Lincoln Alexander Law celebrates its inaugural Convocation
The Convocation ceremony featured performances by two prominent Canadian singer-songwriters – Jully Black and iskwē– and addresses from TMU President Mohamed Lachemi, Chancellor Janice Fukakusa and Honorary Doctorate recipient Kimberly Murray. Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto.
On June 27, the Lincoln Alexander School of Law celebrated the first graduating class at its inaugural Convocation ceremony (external link) at The Carlu. The venue, designated as a National Historic Site, was brimming with excitement as graduates gathered with friends and family for the big event.
In her valedictorian address, Safia Thompson Ramdoo praised the graduating class for the law school they built together. Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto.
“We built this law school with the shared principles of fairness, goodness, inclusion and collectivity. We must always remember that we did so on the shoulders of giants – as the inaugural class, you are now the giants,” said graduate and valedictorian Safia Thompson-Ramdoo in her address. “We cultivated a law school where we maintained positivity in the face of adversity, fell in love with expanding our critical faculties, and acted selflessly. We’ve founded student unions and associations, led pro-bono projects, established student-initiated scholarships and awards, [and] won provincial and national competitions.”
Honorary Doctorate Recipient Kimberly Murray delivers the Convocation Address to graduates and guests. Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto.
In her powerful Convocation Address, Honorary Doctorate recipient Kimberly Murray, who serves as Canada’s Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools, challenged the graduating class to “avoid those quick wins, and strive to make impactful, long term systemic changes with and within the law… [and] continue to do what the Lincoln Alexander School of Law has done - make every effort to redefine the law so that it is worthy of its name.”
The inaugural graduates will soon be entering the workforce and applying the skills that they learned at a different kind of law school – one that is committed to access to justice and greater diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.
Dean Donna Young spoke about how the inaugural class taught the law school’s faculty, staff and students important lessons. Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto.
“This day is something that all of us on stage have been anticipating even before the fall of 2020, when we anxiously awaited your virtual arrival on campus,” said Dean Donna Young in her remarks. “Over the course of the last three years, while we were teaching you how to be a new kind of lawyer, you were teaching us the twin values of patience and perseverance, the importance of building a caring and supporting community, and the enduring power of [Lincoln Alexander’s] legacy”
TorontoMet Today was there to capture this joyous occasion, as friends and family beamed with joy as they helped the graduates close this chapter and start a new one with boundless possibilities. Keep reading for more photos from the event!
Jully Black performed her rendition of the national anthem at the ceremony. Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto.
iskwē performs “The Unforgotten” accompanied by violinist Laura Bates. Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto.
Over 800 guests filled the Concert Hall at The Carlu, which included 157 graduates. Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto.
After the ceremony, graduates enjoyed light refreshments at the reception. Pictured: Harman Bath, Arshad Auckbarallee and Sandeep Patel. Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto.
Graduates posed for pictures with their classmates at the reception. Pictured: Karlena Koot and Oksana Romanov. Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto.