University of Miami

May 9, 2018

Contributing to the on-campus dialogue was a message delivered by Lavender Celebration keynote speaker Xavier Cortada. The three-time UM alumnus and renowned artist described the “blank canvas” upon which the graduates will be painting the story of their lives. 

“You need to understand that every fiber of your being is love,” Cortada said. “Too often there are limitations placed on that, and today I want you to understand how far you’ve come in breaking those limitations. Some people like canvases that hang straight, like a vertical portrait. I’m not a vertical canvas, but I still love vertical canvases; some of my best friends are vertical canvases.

“But there are other canvases that have other orientations. Our history is full of canvases that are torn, that have been beaten or bruised or broken. But through history, we continue to weave that canvas back.” 

Read More Here: UM LGBTQ Graduates Celebrate Lavender Event