Karan Brar Keynotes Emory University’s 2025 Class Day
Brar urged graduates to reflect on labels, reclaim identity and honor Pride at his keynote
Image: Instagram
Actor Karan Brar took center stage this spring as the keynote speaker at Emory University’s 2025 Class Day Crossover Event. Against the backdrop of the Atlanta campus, the former Disney Channel star addressed a sea of caps and gowns on June 1, drawing on his own journey from child actor to multifaceted entertainer and advocate.
In his remarks, Brar zeroed in on the power of the “labels we collect throughout our lives.” He challenged graduates to consider three distinct categories: those applied by others that we accept, those imposed on us that we must question and those self-assigned markers we embrace as part of our identity. The timing aligned perfectly with June’s national Pride Month observance, a connection he highlighted in both message and spirit.
“Recently, I had the extraordinary honor of being the keynote speaker at Emory University’s 2025 Class Day Crossover Event,” Brar told the crowd, echoing the opening lines of his Instagram post. “I decided to speak to the graduating class about the labels we collect throughout our lives. Ones that are given to us by others that we embrace, ones that are placed onto us that we challenge, and the ones we anoint ourselves with.” He closed his address with a simple but meaningful nod: “Happy Pride Month :)”
Best known for playing Chirag Gupta in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films and starring as Ravi Ross on Disney Channel’s Jessie and its spin-off Bunk’d, Karan Brar has steadily expanded his résumé. At 23, he has moved beyond television and film—voicing characters in video games, stepping into the theater and lending his platform to community causes.
Just this season, Brar made his theatrical debut as the lead in Matthew Libby’s DATA at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage. He marked the closing performance with heartfelt thanks on Instagram: “Lastly, to everyone who bought tickets to listen to me yap for 100 mins straight—I’m incredibly appreciative for your support.” Offstage, he supports Cam For A Cause, co-hosting the third annual gala that raises funds for mental health initiatives.
Brar’s Instagram feed offers a snapshot of his many labels: “Uno just hits different when you’re abroad,” he captioned a recent travel shot, reflecting on moments of downtime amid shoots. In another post, he announced his role as DAW in PlayStation’s upcoming hero-shooter Concord, proving he’s as comfortable in a motion-capture suit as he is in front of a camera or on a stage.
By weaving personal anecdotes with broader cultural touchstones, Karan Brar left Emory’s Class Day attendees with a clear takeaway: the labels we wear are neither fixed nor final. Whether you’re graduating college, launching a career in entertainment or celebrating Pride alongside friends and allies, the act of naming yourself remains your greatest freedom.
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