On the evening of April 14, the Georgia Tech community celebrated its 10th annual Lavender Graduation and eighth annual Lavender Awards at the Historic Academy of Medicine. Lavender Celebration, with a focus on LGBTQIA students, joins other end-of-the-year Georgia Tech celebrations like Up With the White and Gold in recognizing students who are finishing their degree programs and have accomplished great feats on campus and beyond.  

With the support of gathered members from across the Georgia Tech community, 25 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, and/or aromantic students were recognized and celebrated for their academic and professional accomplishments. 

Dean John Stein (he), associate vice president for Student Engagement and Well-Being and Brandt-Fritz Dean of Students Chair, provided the evening’s keynote address. He reflected on how the graduates have been "courageous, brave, strong, resilient, and even thick-skinned at times here at Tech” and encouraged them to use those lessons in their professional careers and lives after college. Following his remarks, LGBTQIA Resource Center Director Tegra Myanna (they) read aloud the names and accomplishments of each graduate.    

The celebration also recognized members of the Tech community who work toward making campus a more inclusive space for LGBTQIA members. In addition to highlighting faculty and staff participants in the Resource Center’s Level Up: An Advanced LGBTQIA Allyship program, the following awards were presented:  

• Friend of the Center Award: Alex Ortiz 
• Billiee Pendleton-Parker Award for Outstanding Allyship: Ida Yoshinaga 
• LGBTQIA Faculty/Staff Leadership Award: Kantwon Rogers 
• LGBTQIA Student Leadership Award: Ryan Kann 
• Dr. Aby L. Parson’s Advocacy in Action Award: Grace House 
• LGBTQIA Alum of the Year Award: Genny Kennedy 

This year’s event was made possible through the support of Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Division of Student Engagement and Well-Being; and the Parents Fund for Student Engagement and Well-Being Leadership. Noting the importance of gathering to celebrate, Myanna thanked "our graduates, awardees, and attendees for contributing to the celebration of LGBTQIA community at Tech and helping us to continue this integral campus tradition, which shines a light on LGBTQIA inclusion and excellence.”