In Photos: Affinity Celebrations for the Class of 2023
By Crimson Multimedia StaffHarvard graduates from historically marginalized groups attended University-wide affinity celebrations on Monday and Tuesday, prior to Commencement on Thursday. At the ceremonies, students received a stole or commemorative gift created for their affinity group.
Above, students snap selfies celebrating their achievements during the First Gen Next Gen graduates affinity celebration. This year’s ceremony marked the second annual in-person celebration for first-generation, low-income graduates at Harvard.
After receiving their stoles, FGLI students gathered on the steps of Memorial Church to take a photo.
Harvard Law School lecturer Alexander Chen delivers an address to the graduating students at the Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Desi American celebration. In 2022, students pushed to create the inaugural University-wide APIDA affinity celebration.
After the affinity celebration, some students posed in front of Sever Hall for a picture in support of affirmative action alongside organizers from Coalition for Diverse Harvard.
A student receives a stole at the affinity celebration honoring Indigenous graduates. The ceremony took place in the Science and Engineering Complex in the Allston Campus.
Indigenous graduates donning regalia pose in front of the photo wall, while their loved ones take pictures.
At the affinity celebration honoring Black graduates, a student walks across the stage and receives a stole. The Black affinity celebration was held in the Sever Quadrangle.
Black graduates dance and sway together to music at the end of the ceremony. Black students organized the first University-wide celebration in 2017 through the Black Graduate Student Alliance.
Graduates received “Harvard Disability” stoles at the inaugural affinity celebration for graduates with disabilities. The ceremony took place at Harvard Business School’s Spangler Center.
Alexis J. Stokes, the associate chief diversity and inclusion officer in the Harvard Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, delivers closing remarks at the celebration of graduates with disabilities.
Students were presented with “Harvard Latinx” stoles on stage to honor their acheivements. The affinity celebration for Latinx graduates took place in the Sever Quadrangle on Tuesday.
A student walks down the stage with stoles from the Latinx and FGLI celebrations and Puerto Rican and Mexican flags.
During the affinity celebration for Arab graduates, three artists perform traditional music. The ceremony took place in Memorial Church on Tuesday.
Arab graduates from across the University sit inside Memorial Church for the affinity celebration.