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NMSU "Lavender Graduation" Friday

  New Mexico State University's Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center will host the ninth biannual Lavender Graduation at 5 p.m. Friday, May 2, at the NMSU Golf Course Club House.

“It’s one last celebration before everyone leaves,” center coordinator Jessica Spohn, said. 

The Lavender Graduation consists of a four-course meal, keynote speaker, presentation of the stoles, Christina Chavez Kelly Excellence Service Award and a performance by the Singing Out Las Cruces Community Choir.

This year’s speaker is Kelley Winters, a writer and consultant on issues of gender diversity in medical and public policy. She founded Gender Identity Disorder Reform Advocates and is the author of “Gender Madness in American Psychiatry: Essays from the Struggle for Dignity.” 

Winters and advocates aim at empowering those with GID in the medical profession to help with reform of the psychiatric classification of gender diversity as mental disorder.

Seniors at the bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. levels participating in the ceremony are nominated based on a set of requirements. 

Upcoming graduate Christian Brillante was nominated by his mother and two sisters. Brillante will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing. 

“Lavender Graduation is a fun thing we have here for everyone,” Brillante said. 

Tickets are $20 and available for purchase until noon on Wednesday, April 30. To purchase tickets or diversity stoles by cash or check, please contact Carla in the Office of Student Diversity and Outreach, Garcia Annex Room 235. The public can purchase tickets or stoles for $30 to donate to the office.