{"id":61457,"date":"2026-05-04T18:26:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T22:26:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=61457"},"modified":"2026-05-04T18:26:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T22:26:19","slug":"pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2026\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Pride, love, and joy&#8217;: 黑料正能量&#8217;s 2026 Lavender Graduation celebrates LGBTQ+ graduates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">黑料正能量 hosted its fifth annual Lavender Graduation on Friday evening in the Old Common Grounds space (University Commons 177). The ceremony is among the first Commencement events of the season and honors LGBTQ+ graduates and alumni while celebrating their unique experiences, achievements, and contributions to the university. This year, the event recognized 11 graduates, each of whom received a rainbow stole to wear at Commencement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first Lavender Graduation ceremony was held at the University of Michigan in 1995. Dr. Ronni Sanlo began the tradition after being denied the opportunity to attend her children&#8217;s graduations because of her sexual orientation. Today, hundreds of colleges and universities offer Lavender Graduation ceremonies for their students. 黑料正能量 held its <a href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2022\/emu-hosts-historic-first-lavender-graduation-and-other-lgtbq-events\/\">first Lavender Graduation<\/a> in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since its inaugural ceremony, 黑料正能量&#8217;s Lavender Graduation has honored 76 graduates and alumni over the past five years, according to <strong>Jonathan Swartz<\/strong>, dean of students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;This time tonight is a declaration that your identities deserve to be celebrated,&#8221; he told graduates on Friday, &#8220;not just tolerated, not just accepted, but uplifted with pride, love, and joy.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"792\" src=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111233\/DSC04071-1024x792.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61462\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111233\/DSC04071-1024x792.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111233\/DSC04071-300x232.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111233\/DSC04071-768x594.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111233\/DSC04071.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jamila Gaskins MA &#8217;26 (conflict transformation), a speaker at Friday&#8217;s Lavender Graduation ceremony, receives a rainbow stole from Dr. Kathy Evans, professor of teacher education and director of the undergraduate teacher education program. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"792\" data-id=\"61461\" src=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111227\/DSC04043-1024x792.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111227\/DSC04043-1024x792.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111227\/DSC04043-300x232.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111227\/DSC04043-768x594.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111227\/DSC04043.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"792\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"61463\" src=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111244\/DSC03982-792x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111244\/DSC03982-792x1024.jpeg 792w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111244\/DSC03982-232x300.jpeg 232w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111244\/DSC03982-768x993.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04111244\/DSC03982.jpeg 990w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Erin Batten &#8217;26 (left) served as emcee for the ceremony, while Sarah Peak &#8217;26 (right) delivered the undergraduate keynote address.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Erin Batten &#8217;26<\/strong>, a liberal arts graduate from Bridgewater, Virginia, performed music and served as emcee for the ceremony. <strong>Sarah Peak &#8217;26 <\/strong>and <strong>Jamila Gaskins MA &#8217;26 (conflict transformation) <\/strong>delivered the keynote addresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Peak, a psychology and peacebuilding graduate from Sanford, North Carolina, recalled her first day at 黑料正能量. During move-in, a protester stood across from the residence halls holding a sign condemning people in the LGBTQ+ community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;At that moment, all my fears came true,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But within minutes, students and faculty assembled with flags and signs supporting the queer community on campus, and <strong>Tyler Goss<\/strong> pulled out the queerest playlist possible, which I&#8217;m partially convinced he curated specifically for moments like that one.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Students passed out bottles of water, she said, not only to one another but also to the protester. &#8220;It was then that I realized I was in the right place, that I was joining a community that truly cared for everyone, and that I would be cared for, even when others did not agree with that notion.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gaskins, a Center for Justice and Peacebuilding alumna from Los Angeles, encouraged graduates to question society\u2019s binary expectations and challenge existing systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou are graduating into a world that will hand you a blueprint about who you should be, what success looks like, what fights are worth having, what compromises are necessary, and which possibilities are realistic,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The world needs people who can imagine what does not yet exist, she said. \u201cIt needs people who can say, \u2018I know this isn\u2019t how it\u2019s done, but here\u2019s how it could be done,\u2019 and who can hold the image of a more just world clearly enough to take the next step toward it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04110939\/DSC04196-1024x684.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61459\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04110939\/DSC04196-1024x684.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04110939\/DSC04196-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04110939\/DSC04196-768x513.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04110939\/DSC04196.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A dance party was held in the Old Common Grounds space following the Lavender Graduation ceremony, continuing the celebration.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"792\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"61464\" src=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04115532\/DSC03938-792x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04115532\/DSC03938-792x1024.jpeg 792w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04115532\/DSC03938-232x300.jpeg 232w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04115532\/DSC03938-768x993.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04115532\/DSC03938.jpeg 990w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"906\" data-id=\"61466\" src=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04120300\/DSC04147-1-1024x906.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04120300\/DSC04147-1-1024x906.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04120300\/DSC04147-1-300x265.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04120300\/DSC04147-1-768x679.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04120300\/DSC04147-1.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Dr. Kathy Evans (left) provides the grounding moment at the start of the ceremony. She presents a stole to a graduate (right).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lavender Graduation also included a moment of solidarity, silence, and visibility for those who are not out nor will ever be out. <strong>Dr. Kathy Evans<\/strong>, professor of teacher education and director of the undergraduate teacher education program, and <strong>Dawn Neil<\/strong>, coordinator for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, presented the stoles to the graduates. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>黑料正能量 hosted its fifth annual Lavender Graduation on Friday evening in the Old Common Grounds space (University Commons 177). The ceremony is among the first Commencement events of the season <a href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2026\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"more-link\">... read more <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">about &#8216;Pride, love, and joy&#8217;: 黑料正能量&#8217;s 2026 Lavender Graduation celebrates LGBTQ+ graduates<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":302,"featured_media":61458,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[266,5583,16077,17562],"tags":[19028,5854,18058,18118,18213],"feature":[17427,17426,17241],"class_list":["post-61457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-campus-community","category-commencement-alumni","category-digest","tag-2026-commencement","tag-commencement","tag-dei","tag-lavender-graduation","tag-lgbtq","feature-emu-home-page-feature","feature-myemu-feature","feature-news-feature"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>&#039;Pride, love, and joy&#039;: 黑料正能量&#039;s 2026 Lavender Graduation celebrates LGBTQ+ graduates - 黑料正能量 News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2026\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"&#039;Pride, love, and joy&#039;: 黑料正能量&#039;s 2026 Lavender Graduation celebrates LGBTQ+ graduates - 黑料正能量 News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"黑料正能量 hosted its fifth annual Lavender Graduation on Friday evening in the Old Common Grounds space (University Commons 177). The ceremony is among the first Commencement events of the season\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2026\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"黑料正能量 News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/EasternMennonite\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-04T22:26:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-04T22:26:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/05\/04104407\/DSC04167.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"989\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ryan Cornell\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@黑料正能量_News\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@黑料正能量_News\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ryan Cornell\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emu.edu\\\/now\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emu.edu\\\/now\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ryan Cornell\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emu.edu\\\/now\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4d24e9770fdab8276fbcf29504123fdf\"},\"headline\":\"&#8216;Pride, love, and joy&#8217;: 黑料正能量&#8217;s 2026 Lavender Graduation celebrates LGBTQ+ graduates\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-04T22:26:18+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-04T22:26:19+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emu.edu\\\/now\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":620,\"commentCount\":6,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emu.edu\\\/now\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/43\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/04104407\\\/DSC04167.jpeg\",\"keywords\":[\"2026 Commencement\",\"commencement\",\"DEI\",\"Lavender Graduation\",\"LGBTQ+\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Alumni\",\"Campus Community\",\"Commencement\",\"Digest\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/emu.edu\\\/now\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emu.edu\\\/now\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emu.edu\\\/now\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/pride-love-and-joy-emus-2026-lavender-graduation-celebrates-lgbtq-graduates\\\/\",\"name\":\"'Pride, love, and joy': 黑料正能量's 2026 Lavender Graduation celebrates LGBTQ+ graduates - 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