Monday, May 13, 2024

Texas’ DEI ban almost ended cultural graduations. Latina students at UT-Austin fought to keep theirs.

I'm still savoring the sweetest of 5 graduation ceremonies I attended last week—and they were all so wonderful. The point is that Latina/o/x Spanish-speaking culture has a place not just at UT, but in the state of Texas. I was honored to have played a role in the actual ceremony. However, my deepest respect are in order for organizers Liany Serrano Oviedo, Luis Santos, and Katherine Ospina who reached out to the Hispanic Quality of Life Commission that resulted in Austin City Council Member Chito Vela reaching out to LULAC for funding support.

The Texas Exes financed the after-graduation fiesta that happened later in the day on May 9th. This whole story is a testament to not just the power of culture, but also with respect to civil rights and the important work of our community based institutions and leadership.

Thanks, as well, to the Sneha Dey and KXAN news and other press that covered this impressive event. All so inspiring!

-Angela Valenzuela

Texas’ DEI ban almost ended cultural graduations. Latina students at UT-Austin fought to keep theirs.




Graduates take a selfie prior to the University of Texas at Austin Latinx Graduation on May 9, 2024 in Austin. The graduates received orange chords, a nod to the color of monarch butterflies that symbolize the resilience of Latinx immigrants. Credit:


Subsets of Texas college graduates — from Latinx to LGBTQ students — have organized intimate events separate from the larger commencement ceremony to celebrate the completion of their degrees in the context of their identities and cultural heritage. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune

Students take the lead

Family and friends of graduates cheer during the ceremony. To comply with SB 17, public universities in Texas have shuttered beloved multicultural centers that used to organize cultural graduation ceremonies like the Latinx celebration. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune

A decorated cap of the Mexico flag done in rhinestones sits on top of a graduate’s head during the ceremony. For some students and faculty, celebrating the accomplishments of Latinx students is a critical recognition of the hard road that they journeyed on to get their degree. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune

A nod to family 

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