Interlude: SFSU Graduation - bigger, better and multikulti!

Four weekends ago I graduated from San Francisco State University with my MFA in Creative Writing. That's me standing (with no grad cap on) in the sea of purple & gold Gators! ->

I had not participated in a graduation ceremony since my high school set me loose on the world back in the seventies (the ultimate age of apathy). Graduation ceremonies were hot and boring and long and grandiose. Also it didn't help that I was totally disconnected to my original undergrad and graduate school experiences way back then.

But SFSU was different - I LOVE that place. I LOVE Creative Writing and the profs and the other students and I am so sad to leave but the 'ville was yodeling for me. So I donned the Gator purple and orange, and walked the walk with my pals Andrea and Chris (both playwrights) ->
<- and Ali (a poet - the one with the "poety" kinda look) and Lindsey (a fiction writer). But before we walked the walk and shook the hand of our dean we heard some GREAT speeches that made me PROUD to be a Gator (I kid you not). I've attached the link above to all the speeches - and definietly read Joseph L. White's speech. He was honored as Alumnus of the Year and is considered the Father of Black Psychology, the precursor to Ethnic Studies. He was GREAT AND FUNNY! He used the old call and response like any great preacher would. He'd say "How long" [do we need to wait for our generation to do soemthing about "your pet ill here"] and we'd scream back "NOT LONG". It was a ruckus and of course caused all the subsequent speakers to be brief! I didn't get a snap of Johnson but here are some others: <- Corrigan is the Dean of the whole school, a jowly Saint Bernard of a guy who's also got an activist's heart. He ran that graduation like a well oiled protest march: briskly paced, with a hint that something wild and unexpected could leap out at any moment.

Isabel Allende was honored and was her perfect self: a delight to the ear and heart. Although I was only 4 rows from the dias her image projected on the big screen behind her seemed compelling.


Our commencement address was given by none other than Gavin Newsom, our famed and media darled mayor. He was treated to rock start screaming and squeals and quite enjoyed himself - his was the longest speech, the least focused (as befits his dyslexic and political states) and was the only person without cap. But he was fun and an excellent sport.

Afterwords the Creative Writing / English Departments held a little soiree in the Humanities building. I've got more snaps and commentary but right now I gotta get out of here.