Black Grad

In photos: Student-run Black Grad event celebrates community, culture and excellence

davidlee — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 16:47:24 +0000

In photos: Student-run Black Grad event celebrates community, culture and excellence

davidlee Mon, 06/24/2024 - 12:47

Cutline

Graduating students and recent graduates from across the three campuses sit in Hart House’s Great Hall during the student-run Black Grad celebration, organized annually by U of T's Black Student Association (all photos by Polina Teif)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Our Community

Convocation 2024

Black Grad

Hart House

St. George

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

Subheadline

"Your success is not just personal, but a beacon of hope and inspiration for future generations"

Peals of applause reverberated through Hart House’s Great Hall as dozens of graduates and graduating students at the ��Ƶ took to the stage at the Black Student Association’s annual Black Grad celebration, which brings together U of T community members from across the three campuses.

Taking a page from their U.S. peers, students at U of T began organizing Black Grad celebrations in 2017 as a way to honour students’ resilience, diversity and academic accomplishments.

U of T News writer Adina Bresge and interactive digital producer Polina Teif captured the celebration earlier this month:

(photo by Polina Teif)

Rows of graduates and graduating students waited to be called to the stage, where each was congratulated by ambassadors from across U of T’s three campuses.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Doyin Adeyemi, president of U of T's Black Students' Association and head of the 2024 Black Grad Planning Committee, said she was honoured to be in a room filled with such Black excellence, acknowledging the challenges her fellow graduates had faced to reach this milestone.

“Your success is not just personal, but a beacon of hope and inspiration for future generations,” Adeyemi said.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Meshach Homer said the significance of the occasion hit him as soon as he donned his kente stole.

“When I got here and I saw so many Black people like me, it just feels like we've achieved something so great,” says Homer, who was graduating with an honours bachelor of arts degree from the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology at U of T Mississauga.

He says the milestone was all the more special because he was sharing it with his mother, who flew in from Trinidad to see the son she’d raised as a single parent graduate from one of the world’s top universities.

“It’s a big thing to see me happy for all that I have achieved and all that she has achieved raising me the way I am.”

(photo by Polina Teif)

After the proceedings, graduates reunited with friends and family at a reception for hugs, photos and food.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Hannah Flores, a spoken word poet, scientist and life sciences student at New College in the Faculty of Arts & Science, performed a piece dedicated to “the only Black student in the room.”

In keeping with the 2024 theme, “Legacy in Motion: Passing the Baton of Excellence,” the student-run event’s speakers and performers recognized the rich tradition of Black community, culture, and excellence and reminded graduates of their role in carrying forward that mission of empowerment.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Dozens of graduates gathered in the Hart House courtyard for a Class of 2024 portrait.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Naomi Tekle Kiros said attending Black Grad felt like the culmination of a dream she’s been working toward since Grade 8.

“I felt that I was truly honoured and rewarded for what I've accomplished at this campus,” said Kiros, who is graduating with an honours bachelor of arts degree with a double major in sociology and critical studies in equity and solidarity.

Wearing the stole provided by the organizers, a traditional Ethiopian kemis and gold headpiece, Kiros said she was overwhelmed by the sense of fellowship and community permeating the hall and wanted her outfit to highlight how her heritage has shaped her vision for the future and plans to go to law school.

With smiles and stoles, student-run event celebrates U of T's Black graduates

geoff.vendeville — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 14:15:29 +0000

With smiles and stoles, student-run event celebrates U of T's Black graduates

geoff.vendeville Mon, 07/04/2022 - 10:15

Cutline

Black graduates recognized one another's achievements at a student-led event held at Hart House following U of T's spring convocation ceremonies (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Hart House

St. George

St. Michael's College

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

Undergraduate Students

Victoria University

Women and Gender Studies

“Understand that your presence here, and what you achieved here, is monumental and that cannot be denied.”

The words of Adriana Williams, president of the ��Ƶ's Black Students' Association (BSA), echoed through Hart House’s Great Hall, where dozens of Black U of T students who graduated earlier this spring gathered recently to celebrate their achievements.

Students at U of T began organizing Black Grad celebrations in 2017 and over the years the events have been held on the St. George and U of T Mississauga campuses, as well as virtually during the pandemic.

The theme of this year's student-run celebration was “trials and tribulations.” It was meant to underscore challenges each student overcame to earn their degree – both as Black students and as students navigating university during a pandemic.

The event itself marked a triumph over difficulties since it was the first in-person celebration in two years due to COVID-19. “I feel the biggest thing about this entire ceremony is it's a really good example of overcoming adversity, which is something our community does all the time,” Williams told U of T News.

“Post-secondary was never created with people of colour – let alone Black people – at all,” said Williams, who graduated this spring with a degree in linguistics, history and African studies as a member of St. Michael's College. “I feel like the Black student experience in general is just very unique, so I think it's imperative that we highlight what we've done here.”

U of T News senior reporter and associate editor Geoffrey Vendeville captured the following images of this year’s event: