A special in-person graduation ceremony for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and others with gender-specific identities will be held this Saturday at UAF.
In-person attendance is limited to graduates participating. A rainbow honor cord and “pride pin” will be given to each participant.
The event is called a Lavender Graduation, created by Ronni Sanlo, director emeritus of the UCLA Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center. Over 45 campuses across the country now have special ceremonies for LGBTQ students.
The traditional commencement center at the Carlson Center is now a drive-in celebration and graduate car parade on Saturday, May 1 at 9:30 a.m. Caps and gowns are optional and family and friends may not be in graduates’ cars, but may wave at graduates from the parade route.
There will be a festival stage and LED screen for the graduates in their car and the event will be live-streamed.
This week, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District announced it will have outdoor graduations at the high schools next month.
