Graduating Women of Color of UChicago

Graduating for us women of color at this institution, graduation is not just a singular event, a noun; it is a verb, a thing lived, a feeling shared and a garden grown amongst us

MARY BLAIR

I grappled with the question of what graduation means to me for some time, trying to dig deep and discover something profound to say that would demonstrate how I’ve got it all figured out. Truth is, I don’t. I don’t know what graduation means yet. And that’s ok.

My time at UChicago has been difficult… very difficult… mentally, emotionally, and physically.

I want time to breathe and process what these 4 years have taught me before I take the next step in my life. I deserve that time.

I feel like UChicago was something I had to survive, and now that I’ve done that, I’m ready to thrive — whatever that may mean for me.

In the words of Audre Lorde, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”

MAJORS: POLITICAL SCIENCE, COMPARATIVE RACE & ETHNIC STUDIES PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

In short, my post-grad plans are to deeply and holistically care for myself, so that in the future, I may still have the strength to care for (and to fight for) others.

AHONA MUKHERJEE

It's the end of a long journey of self-discovery and maturity, and I wouldn't be the same without the people I've grown to love and who have loved me back.

MAJOR: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

Making my parents proud. My parents only wanted one thing for me, that I never have to rely on anyone to get what I want. In order to be independent, I had to do well in school. They never had the opportunity to continue their education and I, as an extension of them, did. They have worked so hard to give my siblings and I everything we need. I am fighting to walk across that stage and get the diploma WE have worked really hard for. Getting it just takes me one step closer to giving them the life they deserve.

MAJOR: COMPARATIVE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

YESENIA ALMAZĂ N

ALEXANDRA THOMPSON

MAJOR: PSYCHOLOGY (PRE-MED) PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

It means starting a new chapter in my life filled with more opportunities to love, learn, and create.

It also comes with the responsibility of carrying others with me and passing down things that I've learned along the way. It's both scary and immensely exciting.

To me, graduating is the culmination of years of effort. This journey started before I was born. Graduating is the fruit of my parents’ hard work.

Graduating means we did it.

Graduating is a victory in the face of all the power structures that exist for marginalized, low-income, first generation, Black, visibly Muslim women in this country and institutions of knowledge.

MAJORS: GLOBAL STUDIES, NEAR EASTERN LANGUAGES AND CIVILIZATIONS MINOR: SPANISH PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

LEYLA ABDELLA

KATHIA RODRIGUEZ As graduation approaches, I find myself reflecting on the last four years and what they have meant to me academically and as a person. I missed a lot of opportunities during my time at UChicago but I also did things I came to be very proud of.

Graduation is a culmination of a lot of choices and in a way, a marker of uncertainty for everything that is to come but -

MAJOR: GLOBAL STUDIES MINOR: HUMAN RIGHTS PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

I keep remembering my graduation isn't only my own. Although I can't give my family anything close to what they deserve for their sacrifices, a diploma is a start.

SABINE NAU

When I was talking to my grandmother the other day, she said to me "Sabine, education is key. In my old age I have forgotten many things, but I remember your father's graduations vividly."

Throughout my childhood, education was never presented as an option, and my parents emphasized hard work above all else. They told me that education was a tool and a privilege, and though it didn't feel this way sometimes, this graduation feels like a culmination of all of this work that I and my loved ones put in.

I mostly feel grateful.

MAJOR: PUBLIC POLICY PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

I feel grateful for the opportunities I have been given, the support of my family, and the ability to use this education to follow my dreams. I know that graduating is just the beginning rather than the end and I look forward to continuing to make my family proud of me.

Graduating means that I have accomplished something that I didn't even know was possible.

If you were to ask me would I be graduating from the University of Chicago a few years back, I could not have told you that I will be come June. Graduating means that I can do absolutely anything that I set my mind to. I see how endless the possibilities are, and it is only up and on to better from here on out. This is such a surreal moment in time.

JALA CONLEY

MAJOR: COMPARATIVE RACE AND ETHNIC STUDIES

ZAINAB AZIZ When I think about graduating, I’m not worried about leaving friends behind, because I know those most important to me will always stay in my life.

MAJOR: BIOCHEMISTRY

Mostly, I know I will miss this place—from my favorite bike paths along the midway and lake, to the greater city that stands as the backdrop to my happiest college memories. I could say that I’m lucky to have experienced all that I have, but I know that much of what I owe is not to luck, but to my parents, who were willing to help fund and support my choices the past four years. The thought of graduating makes me more excited than melancholy; I look forward too much to what comes next.

EUNICE LARBI

MAJOR: BIOLOGY MINOR: HUMAN RIGHTS PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

To me, graduating means a chance to rest. Like seriously, let me sleep. This university has taught me a lot of things, but it's taken a lot out of me too. For the past 4 years, I've been putting in a lot of work in and outside of the classroom while also trying to combat imposter syndrome and some of the toxicity that comes with being at an institution like this. Listen, I'm fatigued! I'm not going straight into a grad school or anything, so I'm so excited to take a break, chill out, and rest. I think I deserve it. Honestly, we all deserve it.

MACHEAUX RANSOM

Graduation means the chance to really figure out who I am, who I want to be, my goals in life, what I find fulfilling, etc. I see it as the opportunity to take the skills I worked so hard to gain over the last four years and use them to build something meaningful and truly live.

MAJORS: ASTROPHYSICS, PHILOSOPHY

WHITNEY GEORGE

Graduating means making my loved ones proud of me; closing one chapter of many challenges, opportunities, and enormous growth; and moving one step closer towards becoming the best person I can for those around me.

MAJOR: HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, AND SOCIAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE AND MEDICINE (HIPSS)

HANNA ADDIS

Graduation is a chance for selfdiscovery.

MAJOR: POLITICAL SCIENCE PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

For once in my life, I don't have school as the automatic plan in what I'm going to do. It is both freeing and terrifying to go out into the real world and see what I'm made of. I think that chance to take that leap of faith in trying out new and exciting things outside the realm of my comfort zone will bring me closer to who I can be.

ISHANI KEJRIWAL

Graduating to me means getting to fulfill a dream that my mother wasn’t able to. It’s being the first child in my family to graduate in the USA and being a role model to my siblings and family members. It means being validated that I am in fact a smart and accomplished woman when the world may try to tell me I’m not.

MAJOR: COMPARATIVE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT MINOR: HUMAN RIGHTS PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

TEMISAN BLAGOGEE

Graduating to me means that I'm one step closer to achieving my dream of becoming a doctor. I'll graduate with the skills and knowledge that I know will help me succeed in life and to help others.

MAJOR: COMPARATIVE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT MINORS: CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

AYLING ZULEMA DOMINGUEZ

It means I proved that guidance counselor who said I wouldn’t get into UChicago years ago hella wrong — to say the least. Graduating means my wildest dreams are coming true. As well as those of my parents, my grandparents, my ancestors…

MAJORS: GLOBAL STUDIES, COMPARATIVE RACE AND ETHNIC STUDIES MINOR: HUMAN RIGHTS PRONOUNS: SHE/HERS

It means so much joy and disbelief and fulfillment. It doesn’t mean an end; it means a beautiful beginning. One I am so grateful to have fought for and attained. One I’m gonna use to benefit my communities.

I put this project together because I wanted the graduating women of color at UChicago to be celebrated. I hope you all felt that way and feel that way reading through this.

Continue celebrating yourself and each other. We are strong for making it through this PWI, and I can’t wait to see you all manifest this strength in the future and into all you go on to do.

An enormous “thank you” to my photographers. Thank you so very much for helping achieve my creative vision. I couldn’t have done this without you.

Grace Peguese @gpeg_photography gpegphoto.com Gabe Barrón @gabe.barron vsco.co/gabebarron Josue Sican @hjsican