I see you. I hear you. I celebrate you.

Today was the 4th Annual Lavender Graduation at SPU. My friend and colleague Christopher Hanson (pictured in 1st photo below) put together a program that we've used the last few years that is really profound. After each of the students comes to the stage to receive their lavender and rainbow graduation honor cords, the whole audience says in unison to each one: "I see you. I hear you. I celebrate you." Saying and hearing this again and again is powerful to the person who receives these words and is also powerful to the person who gives these words, as it affirms the dignity of all. 

I am so thankful for the beautiful people we got to honor and celebrate today.... 

balloon arch we made for the day 

Sara Koenig representing the School of Theology and me as the representative for the School of Education to pass cords out to graduates in our schools 

 art I made for faculty and student awards for Lavender Graduation and quote below that I read when I introduced the awards.... 

The people who plant the seeds of movements make a critical decision: they decide to live "divided no more." They decide no longer to act on the outside in a way that contradicts some truth about themselves that they hold deeply on the inside. They decide to claim authentic selfhood and act it out -- and their decisions ripple out to transform the society in which they live, serving the selfhood of millions of others.

-Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak 

pictures below from the 1st Pride Fest last Friday night put on by Haven (student LGBTQ+ group on campus) and Affirm (fac/staff advocacy group for LGBTQ+ students) 

doughnuts donated by Dough Joy 

Jill, Emily, Amy and Nikka 

with Chloe (senior graduating from the School of Education) 

me and Jill with Jack and Chloe (two SOE seniors) 

Affirm Leadership Team- me, Amy, Matt, Jill, and Nikka