By: Serena Edwards
The moment many Brooklyn College (BC) seniors have waited for has come. Dozens of soon-to-be BC graduates gathered in the Claire Tow Theater wearing white apparel to mark this joyous occasion. Annually, the BC Faculty and Staff (BFS), in conjunction with BC Black Student Union (BSU) and the BC Black and Latino Male Initiative (BLMI), hosts a pre-graduation ceremony honoring the Black seniors by placing stoles featuring kente cloth. This ceremony, named “Donning of the Kente,” was held on May 1.
Kente is a Ghanaian cloth that is widely used within the African diaspora to represent resilience and high value. The fabric features special symbols, also known as Adinkra, that represent different phrases and meanings.
An opening prayer was shared by BC alum, Pastor Louis Straker, followed by fellow graduate, Shatisha Bryant, singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, also known as the Black national anthem.
This year’s theme was “Building Community,” and emphasized that reaching the milestone of graduation wasn’t completed by just the students, but their friends, family, and BC community. This theme was echoed through the speeches, videos from alumni, and faculty, congratulating students on the new journey they were stepping into.
BC’s Supreme Steppers paid homage to Black culture through a step performance. The performance featured various segments, including one where they praised the graduates and their accomplishments.
The ceremony was not only a celebration for the graduates, but also for the faculty and staff. Recognition was given to the Black faculty and staff who have contributed to the City University of New York (CUNY) community and beyond. The Robert Jones Jr. Citizenship Award was presented to the director of the CUNY Haitian Studies Institute (HSI), Dr. Marie Lilly Cerat.
The eponym of the award, Jones Jr., is an author and BC alum who received his Master’s in Fine Arts from BC in 2008. He used his work in literature to advocate for social justice and is a New York Times best-selling author for his book, “The Prophets”.
The ceremony also spotlighted the future graduates and current students of the first-ever cohort of the Sankofa Excellence Program. The program highlights one-on-one mentorship for BC students, providing guidance from BC staff and recognition for all of their achievements.
After the plethora of speeches and group recognition, the time for individual recognition began.
Separated by schools, each dean expressed their excitement for their students and gave words of encouragement to their soon–to–be alumni. Each student handed a name card to the speaker and donned a kente stole to represent their next chapter before walking across the stage.
Graduating senior and treasurer of the Black Solidarity Committee, Hannah Chin-Phillips, gave the student address and shared her experience during her matriculation. Sharing a story about the adversities she faced during her matriculation, she gave words of wisdom to her peers.
“Adversity does not disqualify you; it prepares you. Every challenge you face helps shape who we are today, where we are today. We are not here despite what we’ve gone through; we are here because we kept on moving,” expressed Chin-Phillips.
She continued by expressing that sometimes seasons of discomfort are positively reflected.
“I learned that you have to be uncomfortable to become comfortable,” stated Chin-Phillips.
Recognizing that though the regular commencement may look different, this ceremony reflects that we are still seen and heard.
“For many of us, this commencement season may not look like how we imagined it would […] while that moment might look different, what it represents does not. Our accomplishment is not contained in one walk or one ceremony; it was in every sacrifice, every setback,” said Chin-Phillips.
Before the end of the ceremony, there was a special performance from a women-led percussion band, Batala New York.
Organizer Crystal Schloss-Allen spoke with the Vanguard about the importance of the Donning of the Kente ceremony.
“It was brought about, like, after the protest of 2020. We wanted to create a more black, affirming campus, and we had to imagine what that would look like.”
Speaking on the origins of the Donning of the Kente ceremony, Schloss-Allen emphasizes how she wants to see more graduates attend.
She also speaks on the inclusivity of the event, “I also want to emphasize that Donning of the Kente is open to everyone,” stated Schloss-Allen.
Leaving seniors with words of encouragement, she said, “If you’re as flexible as possible, you could do whatever. And it’s like sometimes the side mission becomes the main mission, like, so life isn’t going to go as planned for everyone.”