| Vol. 5 No. 10 MAY 20, 2010 |
The Capital City Hues (608) 241-2000 gramling@capitalcityhues.com Subscription Information: The Capital City Hues PO Box 259712 Madison, WI 53725 ($45 a year) Contact Number: (608) 241-2000 Advertising: Claire G. Mendoza sales@capitalcityhues.com |
EDITORIAL STAFF Jonathan Gramling Publisher & Editor Clarita G. Mendoza Sales Manager Contributing Writers Rita Adair, Ike Anyanike, Paul Barrows, Alfonso Zepeda Capistran, Theola Carter, Fabu, Andrew Gramling, Lang Kenneth Haynes, Eileen Cecille Hocker, Heidi Pascual, Jessica Pharm, Laura Salinger, Jessica Strong, & Martinez White Webmaster: Heidi @ heidipascual@sbcglobal.net |
| It was just an incredible week. Along with the grass getting greener and the lilac and other flowers blooming, filling the air with their sweet scents, a whole lot of academic excellence was blooming in Madison and the excellence was just as colorful, varied and beautiful. From the elementary school level on, students were being recognized for the hard work that they had put in for at least the past year. For some of the students, it is the end of the line of their formal and continuous educational experience as they receive their Ph. D.s. For others, especially elementary and high school students, it means they have successfully resisted the temptations and avoided the negativity while staying focused on their education, something that is always worthy of praise. Sunday May 15 was a busy day in academic circles. May 15 marked the last wave of graduation ceremonies at the University of Wisconsin, which had begun the previous Friday night. As I waited outside the Kohl Center to take the photos of Jessica Pharm and Martinez White, two UW students featured in this issue, it was quite a sight to see hundreds of soon-to-be UW graduates and their families standing outside in the finally dry and warm weather to take their photos together and take stock of this final moment at the UW. Graduation day is about family because it is through family that many of these students made it through the academically challenging four years or more. Martinez’s mom was just beaming with pride. I am sure that Martinez has spearheaded an academic advance that his mom hopes the rest of his siblings will follow. Later that same day, a similar scene was repeated at the Alliant Energy Center where Edgewood College held it commencement ceremony. Soon-to-be graduates were speed walking with their families in tow, sometimes holding tight to their caps so they wouldn’t take flight in the breeze and finishing the buttoning up of their gowns. In the tighter entry way of the Coliseum, graduates and their families were again taking photos and taking stock of the moment. I was there to take photos of Aiesha Golden, Elizabeth Reyes and Daniela Porro. Aiesha was getting her undergraduate degree and Elizabeth and Daniela were getting Ed.D.s, doctorates in the field of education. From the Edgewood graduation, it was on to the Link’s African American Student Recognition Program in the Redsten Gym at Madison College. I have been attending this wonderful event, which recognizes students from elementary school through high school for their academic achievement, for 12 years now. I have watched it grow from an event that filled the theater at LaFollette High School to this year’s event where the Redsten Gym was packed with students, parents and family member standing in the back of the gym. It is incredible the way this event has grown every year and the enthusiasm that the parents and students bring to this event. Parents are taking photos left and right and are beaming as much as their children are for they know that education is the key to their children’s future and right now, that future is looking very bright. This event always dispels the notion that academic achievement isn’t important to the African American community. Then last Friday, the African Association held its annual graduation recognition at the Urban League of Greater Madison’s facility on S. Park Street. Education is why many members of the African community came to Madison and education remains paramount to their children and their children’s children. There were at least 27 members of the African community who were graduating with undergraduate or advanced degrees and over eight students graduating from high school. It was wonderful to see the graduates come up and receive their certificates, obviously pleased and proud that their community had recognized their academic achievement. And of course after the formal recognitions and graduations, there are the graduation parties that went on in restaurants, churches and backyard barbeques. People killed the fatted calf in celebration for all the achievement and hard work that had occurred. And it was a blessing and privilege to have witnessed it all. Trying to take stock of all of the ceremonies, recognitions and celebrations is quite a rigorous task. But I have to admit that all of the goodwill and happiness that these events generate just seem to fill my sails with energy, hope and optimism. As you, our readers, peruse this special graduation issue, I hope it fills your sails with a sense of hope for the future and a belief that we are getting somewhere, no matter how slow that progress seems. |
| Reflections/Jonathan Gramling Oh What a week! |
| Success & Excellence The Hues celebrates high school and college graduation |
