Thousands demand a new commencement speaker for Xavier University of Louisiana 2024 Commencement
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Posted By: Reginald Culpepper on May 09, 2024 Officials with Xavier University of Louisiana have decided to cancel their recent selection for commencement speaker for the spring 2024 ceremony after thousands took to Change.org to demand a new commencement speaker. Previously, the scheduled speaker was Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, United States Ambassador to the United Nations. According to the petition starter, Zaynab AL-Rashed, “Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield has repeatedly voted against a ceasefire in Gaza, resulting in the decimation of all 13 universities in Gaza, the loss of over 30,000 lives with thousands more remaining in the rubble from violence, and the continuation of the genocide in Gaza.” Xavier University president, Reynold Verret, said in an announcement today “we will not be moving forward with the commencement speaker as originally planned. We came to this regrettable conclusion together with Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield’s team. We look forward to welcoming the Ambassador to campus in the future to engage with our students and faculty in substantive conversations.” Supporters of the petition believe “her presence poses a potential source of disruption in what should otherwise be a day of celebration.” The petition also calls for “the University honors its Muslim, Jewish, and Christian students, its Arab and non-Arab students, its Black and Brown students, and its students who stand for equity, justice, and peace by standing amongst us as we educate the masses and speak out against oppression.” If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Reginald Culpepper
President, Fulfillment and Web Services, HBCUCONNECT Clark Atlanta University class of 1998 Member Since September 2000 |
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