Lavender Recognition Celebration

AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMEMORATE OUR LGBTQIA+ TITANS

Class of 2024 - The 21st Annual Lavender Recognition Ceremony

The annual Lavender Celebration is a time to honor our graduating LGBTQIA+ Titans and have an end-of-the-year celebration for the community! Every year the Losquadro Keller LGBTQ Resource Center at CSU Fullerton hosts the Lavender Recognition Celebration. This event is an opportunity for family and friends to celebrate the accomplishments of our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual/Aromantic (LGBTQIA+) graduates. Students who attend and participate in the ceremony will be individually recognized and receive a lavender cord (special graduation regalia).   All graduating LGBTQIA+ students are invited to participate! 

Graduating undergraduate and graduate students can register to attend the in-person ceremony. There are only 100 spots available for students to participate at the in-person ceremony. Students not attending the ceremony are still eligible to receive their regalia at the registration link. 

2024 Event Details

Saturday, May 4, 2024
5:00pm
TSU Pavilions
Space is limited, registration is required.

Registration is now open!Opens in new window

If you have any questions, please contact Coordinator, Nat Betancourt, at natbetancourt@fullerton.edu or 657-278-3454. You may also visit the DIRC Recognition Celebration FAQs page for answers to general questions.

Lavender & Beyond: PRISM Award

The PRISM Award honors a graduating student within the LGBTQ community with the following qualities. PRISM is an acronym consisting of Passionate, Resilient, Insightful, Social justice oriented, and Makes a difference. The recipeint of this award will receive a plaque commemorating their service and a $1,000 scholarship. Please nominate a graduating student attending the Lavender Celebration whom you feel exhibits these qualities. The more information you provide to us, the easier it will be for us to make a decision! Applications can be self-nominated and there is no limit to the number of nominations that can be submitted for one person. This application will close on April 16, 2024 , so please make sure you complete your nominations before then. The Lavender Celebration Committee will deliberate and choose a recipient who will be honored at the celebration. For any questions, please email Nat Betancourt at natbetancourt@fullerton.edu

Submit a Nomination for the P.R.I.S.M. Award!Opens in new window

What is Lavender Recognition?

  • An event you would invite your family, close friends, and those most important to you
  • An event you would invite a mentor, favorite professor, and someone who has impacted your acadmic journey to attend
  • An opportunity to honor graduating undergraduate and graduate students, volunteers and academics
  • An opportunity to get dressed up and show up as YOU!  We encourage business casual attire, but you may express yourself as you feel comfortable. You may also wear academic regalia if you wish.
  • An event that over 200 folks usually attend, sometimes more
  • The last formal program of the year from the LGBTQ Resource Center
  • An event where graduating students get a Lavender Cord; yay!!
  • A night of fun! The ceremony includes music, positive vibes, a photo booth, and light refreshments!

historical Context of Lavender

Lavender has had long histories with the LGBT community. Let us take a moment to revisit history, symbolism, and the reasons why we celebrate pride starting with the color of lavender. Lavender has no definitive origin or meaning, but the most common belief is that purple represents the mixing of gender normative colors such as pink and blue. Pink representing the mixing of cis-gender femininity and blue representing cis-gender masculinity. Combining the two gender assigned colors both blurs the lines between masculine and feminine which challenges society gender norms. It was in the 1950s that lavender became firmly associated with the LGBTQ community. Lavender has close ties to LGBTQ liberation movements. While any community's history embraces colors to represent their cause, the LGBTQ community utilizes lavender to illustrate ideals and principles.