LAST WORD
Connections Forged in Love
We continue showing up for each other over the years.
by Kevin Graham 鈥10, 鈥12G, Ph.D.
[clockwise from top left] Kevin Graham 鈥10, 鈥12G; Shawanda Green 鈥09; Janelle Hill 鈥08; Gregory Hyde 鈥07; Cassandra Thompson 鈥07, 鈥11G; and Leon Hill 鈥08 at the Linehan Chapel wedding of Caroline and Isaiah Tolbert 鈥07, 鈥16G.
Kevin Graham 鈥10, 鈥12G officiating at the wedding of Crystal Austin and Gregory Hyde 鈥07.
November 12, 2021, is a significant date for a cadre of Nazareth College alums, especially Gregory Hyde 鈥07. It was his wedding day, and although his spouse Crystal Austin did not attend Nazareth College, members of classes 2007 through 2011 gathered to celebrate their love. Despite knowing me during my less mature years at Naz, Greg had somehow convinced Crystal that it was a good idea to have me officiate their nuptials 鈥 fear not, I rose to the occasion. This sort of trust and support is emblematic of the deep connections fostered in the dorm rooms, classrooms, and dining halls of Nazareth College. Over the years, we made it a healthy habit to show up for each other, and love has consistently been a thread that pulled the group together. For example, friends from classes 2006 through 2012 gathered when Isaiah Tolbert 鈥07, 鈥16G got married to his wife Caroline Tolbert, as well as when Leon Hill 鈥08 and Janelle Hill 鈥08 had sealed their love.
Leon Hill 鈥08; Gregory Hyde 鈥07; Isaiah Tobert 鈥07, 鈥16G; and Kevin Graham 鈥10, 鈥12G; dining out.
[clockwise from top left] Kevin Graham 鈥10, 鈥12G; Chanel Wright 鈥08; Gregory Hyde 鈥07; Paul Brown 鈥08; Chiqueeta Lea 鈥08, 鈥11G; Janelle Hill 鈥08; and Leon Hill 鈥08 at the Hills鈥 baby shower.
Lest I get carried away with the romantic conception of the term love, I would offer key moments in my own life where Naz grads were integral to my personal and professional journey. Namely, when I was fumbling through my Ph.D. program and needed encouragement and someone to proofread nearly four hundred pages of a dissertation. Greg convinced Crystal that it would be nice to proofread the document (be wary of Greg's persuasive skill sets; he is a lawyer).
Likewise, in the throes of preparing to give my TEDx talk, Ricky Kotak 鈥11 and Stephanie Santos 鈥13 sat through unpaid hours of me fine-tuning the talk, and as always, they offered tea (Rick's British) and much needed support. Moreover, Isaiah Tolbert continues to be one of my key go-to's for counsel on all things that require tact and emotional intelligence; we had a running bet that he would cry during his Best Man speech at Greg's wedding. Out of love and respect, I will not share the outcome of the bet.
Kevin Graham 鈥10, 鈥12G; Bianca DeJesus 鈥11; Gregory Hyde 鈥07; Emelyn Santos 鈥11; and Isaiah Tolbert 鈥07, 鈥16G at a Halloween gathering.
At the Naz gym, seated front row: Kevin Graham 鈥10, 鈥12G; Judith Sully 鈥11. middle row: Bianca DeJesus 鈥11, Emelyn Santos 鈥11, Yajaira Rosa 鈥13. back row: Joshua M茅ndez Aracena 鈥11, James Jaramillo 鈥13, 鈥16G.
Judith Sully 鈥11, since high school, has been my guru on taking the moral high road, of course with style and grace (she is a fashion icon). Emelyn Santos 鈥11 is my encourager to embrace all aspects of life and she is always there to offer tough love (she hails from the Bronx).
If I continue to go down memory lane, I can produce a dissertation on the transformative and inspirational moments that I have had with my Naz family, like Leon Hill being the first Black man I met with a library in his dorm room, Mohammed Ahamed 鈥10, 鈥16G's astuteness and wisdom, or Cassandra Thompson 鈥07, 鈥11G's financial acuity.
Interestingly, these friends represent the very few Black and Brown students in their respective graduating class. Many of us found each other by seeking the comfort of familiarity, culture, race 鈥 Why Are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria 鈥 or any indicator of sameness. Nonetheless, what has kept us together over the years is deep-seated appreciation, continued support, friendship, and above all, love.聽As the African saying goes, 鈥渟ticks in a bundle are unbreakable.鈥
Kevin Graham starts a new role mid-June 2022 as site director of Break Through Technology, Samueli School of Engineering, at University of California, Los Angeles.