Across the U.S., colleges are canceling long-standing cultural and identity-based graduation ceremonies due to mounting political pressure — but students are stepping up to keep the traditions alive off campus.

Harvard Cancels Black Graduation, Students Push Forward

At Harvard University, Elyse Martin-Smith had been planning a celebration of Black culture since last summer. The student-led Black graduation was set to include music, poetry, and a keynote speech from 1619 Project creator Nikole Hannah-Jones.

The event was scheduled for the Harvard Memorial Church, but just weeks before commencement, Martin-Smith said she was told by university officials it could no longer be held on campus. The cancellation followed the university’s decision to rename its DEI office and withdraw funding for all affinity group commencements, a move announced in April after the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funds over the school’s refusal to comply with new policy demands.

“This isn’t the first time the university has catered to PR concerns over student needs,” Martin-Smith said. Still, she wasn’t deterred. With support from Harvard’s Black Graduate Student Alliance and Black Alumni Society, she secured an off-campus venue. The event, still featuring the original program, will take place May 27.

“It’s an undue burden we keep facing — having to fight just to celebrate our own culture,” she added.

Affinity Graduations Under Threat Nationwide

Harvard is not alone. Several universities are backing away from support for affinity graduations — celebrations traditionally held to honor the achievements of marginalized student groups, including Black, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, first-gen, and Asian students. Though optional and separate from main commencements, these ceremonies have become meaningful platforms to recognize identity, culture, and heritage.

The trend comes as former President Donald Trump and other conservative leaders campaign aggressively against DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts, labeling them discriminatory and threatening schools with cuts to federal funding and accreditation.

At the University of Kentucky, for instance, all identity-based graduation events were scrapped earlier this year.

“Due to changes in federal and state policy, the university will no longer host special-interest or identity-based graduations,” a university spokesperson stated.

‘Senior Salute’ Fills the Gap in Kentucky

Kristopher Washington, a University of Kentucky graduate and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity member, didn’t let the school’s decision end his celebration. Working with his fraternity brothers, Washington organized an off-campus event called “Senior Salute” at the Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center.

The inclusive ceremony encouraged graduates to wear symbols of their identity and background.

“It’s about showing that people from different places and struggles are still making it to the finish line,” Washington said. “That’s worth celebrating.”

A Deeper Cultural Meaning

Dr. Antar Tichavakunda, an assistant professor at UC Santa Barbara and author of Black Campus Life, emphasized the importance of these events in giving students a sense of pride and cultural affirmation.

“Most traditional commencement rituals have European origins,” he explained. “Black graduations, for example, often include West African drumming, speakers who understand the Black experience, and celebrations that reflect our heritage.”

“Being able to celebrate in a space where we’re not policed — where our music, language, and culture are welcomed — makes the moment even more meaningful,” he said.

LGBTQ+ Graduations Also Under Fire

The LGBTQ+ community has also felt the impact. Lavender Graduations, which honor queer graduates, are being shut down in states with new anti-DEI laws.

In Utah, Governor Spencer Cox signed legislation last year banning DEI programs in education and government. As a result, many universities have shuttered identity resource centers and ended support for Lavender Graduations.

Jacey Thornton, executive director of Project Rainbow Utah and a recent graduate of Weber State University, stepped in to help. Her organization supported a community celebration for LGBTQ+ students at a local church, complete with pride flags, rainbow tassels, and lavender stoles. Students from multiple colleges in Utah attended.

“It’s not just about the degree,” Thornton said. “It’s about honoring the journey — especially for those of us who’ve lost family or faced rejection along the way. These gatherings help us form a chosen family.”

Looking Ahead: Students Get Creative

With official support fading, students are finding new ways to celebrate their identities.

Tichavakunda believes this could mark a shift in how students choose colleges. “Schools that don’t support these traditions may lose students to institutions that do — especially HBCUs,” he said.

But he’s also optimistic: “This won’t be the end of cultural graduations. Students will continue to find creative ways to keep them alive — even without university backing.”

Source: CNN – Colleges are canceling affinity graduations due to anti-DEI policies. Here is how students are preserving the traditions

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BOSTON – Harvard University is taking the Trump administration to court after the federal government froze more than $2.2 billion in research funding, a move that Harvard says is political retaliation for refusing to comply with controversial campus reform demands.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Boston, comes after the Trump administration accused Harvard of fostering an environment of unchecked antisemitism following student-led protests over the Israel-Gaza conflict. In response, the administration issued an April 11 ultimatum, pushing for sweeping changes—from admissions policy revisions to stricter protest discipline and a re-evaluation of diversity efforts.

Harvard President Alan Garber refused to comply, citing constitutional protections and academic freedom. Hours later, the administration froze billions in federal research grants, affecting projects that span medical, technological, and scientific innovation.

“There’s no rational link between these antisemitism accusations and the life-saving research they’re targeting,” Harvard argued in its lawsuit. “This is arbitrary, capricious, and a threat to America’s innovation pipeline.”

The Trump administration’s hardline stance aims to shake up what it sees as liberal-dominated academia. Harvard, a longtime symbol of elite education, has now become the test case for federal efforts to force universities to toe a new ideological line—or lose funding.

The White House fired back quickly.

“The gravy train of taxpayer-funded handouts to elite institutions like Harvard is over,” said White House spokesman Harrison Fields. “Federal support is a privilege, not an entitlement.”

The administration also called on Harvard to audit its community for ideological diversity, crack down on protests, stop recognizing certain student groups, and vet international students for alignment with “American values.”

Harvard’s leadership and supporters argue that the administration’s demands violate the First Amendment and overstep the government’s authority. In a message to the university community, Garber said the lawsuit is about more than one school—it’s about protecting the independence of American higher education.

“We stand for the truth that universities can fulfill their roles in society without improper government intrusion,” Garber wrote.

The university’s legal push is also backed by major academic organizations. The American Council on Education, which represents over 1,600 colleges and universities, applauded the lawsuit, calling the freeze “a clear violation of due process and rule of law.”

This case adds to mounting tensions between the Trump administration and academic institutions, particularly those that resist its policies on immigration, free speech, and cultural debates. The administration has increasingly used federal funding—especially research grants—as leverage.

The American Association of University Professors has also filed its own suit, seeking to block the government’s review of Harvard’s funding. Harvard alumna Anurima Bhargava praised the university’s stance, calling it a “refusal to give in to escalating, dangerous demands.”

“This is a reckless attempt at control that puts lifesaving research in jeopardy,” Bhargava said.

Source: AP News – Harvard sues Trump administration to stop the freeze of more than $2 billion in grants

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