Mount Holyoke News AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1917 MOUNTHOLYOKENEWS.COM
FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2022
Dr. Lisa Sullivan named new provost and dean of faculty BY JESSE HAUSKNECHT-BROWN ’25 FEATURES EDITOR & LAYOUT EDITOR
On April 13, 2022, Lisa Sullivan, the current vice president for academic affairs, professor of economic history, R. Michael Shanahan dean of the faculty and Willard W. Keith Jr. fellow in the humanities at Harvey Mudd College, was appointed provost and dean of faculty at Mount Holyoke College. Sullivan will succeed Dorothy Mosby, who has served as interim dean of faculty since the summer of 2020, when Jon Western stepped down from the position. Sullivan will start at Mount Holyoke on Aug. 1, 2022. “[Sullivan] brings to Mount Holyoke College a wealth of experience from her service as dean of the faculty at Harvey Mudd,” President Sonya Stephens said in a press release to the College community. “There, she led a faculty body of productive and engaged scholars who pushed the boundaries of their disciplines, pioneered innovation within classrooms and laboratories, and mentored a committed and motivated student body. … I know the College will be in very good hands when she joins the community.” Sullivan received her bachelor’s degree in economics from Vassar College and earned her master’s degree in economics and doctorate in economic history from the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the history of work ethics, the concept of work, the economics of higher education and the political economy of utopian communities, according to Harvey Mudd’s website. Her research has been published in many journals, including The American Review of Canadian Studies, Labour/Le Travail: Journal of Canadian Labour Studies, Cîteaux in de Nederlanden and Ontario History. In 1989, Sullivan started her career at the State University of New York at Fredonia as an assistant
Photo courtesy of the Mount Holyoke College Office of Communications and Marketing Lisa Sullivan has been named provost and dean of faculty at the College following Dorothy Mosby.
professor of economics. She began at Harvey Mudd College in 1990 as an assistant professor of economics and advanced to associate professor in 1995. “I am thrilled to join Mount Holyoke College,” Sullivan said in a press release to the community. “The College thrives because of its exceptional students, faculty and staff. The faculty are innovative thinkers dedicated to their students as well as active scholars, research scientists and visionary artists passionate about collaborating with students in their fields. Mount Holyoke is a community where members actively reach across disciplines to solve problems creatively and make positive change for all — an approach that has been at the heart of my career as both a faculty member and an academic leader.” KC Haydon, an associate professor of psychology and education and co-chair of the search committee, expressed excitement about the transi-
tion going into next year. “We have an opportunity to direct our energies toward our most important and meaningful priorities and strengthen the core of who we are as an institution. I am excited to do that work with Dean Sullivan, Interim President Tatum and everyone else in our community,” Haydon said. Haydon looks forward to seeing how Sullivan implements her experience in studying healthy work culture at the College. Haydon explained that Sullivan aims to create “healthy excellence” in the Mount Holyoke community. “Dr. Sullivan is a talented and experienced dean who understands the needs of faculty, students and staff at liberal arts colleges with unique identities, like Mount Holyoke,” Haydon said. “There is a lot of enthusiasm for Dr. Sullivan’s innovative ideas about who we are and where we’re headed. I’m eager to roll up my sleeves and get started.”
Stephens extended her thanks The search committee consisted to Mosby for her work as the interof seven faculty members, two staff members, two administrators and im dean of faculty. “As we welcome Administrative Assistant Briana [Sullivan] to the Mount Holyoke Chace ’17, who provided additional community, I wish to thank Dr. Doradministrative support. The commit- othy Mosby for her steady leadertee partnered with Storbeck Search, ship as interim dean since August a firm that assists nonprofit organi- 2020,” Stephens wrote in a letter to zations and educational institutions the community. “The entire Mount Holyoke community is indebted to in searching for job candidates. “As a group, we knew that the [Mosby] for her willingness to step community’s confidence and trust in in at an extraordinary moment for the new dean would begin with their the College, and we all have benefitconfidence and trust in the integri- ed from her deep commitment to our ty of the search process. Our goal mission and her care and concern was to have a transparent, inclusive for our faculty, staff, students and search process that incorporated the graduates alike.” Beyond the statement released perspectives of all constituencies,” by Stephens, the College’s commuHaydon explained. The search committee held open nications staff was unavailable for meetings to hear from Mount Holy- comment on the transition. “I think Lisa Sullivan’s backoke community members about what they would like to see in a dean ground as a historian of economics of faculty. They had conversations who spent her career at a STEM-fowith faculty, staff, students, past and cused liberal arts college serves as current deans and staff in the dean an inspirational role model to our community as of faculty’s office. she can comAfter hearing “There is a lot of enthupellingly speak what community siasm for Dr. Sullivan’s about many difmembers were innovative ideas about who ferent forms of looking for in a pedagogy and leader, they crewe are and where we’re ways of engagated a position headed. I’m eager to roll up ing with scholarspecification my sleeves and get started.” ship,” Katherine that Haydon deAidala, director scribed as simiof the Fimbel lar to a long-form – KC Haydon Maker & Innojob ad. vation Lab, KenAt the benedy-Shelkunoff ginning of the spring semester, the search com- professor of physics and member of mittee short-listed a group of candi- the search committee, said. Haydon described the dean of dates and conducted in-depth interviews with them over Zoom. Then, faculty job as “a tough job full of four candidates were chosen to visit difficult decisions that impact every the campus and give public presen- level of the College.” She is committations. They also met with faculty, ted to working to make this a smooth staff, students, members of the cab- transition. Haydon said, “In my view, inet and Stephens. The search com- it’s important that we build conmittee evaluated each candidate, structive communication and collabtaking community feedback into orations with the dean and provide consideration, and reported their lasting support during her transition evaluation to Stephens, who made to MHC and beyond.” the final decision.
College announces plans for class of 2020 and 2022 commencements BY SAMMI CRAIG ’23 STAFF WRITER
On Sunday, May 22, at 10:30 a.m., Mount Holyoke College will host its 185th Commencement. After two years of being unable to host an in-person ceremony due to COVID-19 restrictions, the classes of 2020 and 2022 will each experience their own commencement and reunion weekends. The commencement ceremony for the class of 2020 will be hosted a week after the class of 2022, on Sunday, May 29 at 11 a.m. The commencement ceremony will be held indoors in the Kendall Field House on the indoor track. Each student participating in the Class of 2022 and Class of 2020 commencement ceremonies has been given four tickets to distribute to guests attending in person. All attendees will be required to wear masks and are encouraged to wear a KN-95 or a three-layer mask while indoors and follow social distancing guidelines.
When the events take place, according to the College website, “All campus health and safety protocols, including masking requirements, will be in effect.” In addition to enforcing the current policies already in place on campus, “guests attending Commencement, Reunion and/ or related events are required to be up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccination series or must have received either a negative [COVID-19] PCR test within three days of arrival on campus or a negative [COVID-19] rapid antigen test within one day of arrival on campus.” The College asks guests to prepare this information ahead of time. For students, the masking requirements, testing and other COVID-19 requirements are continuing to operate as they did during the spring semester. The College has not yet specified whether the COVID-19 Testing Center will continue to operate at normal capacity throughout the reunion and commencement.
Photo by Ali Meizels ’23 Both the classes of 2020 and 2022 will be celebrating Commencement over two seperate weekends this upcoming May, along with reunion weekend.
Senate discusses spirit week, summer housing and upcoming senate elections BY GILLIAN PETRARCA ’23 STAFF WRITER
The April 19 senate meeting started with a welcome from Chair of Senate Shula Mathew ’22. The agenda included E-Board updates, open-floor announcements and concerns, in-senate elections and Town Hall preparations. The E-Board updates for the week included an announcement from Mathew that voting for the all-campus elections is now open and will close on April 24. Chair of Special Interests Sophia Jung ’22 encouraged senators to remind their constituents to vote so that the election could meet quorum. Lastly, Public Relations officer Viveca Holman ’22 reminded everyone of the upcoming spirit week starting on April 25 and ending on April 29. The floor then opened for announcements. Xi Stoddart ’24, the senator for the Neurodivergent Student Associ-
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ation, announced that the organization is hosting Autism Acceptance Month Trivia on April 30 from 2 to 3 p.m. Stoddart also announced that the English Handbell Ensemble is hosting their concert titled “Back Into the Ring of Things” on April 30 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The classes of 2025 and 2023 will be hosting a s’mores event on April 28 from 7 to 9 p.m. The senator from Asian American Students in Action Sydni Tung ’22 invited everyone to the AASIA end-of-year mixer on April 30 from 2:30 to 5 p.m. The senator from MacGregor Hall Serynn Nowlin ’25 invited everyone to Jorge’s egg hunt, to be thrown by MacGregor, Torrey and Ham halls. The event is BYOB — bring your own basket — and will take place on April 24. Senators then had the opportunity to voice concerns from their constituents. Deepika Kumawat ’24 expressed worry that students will be notified in May whether they are
FEATURES: College proposes new department
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approved for summer housing. Kumawat asked if students could be notified sooner. Assistant Vice President for Student Life and Strategic Operations Alicia Erwin responded that it was her understanding that Residential Life typically approves people for summer housing. However, due to the pandemic, with many more students requesting on-campus housing for the summer, she will clarify with ResLife if this is still the case. Erwin recommended going forward with planning as if you will be approved for housing. In-senate elections were then held with current Chair of Halls EJ Jankovic ’23 running for chair of senate, Serynn Nowlin ’25 running for chair of halls and Xi Stoddart ’25 and Oumoulakyre Mounkaila ’25 running for chair of special interests. Results have not yet been announced. Senate concluded with senators joining their commissions to submit questions for the town hall on April 25 with Residential Life.
Photo by Artemis Chen ’25 Alicia Erwin told senate that she believes all students who applied for summer housing will be granted living space for the summer of 2022. Students have yet to recieve official information.
A&E: Students react to ‘Our Flag Means Death’
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SPORTS: Fencing competes at Nationals
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. FEATURES New York City street named ‘Frances Perkins Place’ April 22, 2022
Mount Holyoke News
BY LENOX JOHNSON ’24 COPY CHIEF
On March 26, W46th Street between ninth and 10th Avenue was named “Frances Perkins Place” by the City of New York. The street is dedicated to Frances Perkins, a Mount Holyoke alum, widely recognized working-class advocate, former U.S. Secretary of Labor and the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. The street naming took place one day after the 111th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, an industrial workplace disaster that killed 146 workers, mostly comprised of immigrant women, as New York City Council member Erik Bottcher detailed in his remarks. Perkins, who was an eyewitness to the fire, resolved to take concrete action in favor of workers’ rights and the prevention of unjust working conditions, Bottcher explained. The fire catalyzed her involvement in social justice and activism. Perkins later helped draft the New Deal to rectify some of the conditions that led to the catastrophe. The co-naming took place in Hell’s Kitchen, which encompasses Hartley House, Perkins’ former residence. Tomlin Perkins Coggeshall, grandson of Perkins and founding member of the Frances Perkins Center, was a key advocate in the event’s organization. Coggeshall was joined by Mayor of the City of New York Eric Adams, Senator Brad Hoylman, Councilman Bottcher, New York State Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, Heidi Reavis of Women
Photo courtesy of NYS Labor Lynne Elizabeth ’71 smiles with a booklet at the Frances Perkins Place street naming ceremony.
Creating Change and New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. The street corner was packed with attendees — some nearby residents and passersby listened intently to the speakers’ impassioned words. “There were people hanging out of their windows, all around that area, to watch and to listen,” Ann Beaudry, board of directors member and chair of the Programs and the Outreach Committee for the Frances Perkins Center, said. “If there’d been one person standing on the street corner, I would’ve been as excited as I was that day.” The Mount Holyoke Frances Perkins program, an integral piece of the Mount Holyoke landscape, has been active since 1980, according to the program’s academic page. The program — a vehicle for 4-year degree completion for nontradition-
al-age students — bears Perkins’ name as a testament to her alumni status and post-graduate achievements. Susan Bateson ’76, member of the board of directors and chair of the development committee for the Frances Perkins Center, was moved by the overwhelming response to Perkins’ work. “People cheered when hearing all of [Perkins’] accomplishments — programs that matter to millions of Americans today, including Social Security, worker’s compensation, minimum wage, the 40-hour work week, child labor laws and worker safety regulations,” Bateson said. “One person, working hard and smart, can make a real difference in the lives of millions.” Perkins was well-acquainted with playing the odd woman out. The former secretary of labor worked regularly in rooms full of men. Rear-
Photo courtesy of Susan Bateson ’76 Susan Bateson ’76 (left) & Clarissa Soma Gonçalves Cordeiro FP ’21 at Frances Perkins Place.
don commended her for taking some of the first steps down the road for workers’ rights, despite the obstacles. “When you open a door, look in and don’t see yourself in that room, it can be awfully difficult to go in. [Perkins] never saw herself in any room she walked into, but she put that foot forward,” Reardon said. Clarissa Soma Gonçalves Cordeiro FP ’21, Mount Holyoke admission counselor, sees value in Perkins’
advocacy for women and minorities. As a former international student, Gonçalves Cordeiro was moved by the celebration of Perkins’ inclusive ideology, and recognizes the importance of the continuation of this kind of work. “I think things are a little better in some aspects, but it’s still very CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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Faculty propose new Critical Race and Political Economy department
Photo by Artemis Chen ’25 Merger leads to new Mount Holyoke department and major: Critical Race and Political Economy.
BY ARIANNA PEÑA ’25 STAFF WRITER
On Tuesday, March 29, 74 Mount Holyoke community members gathered on Zoom to hear multiple professors discuss the creation of a new department and the future of the Africana Studies, Critical Social Thought and Latinx studies departments. Led by Class of 1929 Dr. Virginia Apgar Assistant Professor of Latina/o Studies Vanessa Rosa and Iyko Day, Elizabeth C. Small associate professor of English and chair of Critical Social Thought and Gender Studies, the event was held during the College’s annual Building On Our Momentum Conference. Faculty
members joined Rosa and Day, having all worked towards the formation of this department for around six years. The panelists addressed the merger, what it would mean for students and why they believed it would help both students and faculty in the long run. In 2015, Day and Christian Gundermann, associate professor of gender studies, collaborated to create a proposal for a faculty line in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies with a focus on queer of color critique, according to Day. “Our proposal …was funded and that led to the hiring of Professor Ren-yo Hwang and Professor Rosa, so it was really exciting,” Day
said. During the process of finding new faculty, members of the College and the surrounding Five Colleges were encouraged to join in and ask questions to the candidates. Day remembers a lot of buzz and excitement around Critical Race and Ethnic Studies. After the success of their efforts, they “had deep discussions about ‘What is critical ethnic studies?’ [and] ‘How can we implement that here at Mount Holyoke?’” Day said. It was Jon Western, former dean of faculty and vice president for academic affairs at Mount Holyoke, who encouraged the creation of the department after seeing the excitement and interest from students. “That led to a whole series of discussions, meetings, faculty seminars, visits to other campuses like Barnard [College] and having people from U[niversity of] C[alifornia,] Riverside and Dartmouth [College],” Day said. “[We were really] collaborating with people nationally to really see what [the creation of the Critical Race and Ethnic Studies department] would mean and how we would structure it. In the end what we decided and demanded was that we would need a department.” Day explained that a major problem with the current structure is that Africana Studies and Critical Social Thought are both programs, while Latinx Studies is a minor in the
Spanish department. The small size of these programs leads to the staff being under-resourced and overworked. For example, Day works in the English and gender studies department, as well as the Critical Social Thought program. “We thought ‘We can’t really do this unless we have a department.’ So we came together and we decided that’s what we need. … What that will mean is that we won’t be all of us stretched across different departments, … we can start hiring people,” Day explained. Lucy James-Olson ’22, a student liaison for Critical Social Thought who attended the panel, expressed concern over how faculty are spread throughout different departments and programs. “As it stands, faculty is stretched too thin and students suffer from a lack of clarity about how to major and what any given major requires,” James-Olson explained. “The College needs to commit to supporting these areas of study more meaningfully if they expect their students to develop critical thinking skills and understand the relations of power which affect us all.” The new department would be called Critical Race and Political Economy and would allow students to study in one of three tracks: Africana Studies, Critical Social Thought or Critical Race and Political Economy. This would also mean
that students would have access to more faculty and professors who are dedicated full-time to the department, something that they can not currently do. “I think this merger is a good idea,” James-Olson said. “I think it also signals a commitment by faculty and administration to emphasize a focus on these areas of study which would include, hopefully, an increase in funding which is definitely needed.” Day also acknowledged that there is currently a lack of community among the different programs despite overlap she has seen from students. “We have all been working together for the past six years, we share so many students and we’re also noticing that so many students are … [thinking] about bigger ideas like abolition, colonialism, racial capitalism,” Day said. “We want to keep collaborating under this department [while] preserving the fields of Africana Studies, Critical Social Thought and also Latinx Studies and adding … Critical Race and Political Economy.” James-Olson concluded, “I genuinely trust the faculty members who have been most involved in the proposal and creation of this department, so my hope is that it meets their expectations and improves the academic and community lives of Mount Holyoke students.”
Tayler Kreutter named executive director of Student Financial Services BY ELISE SHAPIRO ’25 STAFF WRITER
Tayler Kreutter, the new executive director of Student Financial Services, joined the Mount Holyoke administration this March, according to an MHC This Week update email sent to the campus community on Feb. 10. “We are very much looking forward to welcoming [Kreutter] to the College as well as to all that she brings to this key role,” Robin Randall, vice president for enrollment management, wrote in the email. Kreutter, who grew up in upstate New York, earned a bachelor’s degree in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from State University of New York at Brockport before earning a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Rochester. Kreutter expressed that her original career interest did not line up with the path she ultimately chose. “I remember saying to my advisor, ‘I want to avoid [finance] with a 10-foot pole, that is not my interest, that’s not where I want to work,’” Kreutter recalled. She explained that she was originally interested in Health Promotion and Prevention services. However,
while at the University of Rochester, she worked as an RA and oversaw apartment complexes nearby, eventually leading her down a different career path. “[There] was a residential conflict between two students, one male [and] one female, and the whole time I [saw] the situation through the female’s lens and really advocated for her throughout the whole process,” Kreutter explained. When she met with the dean of admissions at the University of Rochester to talk about the situation, he asked her to consider the situation from the male student’s perspective and pointed out that he didn’t have an advocate. This conversation had a profound impact on Kreutter. “For whatever reason I was just so focused on her throughout the situation that I hadn’t even stopped to consider the other person involved,” Kreutter said. Following this experience, Kreutter decided she wanted to work with the dean of admissions after graduation. “Sure enough, when I graduated, guess what the one open position was? [It was] in financial aid,” Kreutter said. “[It was] a guest relations coordinator [position], which [included] entry level supervising the front desk [with] student workers
answering all the phone calls. And then I actually fell in love with the field, and so [I’ve] stayed in it ever since, and now, here I am.” At University of Rochester, she cultivated a strong mutual connection with a newfound mentor. She also grew confident in taking leadership positions in student financial organizations, which motivated her to become more independent in her work. After working at Rochester for seven years, she became employed in the student financial services office at Roberts Wesleyan College, a small liberal arts college in Rochester, New York. During her three years there, Kreutter remained in contact with her mentor, who informed her of the job opportunity to become the executive director of Student Financial Services at Mount Holyoke after discussing Kreutter’s desire to step into a leadership position. During the interview process, Kreutter realized that Mount Holyoke suited her. “I got to meet … some students on campus and go through the interview process and that was really affirming to me. [I found that] Mount Holyoke was where I wanted to be in this moment in my life,” Kreutter said.
Photo by Ali Meizels ’23 Tayler Kreutter is looking forward to making the SFS office more community oriented.
Kreutter is looking forward to finding community at Mount Holyoke. “My biggest goal is to just learn and immerse myself in Mount Holyoke as much as I can right now. It’s a very different institution than the one that I came from. And so, right
now, I’m really in the learning stage trying to have as many conversations as I can, collect as much feedback as I can [and] get to know as many students as I can,” Kreutter said. She is also devoted to guaranteeing student satisfaction and taking a proactive approach, educating students and families about what the SFS office does. “I think when you talk about student financial services, a lot of what I hear is like, ‘We don’t even know what questions to ask,’ right? It’s so cumbersome and so tedious to try and work through,” Kreutter said. “We really do want to try and make sure we’re offering the best service that we can.” Moreover, she plans to further advance SFS over the summer with the goal of making the office more community oriented. “I think the summer actually is a great time for an SFS office to refocus all of our energies … because all the students are home,” Kreutter said. She continued, “The new first year class has already been filled in, so it’s like maintenance conversations, but it really gives us a lot of time to really dig in and set our goals for the new year.”
GLOBAL 3 Gang violence sparks mass arrests across El Salvador April 22, 2022
. Mount Holyoke News
BY SOPHIE SOLOWAY ’23 GLOBAL EDITOR
Following a Congress-approved state of emergency on March 27, over 10,000 gang-related arrests were made across El Salvador, according to NBC News. This sanctioned crackdown on gang violence was reportedly in response to the 62 killings that occurred within a single day earlier that week, the BBC said. Reactions to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s state of emergency have been mixed, causing international conversations regarding both the country’s economic feasibility as well as the actions the government has taken to protect its citizens from gang-based violence. According to Cora Fernandez Anderson, assistant professor of politics at Mount Holyoke, this most recent culmination of gang violence and mass arrests follows a tumultuous period of economic instability within the country. “El Salvador has been struggling both economically and politically, but in particular around the lack of safety in large cities given the presence of gang violence,” Fernandez Anderson said. As stated in a Human Rights Watch report, approximately 60,000 Salvadorans were involved in gangs in 2021. These gangs — which are known to displace, injure or kill other citizens — have grown in size and power amid widespread poverty. As Óscar Martínez, author of “A History of Violence: Living and Dying in Central America,” remarked in an interview with the New Americans
Story Project, following peace accords made in 1992, “There was never an economic agreement of reconciliation created that would lift the majority of the people out of poverty. There was no agreement concerned with either social restructuring or giving victims assistance.” Due to this lack of institutional support, many Salvadoran citizens have experienced poverty. With the World Bank reporting a poverty rate of 22.3 percent in 2019, many in the country struggle to survive. Within these poverty-induced struggles, issues of gang violence and government response become increasingly critical. “In the end, if El Salvador wants the gangs out of power and prove they are tough on crime, they need to start with preventative actions by supporting those most likely to join a gang,” Bria Carlson ’23, an international relations major, said. “I believe the government needs to come in and support their citizens through welfare programs, especially in low-income areas.” As Fernandez Anderson noted, attempts have been made to lessen these instances of violence in El Salvador. Specifically, as the BBC reported, Bukele largely based his 2019 campaign on promises to increase security and diminish organized crime. “Many governments have tried to control the situation unsuccessfully and Bukele has managed to at least reduce the number of homicides to a certain extent. This has kept his approval ratings quite high despite other areas of his adminis-
Photo courtesy of PresidenciaSV via WikiMedia Commons Amid widespread gang violence, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has received mixed responses to his recent declaration of a national state of emergency. Above, Bukele delivers an address.
tration being in disarray,” Fernandez Anderson said. Despite his role in reducing murder rates, some members of the global audience continue to view Bukele as a possible inciter of the most recent spike in violence within El Salvador. “I have read that the fall of homicides has been a result of a secret negotiation he made with some of the gangs in which he offered benefits for their leaders and members in prison in exchange for the reduction of violence. This has generated criticism of his government,” Fernandez Anderson stated. These criticisms come from a 2020 El Faro report that, according to intelligence reports, proved that Bukele’s administration repeatedly met with incarcerated leaders of the country’s most prominent gang, Mara Salvatrucha 13. According to the report, negotiators from the gang entered an agreement to reduce murder rates in exchange for
looser prison measures. To José Miguel Cruz, director of research at Florida International University’s Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, “It shows the weaknesses of the supposed pact between the government and gangs,” as written in Al Jazeera. Fernandez Anderson echoed this analysis, saying, “The recent killings were caused by gang members randomly shooting in the streets of San Salvador leaving at least 62 people dead. This has been a rare occurrence since this is not the typical way violence manifests in the country. I have read reports that explain this as gangs putting more pressure on Bukele’s government to reach a better deal than before. As a result the government established a state of siege.” This “state of siege,” which is said to last for 30 days, will allow the government to make arrests with fewer legal constraints, intercept communications between citizens
and restrict citizens’ right to free assembly, according to The New York Times. To some, these restrictions only amplify concerns regarding authoritarianism under Bukele’s leadership in El Salvador. “There are signs of authoritarian tendencies like the removal of supreme court judges and appointing allies as replacements. This court has authorized him to run for re-election even though this is not allowed in the constitution,” Fernandez Anderson said. Specifically, the call to restrict gatherings comes after civil unrest and activism spread throughout the country in response to some of Bukele’s previous actions. “Protests have been ongoing since last year when in May, Bukele replaced the [Constitutional] Court with new appointments, all of [whom] are his supporters. Accusations of authoritarianism among opposition parties and civil society organizations had led to protests. There was also international condemnation of these actions,” Fernandez Anderson said. As Carlson concluded, “The international community is worried about this situation in El Salvador because of the police brutality towards these gang members — with their government’s support no less — which goes against international human rights law. Not only are the arrests resulting in bloodied gang members, but those arrested are being held for 15 days without charges and not being given legal counsel.”
Study-abroad diaries: students study literature in the British Isles University of St Andrews BY JAHNAVI PRADEEP ’23 CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Photo courtesy of Emma Watkins ’23 During the spring semester, Watkins studied literature and the Irish language while in Dublin.
University College Dublin me process those sites as best as possible. Trying to balance the “study” As an English major with a and the “abroad” parts of studying love for Irish literature, I knew I abroad has definitely been a chalcouldn’t pass up the opportunity lenge. There’s huge pressure to to study in Dublin. University Col- have nonstop weekends and make lege Dublin was really appealing the most of time outside of classes, to me because it has a strong En- but I’ve found that I need to have glish department. I was particular- just as much time to recharge and ly excited by the chance to work decompress on the weekends as with a proI do at Mount fessor whose H o l yo ke . Since being here, I have research I’ve Learning to found that it’s not just the followed since take the time classes that make [studying to take care attending her panel on Irish of myself and abroad] worthwhile, but Gothic literaset different also that Ireland is a gorture, “Daughbenchmarks geous country. ters of Dracfor what a “sucula,” last fall. cessful” seSince being mester abroad here, I have looks like has found that it’s not just the classes been really important — especially that make it worthwhile, but also in terms of giving myself permisthat Ireland is a gorgeous coun- sion to slow down and really get to try. I’ve enjoyed taking advantage know the city that I’m in, instead of the historical sites and natural of leaving it to go elsewhere at beauty on the weekends when I’m any given opportunity. That being not doing schoolwork. said, going out to the western part Besides the classes that will of Ireland and seeing more of the count toward my English major, I country brought some of the best wanted to make sure to enroll in memories of my semester. courses that would be hard to take Once the semester is over, I’m anywhere else. I’m taking Irish for looking forward to getting back Beginners, and learning to speak to all the campus activities I’m Irish has been both challenging part of at MHC. UCD is a lot largand exciting. I’m also taking a class er than Mount Holyoke, so finding in the Celtic Studies and Folklore activities to join, especially just for department that focuses on Me- a single semester, has been chaldieval poets and the oral history lenging. Since I’m not in many extradition in Ireland. A class that I tracurriculars, I try to do at least unexpectedly enjoyed was within one “outdoorsy” activity in my the archaeology department. It free time on the weekends, which involved a couple of field trips to generally involves a hike along the historical sites within roughly an coast. I’ll definitely miss being able hour and a half of Dublin, and I’m to take a 15-minute bus ride to see so glad I got to experience some the ocean, but I’m excited to return of Ireland’s archaeological history to Mount Holyoke and begin senior with an expert in the field to help year. BY EMMA WATKINS ’23 CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Like clockwork, the seagulls begin their daily chant every morning, perched by my room’s window, roof and any other spot they can bother me from. Their morning alarm sets me off on my daily routine, and I get ready, wrapping myself in layers of scarves and coats to protect me from the chilly seaside air of St Andrews — a quaint town tucked along the coast of Scotland. When I step into the cold, makeshift breakfast with coffee in hand, I walk by the seagulls confidently, masquerading as an unafraid local accustomed to their presence for years and not the visiting study-abroad student who got to this town only in January, a mere three months ago. Currently a third-year student at Mount Holyoke College, I made the rather last-minute decision to study abroad at the University of St Andrews for a semester. As an English student, studying in the United Kingdom, considered the birthplace of English literature, had always been a desire I’d hoped to fulfill at some point in my academic journey. The study-abroad opportunity in Scotland provided the perfect chance to get a taste of this experience. The crumbling castles and majestic churches at every corner mirror the ones I read about in my classes. In being here, I can physically feel and breathe the space of the things I study. Coming to St Andrews was what many of my fellow international students jokingly called a “study abroad away from a study abroad.” Originally from India, choosing Mount Holyoke meant a move away from family and the place I called home. However, the U.S. was familiar — having lived here for seven odd years previously and having family and old friends crawling all over Massachusetts, it was a comfortable and familiar new. When I began looking at study-abroad options, my advisor recommended St Andrews. Though it was a landscape I had never visited nor had family in, they promised me the environment — coming from the quiet space of the Pioneer Valley — would feel homely and familiar. And so, St Andrews has been a concoction of familiar and unfamiliar. While providing a quaint atmosphere that was not too isolating for me, the chance for a new experience in a new place pushed me out of my comfort zone to figure things out on my own. My classes were the first example of this. I enrolled in two honors modules in the English department,
Photo courtesy of Jahnavi Pradeep ’23 Pradeep has been studying English at the University of St Andrews during her semester abroad.
one on Gothic Romanticism and greet me with wide grins and wave the other on Tragedy in the Age of like old friends each time I drop by Shakespeare. The academic struc- for my usual order. The Shawarma ture of these classes called for im- House owner spends an extra five mense independence in my study minutes making conversation whenhabits; They each met only once a ever I stop by. They tell me about week for a two-hour discussion sem- home in Turkey, and I tell them inar among students, and the rest of about home in India. Herein, on this the coursework — which included one street of St Andrews, I have met primary and secondary readings and learned about the different exalong with recorded lectures — had periences and lives of its current loto be done in our own time. What cals, and in this way I slowly begin to contributed even more to this inde- feel a part of the community and like pendent learning was the disruption a local myself. I attend campus and of classes due to strikes that tutors town events, from weekly Ceilidh across Scotland partook in during dancing at the local bar, department February and March regarding a wine and cheese nights and student pension dispute. Both my tutors were bonfires on the beach. a part of the union striking, and I had I am simultaneously aware that I classes canceled for three weeks out am just a visitor at the moment, and I of an eleven-week term. However, I have tried to take in as much as I can continued to write on material cov- with my resources and time. With ered during this time, working long access to highly affordable flight nights and frequenting the library tickets, I managed to travel a tiny bit for resources. The system allowed of Western Europe, giving in to both me to think about what I was learn- tourist traps must-sees and more loing more independently. In taking cal experiences of food markets and charge of how I approached things, aimless exploration. I have seen and I found a perfect environment to learned things about different culchallenge myself tures, religions academically. and languages, The crumbling castles and I have had among a myriad majestic churches ... mirror of other things. the opportunity to meet some the ones I read about in my Even at St Anwonderful people classes. In being here, I can drews, the studywho have conabroad program physically feel and breathe has allowed me tributed to this immersive studyto meet people the space of the things I abroad experifrom across the study. ence. The owner globe. of the tiny bookI am grateful store I frequent for my experiat the end of the town’s Market ence at St Andrews so far. As I end Street told me about their favorite my days here with routine calls to Shakespearean plays, pointing me family and friends from back home toward illustrated copies the store and at college, the seagulls make keeps at the back. When I returned their evening rounds, reminding me the next time, I was directed to some how short the days are and how my bound Scottish history books. Slow- time left at St Andrews is equally ly, I became an expert on each sec- limited. I look forward to returning tion of the store. to Mount Holyoke for my final year Most of the other locals I have this fall, and with my return, I hope had a chance to interact with in St to bring with me the things I have Andrews are friendly and welcom- learned about my studies, those ing. The students at the coffee shop around me and myself.
4
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
April 22, 2022
. Mount Holyoke News
‘PACHACUTI’ art exhibition explores climate change through collage studies classes, I’m always trying to not write an essay and asking them if I can do something art-based inMount Holyoke Studio Capstone stead,” they said. Exhibitions started on April 11. One The art featured in the show is exhibition on display is “PACHACU- made up of various mediums. There TI: making/unmaking” by So Quim- are collage-covered blobs — So rebita ’22, also known as So Hess. The ferred to them as “my blobs” and art in the show is largely focused on sees them “like a little squad, [a] themes of climate change and colo- little team” — as well as weavings, nialism, and its intention is to cause a mountainscape made of moving the viewer to think about these sub- boxes, drawings and printed wall jects in new ways. “PACHACUTI” collages. will be hosted in the Blanchard GalOne of the smaller weavings delery until April picts the moun20, and features tain Cotopaxi, “[‘Skoo’ is] about … the pieces that So which is a refeeling you get when you has been workcurring theme ing on for the in the show. The look at NASA photos, the past few years. mountain holds universe, like there’s so So had their personal signifimany stars you absolutely opening recepcance to So. “It’s tion for “PACHa volcano in Eccannot comprehend it.” ACUTI” on Friuador, near Acaday, April 15. pulca, where my – So Quimbita ’22 According to So, family is from,” the show’s title they explained. refers to a “QuecAlso present hua word that in “PACHACUTI” is similar to the word apocalypse.” is the collaged end product of “WoThey explained that “pacha” means ven Futures: Radical Imagination “world” and “cuti” means “to turn in the Climate Crisis,” the BOOM! upside down.” Conference workshop that So led on “It literally means ‘world-turner’ March 29. The collage is made of woor ‘world upside down,’” they said. ven paper, and includes the names of Much of So’s art is about climate all of the people present at the event. change and its unavoidable connec“Thirty people were a part of tions to settler-colonialism. So is a this, which was kind of crazy,” So studio art and environmental stud- said. “I had some rules, I was trying ies double major, and they shared to control the aesthetic a little bit.” that they don’t believe their majors So works at the Miller Worley are that different from one another. Center for the Environment as a “I think when I’m in my art class- community sustainability coordinaes I’m always making art that is root- tor, and mentioned that they wanted ed in the land and natural forms … an in-person workshop instead of a and when I’m in my environmental virtual one. When So’s colleagues
BY LUCY OSTER ’23 STAFF WRITER
Photo by Jenny Yu ’24 Above, is artwork featured in “PACHACUTI: making/unmaking,” a collection by So Quimbita ’22. The exhibit remained open until April 20, 2022.
at the Center explained that they would have to then be the person to run that event, So responded, “Okay, well I have ideas. I have many things I could talk about.” At the event, So shared the meaning of the word “pachacuti” and they “talk[ed] about shifting our perspective from this very doom scroll spiral” that is associated with the typical Western approach to climate change dread. So made a zine for the “Woven Futures” BOOM! Conference event that they gave out at the workshop, and more copies of it were present at the exhibition. The zine included recommendations for changing one’s perspective, such as books
like “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer and art-based Indigenous-run Instagram accounts. Ireland Young ’25, who was present at “Woven Futures,” shared that he was glad to have attended “Woven Futures.” Young has also been to So’s exhibition space a few times since “PACHACUTI” opened. “It’s actually inspired me to start drawing again because of the uses of colors and just the sheer beauty of it all,” he said. Young said that he “particularly like[d] the 3D pieces” present in “PACHACUTI.” One of them, titled “Skoo,” which hangs suspended in the air, represents a night sky.
According to So, “[‘Skoo’ is] about … the feeling you get when you look at NASA photos, the universe, like there’s so many stars you absolutely cannot comprehend it.” The floating blob also has a subtle drawing of a jaguar’s face on it. The jaguar is meant to represent the chuqui chinchay, which So described as “a deity in Incan cosmology.” “It actually looks over and protects the Quariwarmi, which are the nonbinary people that existed in the Incan’s cosmo vision,” they said. “I, as a nonbinary person, and of Andean descent, really felt recognized when I heard about that part of cosmology.”
‘Our Flag Means Death’ is a pirate adventure unlike anything else on TV
Graphic by Sofía Savid ’24
“the reason to do the show.” When Jenkins first learned about the real Stede and discovered that he spent In 1717, an aristocrat named St- time sailing with Blackbeard, he beede Bonnet purchased a ship and came interested in filling in the gaps set sail with dreams of becoming a in the historical accounts and expirate, leaving behind his wife, chil- ploring what that relationship could dren and sizable fortune. Known have looked like. as the “Gentleman Pirate,” Stede In an interview with EntertainBonnet was the inspiration for the ment Weekly, Jenkins described Stseafaring HBO Max comedy “Our ede as a compelling figure to base Flag Means Death.” The series takes a series on, since he could “try to plenty of liberties when it comes to figure out why he left his family, historical accuracy, to its great ben- and try to see why he had this reefit. Playing fast lationship with and loose with Blackbeard.” “Seeing this wacky group history not only The show profind each other and fight for vides potential leads to great moments of comeach other and fully accept answers to both edy, but also alof these myseach other for what they lows for a more teries through are just always makes me inclusive story. a poignant ex“Our Flag ploration of the emotional.” Means Death” fictional Stede’s follows a heavibackground, re– Gina Pasciuto ’23 ly-fictionalized pressed sexualversion of the ity and feelings incompetent Stfor Blackbeard. ede (Rhys Darby) In addition and his pirate crew. During his trav- to the romance between the show’s els aboard his ship, the Revenge, St- leads, there are multiple LGBTQ+ ede encounters the infamous pirate characters among the crew of the Blackbeard (Taika Waititi), and the Revenge. Gina Pasciuto ’23 praised two form a friendship that develops the “found family” that forms beinto a romance. tween the crewmates. According to creator David Jen“So much of being queer is findkins, this romance was a part of the ing and choosing your people,” they plan for the series from the earliest said. “Seeing this wacky group find stages of its development. each other and fight for each other In an interview with IndieW- and fully accept each other for what ire, Jenkins explained that it was they are just always makes me emo-
BY ROWAN BERNSTEIN ’22 STAFF WRITER
tional.” One particularly noteworthy character is Jim (Vico Ortiz), who is in disguise on the Revenge as a mute male pirate and on the run due to a bounty on their head. When their identity is revealed to the crew, they explain that they don’t actually consider themself to be a woman; they’d like to continue being “Jim,” and nothing needs to change about how the crew sees them. Soli Guzman-Rubalcaba ’24 found this character particularly meaningful to them. “I have not seen a trans — specifically nonbinary — Latine character in any form of media,” Guzman-Rubalcaba said, explaining that it was exciting “seeing someone who is nonbinary, who is trans and Latino that looks like [them].” Guzman-Rubalcaba also found Jim’s storyline of taking revenge on the men who killed their family to be an important narrative about colonialism. “We never hear the stories of people being colonized,” they said. “When we do, it’s always … watered down.” Jim’s family lived in what is now St. Augustine, and when most of them were killed by a Spanish man, Jim was forced to leave their family’s land. Guzman-Rubalcaba said that they appreciated “seeing that it’s a Latino person being killed, and their land being colonized by a Spaniard. … I’m Mexican, I’m also Apache and Navajo,” they said. “My people were colonized, so seeing that story
portrayed so explicitly was really re- ede’s] general unhappiness versus freshing.” his crew’s and [Blackbeard]’s actual While the show is lighthearted suffering at the hands of systematic and doesn’t revel in its characters’ class discrepancy,” Anna Ange ’22 suffering, it also doesn’t shy away said. “I think I read into the class from acknowledging the realities of politics of the show more deeply discrimination. than the creators may have intendHomophobia is clearly present in ed, but … I hope to see them be even society at large, but is rarely found more intentional with these topics if in the comparatively inclusive world they do a second season.” of the pirates. Additionally, memOn top of these thought-provokbers of Stede’s crew face both im- ing narratives, “Our Flag Means plicit and explicit Death” is truly a racism at times, delight to watch. and the comedy The show’s co“I have not seen a trans always comes at medic tone — specifically nonbinary the expense of makes it easy — Latine character in any to suspend your the characters who perpetudisbelief about form of media.” ate that racism. historical accuIn one episode, racy to enjoy the – Soli Guzman-Rubalcaba the character funny anachroOluwande Boonisms. For exam’24 dhari (Samson ple, Stede reads Kayo) poses as Pinnochio to his Egyptian royalty crew as a bedat an upper-class party, and scams time story, even though it wouldn’t the attendees out of their riches by have been written for another 164 asking them to invest in his “pyra- years. mid scheme” — involving a fortune By extension, it becomes easier locked away in a literal pyramid. to imagine things like a group of piClass tensions — and intersec- rates accepting a crewmate as nontions of class and race — are anoth- binary without hesitation. er underlying theme in “Our Flag While the comedy is generally Means Death.” Oluwande himself more subtle as opposed to laugh-outmentions early on in the show that, loud, it’s hilarious nonetheless. Even unlike Stede, he isn’t a pirate by if the humor is not your style, it’s bolchoice, but because he has few other stered by an exciting and heartfelt options. storyline, entertaining characters “I think there was an interesting and a fantastic cast that make the conversation happening about [St- series well worth a watch.
April 22, 2022
SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT
. Mount Holyoke News
5
War in Ukraine provokes discussion on clean energy resources BY HELEN GLOEGE ’23 STAFF WRITER
On Feb. 24, 2022, “Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” according to Al Jazeera. In response to the declaration of war and military actions, Russia has faced “severe punitive sanctions, including asset freezes and export bans,” the source further reported. Amid the discussion of sanctions has been talk of decreasing reliance on Russian oil and gas exports. Currently, gas “from Russia [accounts] for about 40 percent of the EU’s natural gas imports,” according to the BBC. Additionally, out of the nearly five million barrels of crude oil exported by Russia everyday, over half are sent to Europe. To try and decrease reliance on Russian nonrenewable energy, the U.S. has issued a ban on Russian oil. In addition, the U.K. is attempting to phase out the use of Russian oil by the end of 2022. Further, the European Union “has proposed a plan to make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels before 2030,” according to the BBC. Experts like Putin’s former chief economic adviser have said that “a ‘real embargo’ on Russian energy by Western countries could stop war in Ukraine,” according to the BBC. “A billion [euros] is what we pay Putin every day for the energy he supplies us,” diplomat Josep Borrell said to the BBC, indicating that if Europe were to pull its investments in Russian oil and gas, it would have a large economic impact. Oil and gas companies have also been pulling their money from Rus-
sia. These companies include oil and gas giants ExxonMobil, Shell and BP, according to The New Republic. These movements are significant, as BP “would lose about one-third of its reported oil and gas production,” if they pulled out of Russia, according to The New York Times. Many oil and gas companies moved to Russia about 30 years ago, as the country holds “24 percent of the world’s total natural gas reserves,” The Conversation reported. Russia also has a network of pipelines that can easily move oil into the European Union. In response to the invasion of Ukraine, the American Petroleum Institute, a trade organization for the oil and gas industry, posted a thread on Twitter listing ways to “ensure energy security at home and abroad.” The Twitter thread had recommendations from the API that included a call for the government to “release permits for energy development on federal lands” and to “issue U.S. offshore leasing plan for next five years.” The cost of oil and gas is based on the relationship between supply and demand, according to The New Yorker. When a country decides to not purchase oil or gas from Russia, there is less oil and gas available to them. The current issues of supply and demand are not just because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict but “because demand during the pandemic has bounced back faster than supply,” Vox reported. The increase in demand and decrease in supply caused by the pandemic is magnified when the source of oil and gas from
Photo courtesy of Kwh1050 via WikiMedia Commons Above, signs left on a fence in protest of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24.
Russia is taken away. This response of increasing oil and gas production in the U.S. has been controversial as it continues reliance on fossil fuels. According to Vox, in calls with shareholders, oil companies expressed that they aren’t planning on investing in new oil drilling projects. Currently, increased oil prices allow the companies to make significant levels of profit. Vox argues there isn’t much that can be done immediately to fix the U.S.’s current reliance on Russian oil as it involves “a lot of infrastructures, which [are] impossible to scale up in enough time to make an impact on current prices.” In their reporting, Vox spoke to an energy analyst with the Institute for Energy Economics and Finan-
cial Analysis, Clark Williams-Derry, who said, “By locking yourself into a gas-powered future, you’re locking in higher costs for the long haul.” Thus, in the end, increasing oil and gas companies’ permits or access won’t help current gas prices and will likely keep the prices up. The other alternative for continuing reliance on Russian oil and gas is to move toward clean energy, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Times quoted the director of the Center for Climate and Security, Erin Sikorsky, who said, “The more that countries can wean themselves off oil and gas and move toward renewables, the more independence they have.” The alternative — relying on other fossil fuel projects or building new infrastructure for oil and gas — “would lock in
dependence on fossil fuels that humanity can’t afford” if it is going to meet climate goals and prevent rising temperatures, according to the Los Angeles Times. The dependence on oil and gas will also continue to contribute to national security concerns, as seen through this conflict and through the increasing effects of climate change. Should Europe choose to invest in the clean energy industry and fully make good on its commitments to cut down on fossil consumption en masse, global markets stand to benefit, according to the Los Angeles Times. European investment in clean energy, the Los Angeles Times continued, could lead to increased development of foundational technologies necessary for the large-scale consumption of clean energy resources. This potential European investment would connect to current global energy technology infrastructures, as many of these clean energy technologies are developed and produced outside of Europe, as stated by David Victor, an international relations professor at the University of California San Diego, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. Due to the principle of economies of scale, or the phenomenon when the cost per unit, like solar panels, will decrease due to the increased scale of output, as defined by Oxford Languages, increased production or investment in the production of clean energy technologies will cause the prices of these items to go down. Thus, potentially making them more available to countries with fewer economic resources to start their investments in clean energy resources.
Professor Spencer Smith finds beauty Climate Activist Spotlight: Haven Coleman and simplicity in physics through art
Photo by Sophie Dalton ’25 Smith explores intersections between art, physics and computational approaches in his research.
BY JANICE BI ’23 & ANOUSHKA KUSWAHA ’24 STAFF WRITER | SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT EDITOR
“I grew up in a family that valued art a lot — my father is an art historian — so I get nostalgic when I go to museums and churches. … I grew up being immersed in that world,” Spencer Smith, assistant professor of physics at Mount Holyoke College, explained in an interview with Mount Holyoke News. “When it [comes] to physics, it seems completely different [from art]. … But how I initially got into physics was from an aesthetic point of view. … I saw aspects of physics that I thought are aesthetically beautiful. You can think of this in terms of symmetries, [like the] Principle of Simplicity, or you can … [think of] the complexity that can come out of very simple systems,” Smith said. Studying the intersections of complex, differing fields appears to be Smith’s natural instinct. Smith has taught at Mount Holyoke since 2013, according to the College’s website. In his work at Mount Holyoke, Smith invites students to investigate these intersections and explore the multiple dimensions of physics, a field rooted in analyzing the interactions present in the fundamental makeup of the universe. This mixing of fields is not found only in Smith’s interest in art and his professional pursuit of physics, but seems to guide him in all aspects of his life, including his research. According to his profile page on the
Mount Holyoke website, Smith’s work “characterize[s] the complexity inherent in chaotic fluid motion.” Smith’s study of fluid dynamic systems is highly related to two different mathematical principles: chaos theory and topology. “Chaos theory is the study of how predictable systems are,” Smith said. He further explained that because a system’s predictability decreases with the passage of time, some systems become fundamentally unpredictable after a certain amount of time. Continuing on, he described the relationship between chaos theory and physics, saying, “This is a big, important thing in physics because a lot of what we do in physics is [to] try to predict the future. … What is this going to look like in the future? How is this going to be in the future?” We may not be able to get answers to these questions all the time, he explained, as systems display increasingly larger uncertainties over time, to the point that specialists are unable to predict or estimate future occurrences in some systems. “A classic system that people talk about with this is the weather,” Smith said. “There’s a reason why you can’t predict the weather past about seven to 10 days. That’s because the weather is fundamentally a chaotic system. No matter how precisely we get our current knowledge of the state of our atmosphere, we’re not going to be able to predict the weather past about 10 days. Because it’s chaotic. And so it’s a fundamental limit to what we know.” However,
chaos theory is not simply an explanation of why we do not know things. With the study of structure and patterns, a better understanding on why and how things are happening could be gained. Topology, on the other hand, is the study of shape properties, according to Smith. “Topology studies the properties of surfaces that are robust to stretching and squishing and all these other actions,” Smith summarized. For example, topologically, a sphere could be represented as a flat disc, since a sphere could be a flat disc after being squished down. When using mathematical theory to analyze and study fluid mechanics, its necessary to establish appropriate models for the theory and testing. This is why Smith places value on computer programming skills. Smith considers himself to be a self-taught computational physicist. Smith believes that the process of programming gives him space for “learning, mastery and understanding for a topic.” He stated, “I always feel that for a physics topic, I only truly understand it if I can write an algorithm to model it or if I can write an algorithm to, in some way, make it computational.” Smith grew to appreciate computational work and computer science through his work for his undergraduate thesis at Dartmouth College and, later, through his experience working at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Laughing, Smith explained, “[As] an undergraduate, I think I took two computer science classes. I wasn’t a minor in computer science.” Rather, his appreciation of computer science stemmed from a persistent, lifelong “fascination.” In high school, Smith and his friends used TI calculators to program in Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code in order to program cellular automata, such as Conway’s Game of Life, into their calculators. Even through a simple childhood game, Smith said he could observe a “really beautiful set of behaviors that sort of mimics life.” From programming in BASIC in his teenage years to his undergraduate thesis work and his pre-graduate school experience at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Smith discovered the importance of computer science and its utility in the physics field. Smith is encouraging students to start independent research and to expand their horizons and the number of lenses they can use to learn something new.
Photo courtesy of Streetsblog Denver via WikiMedia Commons Haven Coleman has organized several major climate justice protests beyond her native Colorado.
BY HELEN GLOEGE ’23 STAFF WRITER
Haven Coleman is a 16-yearold climate activist from Denver. Coleman’s introduction to climate change was in fifth grade, when her teacher “brought up deforestation” when talking about the ancient Amazon trade, which sparked Coleman’s curiosity about deforestation prevention and later, her interest in the wider climate movement, as reported by CNN. Coleman proceeded to join the Climate Reality Project, an environmental awareness organization founded in 2006 by former U.S. Vice President and environmentalist Al Gore. On her website, when speaking on how finding this project impacted her development as an activist and leader, Coleman noted, “[Climate Reality Project] trained me to be a Climate Reality Leader, and I taught kids across my state how climate change affects us and what we can do.” Coleman gained recognition in August 2017 when she asked a question about climate change at a town hosted by Republican Colorado Senator Cory Gardner. According to Grist, Gardner’s political campaign has received over $1.2 million dollars from oil and gas industries.
In January of 2019, Coleman “began protesting in front of businesses [and] government buildings, such as the Colorado State Capitol” to demand climate action, according to People Pill. Her protest continues every Friday. In an interview with Climate Reality Project, Coleman described how she began striking after she “[saw] Greta Thunberg and the kids in Europe and Australia striking … and decided it was time for me to start helping out too.” Coleman’s work has involved co-organizing the Youth Climate Strike with 19-year-old Isra Hirsi and 16-year-old Alexandria Villaseñor, which took place on March 15, 2019, and attracted many young people calling for climate action, CNN reported. In addition to organizing larger strikes and participating in protests on Fridays, Coleman has written many op-eds for news sources such as the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and Teen Vogue, as listed on her personal website. As stated on her website, Coleman’s current campaign centers on fundraising for and distributing “air purifiers to communities in need”, such as those communities that are “most affected by wildfires and air pollution.”
6
OPINION & SENIOR REFLECTIONS
Unruly GOP behavior threatens the American political decorum deterred by the rule of law when it comes to liberal causes,” Graham said on the Senate floor, making Jackson’s liberal judicial record Content warning: This article discusses rac- and beliefs a target for GOP senators. Graham wasn’t alone in his quest to nip ism and misogyny. Jackson’s appointment in the bud. A March On April 7, 2022, the U.S. Senate confirmed 22 New York Times article delved into the inJudge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme teraction between Cruz and Jackson in which Court, making her the first Black female to Cruz displayed stacks of children’s books, serve as justice. The 53-47 vote for Jackson asking Jackson if she believed it was okay highlighted the bipartisan support she re- that babies were being taught about racism. ceived in the Senate. After two grueling days Further, as noted in a March 23 Texas Tribune of intensive questioning regarding her judicial article, during his 20-minute-long questioning, record and thoughts on controversial topics Cruz barely allowed Jackson to get a word in such as Critical Race Theory and abortion, when asking her about her sentencing of child Jackson’s appointment to the Supreme Court pornographers. In response to Cruz’s conwas celebrated by supporters as a ground- stant interruptions and remarks about what breaking win for Black women across the he viewed as light sentences, the Senate Judiciary Chair, Democrat Dick Durbin, had to country. While this momentous day should forev- interject and bring order to the Senate. This er be cherished and celebrated, the events of instance of Cruz posing long-drawn questions and interrupting Jackson the confirmation hearings while she attempted to anwithin the walls of the It is alarming how racially swer is an example of how Senate seemed to cast a men continuously try to shadow over this miledriven and gendered the their word in, regardstone. Picking on judicial entire GOP attack to under- get less of what the woman is rulings, achievements mine [Judge Ketanji Brown] trying to say in response. and failures are standard The total disregard to Supreme Court conJackson’s credibility was. for respect for Jackson firmation hearings. Yet, was seen again when what we witnessed last Graham made volatile remonth was not simply an inquiry into Jackson’s personal life, but also marks about the political left and belittled its a study in how Republican senators respond- decision to nominate Jackson. “Every group ed to a liberal-leaning Black female nominee. that wants to pack the court, that believes The way in which questions were posed by the this court is a bunch of right-wing nuts who GOP’s Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator are going to destroy America, that considered Ted Cruz was disruptive, brash and insulting the Constitution trash, all wanted you picked,” to Jackson’s accomplishments. These Repub- Graham told Jackson, according to a March 22 lican senators interacted with Jackson in a New York Post article. With a 51-year-old liberal-leaning Black manner that undermined the respectability of the judicial position and the political decorum woman being incessantly questioned and critiqued by conservative-leaning white men, it of the Senate. This style of GOP hooliganism, while seen is fair to say that these GOP senators were rebefore with GOP voters, has become publicly lying on age-old tactics of racially-driven and gendered exclusionary mechanisms to smear projected by GOP politicians as well. Hooliganism is defined by the Merri- Jackson’s reputation. Instances of interruptam-Webster Dictionary as “rowdy, violent or ing Jackson, questioning her beliefs and past disruptive behavior.” This behavior by GOP sentencings and getting into loud disagreevoters can be traced back to the Jan. 6, 2021 ments with the Senate chair all highlight how insurrection. A Nov. 1, 2021 article from The little the GOP senators recognized Jackson as Guardian reported on GOP voters’ attitude a qualified candidate and as a then-potential toward using violence to a political end, not- Supreme Court justice. Moreover, thanks to ing that 39 percent of Americans who believed the GOP senators’ raised voices and informal Trump won the 2020 election also believed that language, the once-respected political decoviolence was required to overturn the election rum of this process disintegrated during their results. Pictures from the Capitol Hill insurrec- questioning. It is alarming how racially driven and tion highlight the complete disrespect shown toward the lawful democratic process of elec- gendered the entire GOP attack to undermine tions, disregard for government property and Jackson’s credibility was. This textbook porreckless use of arms and other forms of vio- trayal of the authoritative white man, played lence. What makes the case of GOP hooligan- by Graham and Cruz, hearkens back to the ism concerning in the case of Jackson’s confir- bigger issue of the lack of tolerance and inclumation hearings is the fact that it has spilled sion that is now synonymous with the GOP. over from voters to elected officials. Even Jackson’s appointment, while commendable, without any instances of physical violence, the was preceded by vicious and chauvinistic atarticulation of the GOP disapproval of Jack- tacks on her achievements. The unnecessary son resembled the previously-seen unruly challenging and interruption, while typical in behavior of GOP voters. The nomination of a male-dominated fields, also compromises the liberal-leaning judge led to heated discussions integrity of the political decorum. If the GOP amongst Republicans like Graham and Cruz. wishes to maintain its position as a respectA March 31 Forbes article reported Graham’s able political party, there is an urgent need decision to not support Jackson’s appointment to rethink the way these politicians present to the Supreme Court. “[Jackson] will not be themselves in the public sphere. BY KAVERI PILLAI ’23 OPINION EDITOR
April 22, 2022
. Mount Holyoke News
Senior Reflections Every year, graduating members of the Mount Holyoke News staff are given the opportunity to write a brief letter to our readers and the news at large. This tradition allows seniors to reflect on their time with MHN. This week’s issue is our penultimate of the semester. Along with our final issue, it will include letters from seniors who have chosen to write them. Enjoy this week’s senior letters, written by Anjali Rao-Herel ’22 and Gusty Westaway ’22.
GUSTY WESTAWAY ’22 COPY EDITOR
ANJALI RAO-HEREL ’22 GRAPHICS EDITOR
Being a copy editor for Mount Holyoke News has been incredibly rewarding. It has not only honed my writing skills, but has also improved my communication and organization skills. As an added bonus, the community at MHN is extraordinarily positive and welcoming. Every single person is hard working and excited to be here, which creates a very special work environment. My favorite part of being a Copy Editor has been editing flats for the Global section where I am updated on world events I might not have caught onto by myself. I am always impressed by the wide scope of fields and interests covered. Although I have not been a Copy Editor for very long, I am so happy I have gotten to be a part of MHN!
Mount Holyoke News was the first campus organization I joined in September of my first year of college. Eager to get involved with the MHC community and make art in any capacity, becoming a graphic artist seemed like a natural fit. I still remember agonizing over my first assignment for an article on clean energy — a simple illustration of California with a few windmills that I tweaked for hours. As I write this letter, 1,313 days after that first graphic, I am grateful for the many opportunities the MHN community has afforded me, like the ability to publish my political cartoons, contribute to innovative, mixed-media cover spreads and draw Jorge screaming about bad campus Wi-Fi. I always look forward to opening up the “Graphics” folder in the shared drive at the end of the week to see the wildly wonderful work our artists have come up with. To our tiny but vital Graphics team: I thank you all for your dedication, creative minds and unrivaled artistry. I’m biased, but MHN definitely has the coolest graphics of any student paper because of you!
AUDREY SHANNON ’22 COPY EDITOR Photos by Ali Meizels ’23
Mount Holyoke News Mount Holyoke News is an independent student newspaper written by and for Mount Holyoke College students since 1917. Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Declan Langton ’22
Publisher Ali Meizels ’23
Managing Editor of Content Liz Lewis ’22
Managing Editor of Layout Rose Sheehan ’22
Managing Editor of Web Mariam Keita ’24
Copy Chief Lenox Johnson ’24
Business Manager Katie Goss ’23
Human Resources Annabelle Mackson ’23
Editorial Board News
Global
Photos
Katie Goss ’23 & Tara Monastesse ’25
Sophie Soloway ’23
Rosemary Geib ’23 & Ali Meizels ’23
Arts & Entertainment
Sports
Anjali Rao-Herel ’22
Rose Cohen ’22 & Siona Ahuja ’24
Gigi Picard ’22 & Emily Tarinelli ’25
Opinion
Features
Kaveri Pillai ’23
Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25
Books
Science & Environmental
Cat Barbour ’24 & Ella Jacob ’24
Anoushka Kuswaha ’24
Kate Snyder ’25, Rylee Yackin ’25 & Callie Yosick ’25
Graphics
Copy Editors
Layout Editors
Audrey Shannon ’22, Gusty Westaway ’22, Georgia Fish ’23, Lauren Leese ’23, Jude Barrera ’24, Ella Jacob ’24, Hilary Vergera FP ’24, Mara Zwisler ’24, Max Endieveri ’25, Gemma Golovner ’25, Zora Lotton-Barker ’25, Meghan MacBeath ’25,
Hannah Thukral ’23, Zoe Tang ’24, Orion Cheung ’25, Sophie Dalton ’25, Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25, Summer Sit ’25 & Robin Tran ’25
Web Editors
Abby Wester ’22, Lily Hoffman Strickler ’23, Anika Singh ’24, Zoe Tang ’24, Maira Khan ’25, Thao Le ’25, Aditi Menon ’25 & Chloe Wang ’25
Publication Guidelines
Letters Policy
Mount Holyoke News does not endorse any of the opinions or views expressed within the pages of the paper, excluding staff editorials. All content copyright of Mount Holyoke News. All rights reserved. Mount Holyoke News does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or age.
Letters to the Editor appear exactly as they are sent to MHN, except for corrections to spelling, grammar and AP style. Letters cannot exceed 500 words. All letters must include the writer’s name and telephone number for verification purposes. Unsigned letters will not be printed. Names may be held upon request with the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. MHN reserves the right to decide which materials will be printed. Email submissions to mhnews@mtholyoke.edu by Sundays at 5 p.m. for publication the following week.
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April 22, 2022
SPORTS
. Mount Holyoke News
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Mount Holyoke Fencing competes at National Championships BY TAI OWEN ’24 & EMILY TARINELLI ’25 STAFF WRITER | SPORTS EDITOR
The Mount Holyoke College Fencing club team competed at the United States Association of Collegiate Fencing Clubs’ College Fencing National Championships on April 9 and 10. Hosted at Rhode Island College, the competition saw Mount Holyoke face off against 38 other colleges and universities, including fellow Seven Sisters Smith College and Bryn Mawr College. Mount Holyoke was represented in team pools by four foilists, three epeeists and three sabreurs. The foil squad — which consisted of Morgan Sammut ’22, Michela Marchini ’22, Willow Gumpel-Jones ’24 and Lauren Macías Severino ’25 — placed 10th overall, beating out 22 other teams, including Smith, the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the United States Naval Academy. Sammut won eight out of 10 bouts, Marchini won eight out of nine bouts and Gumpel-Jones ’24 won five out of 10 bouts. “I was a mixture of both excited and nervous,” Severino, a sub-in on the foil team, said. “I knew that I was mainly there to learn and just experience nationals for the first time. Overall, I’m pretty proud of myself.” Sammut and Marchini’s performances in the team pools promoted them to the individual pool round, where they placed 13th and 15th, respectively, out of around 95 competitors. Sammut described their experience at the tournament as “overwhelming” and “exciting.” “This competition was very important to me,” Sammut said. “Both in that we had been trying to go for so many years and in that I felt like I
Photos courtesy of Anneke Craig ’22 Morgan Sammut ’22 fences in a direct elimination bout on the first day of national championships.
was at the top of my game.” The last time Fencing competed in nationals was 2016 — before any of the current seniors began fencing at Mount Holyoke. In 2019, the team was unable to attend nationals due to lack of funding. In 2020 and 2021, the competition was canceled because of the pandemic. “This was the last fencing competition I know I’ll be competing in, so I really wanted to do well to prove to myself just how far I’ve come,” Sammut said. “[At] my first competition I came in dead last, so finishing 13th is a huge accomplishment for me.” For épée, Eva Volckova ’22 won six out of nine bouts, Anneke Craig ’22 won three out of nine bouts and Maya Frey ’23 won two out of 10 bouts. The épée team placed 21st overall and outperformed eight other teams, including Bryn Mawr. “I’ve been fencing the best I ever have, which feels amazing, but
that makes the fact that I won’t be fencing here next year even more painful,” Volckova said. “This competition made me feel more at peace, though, since it was the culmination of everything we talked about doing in [my] first year.” “I was so thrilled to be going [to nationals], especially because it has been the team’s dream since my first year, and we were finally able to make it happen,” Craig said. “It was a little bittersweet because I’m a senior so it was my last competition with MHC fencing, but still, I was just so happy to be able to go.” In sabre, Eli Gerbi ’25 claimed victory in four out of eight bouts, while Danyah Shaikh ’25 won two out of eight bouts and Qiao Se Ong ’25 won three out of seven bouts. The sabre squad finished 23rd and overpowered five other schools, including Ivy League competitor Dartmouth College. “I wanted to be there for the
team and to fence the way I knew I which I’m very grateful for,” Severiwas capable of. As far as my individ- no said. ual performance, I know I had some “This year, our board managed good bouts and good touches, and to swing emergency funding for new that’s really all I wanted,” Gerbi said. masks and cords, which was a huge “Our team performance … was help to us,” Gerbi said, adding that solid,” Gerbi added. “[Ong] won her the team also received donations first competition bout at nationals from parents and former coaches. and [Shaikh] had some incredible Sammut noted that fundraising touches against fencers with much was especially difficult this season more experience.” because the team had expected that Adjunct Fencing Instructor and nationals would be held in SpringMount Holyoke Fencing Coach Dian- field — the same location as in years na McMenamin also spoke about the prior — rather than in Providence. various highlights of the weekend. “This current crop of seniors “I saw some people making some have worked so hard to keep the really good touches,” McMenamin club going and to do fundraising said. “Learneven when there ing things and weren’t any com“I really love that the watching them petitions because experienced fencers are in competition of the pandemic,” always helping the less always gives McMenamin said. me insights into McMenamexperienced fencers.” how I can help in expressed her them better.” appreciation for – Dianna McMenamin “Somebody the team envireported that ronment. “They they had overwork really hard heard somebody going, ‘Mount Holy- and … some of them are really, reoke has somebody in the individual? ally focused on getting better and … I thought they were this little, little, helping their teammates. That’s one teeny school,’” McMenamin said. thing that I really love, that the expe“Some of these gigantic 30,000-peo- rienced fencers are always helping ple institutions have their clubs the less experienced fencers,” she there, and we’ve got about 2,000 peo- said. “I’m going to miss them terriple for a student body … So, making bly when they’re gone because they a good showing against the bigger really have done so much for the schools is really nice.” team.” As a club sport, the fencing team Next up for the fencers is a is funded in part by the College and scrimmage that will be hosted in the in part by team fundraisers. gymnasium of Kendall Sports and “To fundraise, we had a table Dance Complex on Saturday, April in [Blanchard Hall] where we sold 23. Beginning at 10:00 a.m., Mount mugs and keychains [with] the dif- Holyoke will compete against fencferent blade types. Everyone [on] ers from Smith College and UMathe team took a shift or two, and ss Amherst. The team encourages we were able to raise lots of money, spectators to attend.
Game of the Week: Lacrosse hosts Wheaton College on Senior Day BY GIGI PICARD ’22 SPORTS EDITOR
Mount Holyoke Lacrosse took on fellow New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference team Wheaton College at home in their Senior Day game on Saturday, April 16. Before the game started, the crowd and team took a moment to recognize seniors Emma Legacki ’22, Allie Brown ’22, Annika Brooks ’22, Sandra Prendergast ’22 and Emma Bowler ’22. The match resulted in a 18-4 loss against the Wheaton Lyons. Hannah Bisson ’24 was assisted by Brooks to put the Lyons first on the board. Brown scored two goals and one assist while teammate
Legacki came up with one goal and three shots. Legacki and Brown tied for most shots with three each. Teammate Caroline Thompson ’24 scored two shots. Ella Phillips ’25 had one shot and two assists. Bowler posted 12 saves for the Lyons. Bowler and Brown both produced game highs, with Bowler taking eight ground balls and Brown winning the seven draw controls. “The team was excited to play for our seniors and had great energy to start the game. We saw huge improvement from some newer players and the team showed such great support for every teammate throughout the whole game,” Head Lacrosse Coach Miriam Esber said. “As we near the end of our season,
I am looking forward to seeing our continued improvement in each and every game as individuals and as a team. I want to see us keep our relentless attitude all the way to the last second of our final game.” Mount Holyoke Lacrosse will play at Wellesley College on Saturday, April 23 and finish their regular season at home against Clark University on Wednesday, April 27. “We have high hopes and expectations for the future,” Esber reflected. “What I’ve taken away from this season is that no matter what you are doing at MHC or after graduation, building interpersonal relationships and having good communication skills are among some of the most important competencies you can work on.”
Photo courtesy of Reese Brown Above, the Mount Holyoke lacrosse team poses at their home game against Wheaton College. The Senior Day match on April 16 resulted in an 18-4 loss, with the Wheaton Lyons coming out on top.
Photographers capture signs of spring blooming on campus BY ALI MEIZELS ’23 PUBLISHER & PHOTOS EDITOR
Flowers are blossoming, Jorge is wandering and green spaces are full of life again. This week, MHN photographers documented the signs of spring popping up around campus.
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Photos 1 & 7 by Jenny Yu ’24 Photos 2, 3 & 5 by Carmen Mickelson ’24 Photos 4 & 6 by Rosemary Geib ’23
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COMMUNITY _
April 22, 2022
HOROSCOPES: Quarantine activities for the signs
. Mount Holyoke News
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BY MAGGIE DONOVAN ’23 HOROSCOPE WRITER
March 21 – April 19
Your season is technically over, but do you ever really leave the spotlight? Find a craft project to throw yourself into this week. Not only will it keep your mind occupied, it will be particularly satisfying when you get to show off your hard work later.
April 20 – May 20
Happy Taurus season from one twinkling Taurus to another. Celebrate by updating your Tinder profile, auditing your wardrobe or evaluating elements of your brand. That being said, what you really need is about 30 hours of sleep. Do whatever you have to do to emerge triumphant and refreshed.
July 23 – Aug. 22
Take this time to build an attainable new habit, like practicing self-compassion. Try starting your day by writing or speaking small affirmations to yourself — about how it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling and struggle with what you’re struggling with, and that the best you can do is absolutely enough.
Nov. 22 – Dec. 21
Do some stretching. You’ve likely built up a lot of tension during the last couple weeks, days even, and it’s easy to forget to stretch in the morning. Go at whatever pace, and do whatever amount feels comfortable. Really listen to your body and what it needs.
Dec. 22 – Jan. 19
Aug. 23 – Sept. 22
Perfect your pushups or your planks. Everyone will marvel at your strength and impeccable form. No one will be sure if they want to be you or want to date you.
Take some time to actually do nothing. That might mean lying down and sleeping for several hours. Or, it might mean just staring at the ceiling and trying to clear your head. Give your brain a true, long rest.
Sept. 23 – Oct. 22
Jan. 20 – Feb. 18
May 21 – June 20
You might have gotten swept up in the flurry of it all lately. Perhaps you’ve lost touch with your own self-awareness. Use this time as an opportunity to be honest with yourself and evaluate if you’re happy about how your actions have affected others as of late.
When was the last time you looked at yourself in the mirror, lovely Libra? It sounds outlandish, but take some time each day — about five minutes — and stare at your reflection in the mirror. Make note of your favorite features and things that make you feel confident. Avoid self-deprecation entirely.
Focus on deep rest, accoladed Aquarius. Practice solitude, at whatever level is helpful to you. Recharge and take a mental, in addition to physical, break from responsibility. Embrace stillness to decompress.
June 21 – July 22
Oct. 23 – Nov. 21
Make a playlist for your newfound alone time, but put some real thought and time into it. Put together songs that will help you feel what you need to feel, whether that’s sad, calm, happy or like the main character. Consider making more than one for your different moods.
Start that TV show you’ve been wanting to watch for a while, or finish the show you’ve been too busy to get around to. Spend as much time on it as you want. Allow yourself to escape the world for a while, and don’t beat yourself up about getting enough rest.
Feb. 19 – March 20
If you find yourself alone, work on being truly comfortable hanging out with just yourself. Without the sizzle of your bustling social life, notice your needs, notice aspects of yourself you enjoy and sit with why solitude isn’t your favorite thing. Hold those discoveries at the front of your mind.
Fred and Moose
‘Frances Perkins Place’ street unveiled, cont’d u
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
challenging for BIPOC people, for people who were not born in the U.S. [and] for female [and] trans people to have their voices out there being heard and [to] have supporters who allow them to make the necessary changes,” Gonçalves Cordeiro said. “I think [it’s] really important for everyone to know, not just the minority groups … how valuable it is to bring a minority voice [to] the table and how much we can achieve.” Upon Tomlin’s mention of Perkins’ alma mater, Gonçalves Cordeiro let out a celebratory cry. Her joyful call was met by a sea of equally enthusiastic yelps and applause. “It’s such a pride … to be a Frances Perkins scholar … [and] to know that our program is named after this powerful person who [did] such amazing work in times that we barely had spaces anywhere,” Gonçalves Cordeiro said. “I’m really proud to wear the
Frances Perkins program t-shirt … I’m very proud to be a Mount Holyoke alum [and] I’m very proud to be part of this community.” Perkins’ commitment to her work and the well-being of marginalized Americans was a major theme throughout the dedication. “In her life, she acted on compassion … That’s one of women’s greatest gifts. We have the great innate power to direct ourselves from that point of compassion and not let our intellect override that compassion,” Lynne Elizabeth ’71 said. “I feel our world [would be] better off if we had more women in places where they can have an influence.” The Mount Holyoke alum’s contributions beyond the College are many. The Manhattan street corner will bear Perkins’ name in green and white for years to come. “Too few things are named after too few women. And this, I hope, has an effect,” Beaudry said. “This has a permanence to it. It’s not just a naming of a building. It’s seeing and leading people to know [and] feel inspired by [Perkins].”
BY SILVIE SCHLEIN ’23 STAFF CARTOONIST
Classifieds