Rasa & Rainbow Graduations
Honoring our graduates
Veronica Camacho, Staff Reporter
vcamacho@csumb.edu
As another semester ends CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB) prepares to celebrate the graduating class of 2010. Among these graduating students are those students who come from backgrounds where they are the first in their family to receive a bachelor’s degree. The Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) and the Chicana/o Latina/o Graduation Association (CLGA) sponsor the Chicano/Raza Graduation Celebration on May 23 to honor the effort and accomplishments of such students. This ceremony gives family members and friends who do not speak English the opportunity to share such an important event with the graduates. Rudy Medina, senior, HCOM major said, “The event is bilingual and is geared toward a more family oriented celebration. The ceremony is so families can feel more welcomed and included because often times at commencement they do not know what is going on.”
According to Juliana Gonzalez, sophomore, Psychology major there are approximately 10 to 20 students who will be attending the ceremony with their families. Friends and family members are required to purchase a ticket for this event. Tickets will be sold in building 12 and at the door the day of the event. During this commemoration students are presented with a certificate and a sash with the Mexican flag colors on it to be worn during the CSUMB commencement. Students are also given the opportunity to thank the people who helped them and inspired them to reach their goals. Gonzalez also said, “As a Chicana I feel that this celebration is important because the number of minorities on college campuses is still very small. To have fellow Latinos/Chicanos graduating and going out into the workforce or on to graduate school prepared and ready to make a change is something to celebrate.” According to the CSUMB website this celebration is held at the Wellness Activity Center, and includes a small dinner provided by El Palomar and a dance following the ceremony in Building 86A.
The student organization Out n’ About will also honor its graduating members by having a rainbow graduation ceremony. During this ceremony they will honor the achievements of the LGBT community at CSUMB and will present them with rainbow stoles to be worn during the CSUMB commencement. Johanna Stanley, Out n’ About secretary said, “The ceremony is about being together as a group to celebrate the accomplishments of our fellow club members.” The rainbow graduation will be held May 15, at 7p.m. at the Epiphany Lutheran and Episcopal Church 425 Carmel Avenue, Marina. Matisse Reischl, HCOM major and vice president of Out n’ About said, “We decided to hold a separate celebration because over the past couple years our group has become like a family itself and we as a community wanted to honor their great achievement. This is the first ever rainbow graduation at CSUMB and we hope to make it an annual tradition.”
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