Harvard's Black Commencement

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great way to bring people together!LOL

+1. So ridiculous.

Is it only ridiculous because black students are doing it? Because the Asian and Latino students (among other groups) have been doing it for several years.

I hadn't seen that the Asian students have one, just the Latino students. Does Harvard also do a separate Asian Commencement?

It's interesting to me because I'm biracial and my kids are even more of a mix. Which event would they be welcomed at, LOL? Can they attend each one?? Not that my kids are getting into Harvard anyway, so I guess I needn't worry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good for them. I'm AA and attended another Ivy for graduate training, after an HBCU for undergrad. I can see the desire for such a celebration, in addition to the regular ceremony.

Apparently it's mostly for Harvard graduate students at this point, but they're hoping to extend to undergrads in future years.

Can you elaborate?

PP here. If you're AA or Latino at many institutions, you're part of a pretty small minority. My brother visited me during my Ivy training and commented about how the black students around campus looked lost--lol. He was probably projecting, but still, I can see how for many, it might feel a bit lonely. Having a community can help provide a sense of support during the transition and matriculation, IMO, especially for undergrad.

So basically, sometimes members of these groups seek out others who have their cultural background and shared experiences for a sort of built-in sense of community and support. This graduation ceremony simply seems like an extension/capstone to that experience.

P.S. It should go without saying, but the existence of cultural groups/clubs/events on campus should not imply that these students *only* socialize with members of that cultural/ethnic group. For me, there were very few AAs (or minorities of any background) in my training program, so I wouldn't have been able to segregate even if I wanted to! These groups are simply an *additional* source of support and community.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from Harvard Business School in the 90s. The Asian community has been having separate ceremonies/lunches/dinners for the Asian students for years. This isn't any different. In the Asian community, it happens at every school I know of.

Stop looking for things that aren't there...and stop letting the media shape your thoughts.

FYI- Here is the text of the invitation that I received via email today:
----------------------------------
Harvard Black Commencement 2017 will be the first university-wide celebration of graduate students who identify with the African diaspora at Harvard University. The ceremony will honor the accomplishments of graduating students and their families and will serve as a demonstration of unity and strength among our Harvard community.

In addition to a keynote speaker, the ceremony will feature a performance, student speakers (see below) and acknowledgement of graduating students.

We hope you can join us in celebrating the legacy of social belonging among Black students at Harvard University.
------------------------

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great way to bring people together!LOL

Yes it is! Especially for the families to meet each other. Kudos to all involved with the planning. Other minority communities have been doing this for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from Harvard Business School in the 90s. The Asian community has been having separate ceremonies/lunches/dinners for the Asian students for years. This isn't any different. In the Asian community, it happens at every school I know of.

Stop looking for things that aren't there...and stop letting the media shape your thoughts.

FYI- Here is the text of the invitation that I received via email today:
----------------------------------
Harvard Black Commencement 2017 will be the first university-wide celebration of graduate students who identify with the African diaspora at Harvard University. The ceremony will honor the accomplishments of graduating students and their families and will serve as a demonstration of unity and strength among our Harvard community.

In addition to a keynote speaker, the ceremony will feature a performance, student speakers (see below) and acknowledgement of graduating students.

We hope you can join us in celebrating the legacy of social belonging among Black students at Harvard University.
------------------------

Interesting. I'm Asian but we did not have a separate Asian Commencement when I graduated college. Also, no separate Asian Commencement when I finished grad school - I was definitely a minority in my grad program. But, maybe I'm just too old and this is a new phenomenon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great way to bring people together!LOL

+1. So ridiculous.

Is it only ridiculous because black students are doing it? Because the Asian and Latino students (among other groups) have been doing it for several years.

I hadn't seen that the Asian students have one, just the Latino students. Does Harvard also do a separate Asian Commencement?

It's interesting to me because I'm biracial and my kids are even more of a mix. Which event would they be welcomed at, LOL? Can they attend each one?? Not that my kids are getting into Harvard anyway, so I guess I needn't worry.

11:29 here. It really just depends on how your kids identify. If they wanted to join/attend an AA event, I don't think they would be excluded. I'm actually biracial (well, a mix of a lot of stuff, really) and I've had no issues at either my HBCU or any other cultural events/groups during my Ivy graduate training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great way to bring people together!LOL

Yes it is! Especially for the families to meet each other. Kudos to all involved with the planning. Other minority communities have been doing this for years.

DP here - Well, you're really only getting 'certain' families to meet each other. Whether it's all the Latinos or all the Black families or all the Asians. I'm a (non-Black) minority, but still find these sorts of things somewhat divisive - regardless of which 'community' is doing them. YMMV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great way to bring people together!LOL

+1. So ridiculous.

Is it only ridiculous because black students are doing it? Because the Asian and Latino students (among other groups) have been doing it for several years.

I hadn't seen that the Asian students have one, just the Latino students. Does Harvard also do a separate Asian Commencement?

It's interesting to me because I'm biracial and my kids are even more of a mix. Which event would they be welcomed at, LOL? Can they attend each one?? Not that my kids are getting into Harvard anyway, so I guess I needn't worry.

Of course your kids would be welcome. I've never been to an AA (or other minority) event that wasn't attended by people of other races. There's no gatekeeper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great way to bring people together!LOL

Yes it is! Especially for the families to meet each other. Kudos to all involved with the planning. Other minority communities have been doing this for years.

DP here - Well, you're really only getting 'certain' families to meet each other. Whether it's all the Latinos or all the Black families or all the Asians. I'm a (non-Black) minority, but still find these sorts of things somewhat divisive - regardless of which 'community' is doing them. YMMV

Yep. Kind of like all of the families from a certain social class going out to a restaurant or having a large graduation party at an exclusive club. It's all the same. The main graduation is for everyone and then people separate into their smaller groups to celebrate. What about this is confusing to you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from Harvard Business School in the 90s. The Asian community has been having separate ceremonies/lunches/dinners for the Asian students for years. This isn't any different. In the Asian community, it happens at every school I know of.

Stop looking for things that aren't there...and stop letting the media shape your thoughts.

FYI- Here is the text of the invitation that I received via email today:
----------------------------------
Harvard Black Commencement 2017 will be the first university-wide celebration of graduate students who identify with the African diaspora[u] at Harvard University. The ceremony will honor the accomplishments of graduating students and their families and will serve as a demonstration of unity and strength among our Harvard community.

In addition to a keynote speaker, the ceremony will feature a performance, student speakers (see below) and acknowledgement of graduating students.

We hope you can join us in celebrating the legacy of social belonging among Black students at Harvard University.
------------------------

Interesting. So does this include white Africans?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from Harvard Business School in the 90s. The Asian community has been having separate ceremonies/lunches/dinners for the Asian students for years. This isn't any different. In the Asian community, it happens at every school I know of.

Stop looking for things that aren't there...and stop letting the media shape your thoughts.

FYI- Here is the text of the invitation that I received via email today:
----------------------------------
Harvard Black Commencement 2017 will be the first university-wide celebration of graduate students who identify with the African diaspora at Harvard University. The ceremony will honor the accomplishments of graduating students and their families and will serve as a demonstration of unity and strength among our Harvard community.

In addition to a keynote speaker, the ceremony will feature a performance, student speakers (see below) and acknowledgement of graduating students.

We hope you can join us in celebrating the legacy of social belonging among Black students at Harvard University.
------------------------

Interesting. I'm Asian but we did not have a separate Asian Commencement when I graduated college. Also, no separate Asian Commencement when I finished grad school - I was definitely a minority in my grad program. But, maybe I'm just too old and this is a new phenomenon.

It's not actually a separate commencement. It's a ceremony/celebration. The title on the invite is somewhat misleading and the press has used that word "commencement" to make a story out of it. In my experience, Asian students have always gathered after the main graduation ceremony to have a separate celebration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from Harvard Business School in the 90s. The Asian community has been having separate ceremonies/lunches/dinners for the Asian students for years. This isn't any different. In the Asian community, it happens at every school I know of.

Stop looking for things that aren't there...and stop letting the media shape your thoughts.

FYI- Here is the text of the invitation that I received via email today:
----------------------------------
Harvard Black Commencement 2017 will be the first university-wide celebration of graduate students who identify with the African diaspora[u] at Harvard University. The ceremony will honor the accomplishments of graduating students and their families and will serve as a demonstration of unity and strength among our Harvard community.

In addition to a keynote speaker, the ceremony will feature a performance, student speakers (see below) and acknowledgement of graduating students.

We hope you can join us in celebrating the legacy of social belonging among Black students at Harvard University.
------------------------

Interesting. So does this include white Africans?

Such a 90s question.

[Anonymous]

It does seem unusual for 2017. What, I'm a woman and no history books I ever had in school mentioned women,nor were there ever any women graduation speakers. No one gave me a graduation for my past travails and for having to birth the population.

It seems like a crutch...like "oh you're black" and w e're going to make a public show of you being black and you're here because your black because we had to have diversity.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm. So, we're progressing back to "separate but equal."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from Harvard Business School in the 90s. The Asian community has been having separate ceremonies/lunches/dinners for the Asian students for years. This isn't any different. In the Asian community, it happens at every school I know of.

Stop looking for things that aren't there...and stop letting the media shape your thoughts.

FYI- Here is the text of the invitation that I received via email today:
----------------------------------
Harvard Black Commencement 2017 will be the first university-wide celebration of graduate students who identify with the African diaspora at Harvard University. The ceremony will honor the accomplishments of graduating students and their families and will serve as a demonstration of unity and strength among our Harvard community.

In addition to a keynote speaker, the ceremony will feature a performance, student speakers (see below) and acknowledgement of graduating students.

We hope you can join us in celebrating the legacy of social belonging among Black students at Harvard University.
------------------------

I completely agree that the media spins every.single.story a certain way. So, I'm interested in learning more about this before judging.

When I graduated HS, the church in town had a celebration, on a different day to celebrate kids from the church. My current synagogue does something similar, but there's no 'walking across the stage, etc'. Is that all this is? Or is it truly an actual Commencement ceremony where the kids all wear their caps and gowns and get presented with a certificate.