Commencing

Commencement was held in perfect weather in an open air football stadium built for 17,000. The class that started their college careers during a pandemic with many of their classes held on line made it through. A land acknowledgement statement was read recognizing that the land the campus was built upon was taken from the native people. The people in attendance were asked to think about this history and about our current relationships with the land and the water. Veterans in the class (not many) and in the audience (more, but still not very many) were asked to stand to be recognized. It was also nice to see the diversity among the students and families. It was disheartening to see that there were probably less than twenty students graduating with Bachelor's degrees in education - future teachers. There was very tight security. About fifty graduating seniors walked off the floor early in the ceremony flying Palestinian flags and carrying homemade banners regarding the university being complicit in mass murder. Kids had been arrested earlier in the week on campus. The ceremony went on, well choreographed and heartfelt. There seemed to be a place in it for everything. 

We went out for Indian food when it was over and took some photos next to my very tall oldest son in his cap and gown. On the way home I stopped into a store I've driven past a few hundred times and bought some incense from a witch named Candace.