Across U.S., graduating Hispanic college classes add ethnic flourish with celebrations of their own
|
WASHINGTON — At campus auditoriums and chapels around the country, thousands of Latino and Latina college students are organizing and staging elaborate commencement ceremonies this spring to honor their graduates at all levels, from associate degree recipients to Ph. Ds. These cap-and-gown ceremonies, many with mariachi and danza folklórica accompaniment, supplement the more traditional solemn diploma delivery lines to an estimated crowd of several thousand Latino recipients this year. Tamales and lechón asado expand the cake-with-the-frosting menus offered attending families and friends. A few of Latino celebrations trace their humble roots back half a century or more.