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Lavender Graduation Celebrates 91国产精品's 2022 LGBTQ+ Grads

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91国产精品 held its annual Lavender Graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 12 in the Mather Mansion Ballroom, celebrating the achievements of 91国产精品鈥檚 LGBTQ+ graduates.

Lavender Graduation is a special ceremony , at the University of Michigan, after she was denied the opportunity to see her biological children graduate due to sexual orientation. While Dr. Sanlo鈥檚 first ceremony had only three graduates, it has since grown into a national movement that takes place at hundreds of colleges and universities across the country.

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Graduating attendees at the Thursday evening event were treated to a banquet, a keynote address from speaker/91国产精品 alumnus Caleb Sargent MSW, LSW, rainbow cords to wear with their regalia on graduation day, and a brief awards ceremony to conclude.  

In welcoming remarks, LGBTQ+ Student Services coordinator Kara Tellaisha asked for a specific round of applause for all the family, friends and loved ones in attendance.

鈥淚f any group of people understands how important a chosen family is, it鈥檚 us,鈥 Tellaisha remarked.

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Phillip "Flapp" Cockrell, Ph.D., vice president for Campus Engagement, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at 91国产精品 echoed those sentiments, remarking that the room was full of "resiliency and determination" and that accomplishing what the graduates have, particulary during the last couple of pandemic years, was nothing short of extraordinary.

"You are all leaders and you lead by example," Dr. Cockrell said. 

A clinical social worker and therapist, Sargent graduated from the master鈥檚 program at 91国产精品 last year and now devotes their time to helping those burdened with depression, anxiety and difficult situations connect to their unique stories and strengths in order to heal, grow and thrive.

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鈥淵ou are all uniquely powerful,鈥 said Sargent. 鈥淒on鈥檛 ever take that for granted.鈥

The significance of 鈥淟avender鈥 is particularly important to LGBTQ+ history, as it is a combination of the pink triangle that gay men were forced to wear in concentration camps, and the black triangle designating lesbians as 鈥減olitical prisoners鈥 in Nazi Germany. The LGBTQ+ rights movement transformed these symbols of hatred into those of pride and community.

Learn more about how 91国产精品's LGBTQ+ Student Services Center is creating broader societal visibility, advocacy and support on campus, as well as how to actively engage with the center as students, faculty, staff or alumni. Congratulations to all of 91国产精品's Lavender Graduates!

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