Lavender Celebration
History
Lavender Celebration is a ceremony honoring graduating LGBTQ+ and allied students. It is a cultural celebration that acknowledges the achievements and contributions that students of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions have made at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
How to Participate
There is no cost to participate in or attend Lavender Celebration.
To participate, complete the Lavender Celebration Form for registration.
Eligibility Requirements
Participants must be one of the following at John Jay College:
- Undergraduate student
- Graduate student
- Professional student
- Doctoral candidate
- John Jay Faculty or Staff
Approval for graduation is required in recent Fall or current Spring semester for all participating graduates.
2024 Lavender Celebration Details
Date: May 2, 2024
Time: 1:40 pm – 2:40 pm (Community Hour)
To attend Register today!
Keynote speaker
TBA
Lavender Celebration Cords
The Lavender Celebration cord is meant to give special honors to those students who have exemplified a quiet determination as they have achieved their scholarly goals, and much more. The cords are for participants and are FREE. The cords will be distributed during the event.
Audre Lorde Award
The LGBTQ+ Resource Center is happy to continue the tradition of hosting the Annual Lavender Celebration. During this year’s annual Lavender Celebration we will continue the tradition by honoring one student and one faculty/staff member in our community with the Audre Lorde Award for Social Justice. Click on the link below to nominate someone you think is deserving of this honor.
2024 Audre Lorde Award for Social Justice Nomination Form
FAQs
1. How did Lavender Graduation start?
Now tradition at more than 200 colleges and universities across the country, Lavender Graduation began in 1995 at the university of Michigan. Ronni Sanlo, then the Director of the LGBT Campus Resource Center, organized the first Lavender Graduation with three graduates. She initiated Lavender Graduation after being denied access to attend her own children's graduations due to her sexual orientation and out of a desire to celebrate LGBT students. She has stated that her vision “is that Lavender Graduation will be an annual celebration at every college and university in the country and that the lives of our LGBT students will be fully honored.”
2. How and when did Lavender Celebration begin at John Jay College?
In 2016, the LGBTQ Task Force and LGBTQ+ Initiatives at John Jay created the Lavender Celebration to honor LGBTQ graduating students and award one student and one staff/faculty with the Audre Lorde Award for Social Justice.
3. Who can participate in Lavender Celebration?
John Jay College Undergraduate students, Graduate students, Professional students, and Doctoral candidates who graduated in the most recent Fall semester, or are approved to graduate in the current Spring semester.
4. Who can attend Lavender Celebration?
Lavender Celebration are typically open to the public. Participants are encouraged to invite their friends, families and loved ones. John Jay individuals from departments and units that co-sponsor Lavender Celebration or from departments and units that work closely with the LGBTQ+ Resource Center or LGBTQ+ communities are also likely to attend.
5. Can I invite family and friends to the event?
Yes! We hope that you will invite your families, friends and faculty members to witness your successes!
6. Who is Audre Lorde?
Audre Lorde was an American writer, feminist, womanist, librarian, and civil rights activist. She was a self-described "Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet," who dedicated both her life and her creative talent to confronting and addressing injustices of racism, sexism, classism, capitalism, heterosexism, and homophobia.
Contact us
Email: LGBTQ@JJAY.CUNY.EDU
Phone: (212) 237-8378
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