Ethnic graduations offer more
By Daily Bruin Staff
June 9, 1996 9:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 9, 1996
By Rachel Kelley
Daily Bruin Contributor
Ethnic graduations have become a popular alternative to the
traditional commencement ceremonies for many UCLA students.
These graduations are special ceremonies put on by
underrepresented minority student unions, said Shauna Robinson,
outgoing chair of the African Student Union.
Such ceremonies give graduates a chance to celebrate their
culture as well as their educational achievements in a more
personal environment, according to coordinators.
Ethnic graduations differ from the standard departmental
ceremonies in a number of ways.
First, coordinators believe that ethnic graduations emphasize a
commitment to community, while acknowledging the progress that
their ancestors have made in breaking down educational
barriers.
"People have literally died for us, fighting for equal
educational systems," said Robinson.
Robinson believes that racism still exists in the educational
system and can be exemplified by the unequal funding of inner city
schools.
"For us it’s a different type of struggle. (Graduation) means
much more than a four-year diploma," Robinson said.
Another perk for seniors graduating with their student unions is
that they get an opportunity to briefly express on stage their
gratitude to their parents and friends, according to Shingly Lee,
the Asian Pacific Island (API) Grad Committee Chair.
A third reason many students choose to walk with their student
union, in addition to their departmental major, is that ethnic
graduation ceremonies are not limited to a specific number of
tickets, coordinators said. Students can invite as many people as
they want to join in the celebration.
API allows all majors and races to participate in their
ceremony.
"We don’t exclude other ethnicities although we will be focusing
on our heritage (and) our identity," Lee added.
Entertainment plays a large role in all of the ethnic
graduations. La Raza Grad ceremony will include a performance by
indigenous Aztec dancers as well as Mariachi music. Their keynote
speaker will be Gloria Romero, who sits on the Los Angeles County
Committee of Community Colleges and is a professor of psychology at
Cal State Los Angeles.
The Asian and Pacific Islander Graduation will feature Taiko
drumming, Hawaiian dancing, and a performance by the popular rap
artists JA’ A. The keynote speaker will be a Chinese-American
lawyer, Julie Su, who worked on the Jessica McClintock
Campaign.
Visiting Professor Sid LeMelle from Claremont McKenna College
will be speaking at the African Graduation Celebration along with
Beverly Robinson, a tenured professor at UCLA who will be acting as
emcee.
The processional will begin with African drumming and will be
followed by traditional African dancing. In addition, the African
celebration will include a libation, which is a prayer which pays
tribute to their ancestors, Robinson said.
Coordinators cited keynote speakers and cultural entertainment
as the highlights of ethnic graduations.
"We take a completely different approach. We are much more
community oriented (than traditional graduations)," said Margarita
Gonzalez, chair of La Raza Grad.
