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Welcome Home: Homecoming at the Betty Shabazz Cultural Center BY THANDIWE-WANJIRU DELGADO-KINYATTI ’27 STAFF WRITER
Remembering those who came before us, who paved the way, who put in the work and fought for the right for Black students to be on this campus: these ideas were the sentiment of the weekend homecoming event celebrated by Black students at the Betty Shabazz Cultural Center from Sept. 21 to 22. The house was filled with students from all different class years and backgrounds with the common desire to interact and be in community with fellow Black students. The center, often referred to as the “Betty,” is described by the College as assisting and supporting students from the African diaspora through interactive programming. Homecoming weekend at the Betty started on Saturday with an opening passage from the book “The Temple of My Familiar” by Alice Walker, read by Vice President for Equity and Inclusion Kijua Sanders-McMurtry. Alums who were able to stop by expressed their joy at Black students being able to meet in this capacity with the support of the Betty. After introductions, students broke up into groups to do workshops led by Assistant Professor of Religion Meredith Coleman-Tobias, Assistant Professor of Gender Studies Sarah Stefana Smith, and Assistant Professor of Africana Studies and Critical Race and Political Economy Ximena Abello Hurtado from the College who also came to be in community with students. Every room of the Betty was filled with students engaging in dialogue with professors and each other alike. As dinner was served, Associate Dean of Students, Community and Belonging Latrina Denson walked the students through the history of Black life at Mount Holyoke College and the first known Black students to attend the school. Denson focused on Hortense Parker, the first known Black student to attend Mount Holyoke from 1878 to 1883. What was cemented in this exploration of the archives was that Black students have been fighting
Photo by Thandiwe-Wanjiru Delgado-Kinyatti ‘27 Students celebrated the Betty Shabazz Cultural Center’s homecoming by tying colorful ribbons around each other’s wrists to express love and caring.
for many years to be recognized at the College. From Hortense Parker to the students that inhabit the space today, they have all been fighting and will continue to fight in the spirit of thriving and not just surviving. After a financial literacy workshop led by alum Jadah Quick ’17 and a yoga session run by Carla J. Lee, students gathered around another alum, former Francis Perkins Scholar Anastasia Morton ’12. During her time engaging with the students, Morton said that while she was at the College, the Betty was one of her safe places, something that resonated with many Mount Holyoke students in attendance. As the night continued, after making s’mores by the campfire, students gathered around a low table in the living room as Sanders-McMurtry dealt cards in a ten person game of spoons. It was a rough game of broken fingernails
and screams of joy. Others gath- man-Tobias returned to lead the ered and watched, or played their group in a closing ceremony where own trivia games on the side. The the playfulness of the night before night didn’t stop there, as a handful resurfaced. While it can be seen of students stayed up until the late as counter revolutionary for Black hours of the night, singing karaoke people to rest, Sanders-McMurtry and line dancing. told the students that they all deIn the earserve rest and I really feel like this event has play as Black ly hours of the morning they people. provided a lot of Black idenretired upAs the tified students comfort, and a stairs, crowdweekend came home, and a safe space to be ed on the floor to an end, all in a mess of the students themselves. sleeping bags. in attendance Afterwards, a were given – Anjolie Kwakye Minott few students gold and purwould remark ple ribbons that during and were inthat night, they felt like kids again. structed to find a person they either They ate candy, sang, danced with hadn’t already interacted with or their friends and had a sleepover, someone they would like to express an act they had not participated in their love for and tie the ribbon for years. around their hand. In the end, evThe next morning, after break- eryone’s wrists were adorned with fast, Sanders-McMurtry and Cole- colourful ribbons, a testament to
the care they all shared for one another. Homecoming weekend at the Betty closed out with a final circle meeting. Students shared their thoughts and feelings, many showing tears of joy for having a space like the Betty to exist in as Black students at a predominantly white institution like Mount Holyoke College. When asked to describe their weekend in one word or sentence, students expressed a range of answers. Many spoke of their gratitude to be part of the Black community on campus. Others said, “Joyful. I feel it was a wholesome experience,” “Rested,” and “Black Girl Magic.” When asked what they thought of seeing Black excellence at Mount Holyoke College, a visiting Five College student said it was “inspiring.” On Saturday night, Anjolie Kwakye Minott ’27, the program assistant at the Betty, expressed their gratitude for the event. “I really feel like this event has provided a lot of Black identified students comfort, and a home, and a safe space to be themselves, to encourage Black joy, and to have all the conversations they’ve been itching to have,” Minott said. The next morning, Cindy Ntembe ’27 said, “The most amazing thing about this event is how much effort everyone put into making it happen. I know a lot of students and staff plan events and then people just don’t bring the energy that’s needed to make it come alive. But people were really invested in making this work and all coming together.” Shirley Chisholm, the namesake of the Living-Learning Community founded for students of the African diaspora at Mount Holyoke, once said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” That is what the Black community at Mount Holyoke College did during the Betty’s homecoming weekend: they made space for themselves and occupied it with love and joy. Sofia Ramon ’27 contributed fact-checking.
Senate welcomes new and old senators to first fall meeting BY TARA MONASTESSE ’25 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The first senate meeting of the 2024-25 academic year took place on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 24 in the Great Room. Led by Chair of Senate Nathania Amadi ’26 and Chair of Halls Coco Athas ’26, the meeting allowed both new and returning senators to introduce themselves and get acclimated to the updated senate meeting structure. Major updates included a restructuring of the senate’s town hall presentations, as well as the introduction of the Student Accessibility Committee. After the Mount Holyoke College land acknowledgement, senators engaged in a brief “two truths and a lie” icebreaker led by Amadi and Athas. The senate leaders then outlined the Student Government Assocation’s four main pillars, or guiding values: equity and inclusion, shared governance, accountability and accessibility. They also explained that the senate, alongside committees and the SGA executive board, is one of the three main groups that compose the SGA system. Members of the SGA executive board then introduced themselves to the senators and explained their various roles and responsibilities within the organizations. Assistant Vice President for Student Life Alicia Erwin and Director of Student Involvement Laura Sattler announced that they will serve as SGA advisors for senate meetings going forward. The SGA Executive Board also announced that they are still in need of an archivist, who will be responsible for taking senate minutes and records of meetings. Senators in attendance were encouraged to apply for the role.
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The presentation also covered the role of committees in senate meetings, which included the introduction of the new student accessibility committee. The senators then took a brief comprehension quiz to review the meeting’s information so far, which included questions on senator responsibilities and meeting etiquette. Afterwards, senate leaders held a brief open floor session for senators to make announcements about events for their organizations. A representative from the Students of Color Committee announced that the group will be hosting a block party on Sept. 29 from 3:30-6 p.m. on the Abbey/Buckland Green, as part of the 2024 Hortense Parker celebration. A senator from the Mount Holyoke Outing Club also announced an online alum panel to be held on Sept. 30 from 4:30-6 p.m. by the Miller Worley Center for the Environment, where attendees can explore future career possibilities in environmental fields. Afterwards, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Marcella Runell took the stage alongside Amadi for a mock Town Hall, using the new approach that senate meetings will now take for Town Halls moving forward. Rather than being primarily a presentation, Town Halls will now be centered more heavily around audience participation and will have presenters actively engage with questions from senate attendees. After introducing herself as a resource for student organizations on campus, Runell answered casual trivia questions submitted by attendees as a trial run of the new Town Hall system. Senators responded well to the new format, which Town Halls will now adopt moving for-
2 FEATURES: Latine/x Heritage Month
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Photo by Tara Monastesse ’25 Senators gathered in the Great Room in Blanchard Hall for the first senate meeting of the semester, led by Nathania Amadi ’26 and Coco Athas ’26.
ward. Before the meeting adjourned, senators were invited to fill out a form to submit their questions to President Danielle Holley regarding the College’s new strategic plan,
MHC Forward. According to the College’s website, MHC Forward will map the College’s plans to further its academic opportunities and the student experience throughout the next decade and beyond.
4 GLOBAL: Students attend Study Away Fair
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Senate meetings will continue to take place every Tuesday from 7:30-9 p.m. in the Great Room unless otherwise noted. Sofia Ramon ’27 contributed fact-checking.
5 S&E: Snakes spotted near campus lakes