Nod to 13 Harvard students denied graduation over pro-Palestine stance, Gazans

Candidate for the Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Science and Economics, Shruthi Kumar, delivered the Senior English address at the 2024 Harvard commencement. Her speech, titled "The Power of Not Knowing," acknowledged her 13 undergraduate peers who were denied graduation due to their pro-Palestine stance and participation in the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Harvard Yard. Kumar also emphasized solidarity with Gaza, highlighting the notion that "Solidarity is not dependent on what we know." She argued that not experiencing ethnic cleansing or facing violence and death is irrelevant because "not knowing is an ethical stance".