Mount Holyoke News — April 8, 2022

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FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2022

Dr. Beverly Tatum named interim president of Mount Holyoke BY TARA MONASTESSE ’25 NEWS EDITOR

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College, has been appointed by the Board of Trustees as Mount Holyoke College’s interim president following the departure of current president Sonya Stephens. Beginning her term in July, Tatum will lead the College for the 2022-2023 academic year until the search for the College’s 20th president is complete and the new candidate assumes office. Tatum will replace Stephens, whose departure from the College was announced by the Board of Trustees on March 2. Stephens has stepped down to assume the position of president at The American University of Paris. Tatum’s appointment was announced in a letter to the community on March 30, written by Board of Trustees Chair Karena V. Strella ’90. “During her term, Beverly will be an active presence on campus and in the wider community to advance Mount Holyoke’s mission and core values,” Strella wrote. “In partnership with the Board, faculty, students, staff and alums, she will work to sustain our current momentum

Photo courtesy of David Tatum On March 30, the Board of Trustees named Dr. Beverly Tatum the new acting president of MHC.

and move key strategic projects and vital operational activities forward.” This will not be Tatum’s first time serving as acting president of the College. In 2002, she served in the

role for the spring semester while 17th president Joanne V. Creighton took a six-month sabbatical. She ascended to this role after working with the College for 13 years, initial-

ly as a faculty member of psychology and education from 1989-2002 as well as dean of the College from 19982002. In her work as an experienced psychologist and educator, Tatum focused her academic research specifically on race relations. In a 1992 edition of the Harvard Educational Review, Tatum contributed a piece on her research entitled “Talking about Race, Learning about Racism: The Application of Racial Identity Development Theory in the Classroom.” In the article, Dr. Tatum described her observations while teaching a class entitled “The Psychology of Racism” at three collegiate institutions — one of which was Mount Holyoke. “It has become painfully clear on many college campuses across the United States that we cannot have successfully multiracial campuses without talking about race and learning about racism,” Tatum’s article concludes. “Providing a forum where this discussion can take place safely over a semester … may be among the most proactive learning opportunities an institution can provide.” Tatum is also widely known as the author of the 1997 book “Why

Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race.” According to The New York Times, the book, which was updated for its 20th anniversary in 2017, once again climbed to the bestseller list in June 2020. Tatum also published the book “Can We Talk About Race?: And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation” in 2007. In more recent years, Tatum was named the 2013 recipient of the Carnegie Academic Leadership Award and the 2014 recipient of the American Psychological Association Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Psychology, according to her personal website. Starting in 2002, Tatum served as the ninth president of Spelman College. She stepped down in July 2015 to “focus on her work as an author, speaker and expert on issues related to racial identity,” according to the Spelman College website. “We are grateful to Tatum for lending her extraordinary skills and expertise at this time to help position the 20th president for success and the College for continued excellence,” the Board of Trustees announcement concluded.

Weissman Center for Leadership hosts BOOM! features department Senator Bernie Sanders for Town Hall proposals and keynote poets

Graphic by Anjali Rao-Herel ’22

BY GILLIAN PETRARCA ’23 STAFF WRITER

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders visited Mount Holyoke College on April 4 as the final guest of the Weissman Center for Leadership’s Town Hall Series. The “Our Voices, Our Platforms” series aimed to explore how people can use their voices to create meaningful change. Director of the Weissman Center for Leadership Amy E. Martin opened the webinar by expressing her thanks to the Weissman student fellows, Mount Holyoke President Sonya Stephens and Carmen Yulín Cruz, Harriet L. Weissman and Paul M. Weissman Distinguished Fellow in Leadership and former mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, for helping plan and support the town hall series over the past month. Stephens introduced Sanders to the webinar. While beginning, town hall moderator Cruz acknowledged some feelings of anxiety. “I am a little nervous. I worked with Bernie on his campaign,” she said. “I call him a ‘wizy-wak’ person. [With him], you will always see the truth. I am looking forward to this conversation tonight.” Cruz first asked Sanders if he could share his thoughts about the recent Supreme Court nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson and what he thinks it reflects about the state of the U.S. Sanders responded that in some ways, the nomination signifies progress. Jackson’s April 7, 2022 confirmation will make her the first Black woman sworn into the Supreme Court. “We have made progress on many things such as gay and civil rights. However, we are falling further behind into an oligarchic society,” Sanders said. Cruz then asked Sanders when

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he realized he wanted to go into politics and structurally change it. Sanders said that when he was younger, it never occurred to him that he would run for office. However, he saw a lot of inequality growing up. “I and other families struggled. I saw families living paycheck to paycheck,” he said. Cruz then brought up Sanders’ recent tweet in which he said, “It should not be a luxury to keep teeth in your mouth.” Sanders said that the tweet was inspired by one of his staffers who told him that her friend’s father recently went into thousands of dollars in medical debt due to a tooth infection. “Healthcare is a human right,” said Sanders. “This is not a radical idea.” Sanders noted that the narrative surrounding withholding and granting people rights is often controlled by larger powers such as corporations. He said, “You can’t talk about the climate crisis or how people are struggling to put food on the table because big corporations will try to silence you. If I can’t talk about that, then what can I talk about?” Cruz’s final question for Sanders was how he, as a Jew, felt about the Israel vs. Palestine conflict. Sanders said he was disturbed by how our government has ignored Palestine and should help create peace between the two nations. Audience members were then given the opportunity to ask Sanders questions. Conference and Events Services Manager Karen Franz asked if Sanders could offer his thoughts on energy independence from Ukraine and Russia and if he had any potential solutions for other energy sources. Sanders responded that he believes the United States should break its dependence on oil more

FEATURES: FP Monologues return in-person

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broadly and that it would be a good idea to move to more sustainable energy. “This would create millions of good-paying jobs,” Sanders said. The next question came from Professor of Politics Preston H. Smith II, who asked if Sanders could recommend any political strategies that would speak to the needs of working class people. “We need a political revolution that promotes a progressive agenda,” Sanders stated. “We need class consciousness in order to bring people together around a progressive agenda.” Roxy Blocksdorf ’22 then asked what kind of political coalition is necessary to make housing affordable, and why the American government doesn’t seem to care about this issue. “The people who need affordable housing have no political power, while the billionaires with mansions have all of the power,” said Sanders. “We need a strong group of working-class people to advocate for housing, which will create good union jobs.” Aditi Parashar ’22 then asked Sanders if he had read any books in college that shaped his political policy. Sanders said that he read a lot of socialist theory, especially about trade unionist Eugene V. Debs. “I encourage you to go outside of your curriculum and read,” Sanders said. Lauren Brook ’24 asked how to begin limiting America’s consumption. Sanders responded that the problem is not America’s consumption, but consumerism as a wider mindset. “Life is not just about how much stuff you can buy,” Sanders said. “We need community.” The last open floor question came from Dawn Bernardo ’25, who asked, “What is a realistic way to move away from the oligarchy that you mentioned earlier?” Sanders responded that to do this, people need to rally around a progressive agenda and elect politicians that align with those views. Cruz then spoke to close out the event. “I ask this question to every person who comes on here,” said Cruz. “If you were to tell me about one person whose voice inspired you, who would that be?” Sanders said that among the many people that he could think of, the work of Eugene V. Debs has really inspired him. He added, “I would also say Martin Luther King Jr. I was actually there for the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. He was an extraordinary man who got involved in many things like labor and the Vietnam War, when he did not have to.” Cruz ended the night by thanking the many students who helped coordinate the event.

Photo courtesy of Caits Meissner for Jellyfish Treasury via WikiMedia Commons Poet and editor Safia Elhillo, pictured above, was a keynote speaker at this year’s Community Day.

BY SAMMI CRAIG ’23 & TARA MONASTESSE ’25 STAFF WRITER | NEWS EDITOR

Tuesday, March 29, was Building On Our Momentum Community Day at Mount Holyoke College. The annual event dedicates one day to panels, presentations and workshops on the subjects of “diversity, equity and inclusion,” according to the College’s website. Students, faculty and staff all encouraged to attend and actively engage in BOOM! events. Events included talks such as “Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at Mount Holyoke: A Dialogue,” in addition to the keynote address titled “Affirmation, Love and Freedom — A Night of Poetry and Dialogue.” The virtual panel on Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at Mount Holyoke began at 10:30 a.m. and featured “faculty from Critical Social Thought, Africana Studies and Latinx Studies,” according to the College’s website. This panel was a discussion about a submitted proposal to form a new department that merged Critical Social Thought, Africana Studies and Latinx Studies. While there would be one main department, there would be three paths that students can choose within this area of study. As noted during the panel, the paths outlined in the proposal would include “Africana studies, CST, Critical Race and Political Economy.” The faculty on the panel highlighted how each of the paths overlap and intersect to connect material from classes within and outside of the new department. Another major distinction is that this new department would not be an American-centered program. The merged department would center the history of colonialism within the studies and have a global focus. The approval of this proposal would mean an overall increase in access to resources for three depart-

S&E: Students present at Microbiology Symposium

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ments that, separately, do not have as many resources. In addition, students could engage in a wide range of studies while still staying within their major. The faculty advocates expressed hope that the new department merger will be implemented in the Fall 2022 semester. As the day progressed, community members were able to engage with multiple events during different blocks of time. Some events occurred virtually, while others occurred in person. The final keynote address was held on Zoom and concluded Community Day. The virtual “Affirmation, Love and Freedom — A Night of Poetry and Dialogue with Fatimah Asghar and Safia Elhillo” closed BOOM! 2022. Fatimah Asghar and Safia Elhillo served as co-editors of the anthology “Halal, If You Hear Me,” a collection of poems that “dispel the notion that there is one correct way to be a Muslim by holding space for multiple, intersecting identities while celebrating and protecting those identities,” according to an event description provided by the College. The writers shared several poems from their personal poetry collections — Asghar read from her 2018 collection “If They Come For Us: Poems,” while Elhillo read from “Girls That Never Die,” her upcoming collection slated for publication next July. During the Q&A session that followed, Asghar and Elhillo discussed a variety of topics, including creative practices, literary inspirations and their collaborative writing process. “I have the privilege [to] get to read [Elhillo]’s poems before the world does,” Asghar said. “We have an understanding of each other’s work that’s really deep.” “Everything I learned was taught by another poet,” Elhillo said. “Community is what made me a poet and kept me a poet.”

A&E: Junior Art Studio hosts show

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. NEWS Senate hosts Town Hall with College Health Services April 8, 2022

Typhoon Rai and victims of the New Bataan 5 massacre. Maddie Millyan ’25, the Student-Athlete Advisory The April 5 Mount Holyoke Col- Committee member and senate lilege senate meeting started with aison, reminded everyone that DIII a Land Acknowledgment read by week would be held this week from Shula Mathew ’22. Afterward, the April 4-9. The rest of the senate was dediE-board reminded senators that all materials for SGA E-board and Class cated to a Town Hall with Cheryl FlyBoard elections are due on April 10. nn from the College Health Services. Flynn reminded senators that Chair of Halls Sophia Jung ’22 also announced that anyone interested the College’s Health Center does in participating in her study, the not manage the Testing Center and “Immersive Virtual Reality Psychol- that they are separate. Flynn further ogy Study,” should reach out to her clarified that the recent reduction in hours of the Testing Center is due to through email. The floor then opened for any an- staffing shortages. The Health Cennouncements, comments, questions ter is responsible for clinical service, public health on or concerns that campus, mental senators wanted health care and to voice. AkoThe Health Center is repromoting wellsua Frimpong sponsible for clinical serness through the ’25, senator for the Pre-Health vice, public health on cam- “Be Well” program. Students Association, anpus, mental health care and should come to nounced that promoting wellness through the Health Centhere would be ter if they feel a bone marrow the “Be Well” program. sick, have chronregistry drive ic pain or need from April 11-13. va c c i n at i o n s , There will also be a discussion with a virtual pan- health screenings or gender-affirmel of upperclassmen and pre-health ing care. For transgender students, Flynn alumni held on April 16 from 1:30-3 p.m. Chloe Berry ’24, senator for said that the Health Center can help Liga Filipina, said an event would continue or initiate hormone treatbe hosted in the Blanchard Great ments, order lab tests, give primary Room from 5:30-7 p.m. on April 13 for care and also refer them to surgeons community members to gather and or other outside care that may be learn about the Philippines and Li- needed. For accommodations for those yang Western Massachusetts history. There will be a raffle held during with disabilities, the Health Center the event, and donations will also be provides modifications for tempoaccepted to help families affected by rary disabilities, while Accessibility

Mount Holyoke News

BY KATIE GOSS ’23 BUSINESS MANAGER & NEWS EDITOR

Photo by Artemis Chen ’25 On April 5, 2022, senate hosted Cheryl Flynn, a member of College Health Services to answer questions about the department’s role at the College.

Services provides accommodations for those with permanent disabilities. Flynn said that the best way to get in touch with the Health Center during all hours of the day is through the phone. Email is not the best option if students have any clinical or medical problems as it is not confidential and may take longer to respond. As of right now, only vaccination and immunization appointments can be made through the por-

tal page. Medication can only be delivered to campus if called in at Community Pharmacy, a Walgreens pharmacy in Springfield. However, this location may be moved in the future, and the College will send an update if anything changes. The last issue brought up at the Town Hall was about insurance through the College. Flynn explained that all students at the College have health insurance, whether from

home, through a prepaid plan or with the Student Health Insurance Plan. SHIP is the College insurance, which operates through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Senate ended with Flynn letting senators know that there are positions available for student workers at the Health Center. There is a plan to increase the number of student workers and expand their duties in fall 2022.

Zowie Banteah Cultural Center moves into new space

Photos by Ali Meizels ’23 In fall 2022, the new Zowie Banteah Cultural Center location will open its doors. The gathering space is being constructed in the room between the Ham and MacGregor halls. The central room has large windows, seen above, that overlook Upper Lake.

BY JESSE HAUSKNECHT-BROWN ’25 FEATURES EDITOR & LAYOUT EDITOR

Warm sunlight flows into the large glass windows at the new Zowie Banteah Cultural Center, which looks out on the Upper Lake. Colloquially known as the Zowie, the center’s new space is located between Ham and MacGregor Halls. The Zowie is a space that “promotes visibility and empowerment for Native American[s] and communities of Indigenous people” on campus, as stated on the Mount Holyoke website. Construction on the new space has been going on throughout the semester and the center will officially open up for use in fall 2022. While the current location will continue to be in use for the remainder of this

semester, the Zowie held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new space during BOOM! on Tuesday, March 29. “That was really nice. It was nice to see new faces, old faces and to share the opening with everybody. That’s really important when you open something up,” Juliette Gagnon Strong Heart ’24, the program assistant and building manager for the Zowie, said. “We had artwork there that was my artwork. We have really good food, that was really awesome to have Indigenous made and inspired and sourced food at an event.” Strong Heart expressed thanks to Latrina Denson, the associate dean of students for community and inclusion and advisor for the Zowie,

Rachel Beth Sayet, a Native American and Indigenous Studies community development fellow at Amherst College and Mount Holyoke College, and Marcella Runell Hall, the vice president for student life and dean of students. “[Sayet] did a blessing for everybody who came into the space … and [Hall] said some really wonderful things that I will never forget,” Strong Heart recalled. “I really appreciated that. Afterwards we had a listening circle with Sabra Thorner from the anthropology department who’s my mentor in class. … It was really wonderful. Definitely a lot of smiling, I don’t think I stopped smiling.” The primary reason for the move is to make the Zowie more ac-

cessible. Currently, it is located at 4 Dunlap Place on the second floor and cannot be accessed without going up a flight of stairs. The first floor is the Eliana Ortega Cultural Center for students within the Latinx diaspora. “If the Ortega is having an event, you don’t want to go in the front door and walk into someone’s meeting, obviously,” Strong Heart said. “So you’ll go in the back, which is actually where the entrance for the Zowie is and you’ll go down the hallway and then up these stairs that are just really narrow. Any way to access Zowie currently — you need to go up stairs. It’s limiting.” Strong Heart believes it is important that the Ortega, which is a large organization with many mem-

bers, has its own space, stating that “everyone deserves their own space in my opinion.” The new space offers more privacy to Indigenous students to practice elements of their culture and identity. Part of the construction involves adding walls that Strong Heart hopes will provide a sense of protection. “The value overall, I think [is] its potential,” Strong Heart said. “Having that space with computers, being able to give presentations and speeches in there, hav[ing] people from other schools come here, holding educational workshops, holding meeting workshops … and then also other cultural centers being able to use it, its potential is huge.”

Junior Art Studio holds exhibit following years of remote work BY LILY HOFFMAN STRICKLER ’23 STAFF WRITER

Photo by Ali Meizels ’23 ‘Presence,’ a pen and ink drawing by Vivian McPherson ’23, was included in the gallery showcase.

On March 25, 10 pieces of art created by the Spring 2022 Junior Art Studio class adorned the second floor gallery of Blanchard Hall. The show, titled “Evoking Reality: Space and Self,” ran until April 2 and included artwork featuring a wide variety of mediums, ranging from 3D sculptures to digital and acrylic paintings. According to Associate Professor of Art and Chair of Art Studio Ligia Bouton, the pieces featured in the exhibition took three weeks for the artists to complete, with some of the pieces being a mashup of previously completed art projects from earlier in the semester. The exhibition was a walk-through of the significant aspects of life and creativity for each artist, covering subjects such as the sexualization of women

of color, the impact of human life on certain communities and even an ode to a deceased horse. Each piece included a wide range of differing artistic mediums, creating an air of vibrancy and inventiveness that expressed the passion that went into creating each piece of art. Regarding the process that went into creating the artwork, Bouton explained, “There was no prompt; students were encouraged to follow their own creative trajectories.” This encouragement of creative freedom was clearly reflected in the art. Each piece served as an in-depth look into the lives, morals and mindsets of the Junior Art Studio artists. The artwork by Sarah Miller-Bartley ’24, titled “Strawberry Milk,” featured pink-painted plastic cows which were hung loosely in the folds of an equally pink canvas, attached by the canvas’ own threads. As written in Miller-Bartley’s artist

statement, it is through this inclusion of both artistic material and mass-produced objects that they explore the hierarchy of art materials, bringing into question the validity of such classification in artistic environments. Miller-Bartley reflected on what it meant to display artwork at an in-person exhibition after such a long time of not being able to do so because of COVID-19. “It was really exciting to see everyone’s work together, especially after a long period of remote work,” Miller-Bartley said. “It’s satisfying to display a piece in an intentional and more final way, for viewing beyond the classroom.” For Laura Hinojosa ’23, another Junior Art Studio student, the process of developing her artwork and CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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FP Monologues returns in-person to a full house BY ROSE SHEEHAN ’22 MANAGING EDITOR OF LAYOUT

Last Tuesday evening, Gamble Auditorium held laughter, tears, acrobatics and resounding cheers. The space hosted the annual Frances Perkins Monologues, the penultimate event in the College’s annual Building On Our Momentum conference. The event gives nontraditional aged Frances Perkins scholars the opportunity to share about their lives and journeys to Mount Holyoke. This year, seven students shared stories at the monologues, and themes ranged from raising children to starting a business to grappling with loss. “Public speaking scares the bejeezus out of me,” Nic McGrath FP ’23, the penultimate speaker, said. McGrath felt that presenting was less intimidating on Zoom last year, but she still preferred the monologues in-person. “It was nice to be able to look at my friends in the audience and see them making hand gestures to tell me I was doing great,” McGrath said. Photos by Ali Meizels ’23 McGrath and the other pre- Frances Perkins scholars delivered speeches at the annual FP Monologues. From left to right, Bethany Powell FP ’22, Nic McGrath FP ’23 and Midge Hartshorn FP ’24 speak in front of a full house. senters spoke to a completely full Midge Hartshorn FP ’24 had Monica Lamberti FP ’23, spoke on auditorium. According to Anna So- encouraged listeners to love their Africana store. “It’s an existing busiphie Tinneny ’23, who attended the friends unconditionally. “Never let ness that we are building,” Salmon members of the audience laughing the topic of community as well. She and cheering as they recounted their told a heartfelt story about the way monologues, the line was so long distance stop you,” McGrath advised said. “Step-by-step.” Powell, the final speaker of the journey to Mount Holyoke. Their finding communities has provided that it wrapped around the lobby the audience. “Have sleepovers.” of the Art Museum. Multiple FP She pointed to a picture of her friend night, shared her work with an or- speech opened with a list of prohib- her hope and joy in times of crisis. ganization called Poetic Justice. The ited acts and items at the first col- Though she was nervous about joinscholars expressed surprise that so on the projector. “Be her.” “Two days later, people are still group, Powell explained, facilitates lege they attended. The list included ing a group for mothers in her area, many people were interested in the monologues. “Probably every seat seeing me in Blanch or the dining writing circles in prisons, and a cu- being alone in a student apartment her first form of peer community, commons and riosity in this work is what brought with a member of the opposite sex she said, “little by little, I realized I will be filled,” approaching me her to Mount Holyoke. Powell ex- and morning coffee or tea. A turning had found my village.” Lamberti conJen Thornquest “Age is a valuable to tell me they pressed her beliefs in the power of point for Hartshorn was when they cluded by saying that it was this love FP ’24, the host component of diversity.” appreciated my stories — both sharing them and lis- realized, “that thing that I thought for community that has inspired her and emcee of the story or that I tening to them — for healing. “Cre- everyone experienced wasn’t Satan’s to become a teacher. At these words, event, said a few did a great job,” ativity is fundamentally human,” influence,” they said, but “attrac- loud cheers erupted from members minutes before – Jen Thornquest FP ’24 McGrath said she said. tion to women.” This statement was of the audience. the monologues in an interview Mykelle Walton FP ’23, a former greeted by a lengthy applause and Multiple FPs and attendees began. With a tone of surprise, she told the audi- with Mount Holyoke News. “I love circus performer and Thornquest, cheering. Hartshorn’s speech came alike expressed gratitude for the FP ence, “We didn’t know it was going that I’ve been able to touch people a former DJ, performed what they full circle at the end, with a list of Monologues, which the social chairs and possibly help others who may be called “The journey to Mount Holy- what they can do at Mount Holyoke: of the Frances Perkins Scholars Asto be a full house.” At 6:47, the event opened to — as having mental health issues to feel oke in three acts.” While their mono- including realizing and expressing sociation began planning in January, logues were listed on the program their gender identity. according to McGrath. Kylie GellatThornquest predicted — an audito- like they’re not alone.” The stories shared at the event separately, Thornquest interrupted Hartshorn articulated that the ly FP ’23, who was in the audience, rium without a single empty seat. Thornquest, wearing a sharp, blue varied in both topic and tone. Aimee Walton’s story early on to reveal FP Monologues foster two commu- said the monologues made her feel suit, began the evening by contex- Salmon FP ’23 and Bethany Powell that they are married and would be nities: one between FPs and tradi- “proud to be an FP.” Following last year’s remote tualizing the FP Program with short FP ’22 both spoke about finding pur- speaking together. Featuring a few tional students, and one within the vignettes on what a few of the more pose through their work. Salmon’s acrobatic tricks from Walton’s circus FP community itself. In a later inter- monologues, Powell said that this than 1,300 FP alums are doing today. piece focused on the business she days, the pair shared how they grew view, Hartshorn expressed gratitude year’s shared in-person space made “Age is a valuable component of di- founded, Africana Dance & Fitness, up, found each other and then found towards their fellow speakers. “It the event truly special. in an entrepreneurship class at Mount Holyoke together. Their was nice to be able to, in a bit of a “There’s nothing really like the versity,” Thornquest said. McGrath, who presented toward Mount Holyoke. Salmon shared her speech concluded in echoed appre- longer setting, just hear from them sound of a bunch of people laughthe end of the event, spoke about business’s tenets, “empowerment, ciations of each other: “My wife got without interruption. Just [to] hear ing,” Powell said. the recent death of her best friend. community and body positivity,” to into Mount Holyoke College,” Wal- the things that were important to At moments lighthearted and oth- loud cheers. She closed with ambi- ton announced. “Hey,” Thornquest them and what they wanted to say,” Editor’s note: Jen Thornquest FP ’24 is a Host for the Mount Holyoke ers heartbreaking, McGrath shared tions for the future, including start- responded, “My wife got into Mount Hartshorn said. The first speaker of the evening, News Hour on WMHC. pieces of their journey together and ing a multicultural library and an Holyoke College, too.”

The Glascock Poetry Contest celebrates poets in its 99th year

Photo by Tzav Harrel ’24 Darwin Michener-Rutledge ’24 read original poems at the 99th annual Glascock Poetry Contest.

BY CAT BARBOUR ’24 & MAGGIE WILLS ’25 BOOKS EDITOR | STAFF WRITER

“I feel like the Glascock is a survey of American poetry from the last hundred years,” Anna Maria Hong said. Hong is an assistant professor of English and part of the faculty committee of the Kathryn Irene Glascock Poetry Contest. The contest, colloquially called “The Glascock,” took place from April 1-2 in the Stimson Room of Williston Memorial Library and Gamble Auditorium. Competitors included six student contestants from different universities across the eastern United States, judged by three accomplished poets: Mary-Kim Arnold, Nathan McClain and Oliver de la Paz. According to Mount Holyoke’s website, the event was established in 1923 by the parents of Kathryn Glascock, a poet and Mount Holyoke alum who died a year after she graduated. Notable participants in past contests include Robert Frost and Audre Lorde, who served as judges,

and Sylvia Plath, who was a contestant. Currently in its 99th year, the Glascock Poetry Contest consists of three events: a conversation with the judges, the contestants reading their work and a reading of the judges’ work, after which they announce the winner. This year, the contestants were Kate Blakely, a senior from the University of New Hampshire; Jocelyn Maeyama, a senior from Wesleyan University; Liza Marsala, a junior from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; Darwin Michener-Rutledge ’24 from Mount Holyoke College; Clare O’Gara, a senior from Smith College and Imani Ross, a senior from Howard University. The event kicked off with a conversation with the judges on Friday afternoon in the Stimson Room of Williston Library. Hong, who moderated the conversation, began by introducing the three poets. Many audience members seemed to hang onto the poets’ every word, and several could be seen taking notes throughout the conversation. All

three of the judges shared the importance of claiming one’s identity as a poet and the power and agency that comes from this choice. “I think that a lot of the time the arts aren’t seen as the most important subject[s], I know STEM is often prioritized,” Emma Edwards ’22, an attendee, said. “So, I think these [events] are so important for the students that maybe don’t feel as if their subjects are appreciated as much.” Later that day, judges, contestants and an audience gathered in Gamble Auditorium for the contestants’ reading. Booklets were handed to each attendee with short biographies, photos of the contestants and the work they’d be reading. Though audience members streamed in steadily, only about a third of the seats were filled by the time the event started. Hong described the event’s relatively low profile as “charming in a way.” Wesley Yu, associate professor of English, director of studies for English and one of the chairs of the Glascock committee, started the event with a land acknowledgment. During his introduction, he also spoke to the ever-changing world while noting that the “celebration of poetry at Mount Holyoke is almost eternal.” He then turned over the mic to the student committee members to introduce the contestants, and then to the contestants themselves to share their work. Blakely kicked off the event. She read her poems in a strong voice with intentional pauses as audience members followed along in their booklets. During her poem “better luck,” her voice shook with intensity as she read the phrase, “you considered that maybe/ your mom didn’t choose/ to love you and maybe/ the whole concept of love/ is false … ” The next contestant was Maeyama, who began the reading with a dedication. The poems were dedicated to Maeyama’s grandfather,

who is the focus of the selection’s central poem, “hibakusha.” The central theme throughout was ceremony, family relationships, and their grandfather’s experience as a hibakusha. Hibakushas, according to “Hibakusha Stories,” are survivors of an atomic bomb. Maeyama’s work included spliced lines sprinkled across the page. “I liked how [Maeyama] just focused on the one topic, you felt more immersed in it,” Kylee Miller ’24 shared after the event. Marsala began her reading by thanking her mentors and Mount Holyoke for hosting the event. Her poems, which took a more traditional form on the page, included repeated lines and phrases that served to unify the poems. Her first poem, “Mom,” opened with the line, “My mother insists she knows me better than I know myself/ If that’s the case,/ can she tell me what to do with all of this hurt?” The reading further explored themes of family and mental health. The next reader was Michener-Rutledge. Her poems included delicate word choice that conjured images of nature, summertime and travel. Many pieces also highlighted the beauty of the Midwest, where she grew up. “Mary Mollusca” captured feelings of grief, beginning with the line, “It seemed that the vapid orange walls were hungry for misery/ the day my grandmother disappeared through a phone call,” and ending with, “everyone in silent awe at the light that comes of death.” O’Gara began his reading with a content warning but followed with “I promise it has a happy ending,” illustrating the humor he finds within these serious topics. His poems were personal, yet references to geography or popular culture allowed the audience to further connect with them. O’Gara’s poem entitled “Ode To the First Long Poem in a Few Years,” encapsulated a multitude of

themes including family dynamics, childhood, gender identity and mental health. Ross was unable to attend the event, but pre-recorded a poetry reading that was projected for the audience to watch. Ross’s collection, entitled “The Art of Dying Young,” discussed coming of age in the present world. The selection included references to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The collection’s titular poem opened with the line, “First memories: a tiny screen where we see/ the flashes of lives already lost.” Ross’ poems were also personal, including dialogue between her parents and meditations on identity. On the morning of April 2, the contestants, judges, committee members and attendees filtered into the Stimson Room once more for the third and final event. Sun lit up the room, filtering through the aged windows, creating a particularly intimate atmosphere. The chairs and sofas were rearranged into rows and artifacts, such as photos of past contestants lined the shelves of the room. The quiet, anticipatory chatter made for an atmosphere less like waiting for the results of a contest and more like a close-knit gathering of poetry enthusiasts. Yu once again introduced the event and stepped back to let students introduce the judges who primarily read from upcoming manuscripts. Each were skilled public speakers and were easily able to be heard in the room without a microphone while they each read. After their readings, the judges gave brief commentary on each contestants’ work and revealed O’Gara as the winner. After the event closed, O’Gara said, “I am really grateful to have been a part of it. It’s a pleasure to hear everyone’s work and get to meet them.”

4

GLOBAL

April 8, 2022

. Mount Holyoke News

Students and professors reflect on life of Madeleine Albright BY LAUREN CINCOTTA ’25 STAFF WRITER

On March 23, 2022, Madeleine Albright, the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state, died at the age of 84. According to The New York Times, “Albright rose to power and fame as a brilliant analyst of world affairs and a White House counselor on national security. Under President Bill Clinton, she became the country’s representative to the United Nations (1993-1997) and secretary of state (1997-2001), making her the highest-ranking woman in the history of American government at the time.” A graduate of Wellesley College, Albright became and remained a prominent voice in American foreign policy long after her tenure as secretary of state ended. Albright, the daughter of a diplomat, fled her home country of Czechoslovakia with her family when the Nazis invaded during World War II. The family then fled communist rule in 1948, which led to them settling in the United States. Albright received a degree in Political Science from Wellesley College in 1959. According to a blog post from Wellesley after her death, Albright said of her time at the college, “I learned an awful lot about myself: that I wanted to use the fine education I’d received for something more than meaningful table conversation … that I wanted to give something back to this country that had given so much to me.” She went on to serve as a counselor to President Jimmy Carter and a foreign policy adviser to Democratic presidential campaigns before beginning her

Graphic by Sofía Savid ’24

work as representative to the United Nations, according to The New York Times. Helen Roane ’23, an international relations major, reflected on Abright’s career, stating, “Madeleine Albright certainly knew how to make an impact. I was impressed by hearing how direct she was known to be in her speeches or while carrying out other diplomatic activities. Often, women are not celebrated enough for speaking their mind[s], so I appreciated that Albright con-

tinued to do so throughout her entire career,” Roane said. “I hope that everyone can learn something from her about speaking up and staying consistent.” According to her obituary in The New York Times, while serving as a U.N. representative, Albright advocated for peacekeeping missions in countries including Rwanda and in the Bosnian Civil War, often putting her at odds with the secretary general. Albright’s personal convictions largely shaped her policy posi-

tions, according to Wellesley’s blog. Her experience fleeing communism made her a lifelong believer in democracy and the importance of the United States using its global power effectively, Colorado Public Radio reported. When she began her position as secretary of state during former President Clinton’s second term, Albright embraced the role by launching a domestic trip to Rice University in Texas. At the university, Albright said, “As secretary, I will do my best to talk about foreign policy not in abstract terms, but in human terms and bipartisan terms. I consider this vital because in our democracy, we cannot pursue policies abroad that are not understood and supported here at home,” according to The New York Times. She was known for her self-described “people to people” style of diplomacy, according to The New York Times, often embarking on foreign tours or participating in challenging negotiations. In 1999, Albright supported NATO’s bombing of Kosovo to stop ethnic cleansing by leader Slobodan Milosevic, a controversial move that at the time was called “Albright’s War,” according to CNN. Despite the controversy over the bombings, she believed it was necessary, stating on “Larry King Live,” “I take full responsibility along with my colleagues for believing that it was essential for us not to stand by and watch what Milosevic was planning to do. We cannot watch crimes against humanity.” Christopher Mitchell, assistant professor of international relations and politics at Mount Holyoke,

commented on Albright’s career of strengthening NATO. “Among Secretary Albright’s most important accomplishments was keeping NATO intact and strong in a period where, after the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, people were asking about the necessity of the organization going forward. Her focus on maintaining and expanding the Cold War-era alliances and preserving an assertive U.S. presence kept intact the organizational structures the Biden Administration is now relying on,” Mitchell said. Albright also championed the expansion of NATO, incorporating former Soviet Union satellite states like the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland into the organization. After her time as secretary of state, Albright continued to be a prominent voice in foreign policy. She founded the Madeleine Korbel Albright Institute for Global Affairs at Wellesley College and taught at Georgetown according to the Wellesley College blog. Albright was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama, as reported by CNN. Mitchell asserted that Albright’s impact on American foreign policy continues to be visible today. “Albright represented a muscular internationalist school of foreign policy within the Democratic Party, one unafraid to use the U.S.’ military clout to oppose authoritarian regimes and promote democracy in the wider world,” Mitchell said. “I’d say her legacy is in preserving the tools the U.S. has used to great effect in the Ukraine conflict.”

Syrup thief required by OPINION law to repay Canadian Trans visibility leaves us vulnerable government millions BY WOODLIEF MCCABE ’23 STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article discusses transphobia and mentions gendered violence and suicide.

Photo courtesy of WikiMedia Commons Following a 2011 Quebec maple syrup heist, the Canadian government now demands repayment.

BY HANNAH RAYKHER ’23 STAFF WRITER

Beginning in 2011, in Quebec, Canada, a group led by Richard Vallières stole over 9,500 barrels of maple syrup from the maple syrup reserves held by the Federation of Maple Syrup Producers, according to The Guardian. The Federation encompasses almost 7,000 different maple syrup producers accounting for almost 80 percent of the world’s supply of maple syrup. In March 2022, Vallières’ trial concluded with a settlement to the Canadian government. Vallières was aware that the reserves were only inspected once a year and took advantage of this by draining the syrup from their barrels and filling the vessels with water as a replacement, as reported by The Guardian. According to Forbes, though, the theft was discovered in 2012 by an inspector when they climbed on top of the barrels during an inspection. The barrels usually weigh around 600 pounds, but these were lighter after Vallières and his team failed to refill a few of the barrels with water after siphoning the syrup. In all, the group stole 18.7 million Canadian dollars worth of syrup. According to The Guardian, Vallières was found guilty of theft, fraud and trafficking in 2016. This instance was not the first time Vallières had been involved with the illegal maple syrup trade. In a 2007 attempt to seek revenge against the Federation for house seizure, he was fined CA$1.8 million for illegally selling maple syrup, as reported by the Guardian. Vallières reported to the court that he profited CA$1 million from

the 2011-2012 theft, according to the Guardian. BBC News reported updates from Vallières’ trial on March 31, 2022, revealing that the courts have declared that Vallières must pay a CA$9.1 million fine to the Canadian government. Vallières will have to pay back the full amount of what the stolen syrup was sold for and his CA$1 million in profits, according to the Guardian. Rose Hamby ’23 has worked in the maple syrup industry and is familiar with its time-intensive production process. “I began tapping trees in high school when I started as a volunteer for a local lake reservation. Every winter, beginning in January and ending in late March, the teen volunteers were asked to tap the maple trees on the reservation for sap,” Hamby said. “The process of making maple syrup is also known as sugaring and involves three main steps: Collecting the sap, boiling down the sap [and] packing and grading the syrup.” “The best days to collect sap are warm days — after nights when the temperature has gotten to be freezing or below — because the sap can flow easily out of the tree. Sap can be collected from any type of maple tree to make maple syrup,” Hamby said. “However, sugar maples are the most commonly utilized trees for making maple syrup because of the large amounts of sap they can produce … Syrup comes in the letter grades A and B. Syrup is graded based on how early in the season it is collected.” Given the time and resources entailed in this process, the stolen maple syrup came at the cost of not only money, but also the time, effort and labor of those who harvested it.

Thursday, March 31, was the 13th International Trans Day of Visibility. The holiday was started by activist Rachel Crandall as a response to Trans Day of Remembrance in acknowledgment of living trans people. The day also emphasizes that we deserve to be seen and recognized for our presence. This past Thursday was the first to receive federal recognition, as President Joe Biden issued a proclamation declaring March 31 the nationwide Transgender Day of Visibility. But as protective bills hang with uncertainty in the House and Senate, states rush to pass anti-trans bills and trans people continue to be disproportionate victims of violence, it is increasingly clear that visibility will do nothing to protect trans people. What we need instead is action. The last several years have been landmarks for transgender visibility in popular culture. Through music, sports, television and film, trans people are occupying more space in the public consciousness. There is a lot that can be said about the benefit of seeing out and proud trans people in the media and the impact that can have, especially on young people who are learning about the many ways one can exist in the world. While we celebrate Hunter Schafer and Elliot Page — deservedly, don’t get me wrong — we cannot ignore the fact that 2021 was the deadliest year on record for transgender and nonbinary people, and the majority of these people facing violence were trans women of color. As trans people become more visible in the media, so do conversations about transness. The violence our community faces is often predicated on cisgender people feeling deceived by a sexual partner or potential sexual partner. When conversations about trans people are amplified, so are conversations about how trans people should go about their lives, disclose their transness and cater to cisnormative society to avoid becoming victims of violence. Too often, transness is presented as a justification for abuse, assault and murder of trans people. As trans people are given the spotlight in popular media, so are reactionary transphobic voices. In the news, on social media and in leg-

Photo courtesy of Ted Eytan via Flickr As of April 2022, 25 anti-transgender bills are circulating in the legislative bodies of the U.S. House and Senate. The majority of these bills target transgender children in schools specifically.

islative bodies, trans people are set up as punchlines and punching bags, and not only our rights, but also our validity as individuals are being questioned and stripped away. Visibility was the goal when most people didn’t know what being transgender meant. Today, we have moved radically past that stage. Now, they see us and they want to kill us. The day before Trans Day of Visibility, Oklahoma and Arizona became the fourth and fifth states this year to legislate against trans athletes playing on teams that align with their gender. The only way to enforce this rule is with invasive checks on children. Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill will allow educators to prevent LGBTQ+ individuals and history from being discussed or taught in public schools, according to Human Rights Watch. A recent directive issued by Texas Governor Greg Abbott instructed the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate and potentially criminalize parents who assist their children with any aspect of gender transition for “child abuse.” Let’s make one thing absolutely clear about these laws: children are going to die. 82 percent of trans individuals have contemplated suicide, with the highest rates of suicidality being amongst young trans people. Trans youth already face abuse from family and peers and extreme hostility in school and other social spaces. Ripping away the ability for parents to support their children will only make things worse. This is something trans people have known for a long time. A blog post made to the GLSEN website in 2015 echoed this same sentiment, noting that trans youth face the most

hostile school environments and arguing for comprehensive protection so that laws like the North Carolina “Bathroom Bill” HB-2 would have never passed. For some trans people, invisibility is protective, but for many, visibility isn’t a choice. The call for visibility for trans people is tinged with irony. Trans people who do not “pass” become targets of harassment and abuse simply for their presence in both physical and digital spaces. Visibility comes with policing. It comes with fear of the next person who doesn’t like what they see. It comes with the inability to exist in one’s own skin without being a topic of debate. We hear vile and dehumanizing rhetoric spouted by cis people in bad-faith arguments. Some trans people are ready to stand up and fight against the onslaught of transphobia and hatred, but most are not. Most want to live comfortable and unassuming lives, and not become the wall against which the battering ram of anti-trans discourse must be pummeled. Trans people are not up for debate. We are here, and we know what our community needs. Representation and visibility mean nothing without strong protection. Transness and validity is not something given to us by a legislative body or a piece of media. President Biden’s affirmation that trans people are “some of the bravest Americans” and that he will “have [our] back” feels hollow in the wake of current trans politics. Trans people do not need to be brave or inspiring. We do not need more visibility; without concrete action and protection, without justice and safety, visibility is only violence.

April 8, 2022

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

. Mount Holyoke News

5

Woman cured of HIV using umbilical cord blood treatment BY HELEN GLOEGE ’23 STAFF WRITER

In June 1981, a “virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection,” later identified as human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, was first reported in the United States, according to the HIV.gov website. It has been about 40 years since the first cases of HIV were reported. UNAIDS estimated that in 2020, there were approximately 37.7 million people around the world with HIV and around 680,000 acquired immune deficiency syndrome-related deaths. There is currently no cure for HIV, but advancements in medical science have made it so that people living with HIV can control the impact of the disease on their body as well as its transmission rates. On Feb. 15, 2022, a middle-aged woman was pronounced cured of HIV through a new method of treatment, according to Healthline. The new method of treatment came about when her doctors aimed to treat the woman for leukemia and HIV, according to The Smithsonian. The method of treatment included transplant of umbilical cord stem cells that contained a genetic mutation that would allow the blocking of HIV infection, The Smithsonian reported. According to the article by Reuters, this case is part of a larger study “led by Dr. Yvonne Bryson of the University of California Los Angeles, and Dr. Deborah Persaud of Johns Hopkins University.” The treatment for leukemia used “chemotherapy to kill off the cancerous immune cells,” at which point doctors provided the woman with a transplant of stem cells with the CCR5 mutation. The CCR5 mutation is a genetic mutation that prevents HIV from entering immune cells, according to Nature. Since receiv-

ing the transplant in 2017, the woman “has been in remission from her leukemia for more than four years,” according to The Guardian. Reuters also reported that the woman has been free of HIV for 14 months prior to the announcement. Currently, the main avenue of controlling the HIV’s effects is antiretroviral therapy, as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV treatment aims to keep the viral load — the amount of HIV in someone’s blood — low, and CD4 cells high. CD4 cells, which are also called CD4+ T cells, “are white blood cells that fight infection,” as described by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The CDC reported that effective HIV medications keep the “viral load so low that a test can’t detect it.” According to Healthline, there have been about five people who have been considered cured from HIV naturally or through medical intervention. Among the five, there are two women who were found to be naturally cured of HIV without significant medical interventions. The numbers also include two men, Timothy Ray Brown and Adam Castillejo, who “received bone marrow transplants from donors who carried a genetic mutation that blocks HIV infection,” according to Live Science. The treatment that Brown and Castillejo received isn’t common, as bone marrow transplants can be very dangerous and risk the possibility of graft-versus-host disease where the “donor immune system attacks the recipient’s immune system,” according to Reuters. Furthermore, this method presents issues in medical equity as well. Successful matches for bone marrow transplants can be difficult to attain for people of color, as genetic compatibility is a major factor and, according to The Guard-

Photo courtesy of NIAID via Flickr Above, a scanning electron micrograph of an H9 T-cell infected with HIV, shown in bright yellow.

ian, “the majority of donors in registries are of Caucasian descent.” According to Healthline, the transplant stem cells from the newly discovered cure came from umbilical cord blood cells with the CCR5 mutation and stem cells from a half-matched infant donor. After receiving both of the transplants, the patient “left the hospital just 17 days after her procedure, without any signs of graft versus host disease,” according to LiveScience. The transplants occurred in Au-

gust of 2017 and the patient “stopped taking HIV medication in early April 2020,” as reported by the Wall Street Journal. Due to her doctors’ inability to safely monitor her progress during the initial COVID-19 pandemic wave, she went back on HIV medication 10 days later, but then “went off the medication for good later that year,” according to the Wall Street Journal. According to The Smithsonian, the woman “has now been free of the virus [HIV] for 14 months.” The use of umbilical cord blood

aided in the success of the procedures. According to Your Genome, umbilical cord blood contains stem cells that can “develop into specialized cell types in the body.” According to The Smithsonian, umbilical cord blood is “collected at the time of a baby’s birth and donated by parents,” in a far easier donation process than that of bone marrow, as “the cells “don’t need to be matched as closely to the recipient as bone marrow donors.” NBC News explained in an article that the “cord blood is more adaptable, [and] generally requires less of a close HLA match” to treat cancer and cause fewer complications. The cord blood doesn’t “yield enough cells to be effective as a cancer treatment in adults,” which is why it was supplemented with additional stem cells, according to NBC News. Despite the project’s success, it is unlikely to become a common practice for treating people with HIV. Healthline quoted Dr. Ronald Collman, the director of Penn Center for AIDS Research, saying, “Everybody agrees that stem cell transplants for [an] HIV cure is not a way forward unless the person needs it.” Despite the potential risks, Dr. Koen van Besien, a doctor involved in the study, estimated that “there are approximately 50 patients per year in the U.S. who could benefit from this procedure,” especially those who may have other medical issues such as leukemia, according to The Guardian. Even if this treatment form can’t be applied on a mass scale, it provides “a roadmap for doing this using a person’s own cells” and additional help for researchers trying to develop “gene therapies to confer the HIV-resistant mutation to patients,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

Students and professors present at the Climate Activist Spotlight: Pioneer Valley Microbiology Symposium Anuna de Wever

Photo by Imaan Moin ’22 Members of the Camp Lab pose at PVMS. From left to right, the front row includes Gabi Davis ’22, Imaan Moin ’22 and Sandra Obwar ’22. The middle row includes Ruth Fekade ’23 and Ray Stieber ’22. The back row is Alex Berg ’23, Dr. Amy Camp, Alishba Ahmad ’24 and Fiona Quigley ’23.

Nguyen explained. Nguyen’s favorite part of PVMS is that “it’s a pretty close-knit community,” and that “it’s The Pioneer Valley Microbiology a nice way to connect with the scienSymposium took place on Saturday, tific community, different people and March 5, 2022 at the University of different institutions around [the PiMassachusetts Amherst. Microbiol- oneer Valley].” ogists at all stages in their careers, Sungeun Jo ’22, another member from students to researchers to fac- of the Berry Lab, presented a postulty members, attended to spend a er at PVMS for the first time. In her day sharing new research and learn- research, Jo “[investigated] novel ing from the Pioneer Valley com- sRNA binding proteins in strains [of munity. Mount Holyoke College had bacteria] other than E. coli,” such as several students and faculty attend Chlamydia trachomatis. the symposium, At the conwith Dr. Amy ference, Jo “[The Pioneer Valley Hitchcock Camp learned about Microbiology Symposium] and the Camp machine learnLab attending feels like coming back to a ing and genetic p r e s e n t at i o n s , sequencing. “ group of friends.” Dr. Katie Berry Even though I giving a keynote couldn’t undertalk during the stand all of [the — Dr. Katie Berry day’s events and presentations], it members of the was really interBerry Lab presenting posters. esting to see how the computationLinh Nguyen ’22, a member of al work and lab work can be comthe Berry Lab, presented a poster bined,” Jo said. at PVMS. This was her second time Katherine Dailey ’22 also prepresenting at PVMS but her first sented a poster at PVMS as a memtime presenting in person, as PVMS ber of the Berry Lab. “Even though 2021 was held virtually. I’m a senior in the lab and I have “It’s absolutely amazing to be been in the lab since my sophomore able to do this in-person this year,” year, I haven’t had the chance to Nguyen said. Ngyuen’s poster pre- give a poster presentation because I sentation outlined her research proj- was separated from my bacteria for ect with the Berry Lab about “[op- a really long time,” Dailey said. “So timizing] a genetic assay to study being able to do research and then bacterial RNA-protein interactions,” being able to actually talk about the

BY IMAAN MOIN ’22 STAFF WRITER

research is a really cool, rewarding experience.” Dailey’s poster presentation was about “an RNA binding protein in E. coli called ProQ, specifically focused on the accuracy of different structural models that we have of those proteins.” Something Dailey learned at the conference is that “poster boards flip over way too easily.” As if aiming to prove Dailey’s point during her interview with Mount Holyoke News, a nearby easel holding a poster board fell over. PVMS is an opportunity for microbiology experts to learn from one another. At the conference, Berry learned “that 26 percent of the diversity of organisms on the planet is a sort of subclass of bacteria that are actually symbionts of other bacteria,” Berry said. “They were new to me. It was super fun and interesting to learn about [these bacteria].” For Berry, PVMS “feels like coming back to a group of friends.” “I came to my first PVMS just after I had accepted the job at Mount Holyoke but before I began, so it was a way that I got to know a lot of the faculty in the area.” Her favorite part of PVMS is the community and conversations, “whether that’s over coffee or the poster sessions,” Berry said. Editor’s note: Imaan Moin ’22 was present at the Pioneer Valley Microbiology Symposium and is pictured in the above photo.

Graphic by Sofía Savid ’24

BY HELEN GLOEGE ’23 STAFF WRITER

Anuna de Wever Van der Heyden is a 20-year-old climate activist based in Belgium. De Wever began their activism in December 2018 after Belgium decided to not “sign a new declaration on addressing climate change at the COP24 summit,” according to Vogue. De Wever was looking for organizing strategies and a way to respond to Belgium’s inaction when they found fellow climate activist Greta Thunberg’s approach. Two weeks after COP24, de Wever staged “their first protest in the same mold … on the streets of Brussels,” as reported by Vogue. In a 2020 interview with EuroNews, de Wever stated that this call to action led to “thousands of people on the streets every week, all over the news, claiming a political agenda and forcing our leaders to listen and step up.” Not alone in their work, De Wever was joined by fellow activists Kyra Gantois and Adélaïde Charlier in organizing the School Strike for Climate, also known as Fridays for Future, in Belgium, as reported by SDG Watch Europe. As they expressed in their interview with EuroNews, de Wever’s climate activism was initially

local, until they realized that Belgium’s “political system wasn’t shaped” to allow for concrete change in climate policy. With this realization, de Wever connected with the greater Fridays For Future movement as they aimed to transform “the political agenda and put huge amounts of pressure on our politicians,” as they wrote in a blog post for The 25 Percent. While they have made a lot of progress and mobilized a great number of people, de Wever has revealed that they face extreme physical and verbal assault from political reactionaries, Pink News reported. According to The Brussels Times, de Wever made a surprise appearance at the Belgian music festival Pukkelpop in 2019, intending “to engage the audience in the action ‘Clap for Climate’ to call for more attention to climate related issues.” While giving a speech, de Wever was “aggressively heckled by a far-right group,” according to Vogue. SDG Watch Europe also reported that de Wever “had urine hurled at [them] and [their] tent was trashed.” For Pink News, de Wever stated that although they’ve received online threats in addition to this in-person harassment, their activism is “way more important than those hate comments.”

6

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

April 8, 2022

. Mount Holyoke News

Dearest gentle reader, ‘Bridgerton’ has returned with improved representation in its second season

Graphic by Gabby Gagnon ’24

BY JENDAYI LEBEN-MARTIN ’24 STAFF WRITER

At the beginning of 2021, I wrote a review of the first season of “Bridgerton” in which I expressed that I was less than impressed with the series. However, the recently released second season has flipped my perception of the show, so much so that I’ve even been recommending it to anyone I can. Set in the early 1810s of England’s Regency era, this season turns its focus from Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest sister of the Bridgterton family, to Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), the family’s eldest son. Through Anthony’s journey to wed, viewers are introduced to new

characters and new schemes, all with the same “Bridgerton” magic. This season approaches race differently than the last. The first season of “Bridgerton” used colorblind casting and relied on insufficient justifications to explain the historically inaccurate racial diversity of London’s wealthy social scene, as the show suggested that racism ended when the king married a Black woman, making her queen. The second season, however, takes more care in exploring the narratives of its characters of color. Enter Kate and Edwina Sharma (Simone Ashley and Charithra Chandran), two sisters from India who have come to London for the courting season in order

to marry off the youngest sister to a “respectable” man. Though there are times when they express their distaste for London — often portrayed by Kate’s hatred for English tea — the show depicts the two girls and their mother using traditional South Asian practices, and the representation is refreshing. Maahi Jaiswal ’24 spoke highly of the portrayal of a traditional wedding practice called a Haldi Ceremony, in which women rub turmeric on their skin. “I definitely think in other media in the past, that’s made by Western directors, it’s portrayed as really messy and really dirty,” Maahi said, referring to the ceremony. “But I

think the way they portrayed it was really nice because they were together as a family. … It seemed really beautiful and respectful.” While I have no complaints about the racial diversity this season, the show’s creators seemed to have done away with what little LGBTQ+ representation they had. In the first season, Benedict (Luke Thompson), the second eldest Bridgerton brother, had an ambiguous relationship with a married, gay artist, which threw his morality into question. However, this storyline is completely ignored in the recently released episodes. Of course, it is not expected that every detail from one season follows into another, but this change feels pur-

poseful and — similarly to how this storyline was dealt with in the first season — not very thoughtful. The new episodes of “Bridgerton” are a much needed redemption from those of the last season. They give viewers the same slow-burn, period piece romance that was featured previously, but with a bit less of the hyped up horniness — a welcome change. While this season showed improvement in its handling of race, it’s still not enough to be the show’s main draw. If you’re looking for a love story with endless drama, unmatched chemistry and stunning wardrobes, this season of “Bridgerton” is a must-see.

‘Crossing Cultures’ exhibition, featuring Nilou Art Studio Moochhala ’94, premieres at A.P.E. Arts Gallery juniors host

Photos courtesy of Nilou Moochhala ’94 Above, two suitcases from Nilou Moochhala ’94’s “My Very Own Suitcase Series,” which represent stages of the artist’s life. These artworks, along with the eight other suitcases in Moochhala’s series, were displayed at the A.P.E. Gallery in Northampton, Massachusetts from March 9 to April 1.

BY ROSE COHEN ’22 & SIONA AHUJA ’24 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS

The sound of waves crashing set to projected clips of the ocean. A collection of white paper boats made by gallery visitors. Collages of vintage family photographs. These were some of the pieces on display at the “Crossing Cultures” exhibition at the A.P.E. Arts Gallery in Northampton from March 9 to April 1. The six visual artists whose work made up “Crossing Cultures” used five different regions to help define the themes of the exhibit. Throughout their pieces, lens-based artist Astrid Reischwitz, Peruvian Latinx Curator Claudia Ruiz Gustafson, Professor at Lesley University Vivian Poey, Iranian artist Shab-

nam Jannesari, Multidisciplinary Artist Nicolas Hyacinthe and Nymdesign Art Director Nilou Moochhala ’94 explored issues of identity, immigration and displacement through a variety of mediums, such as paintings, collages, photographs, videos and 3D installations. Displayed in the center of the gallery, a set of 10 multicolored suitcases, installed by Moochhala, seemed to tie these different parts of the exhibit together. Each piece of baggage included in Moochhala’s portion of the exhibition, titled “My Very Own Suitcase Series,” tells a different story about the various stages of the artist’s life. For instance, “Choddna (Leave)” highlights her departure from her hometown of Mumbai to study art at Mount Holyoke. Using colorful string and pass-

port photos of her parents and siblings, Moochhala maps out the migratory journeys of members of her family. “So it’s this sort of duality, right, that rises out of not belonging in any place,” Moochhala said, reflecting on the meaning of “Choddna (Leave).” “We were all foreigners to our own country,” she continued. Graduating from Mount Holyoke as a studio art major with a concentration in economics, Moochhala went on to complete a special master’s program in graphic design at the Yale University School of Art. She credited the late Mount Holyoke Art History Professor Robert Herbert in “changing [her] pathway and allowing [her] to be creative.” Walking around her exhibit, a package full of labels for her artwork

in hand, Moochhala pointed to certain family memorabilia featured in her work. Fragments of handwritten letters, an altar dedicated to colored pencils, glass vials and a sewing kit adorned the interiors of these mismatched pieces of luggage. “One actual common thread between all of us is family,” she said, referring to the artists featured in “Crossing Cultures.” Moochhala chose to use suitcases to convey the idea of the “ugly” emotional baggage we carry around. “Well, the idea of crossing cultures and obviously leaving home, you go from one place to the other, and at the least that’s the one thing you bring with you,” she said, further explaining her decision to utilize suitcases. “It seemed to perfectly fit with the show.” To Moochhala, suitcases alluded to the inevitable challenges faced by herself and other immigrants. “You are also a transcriber of your culture in another place. … How do you carry that [culture] forward into the next generation?” Moochhala said. Unlike the artwork of Hyacinthe and Reischwitz, Moochhala described her portion of the exhibition as more textural. “Each [suitcase] has to evoke a different sort of feeling and sensation, whether it’s floaty, whether it’s prickly, whether it’s inviting, whether it’s blocked,” Moochhala said. Standing beside her portion of the exhibition, which stood at the forefront of the gallery, Moochhala defined what art means to her. As Moochhala tried to put the mode of creativity into words, she explained that she thinks of artists as cultural storytellers. “Whether you’re a writer, an artist, musician, whatever creative discipline you’re in, you’re almost reflecting on what is going on currently, at this point in time, to everybody around you,” Moochhala said. “That’s a separate sort of way of seeing, right, it’s a separate perspective. So if you can get people to understand that and see it, then you’ve done your job.”

new expo, cont’d u

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interest in pop culture began during the pandemic, when she returned home to Lima, Peru. “Due to the limited ability to leave my apartment building, I used media to entertain myself: watching movies, reading comic books, scrolling through Instagram/TikTok/Twitter,” Hinojosa recalled. This increase in Hinojosa’s social media usage led her to begin the process of creating her piece “Olympus,” a mixed digital art piece featuring American singer Doja Cat. According to Hinojosa, the piece is reflective of the stereotyping of women of color in media, and how they have been reclaiming their sexuality over time. “I became curious once more about media consumption and pop culture when I realized I was engaging with it a lot less,” Hinojosa said.“And so, I began to explore the Pop Art movement — Keith Haring, Yayoi Kusama, Yoshitomo Nara and Andy Warhol.” This rediscovery of pop culture and media led Hinjosa to create an art piece reflective of this thought process. “Evolving Reality: Space and Self” served as a space for artists to reflect on themselves as individuals through their artwork in a time where much of the outside world and our own inner selves are changing or have changed drastically. It was a personal look into an aspect of life each artist finds significance in, whether it be outward or inward, widely discussed or intimately individualized, all through a largely vibrant and liberally creative atmosphere.

April 8, 2022

SPORTS

. Mount Holyoke News

7

The Sports Bra opens Game of the Week: Mount Holyoke in Portland, centers Tennis takes down Wheaton over the weekend with a final score of 6-3 women’s athletics BY GIGI PICARD ’22 SPORTS EDITOR

Graphic by Anjali Rao-Herel ’22

The Sports Bra’s website stated that, in addition to prioritizing women’s sports, the bar uses the womThe Sports Bra opened its doors en-owned Freeland Spirits for its on April 1, 2022, the 50th anniversary signature cocktails. Women-owned year of Title IX. Located in Portland, vineyards and breweries are also Oregon, the bar challenges tradition featured, furthering the bar’s comwith its dedication to solely stream- mitment to “support, promote and ing and supporting women’s sports. invest in the women who are changAccording to Oregon Live, founder ing the game.” and Portland native Jenny Nguyen Inclusivity is a pillar of the believes the Sports Bra might be the Sports Bra’s guiding ideology. Acfirst bar in the world to be focused cordingly, minors are welcome in only on women’s the bar to allow sports. and/ “Our mission [is] to … pro- parents Oregon Live or guardians vide a space that supports, the flexibility of reported that empowers, and promotes Nguyen had the bringing chilidea for The dren to enjoy girls and women in sports Sports Bra after the games and and in the community.” watching a womexpose them to en’s basketball women’s sports championship – The Sports Bra’s website in a community game on a tiny setting. Vegan, TV with no sound in a sports bar. vegetarian, gluten and dairy-free “It was Notre Dame against folks are also welcome, as the bar Mississippi State [in the 2018 NCAA features an array of foods accommowomen’s finals]. And Notre Dame dating dietary restrictions. was down by like 23 or something, “Our mission [is] to … provide a came back from behind, and Arike space that supports, empowers, and hit a last-second three-pointer. And promotes girls and women in sports we just lost it in this bar. It was in- and in the community,” The Sports credible,” Nguyen said in an inter- Bra’s website states. Fostering a culview with Shireen Ahmed for the ture of appreciation using women’s podcast Burn It All Down. sports as a vessel for community According to the bar’s Instagram building is critical to the bar’s staff page, Nguyen listed The Sports Bra and broadening base of supporters. as a Kickstarter project on Feb. According to Portland Monthly, tele14, 2022 after being denied funding vised sports coverage is overwhelmfrom several financial institutions ingly dominated by men’s games, and rejected for two types of small with women’s sports — if played at business. Ultimately, the Kickstarter all — saddled to a secondary status. generated $105,135 in donations from The Sports Bra aims to fundamen635 people, exceeding the $48,000 tally change that dynamic. By placthat Nguyen calculated needing. ing women at the forefront, the bar According to the Kickstarter, challenges the status quo of sports Nguyen was an avid basketball play- bars and sports consumption in er growing up and saw her calling public settings. According to The for uplifting women’s sports. Sports Bra website, Nguyen believed According to The Sports Bra’s tackling representation in sports by website, to get the name of the bar, utilizing the traditional venue of a Nguyen “ took your regular sports sports bar is a simple and effective bar, switched around the two letters way to challenge the lack of repreand got The Sports Bra.” sentation in sports broadcasting. After searching for locations With community, representation that would serve the community and investment in women’s sports well, and decorating the bar with as the bar’s main priorities, Nguyen women’s sports memorabilia, Nguy- hopes The Sports Bra is the first step en opened her establishment to in a movement for better representhe public. According to Portland tation and investment in women’s Monthly, the opening was a big suc- sports and viewership. With womcess, with people lining up outside to en’s sports only constituting four get in. percent of broadcasting, as reported The Sports Bra will be an official by Portland Monthly, the Sports Bra Portland Thorns viewing location, is a venue for balancing out the disbut it plays everything from wom- crepancy in accessibility to viewing en’s collegiate level sports to Wom- women’s sports. en’s National Basketball Association The bar’s website states, “The games to professional soccer games Sports Bra is not a sports bar for to gymnastics. When women’s women, but a bar for women’s games are not playing, the Sports sports.” While the bar’s identity is Bra remains dedicated to its goal grounded in its dedication to showof putting women at the forefront casing women’s sports, the Sports by playing podcasts, interviews Bra’s true priority is simply creatand documentaries about women’s ing a venue for people to view womsports and players, according to its en’s sports the same way they view website. men’s sports. BY TAI OWEN ’24 STAFF WRITER

Mount Holyoke Tennis continued its spring season on Saturday, April 2 at home against fellow New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference member Wheaton College. The competition ended in Mount Holyoke’s victory over Wheaton, with a final score of 6-3. The competition was the Lyons’ first victory of the season and in their conference. The first round of doubles consisted of Annika Chai ’25 and Annissa Aamoum ’22, who took down their opponents in a final 8-4 set score. The duo of Shweta Kiran Cavale ’23 and Hannah Middleton ’22 then bested Wheaton in 8-4 sets. The final doubles match, featuring Nikki Cheng ’22 and Claudia GonzálezVazquez ’25, resulted in an 8-3 Wheaton victory. At the singles competition, Chai defeated her opponent with scores of 6-3, 6-3. Next, Kiran Cavale won with scores of 6-2, 6-3, while Aamoum came out on top with scores of 7-6, 6-1. Middleton was the final victory for the Lyons, with scores of 6-3, 6-2. Cheng and González-Vazquez lost their singles matches. As the season progresses, González-Vazquez said she is “looking forward to every opportunity to improve and develop as an athlete alongside [her] team with every practice and competition that comes.” Middleton said the season has been fun and the team is bonding well. “Everyone on the team perfectly embodies the MHC student community and it has been absolutely a gift that I am able to have one last season before graduation. I could not have asked for better teammates and I really will miss them,” Middleton said. Regarding the competition, Middleton said, “It feels really good, since it not only was our first win of the season, but also, I’m pretty sure it was the first time the team has beaten Wheaton since I came to MHC, so it felt a little extra special.” The Lyons will host fellow NEWMAC competitor Wellesley College on April 9.

Photos courtesy of Mount Holyoke College Athletics Top: Annika Chai ’25 competes in her singles match. Middle: Annissa Aamoum ’22 aims at the ball during a singles match. Bottom: Chai and Aamoum touch rackets during their doubles match.

Letter to the Editor Content warning: This letter mentions transphobia, racism and antisemitism. Dear JK Rowling, Can you shut up? Please. Deactivate your Twitter account, too. The world would be a better place without you screaming online all day. Just because you started published the Harry Potter series 25 years ago doesn’t mean anyone still cares what you have to say. None of your books after the Harry Potter series have done as well as the initial bestsellers because you aren’t as good as you think you are. Not only that, you managed to create the only type of person as cringeworthy as Disney adults. It’s almost an accomplishment. Almost. You could have just disappeared into the background with all of the millions you have left over, and you would still have a modicum of respect — but no, you have become so universally disliked that Vladimir Putin is one of the only people left defending

you. Being defended by a man so evil should, at least, give you pause. Your crusade to defend “traditional femininity” by attacking transgender children is insane. They have every right to exist and be supported fully. You donated so much money that you made yourself fall from being a billionaire to a millionaire, something that should have cemented your status as a good person. By doing so, you could have just disappeared into relative obscurity, but instead you shredded your own public image with your transphobic tirades. One of your most irritating habits is your weird proclivity of tweeting unnecessary additions to the books. Tweeting that there was a singular Jewish Hogwarts student named Anthony Goldstein does not eliminate the thinly veiled antisemitism that was the basis for every goblin character in the series. If you really valued diversity and representation, all of these “additions” to the books should have been present when the series was first published. Your lack of interest in creatively working in good representation is blatant when considering Cho

Chang, a character whose name is made of two surnames that aren’t even derived from the same language. Beyond obvious racism and antisemitism, you wrote characters whose entire personalities are based upon harmful cultural stereotypes. For example, the only Irish student in the series with a significant presence is Seamus Finnegan, who has a habit of accidentally creating explosions with spells. Even when there are characters of color, like Dean Thomas, their character development lacks any real substance and is largely forgettable. Despite the long list of problems with you and your work, seeing you make an appearance and be embraced at the red carpet premiere for ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’ last week was still jarring. To what lengths will society go to forgive your near constant stream of offensive tweets just to satiate their need for nostalgia? Love, Mallory Smith FP ’24

8

COMMUNITY ^

April 8, 2022

. Mount Holyoke News

HOROSCOPES: What Taylor Swift song you ^ should listen to according to your sign

BY EJ JANKOVIC ’23 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

July 23 – Aug. 22

March 21 – April 19

Sagittariuses will feel a strong pull toward family and loved ones this month. You may feel melancholy as well, but subduing those emotions would not be beneficial. Let yourself live and experience them. Listen to “The Best Day” and “Better Man” in the next few weeks.

Leo will feel high-energy in the next few weeks with the emergence of spring. With the conjunction of Saturn and Mars in your 7th house, you’ll feel the urge to break from the current status quo. Ask yourself whether this change is something you want because it’s beneficial or because you’re bored. “Don’t Blame Me” and “New Romantics” may resonate with you this month.

The month of April is starting with a kick for Aries. With the new moon throwing us into Aries season on April 1, you’ll be full of new ideas and motivation. Listen to “…Ready For It?” for a boost of energy.

April 20 – May 20

Tauruses have a lot of energy this month and gravitate towards relationships. You’ll feel extra spontaneous this month — think through choices carefully before taking advantage of opportunities that arise. April will be a sensual month for Taurus. Listen to “Dress” if you’re feeling particularly amped up.

Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

Aug. 23 – Sept. 22

Sticking to your routine will be crucial to Capricorn in the first half of April. Disengaging from work will be a struggle for you in the next few weeks — make sure you’re scheduling time to meet with loved ones. “Begin Again” and “Stay Beautiful” will be particularly poignant.

Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

Aquarius will feel a push to rearrange schedules and approach day-to-day life differently in the next few weeks — “State of Grace” will hit nicely during this time. While you’ll succeed in work, you’ll struggle in other aspects of your life.

Oct. 23 – Nov. 21

With the conjunction of Saturn and Mars, Pisces will struggle to maintain clarity in the first half of the month. You may feel lost and floating — listen to “mirrorball” as a centering action.

The start of April will feel like a new beginning for Virgo — at first, you may struggle to find your footing. A new romantic relationship may appear as Pisces enters Venus on the 5th — if it does, you will fall fast and hard. You may identify closely with songs like “A Place In This World” and “Enchanted” in the next few weeks.

May 21 – June 20

The first two weeks of April will be an emotional roller coaster for Gemini. Listen to “Blank Space” when you’re in that mindset. You may encounter relationship strife and feel particularly stubborn in the next few weeks. Listen to “Back to December” before sending any particularly biting texts you may regret later.

Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

Libra should expect things to shake up — significant relationships will be prevalent at the start of the month. You may experience romantic strife around the 4th as Saturn and Mars are in conjunction in your 7th house. Listen to “this is me trying” and “The Archer” in the next few weeks.

June 21 – July 22

Uncontrolled emotional outbursts and emotional instability will cause problems for Cancer in April. “Afterglow” is a song you will especially identify with in the next few weeks. You should focus on inner peace and self-control, as you will tend towards impulsive behavior.

Feb. 19 – March 20

There will be a lot of emotional strife in the first half of April for Scorpio with the conjunction of Saturn and Mars in your 4th house. Let yourself feel these emotions without letting them rule your life — listen to “tolerate it” and “my tears ricochet.”

Fred and Moose BY SILVIE SCHLEIN ’23 STAFF CARTOONIST

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

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