lara, California State Senator
  • 2016 Keynote: Robert Garcia (’05), Mayor of Long Beach
  • 2015 Keynote: D’Lo, Performing Artist and Comedian
  • 2014 Keynote: Janet Mock, Writer and Transgender Advocate
  • 2013 Keynote: Angela Ross, Student Speaker, Sociology and Economics Majors
  • 2012 Keynote: Janet Mock, Writer and Transgender Advocate
  • 2011 Keynote: Stephanie Miller, Radio Talk Show Host and Political Activist
  • 2010 Keynote: Eric C. Bauman, Vice Chair of the California Democratic Party & Chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party
  • 2009 Keynote: Amy A. Ross, Ph.D. (’86), Founding Member of USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association
  • 2008 Keynote: Jorge Valencia, Executive Director & CEO for the Point Fountain
  • 2007 Keynote: Anthony Rapp, Actor and Performing Artist
  • 2006 Keynote: Lorri L. Jean, Executive Director for the L.A. LGBT Center
  • 2005 Keynote: Laura Castaneda, Professor from Annenberg School of Communication
  • 2004 Keynote: Kirk Synder, Author of Lavender Road to Success

Lavender Celebration Award Winners

Outstanding Undergraduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Alexia Sambrano and Dinithi Senanayake

Outstanding Graduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Rachel Freeman-Cohen

Bridge Builder Award: Edwin Bodney

LGBTQ+ Student Organization of the Year Award: QuEST (Queers in Engineering, Science, and Technology)

Outstanding Undergraduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Ken Murakami and Sasha Sumarlin

Outstanding Graduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Ciara Brewer

Faculty and Staff Award: Mary Weber and Office of Student Health Promotions Strategy

Outstanding Undergraduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Kara Watkins-Chow, Erin Cooney, and Varsha Sivaram

Outstanding Graduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: John Bacolores

Faculty and Staff Award: Dr. Stanley Harris

Outstanding Undergraduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Joey Mathews

Outstanding Graduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Renee Bradley

Faculty and Staff Award: Dr. Bryce McDavvit

Outstanding Undergraduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: John Vitzileos

Outstanding Graduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Erica Nicole Kirk

Faculty and Staff Award: Kegan Allee-Moawad and Dr. Patty Pinanong

Outstanding Undergraduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Alyssa Coffey

Outstanding Graduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Michael Gorse

Faculty and Staff Award: Dean Thomas McWhorter

Outstanding Undergraduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Robby Sachs

Outstanding Graduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Timothy Hyuhn

Faculty and Staff Award: Maria Flores and Rev. Brian Gaeta-Symonds

Outstanding Undergraduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award: Becca Grumet, Christopher Rodriguez, and Khristopher Patrick

Outstanding Graduate LGBTQ+ Leadership and Service Award:

Faculty and Staff Award: Raquel Torres-Retana

USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association

The USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association (USC Lambda) has been co-sponsoring Lavender Celebration since 2004. USC Lambda is USC’s official alumni organization for LGBT and Ally Trojans and has been a part of the USC community since 1992. In 1994 USC Lambda started awarding scholarships to students who were making a difference in the LGBT community and, to date, USC Lambda has awarded more than $400,000 to over 100 LGBT and Ally students.

References

Sanlo, R. (2000). Lavender Graduation: acknowledging the lives and achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender college students. Journal of College Student Development, 41(6), pp. 643-646.
Windmeyer, S. L. (2006). The Advocate College Guide For LGBT Students. New York, NY: Alyson Books.

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