Lavender Graduation

Lavender Graduation ceremonies are held at multiple campuses across the United States. The goal is to celebrate LGBTQ* students and their accomplishments and achievements while on campus. The ceremony was created by Dr. Ronni Sanlo, a Jewish Lesbian, who was denied the opportunity to attend the graduations of her biological children because of her sexual orientation. From this experience, she concluded that a ceremony for LGBTQ* students was needed. Dr. Sanlo helped conduct the first Lavender Graduation in 1995 at the University of Michigan.