CASCADE Hosts An nual Lavender Reception

By - Hailey McMannen

On Wednesday, Oct 19. Howard’s LGBTQ+ community and its allies gathered at CASCADE’s 7th Annual Lavender Reception to recognize the recipients of thisyear’s Lavender Fund Scholarship.

As the longest-standing queer student organization on the university’s campus, CASCADE aims to engage with and uplift Howard’s queer community. One of the ways in which the organization fulfills its mission is the Lavender Fund Scholarship, an award exclusively dedicated to LGBTQ+ students at Howard.

“There’s a lot of stigma within the Black community about sexuality and identity...but for this [the Lavender Fund] to exist, it still fosters the idea that people have a seat at the table and that their voices can be heard and amplified.” – Laten Jordan, CASCADE President. Howard alumni, Bilal Badruddin, and Keynote speaker, Amari Ice, highlighted the rich history of the Lavender Fund and honored the dedication of those who made the fund and the reception possible.

Seven undergraduate and graduate recipients were awarded the Lavender Fund Scholarship amounting to $7,000.

Following this year’s Lavender Reception, CASCADE will continue encouraging inclusivity and creating safe spaces for Howard’s LGBTQ+ community through its impactful activism and Advocacy.

“Institutions are here at Howard to amplify other people’s humanity,” said Howard University President Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick.