Lavender Graduation 2022

Welcome & Purpose

Ceremony Program

Venida C. Rodman Jenkins, Speicher-Rubin Women’s Center for Equity and Diversity

Greetings

Abby Shivers, The LGBTQIA+ Alliance Student Organization

Dr. Sue Henderson, NJCU President

Ceremony Host

Veronica Garcia, Director, Student Outreach And Retention (SOAR)

Musical Tribute

Paola Perez and Sammy Davis, "Here Comes a Thought" by Steven Universe

Community Greetings

Joseph Zapata, Community Event Manager, Hudson Pride Center

Honoring the Past

Dr. John Sherry, Director of Counseling Center

Dance Tribute

NJCU Dance Ensemble, Nothing but the Love – Organized by Giovania Jones

Graduate Reflections

Yulissa Mota, BA, Sociology and Minor in Women’s & Gender Studies

Lav Grad Alum Tribute

Luie Perez, Lavender Graduate 2021

Musical Tribute

Paola Perez and Sammy Davis, "For Show"

Guest Speaker Introduction

Rachel Guanlao, Student Staff, Speicher-Rubin Women's Center for Equity and Diversity

Guest Speaker

Makenzie Gomez, Executive Director, Forefront Church, Brooklyn

Recognition of Graduates

Dr. Donna Breault, Dean, Deborah Cannon Partridge Wolfe College of Education

Tatiana Reyes, Assistant to the Dean, Deborah Cannon Partridge Wolfe College of Education

Dance Tribute

“Outstanding” – Choreographed and Performed by William Ervin, In Full Color

William Ervin

Music by DJ PhD

Sammy Davis & Paola Perez

Makenzie Gomez

Graduates

Tanajah Bivins

BA, Criminal Justice

Jennifer Lozada

BA, Psychology

B Ortiz

MA, Art History

Yulissa Mota

BA, Sociology

Kiara Osbourne-Willis

BS, Criminal Justice

Kayla Stewart

BA, Musical Theater

Rosalba Soto De Frias

BA, Psychology

2020 -2022 Highlight

We have held Safe Zone sessions for various campus constituents including Housing and Residence Life, the Center for Leadership and Engagement, the School of Business, Nursing, and Multicultural Counseling!

Our Safe Zone Facilitators conducted train-the-trainers for Caldwell University, Kean University and Georgian Court University to assist with the development of their safe zone initiatives!

We shared information about our PRIDE Center at the School of Business!

A Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony was held at the NJCU School of Business to inaugurate its first All-Gender Restroom The SOB has converted one of its first-floor restrooms to a genderinclusive restroom which anyone can use regardless of gender identity or expression!

Ben DeMonaco is our current Graduate Assistant working his magic in person!

Mercedez Ruiz was our inaugural PRIDE Center Graduate Assistant working her magic virtually!

2020 -2022 Highlight

Olivia Luxe from Ru Paul’s Drag Race fame was our Guest Host for LavGrad 2020 – just before she rose to prime time!

Not missing a beat - we held virtual LavGrad celebrations for the Class of 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic!

We held Virtual and In-Person events to create platforms for traditionally underrepresented voices.

Acknowledgements & Gratitude

Co-Sponsors

Center for Leadership and Engagement

SGA Senior Class Executive Board

Student Outreach and Retention (SOAR)

LGBTQIA+ Alliance Student Organization

Office of Global Initiatives

Pre-College Programs

Counseling Center

Deborah Cannon Partridge Wolfe College of Education

NJCU Gothic Knight Ally Safe Zone Program

Speicher-Rubin Women’s Center for Equity and Diversity

The Planning Committee

Aisha Rathore, Center for Leadership and Engagement

Bianca Cribero, Center for Leadership and Engagement

Francis Laing, Student Outreach and Retention (SOAR)

Abby Shivers, LGBTQIA+ Alliance Student Organization

Sylvia Osafo-Williams, Office of Global Initiatives

Vaughn Rogers, Office of Global Initiatives

Ivelisse Cruz, Pre-College Programs

Veronica Baker, Counseling Center

Hafsa Dawood, Counseling Center

The Whole Women's Center Team!

Special Thanks

Victor Delvalle, Center for Leadership and Engagement

Bridget Bardge, Center for Leadership and Engagement

Renee Ramos, Marketing Department

Gourmet Dining

Housekeeping

Gothic Knight Ally Safe Zone Program & Lavender Graduation

Gothic Knight Ally Safe Zone Program

Founded in December 2012, with the help of FK Consultants, the Gothic Knight Ally Safe Zone (GKASZ) Program is an initiative sponsored by the Speicher-Rubin Women’s Center for Equity & Diversity at New Jersey City University (NJCU). The Program is designed to promote a climate of respect, support and inclusiveness for students, faculty, and staff members who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual+ (LGBTQIA+), as well as others within the kaleidoscope of sexual orientations and gender identities and expressions.

We are members of the NJCU community – students, staff, and faculty – who have attended a 4-hour interactive training, and have pledged to support an inclusive environment, and oppose all forms of anti- LGBTQIA+ prejudice. We are hundreds strong! All members of the NJCU campus, and the surrounding community, are eligible to attend the GKASZ training and help build a stronger ally campus community. Contact us at njcusafezone@njcu.edu for more information.

Why have a Lavender Graduation?

The queer, transgender and gender nonconforming communities at NJCU have been historically active in demanding to be recognized, and to be seen at our institution. As Gothic Knight Allies, we have pledged to amplify their voices.

Our vision is that Lavender Graduation will continue to be an annual celebration at NJCU and that the lives of our LGBTQIA+ students will be fully honored. Since LGBTQIA+ students are of every race, ability, nationality, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic levels, Lavender Graduation provides a unique opportunity to present a truly multicultural event while acknowledging students who spent most of their college years succumbing to invisibility on our campus.

The Lavender Graduation makes a strong institutional statement to LGBTQIA+ college students: They are seen and they matter.