VOL. CXXXV NO. 7
FRIDAY, November 3, 2023
CLAREMONT, CA
Pitzer community mourns Faculty and alumni release recent student death statements on violence in
Israel and Palestine
ANNABELLE INK & REIA LI
EMMA JENSEN • THE STUDENT LIFE On Oct. 29 and Nov. 1, the Pitzer community honored Jesse Lopez PZ ‘24, who passed away the previous Friday.
JOHN PAUL FERRANTINO CW: Recent student death Through altars and memorials, the Pitzer College and 5C community mourned the death of Jesse Lopez ’24 over the past week. On Oct. 27, Pitzer College President Strom Thacker sent an email to the community announcing Lopez’s death. He offered support resources for students, faculty and staff as they process their grief. Lopez was remembered by the Pitzer community in memorial services on Sunday at the Multipurpose Room at the Gold Student Center (GSC) and Wednesday at Benson Auditorium. Students, faculty and staff attended Wednesday’s memorial both in person and through Zoom. Over the weekend, Pitzer’s Latino Student Union also created a community altar for Lopez in the GSC’s Huerta room. Students wrote messages and memories on note cards to place at the altar. On Thursday, the altar was on display at Scott Hall as part of a larger Day of the Dead altar, which commemorated the lives of multiple people. Lopez was born in Aspen, Colorado, on March 30, 2001. He was 22 years old at the time of his death. At the memorial on Wednesday, students, faculty and loved
ones offered their reflections on Lopez’s life. They mentioned his loving hugs, dedication and welcoming nature. “Jesse wasn’t just my cousin; he was my twin flame, my person. Most importantly, he was my brother. A piece of my heart will forever and always go out to Jesse,” his cousin Amy Gisselle Amaya Argueta said. “He was my superman and saved me from my scariest monsters since I was born until he passed.” He was an avid member in the Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company (CCBDC) and the Claremont Christian Fellowship (CCF) while working at Pitzer’s GSC gym. Lopez is survived by his brother Eliseo Mauricio Lopez, his aunt Blanca Edith Argueta Amaya, his uncle Jose Antonio Amaya Lopez and Amy Gisselle Amaya Argueta. His family asks that contributions in Lopez’s memory be made to the Movember Foundation and Aspen Hope Center.
Over the past two weeks, faculty members at the Claremont Colleges have responded to escalating violence in Palestine and Israel, adding to the polarization and divide between various campus communities. Two groups of faculty members released statements on this violence — one expressing solidarity with Palestine and the other condemning Palestinian militant group Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in Israel. In addition, alumni groups at Pomona College and Scripps College released statements demanding administrative action and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. On Oct. 31, faculty members from across the Claremont Consortium released a statement expressing support for Palestinian civilians and calling for readers to take action. As of Nov. 2, the statement has received 139 signatures, with 31 additional anonymous signees. The statement followed an Oct. 23 statement released by faculty
members at Claremont McKenna College with 65 signatures denouncing the Oct. 7 attack. The Oct. 31 faculty statement begins by expressing faculty concerns with ongoing violence in Palestine and Israel: “As faculty at the Claremont Colleges, we continue to watch with concern the escalation of violence in Palestine and Israel; to mourn, without reservation, all loss of human life in Gaza, in Israel and across the occupied Palestinian territory.” Before addressing the historical context of the situation, the statement notes that as of Oct. 30, Israeli bombardment has killed over 8,300 Palestinians in Gaza. By the time of this article’s publication, that number is over 9,000. The letter also says the Israeli state response to the events of Oct. 7 should be understood in the context of settler-colonialism and Israel’s apartheid regime, which has led to “two distinct legal regimes that systematically privilege the rights of Israeli settlers in illegal settlements while denying the most basic rights of housing, freedom of movement
Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services is located in the Tranquada Student Services Center. The student crisis line phone number is 909-621-8202. Staff and faculty can call the 24/7 Employee Assistance Program number at 800-234-5465.
and security to Palestinians.” Professors in the statement urged the 5C community to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which calls for institutions and individuals to pressure Israel to comply with international law regarding its treatment of Palestinians. They also urged the colleges to uphold academic freedom and freedom of speech, both of which were recently reaffirmed by the Claremont Colleges AAUP Chapter Executive Committee. “We call upon our colleagues in Claremont to join us in this solidarity, by contacting Congressional representatives to demand a ceasefire, supporting BDS efforts and upholding academic freedom and free speech protections for all community members,” the statement says. Signee Lara Deeb, Scripps professor of anthropology and Middle East and North African studies, said current events are a new phase in a long history of “Israeli settler colonialism, apartheid and occupation that began
See STATEMENTS on page 2
SASHA MATTHEWS • THE STUDENT LIFE
Divest 5C files legal complaint against Pomona College ENOCH KIM & NITYA GUPTA On Monday, Oct. 30, Claremont’s Divest 5C filed a legal complaint against Pomona College. In their complaint, students called on California Attorney General Rob Bonta to review Pomona’s investments and force the administration to divest its endowment from fossil fuels. 41 faculty and staff members signed in support of Divest 5C’s complaint. Alex Marquardt, executive director of the Climate Defense Project, an organization that provides free defense representation for communities involved in climate-related legal action, explained that the complaint was meant to bring attention to legal violations and raise public pressure. “The purpose of the complaint is to alert the attorney general about potential legal violations of charitable laws, which higher education institutions are tasked with enforcing, and to increase public pressure on schools that have lagged behind others,” Marquardt said in an email to TSL. This action follows a wave of divestment complaints on the university level that started when students at Boston College filed a legal complaint against their uni-
institutions across the U.S. have. The following year, Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard filed a legal complaint against Harvard, and subsequently, Harvard announced its divestment from fossil fuels.
versity in 2020 in an attempt to push the administration to divest from fossil fuels. Despite the complaint, Boston College has still not divested, though hundreds of higher education
ARTS & CULTURE With regard to transformative shifts in society, Dr. Anita Hill wouldn’t say she identifies as an optimist, but is ever hopeful to overcome a number of impossible challenges. On Oct. 28th Hill was welcomed by Pomona College as the sixth speaker of the Payton Distinguished Lectureship.
The student newspaper of the Claremont Colleges since 1889
Student groups at Vanderbilt University, MIT, Stanford University, Yale University and Princeton University followed suit, filing legal complaints against their schools in 2022.
Princeton divested soon after. Monday’s complaint wasn’t a solitary endeavor, though. Divest 5C worked in conjunction with students at University of Pennsylvania, Washington University at St. Louis, University of Chicago, Penn State University and Tufts University to file legal complaints against their respective colleges, pushing each of their administrations to divest their endowment from fossil fuels. Marquardt said that the reason student groups from these six schools chose to simultaneously file their complaints is because collaboration could bring them more media attention, pressuring administrators to take action. Divest 5C’s complaint alleged that Pomona has invested millions of dollars in the fossil fuel industry. This violates the California Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, a law which states that all non-profits — including colleges and universities — must invest in alignment with their institutional missions, said Nicholas Black PO ’24, co-president of Divest 5C. “Pomona’s mission statement, and the mission statement of the sustainability department, explicitly state that they want to
SASHA MATTHEWS • THE STUDENT LIFE
See DIVEST on page 3
OPINIONS
SPORTS
Dania Anabtawi PO ’26 and University of Vermont sophomore Ayelet Kaminski push their peers and institutions to acknowledge Palestinian voices.
Hens avoid the goose egg; after a 0-0 draw in their last meeting ruined the Sagehens’ dreams of a perfect season, P-P came back with vengeance, defeating the Athenas 2-1 with a last minute penalty.
INDEX: News 1 | Arts & Culture 4 | Opinions 7 | Sports 9
News
PAGE 2
November 3, 2023
STATEMENTS: Signees express frustration over administative responses, inaction Continued from page 1 decades ago.” “It is possible to be devastated by death and destruction in a moment and to mourn the loss of human life — I’m talking about the loss of all human life right now, Israeli human life, Palestinian human life — and also to be able to take a step out and understand that broad historical context,” she told TSL. The statement echoes Deeb’s call for historical background. “Without an acknowledgment of this context, condemnations only of specific acts of violence perpetrated by Palestinian armed groups can serve to disavow the roots of violence under a seemingly neutral mask of humanitarian concern.” The earlier CMC faculty statement, primarily authored by Professor of Mathematics Lenny Fukshansky, focused specifically on denouncing the Oct. 7 attacks. “We, as members of the faculty take it upon ourselves to condemn this horrific act in the harshest words possible,” the statement reads. “This was a demonstration of pure evil at work — may it never happen again!” Fukshansky specifically condemned the intent of the attacks, which he said was to “target and kill as many innocent civilians as possible” with “no military purpose.” “It shocked and deeply traumatized the entire world’s Jewish community, including here, in Claremont, and shocked people of good will of all faiths around the world,” Fukshansky wrote. In an interview with TSL, Fukshansky explained that the statement was prompted in part by CMC administrators’ lack of response to Hamas’ attack. Citing the college’s policy of not issuing statements on partisan issues, Fukshansky expressed his appreciation for institutional neutrality while also explaining that he did not feel that the events of Oct. 7 constituted a partisan issue. “This is a terrorist attack. There’s nothing partisan about it — at least, not from where I stand,” Fukshansky told TSL. Fukshansky said the statement was meant to focus exclusively on the events of Oct. 7, and that it was not meant to address histor-
ical issues regarding Israel and Palestine. “The statement was specifically on the event of October 7… it did not address any events prior to it or after it,” Fukshansky said. “It was a completely nonpartisan, nonpolitical statement on one specific incident.” Gary Gilbert, associate professor of religious studies at CMC and director of the Jewish studies sequence, was one of 65 faculty members to sign the statement. He echoed Fukshansky’s sentiment. “We recognize that there is a larger context in which the events of Oct. 7 took place. We wanted to say that the massacre of over 1,000 civilians is a horrific act,” Gilbert said. “We were not making any other political claims. We were not trying to justify subsequent Israeli actions.” For Gilbert, signing the CMC faculty statement and acknowledging the events of Oct. 7 was important even with an understanding of the historical context. Although he had no comment on the 5C faculty statement, he raised concerns about what he felt more generally was the use of historical context as a means of justification for violence. “There’s a big difference between justifying an act and explaining it,” Gilbert said. “I would support fully trying to situate what happened on October 7 in that broader historical context … but to say that an attack on over 1000 civilians was somehow justified by that historical context — I completely disagree with that. And that’s why I signed the statement.” Dan Segal, Pitzer professor emeritus of anthropology and faculty advisor of Students for Justice in Palestine, argued that the CMC statement, which he pointed out was published almost two weeks after the Oct. 7 attack, was biased against Palestinians. “In terms of mourning lives lost, and having compassion for those who have lost loved ones, we should not be partisan,” Segal, who signed the 5C faculty statement, told TSL. “That statement … was heartless and inhumane in regards to Palestinians murdered by the Israeli state since Oct. 7. The letter treated
SASHA MATTHEWS • THE STUDENT LIFE
some human beings as more than and others as less than. What is that, if not racism?” James Morrison, CMC professor of literature and film, signed both statements, noting that he doesn’t see them as contradictory or incompatible. “I signed the first letter to condemn terrorist violence against Israeli citizens, and the second to condemn state violence on the part of Israel against Palestinians,” Morrison told TSL. Deeb reflected on the significance of the 5C faculty statement, saying it could signal support for students who express solidarity with Palestinians. She noted that there has been a recent rise in Islamophobia, anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim racism, as well as anti-Semitism in the United States. Deeb said the Claremont Colleges should work to combat all of these things, but she particularly emphasized her desire to see increased support for Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students. “At a small liberal arts college, I think such statements can signal support for community members,” Deeb said. “In the current climate, I think signaling support for Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students is quite important … because those are the students who have not been highlighted by most of the university administrative statements out there.”
Gilbert commented on the importance of holding open discussions, noting that doing this has been difficult because of the divisive nature of the situation. “There’s been language used that I think creates barriers to discussion,” Gilbert said. “The language presents these issues in a very binary fashion — black and white, right and wrong, just and unjust. And when you frame a situation, particularly such a sensitive and complex situation as this, in that kind of binary, it’s hard to have a discussion.” Much like the group of 5C faculty who drafted a statement in solidarity with Palestine, groups of both Pomona and Scripps alumni issued statements on Oct. 20 condemning the Israeli government and calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. These statements were signed by hundreds of alums. The Scripps alumni statement amassed 324 signatures as of Nov. 2. Signees called for “a ceasefire and an immediate end to Israeli-led genocide and occupation in Palestine” and asked Scripps to condemn “Israeli occupation and genocide.” In the statement, Scripps alumni claimed that the violent attacks seen on Oct. 7 were part of a larger issue stemming from imperialism, white supremacy and Zionism, which they define as “a European settler-colonial ideology that displaced hun-
dreds of thousands of Palestinians in 1948 during al-Nakba.” “This ideology does not represent the Jewish people, nor is it integral to Judaism,” they wrote. “Countless Jewish community members have risen up against Zionism historically and in the present day.” Furthermore, they call for Scripps to comply with the BDS movement and to ensure a safe environment for Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students. “Scripps promotes an education that fosters critical thinking and analytical skills in its students,” the statement read. “We urge the College to condemn disinformation that manufactures consent for the genocide of Palestinians.” Scripps alumni did not respond to TSL’s request for comment on the statement. Similarly, in solidarity with Palestine, the Pomona alumni’s statement demanded that the college comply with the BDS movement and urged the broader community to pressure elected officials to initiate a ceasefire. It has 161 signatures as of Nov. 2. “We, Pomona alumni, are writing to Pomona College and the broader community to express our grief and rage at the Israeli government’s current genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza, carried out with the full backing of the U.S. government,” the statement read. The alumni wrote that they “mourn every Palestinian and Israeli life lost in this violence” and “stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and honor their steadfast resistance to oppression.” Sarah Burch PO ’22, who worked alongside other alumni to draft and distribute the statement, criticized Pomona administration’s lack of condemnation toward the Israeli government. “I think the Pomona administration’s silence on this issue is really jarring…” she said. “It does not keep anyone safe for the Pomona administration to stay silent in the face of this — in fact, it is a betrayal of the core values of the college. And it’s a betrayal of so many Pomona students, who are, understandably, unable to go about their usual business while such abject horrors are taking place.”
Scripps, Pomona search for replacements as Title IX coordinators step down ASHLEY PARK & FIONA HERBOLD Following a series of recent administrative changes at Pomona College and Scripps College, the Title IX coordinators at both schools left their roles this month. On Oct. 13, Scripps Title IX Coordinator Sara Miller stepped down from her position. The following week, on Oct. 25, Pomona Title IX Coordinator Erica Moorer Taylor left her role. School administrators announced both changes to the student bodies over email. Pomona Dean of Students Avis Hinkson said that Moorer Taylor would be transferring to a new job at Grand River Solutions after working with Pomona since Dec. 2021. Miller also left to take on a new job, as well as to be closer to family, according to the announcement email sent by Sha Bradley, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. She had been with Scripps since the fall of 2020. Both schools stated they would soon begin the search for new Title IX coordinators and appointed administrators to fill the position in the meantime. While Scripps finalizes who their interim coordinator will be, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Adriana di Bartolo-Beckman will serve as acting Title IX coordinator. Di Bartolo-Beckman has served in this role before, said Scripps Advocates Head Cecilia Blum SC ’24. Associate Dean of Students and Campus Life Josh Eisenberg, who will take over as interim at Pomona, is new to the role. Moorer Taylor will assist him in an advisory capacity, said Pomona Campus Advocate Ziona King PO ’25. “[She will be] doing things on the back end, like being a support and a resource to him if he has questions or wants to clarify things, so still in his ear making sure things are maintained well,” King said. Despite Eisenberg’s and di Bartolo-Beckman’s qualifications, some students at both Pomona and Scripps were apprehensive of the idea of a current administrator taking over the position of Title IX coordinator. “I think it’s just hard because [di Bartolo- Beckman] has a full-
COURTESY: UNIVERSITY OF REDLANDS This month, both Pomona College’s (Erica Moorer Taylor, pictured) and Scripps College’s Title IX coordinators stepped down, leaving administrators searching for replacements.
time job,” Blum said. “There’s just no way that a person can do two full-time jobs, especially when one of those jobs is something as important as dealing with sexual assault and misconduct.” Pomona Campus Advocate Eleanor Farry PO ’25 also shared her concerns with the interim position. “My only hope is that the process of hiring is speedy and
that they find someone who can be a full-time person,” Farry said. “It’s not great to have just an interim person in the position of Title IX coordinator.” The search for a new Title IX coordinator at Pomona will take into account student feedback by opening interviews to students, according to Farry. Students will receive information about these over email. “It would be really great if a
lot of students could come [to the interviews], because I know a lot of people on campus are obviously really passionate about this stuff and really care,” Farry said. King added that student feedback is the first thing the college considers when hiring administrators. Hinkson stated in an email to TSL that Pomona “hope[s] to have the position filled by
the beginning of the spring 2024 semester.” Scripps has not set a specific timeline for filling the position, although Bradley said in an email to TSL that the search “will commence as soon as possible” and usually takes about three to four months. The Pomona Campus Advocate hotline is (909) 905 0035. The Scripps College Warm Line is (909) 607-2000.
News
November 3, 2023
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Meet Pomona’s 2023 Oldenborg International Research and Travel Grant recipients
ANDREW YUAN • THE STUDENT LIFE On Oct. 27, this year’s recipients of Pomona College’s Oldenborg International Research and Travel Grant presented their summer research at Oldenborg Center.
NITYA GUPTA & BEATRIX KARAMBIS This summer, Maria Duran Gonzalez PO ’24 traveled to Ecuador to document the stories people, especially women, tell about the land. One of the testimonies she heard from an abuela was, “Before, what was sown was reaped; the cassava, the coffee, the banana, the beans [and] all that was planted was harvested. But now, even the lands no longer want to produce because they’re not planted like before. Now there are no more of these parts here around us. No, it is not planted like before. It is all over.” Duran Gonzales was able to do this research because she was one of the 2023 recipients of the Oldenborg International and Travel Grant. On Friday, Oct. 27, Duran Gonzales and Lucia Cappella PO ’23, the two 2023 recipients of the grant, presented their summer research experiences at a lunch colloquium in the Oldenborg Center. The grant, sponsored by the Oldenborg Center, offers financial support to rising seniors at Pomona seeking to cover the expenses of their summer international research as they work on their senior thesis or senior exercise. Awards
are made in varying amounts of up to $4,500. Duran Gonzalez traveled to La Comuna Ancestral Las Tunas — or the Ancestral Commune of Las Tunas in Southern Manabí, Ecuador — to conduct ethnographic interviews and research documenting environmental storytelling. Duran Gonzalez was inspired to conduct this research after a semester studying abroad in Ecuador during her junior year. “In the fall of 2022, I was able to identify this strong lineage of environmental storytelling, and it reflected a strong connection to the environment,” she said at the presentation. “But underlying all these narratives is the thread of colonialism, of usurping land or having the intention to displace the people of these lands, and I was inspired to research more into this.” Duran Gonzalez said she realized that her approach to inquiry reflected a masculine portrayal of stories, and that the men who were sharing these stories were entirely controlling the knowledge production. This meant that the voices of women were being excluded. To fill in this gap of exclu-
sion, Duran Gonzalez collected testimonies from women, who revealed a different connection to the land and explained that territories were being destroyed. In analyzing these testimonies, Duran Gonzalez is proposing a feminist geography theory that builds off of indigenous scholars and Latin American feminist geographies. As she conducted research, Duran Gonzalez said she had to be flexible with managing expectations. “I came in wanting to talk to ten or fifteen women, but I had to account for my position as a foreigner,” she said. “Not everyone wanted to talk and engage, so my objective shifted from wanting to talk to 15 women to creating a stronger community.” Duran Gonzalez said that the grant supported her financially, as it covered her flights and board. She also found a mentor in professor Eileen Cheng, the faculty director of the Oldenborg Center. “Because this research is part of my senior thesis, I actually credit a lot of how I’m planning my thesis now [to] her and the way that she helped me organize my ideas,” Duran Gonzalez said.
“I’m very grateful for the grant as Professor Cheng is now part of my support system and part of my thesis process.” History major Lucia Cappella PO ’23, the other grant recipient, conducted archival research at the National Library of Spain to gain a comprehensive understanding of the cultural movement La Movida Madrileña and to understand its significance within the broader context of Spain’s transition to democracy. Much like Duran Gonzalez, Cappella decided to research this topic after spending a semester abroad in Spain. “I went to Madrid on the weekends and I got to walk down the streets and see the areas of the city where this movement took place, and sort of try to imagine what it was like to be in that space when Madrid went from such a repressed gray place to a one of such vibrancy, and I just wanted to learn more,” she said. Cappella visited the library every day for a month, perusing newspapers, zines, movies and photographs, trying to understand the significance of the movement. In total, she collected materials from around 200 different sources. As she worked, she
noticed themes of postmodernism and internationalism begin to emerge. “Several articles were making parallels between other countercultural movements that had occurred earlier around the globe, 10 to 15 years prior, and internationalism came into play as it indicated that Spain was sort of behind the rest of the world culturally,” Capella said. “What new and distinct thing did La Movida have to offer?” Cappella used a postmodern framework to analyze the movement, finding that the point of La Movida was not necessarily to advance Spanish culture, but instead to experiment and to play with gender non-conformity and queerness, both of which were previously repressed. Capella asserts that her work would not have been possible without help from the grant. “I’m so grateful for this grant and it’s just completely transformed my thesis and life trajectory,” she said. Updated information regarding the grant can be found on the Oldenborg Summer Funded Opportunities website. Students can also follow them on Instagram @OldenborgCenter to stay up to date on all things happening at Oldenborg.
DIVEST: Student concerns about fossil fuels go to Rob Bonta Continued from page 1 empower students, they want to empower future environmental leaders,” Black said. “And they take recognition of this being indigenous land and their commitment to caring and nurturing for it.” Black referenced the Pomona Sustainability Office’s land acknowledgment, which acknowledges the Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar, the land Pomona is located on, and they are thankful for the opportunity to be stewards of this land through sustainability. To Black and other authors of the complaint, investing in fossil fuels is not conducive to protecting the indigenous land and contributes to the oppression of marginalized BIPOC, indigenous and Latinx communities. “Climate change heavily impacts so-called frontline communities, including communities of
color and Indigenous communities, with their disproportionate exposure to air pollution, sea level rise, drought, and other consequences of climate change,” they wrote in the complaint. According to Marquardt, after the complaint has been filed, the attorney general’s office is not required to respond, but the Climate Defense Project will request a meeting if they don’t hear from them. One of the next steps would also be to keep up the public pressure, since “keeping up the pressure may increase the odds that a school will divest voluntarily after a complaint filing, as seen with Harvard and Princeton,” Marquardt said. The complaint reflects concerns about fossil fuel divestment shared widely among students in recent years. In the spring of 2022, 88 percent of Pomona’s students voted in favor of divestment, and 96 percent
agreed that the Board of Trustees’ Investment Committee should disclose the percentage of Pomona’s endowment invested in fossil fuels. Since the vote, various student organizations have protested Pomona’s lack of transparency regarding the institution’s investments and budgeting. Black said Divest 5C’s approach has always been to pressure Pomona College through discussions with the Board of Trustees, protests and raising awareness about the fact that Pomona has invested in fossil fuels. “We’re just trying to compel the administration that they can’t keep pushing this back,” Black said. “This is something that students have organized around for over a decade. And we don’t believe that the administration can wait any longer.” Pomona College did not respond to TSL’s request for comment.
BELLA PETTENGILL • THE STUDENT LIFE
Corrections In Issue 6, in an article by Adam Akins and Peter Dien, Uma Corral and Hasana Parker should have been identified as members of the Class of 2025. TSL regrets the error.
THE STUDENT LIFE Senior Staff EMMA CONSTABLE, Production Editor JAKE CHANG, News Designer ISHA RAHEJA, A&C Designer AIDAN MA, Opinions Designer
MADELEINE SHIMKUS, Sports Designer AARON MATSUOKA, Copy Chief ANNALISE CHANG, Copy Chief EMMA JENSEN, Photo Editor
ANDREW YUAN, Photo Editor SASHA MATTHEWS, Graphics Editor ANNABELLE INK, News Editor SARA CAWLEY, News Editor
REIA LI, News Associate ZOE SOKATCH, News Editoral Assistant TANIA AZHANG, Arts & Culture Editor CARTER SOE, Arts & Culture Editor
Editorial Board MAXINE DAVEY, Editor-in-Chief MARIANA DURAN, Managing Editor BEN LAUREN, Managing Editor MAYA ZHAN, Arts & Culture Associate DANIA ANABTAWI, Opinions Editor KAHANI MALHOTRA, Opinions Editor ANSLEY WASHBURN, Sports Editor
ADAM AKINS, Sports Editor HAROLD FUSON, Sports Editorial Assistant ELENA TOWNSEND-LERDO, Special Projects Editor INDIA CLAUDY, Special Projects Editor
EVANN PENN BROWN, DEI Editor RENEE TIAN, DEI Editor JOHN PAUL FERRANTINO, Public Editor KAI SIVASANKAR, Social Media Manager
GERRIT PUNT, Multimedia Editor HANNAH WEAVER, Multimedia Editor PAUL YAN, Business Manager STELLA FANG, Business Manager
TSL’s Editorial Board consists of the editor-in-chief and two managing editors. Aside from the editorial, the views expressed in the opinions section do not necessarily reflect the views of The Student Life. Single copies of TSL are free and may be obtained at news stands around campus. Multiple copies may be purchased for $0.47 per copy with prior approval by contacting editor@tsl.news. Newspaper theft is a crime; perpetrators may be subject to disciplinary action as well as civil and/or criminal prosecution.
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Arts & Culture
November 3, 2023
The Prison Library Project at the Claremont Forum: Affordable, sustainable, charitable AMBIKA GUPTA A short 20-minute walk from Pomona College, nestled in the Claremont Village Packing House, the Claremont Forum bookshop is Claremont’s only independent used bookstore, offering an affordable way for visitors to expand their book collections while supporting the Prison Library Project (PLP). One of the nation’s largest books-to-prisoners organizations, the PLP sends thousands of books and educational materials to inmates each month, free of charge, across the country. A portion of proceeds from the Claremont Forum, which consists of the Forum bookshop and the Farmers and Artisans Market, goes toward the PLP. Books are donated by local community members and then sold by The Forum for $1 to $3. Sergio Perez, director of the PLP, described the PLP’s primary goal of supporting and empowering incarcerated people through literature. “Most inmates are in some kind of educational program or facility and are trying to better themselves so we’re more than happy to help them in regards to that,” Perez said. Incarcerated people discover the PLP through word of mouth and then send letters to the PLP requesting certain materials. The Forum bookshop hosts ‘volunteer
days,’ where volunteers read inmates’ letters and select books from the bookshop shelves to match the prisoners’ requests. The PLP receives 300 to 400 letters weekly from prisoners across the country. “We at the Forum believe that no matter who you are, you have the right to reading and literacy and the hope for a second chance,” Mckenna Deluca, an employee at the Claremont Forum, said via email. Dictionaries are the most frequent request, but GED preparation books, the Bible and Spanish-English dictionaries are also common requests. The PLP is largely volunteer-run, including its board of directors, aside from a few people on staff to manage the Forum. Perez estimates that 70 percent of staff are volunteers. Perez reflected on the issues of the carceral system at large. “I’ll go as far as saying that the prisons don’t care about their prisoners,” Perez said. “Sometimes I’ll take weeks to just get a reply back to an email [concerning prison regulation]. We’ve noticed how if we call and bother [prisons] and bug them enough, they will take some kind of action.” Perez noted some institutional obstacles that hinder their mission. “There are states that make
ROM-COM IN REVIEW
Jane Austen, ‘You’ve Got Mail’ and Love Across Postal Codes
KIMBERLY MURILLO • THE STUDENT LIFE The Prison Library Project sends books and educational materials to incarcerated people each month.
that goal a little difficult for us. Every state, every prison has their own rules,” Perez said. “We do get quite a bit of returns because of their rejections and sometimes they don’t even tell us the reason why they reject certain materials.” The PLP was recently granted a monetary award from U.S. House Rep. Judy Chu D-Ca., whose district includes Claremont. Perez said the PLP hopes
The 2023 Payton Lectureship featuring Dr. Anita Hill: Social change is a relay, not a marathon ANANYA VINAY
NORA WU • THE STUDENT LIFE
NADIA HSU In the last two months, I’ve started writing letters to my friends and family scattered around the country. I write most frequently to my friend who goes to art school in Baltimore; the letters she sends me are written on pink paper with Miffy stickers and Toni Morrison stamps. We write accounts of our days, ruminations on Maryland vs. California, things we’ve read or seen that the other might like. I sent her an excerpt from Sylvia Plath’s poem “The Moon and the Yew Tree;” she sent me a passage from James Baldwin’s “Giovanni’s Room.” I fight the urge to text her asking if she got my letter — that ruins the whole drawnout fun of letter-writing. Letter writing is at this point the most inefficient method of communication save pigeons and the most fragmented: you take time to write something and take time to send it, wait for a response and hope you remember what it was you wrote about in the first place. The high-above epistolary world, through which I imagine my letters float on clouds to their recipient, bridges the miles between time zones. Most letters are love letters — “I care about you enough to spend all this time ink reaching you,” they say — and most love letters are confessional. Love letters reveal something. We even use the phrase “love letter” to mean a profession of something: “A love letter to Qwalala” or “A love letter to Pomona’s campus;” a book can be a love letter to A Tribe Called Quest and an album can be a love letter to optimism. What you are reading right now is a love letter to love letters. Given their penchant for the dramatic confession, it’s not surprising that letters occupy more space in rom-com world than in the real world. In rom-coms, love letters are often last-act revelations. Take the love letters of Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” and “Pride and Prejudice.” In the former, Captain Wentorth confesses his love to Anne Elliott in a letter: “I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach,” he says. This is the clever beauty of a love letter — it’s within reach. It says what we cannot. In “Pride and Prejudice,” which is chock full of letters transcribed or paraphrased, Mr. Darcy uses a letter to defend himself to Elizabeth
Bennett after his first proposal. Through this letter he defends himself to us, too and we are forced to re-contextualize the first half of the story. Here, the letter is a device for vulnerability; a way to better reveal oneself. “Please know me,” Darcy’s letter says to Elizabeth and to us. In Nora Ephron’s 1998 romcom classic “You’ve Got Mail,” Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan fall in love anonymously over email even though they are real-life enemies. Although emailing isn’t the same as letter writing, it’s a similar idea here, and the film uses email as a substitute for the letters of its source material, the 1940 film “The Shop Around The Corner.” Now, at least to me, email is more a vessel for punchy ads, sale announcements and administrative jargon than for connection. But in the 1998 autumn of Nora Ephron’s making, email functions similarly to letters. The two protagonists spend time crafting their words, they wait in anticipation for a response, they delve hesitantly into sentimentality. A call would of course be easier, but instead Hanks and Ryan’s characters make the choice to keep each other in the ether of email until the last few climactic minutes. It is through email that they fall in love because it is through email, under the guise of anonymity and pixels, that they’re able to speak with more freedom — the real challenge is in the effort to extend that freedom beyond the inbox. Of course rom-com protagonists prefer the lengthy sentimentality of letters! Whenever there’s a choice between a frank conversation and a letter, a dance number, a love song or a public serenade, the rom-com will never choose the former. Most rom-coms are two hours of people just trying half in vain to tell each other what they mean, just trying to get the words out. Here is where the love letter, and any of those other grand gestures, comes in handy: It’s a way to say something that the writer alone isn’t able to. Whether in “You’ve Got Mail,” Jane Austen’s novels or real life, we write letters in an effort to communicate most genuinely with each other — to bridge the gap made by distance, physical or otherwise.
to work with Chu to “standardize everything” so state prisons are more like federal ones, having “the same kind of rules and regulations.” The PLP seeks to combat cultural blind spots and ignorance toward incarcerated people. “I think people can be blind to the challenges that incarcerated people face trying to better themselves, especially in this area and chalk up all prisoners
as ‘bad people,’” Deluca said. “It is the easy response and easier even to dehumanize these individuals, something we see a lot in the world today.” Deluca shared how 5C students can engage with the PLP’s mission beyond monetary support. “[Students] can pay attention to the horrendous book bans and ludicrous statutes being implemented in prisons nationwide that make it nearly impossible for us to get books into prisoners’ hands,” Deluca said. “The more eyes on these issues, the less likely it will be that legitimate breaches of civil rights are made and the more we and others will be able to help end the cycles of recidivism.” Mason Napach CM ’27 frequents the Forum bookshop to discover new books and support the PLP. “As an avid reader,” Napach said, “I feel like I can fulfill my book-buying guilty pleasure on a college student’s budget. It’s even better that my money is going to a wonderful cause.” Perez appreciated the sense of community fostered through years of patronage at the Claremont Village. “I’m very grateful for the city, the colleges and all the surrounding areas that really put us on a level where we can help a lot of incarcerated people more so than any other nonprofits,” Perez said.
With regard to transformative shifts in society, Dr. Anita Hill wouldn’t say she identifies as an optimist, but is ever hopeful to overcome a number of impossible challenges. On Oct. 28, Pomona College invited Hill to speak on civil rights in current politics, education and greater society in the United States for the sixth annual Payton Distinguished Lectureship. Hill is a renowned law professor at Brandeis University, most well known for her role as a witness in the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings, accusing the now Supreme Court justice of sexual harassment. As an activist against gender-based violence, Dr. Hill has chaired the Hollywood Commission, an effort to fight harassment in the entertainment industry. One of the organizers, KJ Fagan, the senior director of Public Programming and Strategic Initiatives at Pomona, explained why Hill was chosen for this year’s lecture. “The idea for inviting Anita Hill came from President Starr,” Fagan said. “Professor Hill inspired President Starr to become a college professor and has been one of her role models for feminist activism.” The lecture featured a discussion between Kyla Wazana Tompkins, an English professor at Pomona College, and Hill. Tompkins began by asking Hill about her experiences as a first generation college student with 13 siblings. “[My mom wanted] to make sure that every one of her children had an opportunity to go college … she did not get an
education and that fueled the fire,” Hill said. “What we realized was that getting in is not the only thing … A sense of belonging … that’s what allows for a successful experience in college. And that wasn’t always there.” Tompkins followed with a question about the historical importance and consequences of Hill’s testimony during the appointment of Thomas to the Supreme Court in 1991. Hill responded that although Thomas was confirmed, her testimony led to political action, specifically the Civil Rights Act of 1991 as well as a more racially and gender-diverse Senate body in the decades to come. “[Testimony] is your one chance to control the narrative,” Hill said. “My goal in using my voice was to challenge their assessment of his character and fitness for that lifetime position … The win is measured by whether or not what you have said resonates with people.” She added she is continuing to push President Joe Biden for greater legal protection against gender-based violence. “For the first time now, we have a national plan to end gender-based violence,” Hill said. “It was never on a political agenda.” She also shared her wisdom on the process of creating social change for future generations. “I used to say that I thought it was going to be a sprint and then I left law school and I thought, well maybe it’s gonna be a marathon,” Hill said. ”Now I realize that it’s a relay; that we are really here to pass on [progress] to the next generation … Change [is] about never resting and keeping your eyes on that long-term goal.” Tompkins closed off the discussion by asking Hill about what
she hopes to leave behind for future generations. “You don’t get to design your legacy,” Hill said. “You work for what you think is right and let history speak … Honestly, this was not the plan, but it is exactly where I am supposed to be. Hopefully, when it’s all done, this will include a body of work that will speak for itself.” A Q&A followed the conversation between Hill and Tompkins. One question came from Vernon Crawford, a cybersecurity manager at University of Southern California, who described becoming inspired by Hill’s 1991 testimony. ”32 years ago, my colleagues and I saw this wonderful, intellectual Black woman taking on the establishment in a calm, intelligent way … it’s a very big get from Pomona to have you here,” Crawford said. Crawford then asked for a selfie with Hill. After the talk, Ella Tzeng PO ’27 described admiration for Hill’s command of humor. “She’s very secure in her place there and [that skill is] something that I really want to have,” Tzeng said. “I guess everyone jokes, but seeing someone like Anita Hill just joking and being a human being [was surprising].” Hill ended the talk by reflecting on how society as a whole has the ability to keep on fighting against unjust political forces, strongly believing change is within reach. “You need to have your head and you need to have a good heart,” Hill said. “But you also need to have something deep inside of you that I call the spirit. The fact that we are all here having a conversation, asking the questions … really is an indicator that if enough people ask for the change and then demand it, it will happen.”
SARAH ZIFF • THE STUDENT LIFE Pomona College welcomed law professor Anita Hill as its guest for the sixth annual Payton Distinguished Lectureship.
November 3, 2023
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CLAREMONT CORE
Not your typical jeans: Fashion and trompe l’œil GUS GINGRICH
When Kate Moss walked down the runway in Bottega Veneta’s Spring/Summer 2023 show, she could have been modeling for Urban Outfitters. Her outfit, which consisted of a flannel shirt, a tank top and a pair of jeans, seemed out of place on a high fashion runway where each look pushed five figures. But once viewers got a closer look, it became clear that this wasn’t just a normal outfit. Each piece was made of 100 percent lambskin with multiple layers of printing to achieve the appearance of a different material. This illusory technique, dubbed “trompe l’œil,” a French phrase meaning “trick the eye,” has existed in art for thousands of years. Dating back to ancient Greece, artists captivated audiences by painting scenes that looked like realistic three-dimensional objects, from still-life paintings of grapes to ceilings of cathedrals painted to look like the sky above. Trompe l’œil first met the runway when Elsa Schiapirelli created a sweater knitted to look like it had a bow attached to it for her eponymous fashion house in 1927. The sweater was a hit and the technique, though initially rare due to lack of technology and cost of production, contributed to many iconic looks over the last few decades of high fashion. From Jean Paul Gaultier’s sheer tattoo long sleeve shirts in 1994 (actually first shown by his protégé Martin Margiela in 1989) to Loewe’s recent pixelated collection for 2023, each designer’s interpretation of trompe l’œil is different and the potential in something as simple as illusion has led to numerous innovations in garment treatment. While some designers prefer to experiment with clothing shape, material or sizing, trompe l’œil allowed designers like Margiela — who was more focused on reinterpreting traditional items of clothing — to achieve a surrealist effect in the production of his pieces without having to change their appearance. Nowadays, the method is ubiquitous in high fashion, mostly as a result of the push by labels like Bottega Veneta to value craftsmanship as much as, if not more
LUCIA MARQUEZ-UPPMAN • THE STUDENT LIFE
than, branding. Most fashion houses now offer some kind of trompe l’œil item and it’s even trickled down into fast fashion, with simple trompe l’œil designs like the tuxedo t-shirt and subsequent versions of the aforementioned tattoo top making their way into larger, more accessible retailers. Trompe l’œil might be my favorite design technique in high fashion, but the reason why I love it so much is the same reason why I don’t personally own any trompe l’œil pieces and why you might be hearing about it for the first time right now: because so much effort is spent making such a small visual effect, cost of production is regularly through the roof. For someone like me, these pieces are the ultimate testament
to revolutionary craftsmanship and it’s even cooler that said craftsmanship is practically indiscernible. It’s the ultimate “if you know, you know” technique. Unfortunately, high production costs make it incredibly difficult to adapt intricate trompe l’œil designs into larger scale production models, meaning that the only accessible examples of trompe l’œil are bottom-of-thebarrel designs (if you are an unironic owner of a tuxedo tee, I would encourage you to find a new home for it. Preferably in the donation bin). Even established houses like Bottega Veneta only produce their leather, denim-appearing, jeans in two sizes, indicating extremely limited production. The price for those who are curious? $6,800.
Loewe’s pixelated collection is the first of its kind, but it’s priced accordingly, with t-shirts retailing at $1,850 (oh, and they’re sold out in most sizes). Essentially, to realize the full potential of trompe l’œil, both the producer and the consumer have to pay a premium. So where’s the middle ground? If there is any such thing, it exists on the secondhand market or through designers like Our Legacy whose trompe l’œil designs are relatively affordable and high quality. Still, if you’re looking to purchase a piece from them or a used piece from a designer like Gaultier, be prepared to shell out multiple hundreds of dollars. The best bang for your buck is most likely in a t-shirt or dress of some sort; these items are the easiest canvas for de-
signers to work with, allowing for many different interpretations of the effect. Unfortunately, for fashion enthusiasts who have had the Bottega Veneta jeans on their ifI-had-infinite-money-and-horrible-spending-habits wishlist for the last few years, part of appreciating trompe l’œil comes in accepting that that appreciation will have to come from afar. But that shouldn’t stop people from purchasing affordable alternatives or trying to create their own trompe l’œil design. After all, that’s how Martin and Elsa got started too. Gus Gingrich PO ’24 is from Walnut Creek, California. In his free time, he enjoys stressing over being outbid on Japanese auction websites and mocking up re-designs for his dorm room closet.
KIT’S CONTROLLER CORNER
Fighting the man who sold the world: Metal Gear Solid and the military-industrial complex KIT KUMAR
The video game series “Metal Gear ” released its first installment, titled simply “Metal Gear,” in 1987, while its most recent, the “Metal Gear Solid Master Collection,” came out in 2023. The series follows the journey of multiple men with the codename Snake and their journey to combat, control and caution the world against the usage of the eponymous Metal Gears, bipedal walking tanks capable of launching Nuclear Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBMs). “Metal Gear ” has criticized how deeply the military-industrial complex is entrenched within the most critical parts of the government and demonstrated how the existence of world-devastating weapons can, and inevitably will, be utilized by madmen to further their own goals at the expense of ordinary individuals’ wellbeings. “Metal Gear Solid” was first released in 1998 for the Playstation and is the third installment in the series (though it is the eighth main series game chronologically). It follows the journey of Solid Snake, a covert operative enlisted by the U.S. military to infiltrate Shadow Moses Island and take down the terrorist group FOX that has taken over the secret U.S. military base. As Snake sneaks through the Alaskan wilderness and underground base, he encounters each of FOX’s operatives and takes them down one by one. The game culminates in a showdown between man and machine, Solid Snake versus Metal Gear Rex, and he takes down the 42-foot-tall hulking behemoth to save the world. However, the game’s most prescient point lies not in its spectacle of technological advancement (though I am waiting for real-life Gundam) but in its treatment of shadowy government organizations and the machinations of the military-industrial complex that attempts to profit off of war. FOX would not be able to pose a threat if the U.S. army was not incredibly insistent on building Metal Gears, despite knowing the potential devastation such a weapon could cause in the wrong hands. At this point, Snake has fought
and taken down three Metal Gears at the behest of the U.S. government, only to find out that they now desired that same military capability. Be it far from me to criticize letting the genie out of the bottle, but “Metal Gear ” criticizes our modern society not so much for tickling the dragon’s tail as yanking it. The rampant militarization of foreign relations and the focus on developing the newest, the best and the most of any particular weapon will ultimately spell the doom of the world as a whole. We can view metal gears (the fictional technology) analogously to almost any remarkable innovation in arms technology but most evidently the focus on developing nuclear weapons. The fear of mutually assured destruction and attempting to circumvent the existence of nuclear deterrence through decisive first-strike capability has plagued the minds of our brightest military planners since the death throes of the Cold War; yet we’ve seen nothing but adverse outcomes from such thinking. In “Metal Gear,” the individuals who ultimately benefit from the existence of the metal gears and militarization of the world are lone gunmen (such as Big Boss and Liquid Snake), arms manufacturers (such as ArmsTech and Kenneth Baker) and shadowy interest groups with their hooks in the government (such as the Philosophers, then Cipher and Zero). The common person suffers from the constant threat of being destroyed by technology beyond their imagination. At the same time, this roster of lunatics vie for global governance and control of the world economy. While there is no Solid Snake in our reality, no charming and suave hero who is always in the right place at the right time to tip the scales towards the ordinary person, “Metal Gear ” demonstrates how important it is for everyone to be invested in the operations of their government, especially their military. The events of “Metal Gear ” are only possible because governments have so little oversight and allow private military groups to operate as
MAX RANNEY • THE STUDENT LIFE
a ‘necessary evil.’ It ultimately leads to the whole world being embroiled in conflict. While “Metal Gear ” is a fantasy, its worries are authentic and we should all be vested in preventing such a world from
coming to pass. Now, more than ever, we must be invested in what governments say they do in our names and for our good. Be involved now; take action now. Don’t submit to The Man
That Sold The World. Rise and seek vengeance. Kit Kumar CM ‘26 hopes that their parents acknowledge that playing all those video games was actually a worthwhile use of their time.
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Fishnets, corsets and “Queer-ish” redefines queer community-building at the 5C identity and community Rocky Horror Picture Show ANNA PETERSON Eager 5C students clad in fishnets, corsets and colorful makeup swarmed the auditorium in anticipation of the second annual Halloweekend production of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” The production ran Oct. 27 and 28 in Pomona College’s Seaver Labs and Scripps College’s Balch Auditorium, respectively. Originally released in Sept. 1975, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” follows the story of engaged couple Janet and Brad as they encounter raunchy scientist Dr. Frank-n-Furter and the eclectic group of characters that live within his mansion. Simultaneously campy and seductive, the show features absurd musical sequences, over-the-top costumes and science fiction-esque murders. While the script remains consistent among all renditions of the show, different casts integrate their own unique on-stage embellishments in their final productions. Audience member Jamie Miller PZ ’26 explained how the show offered an alternative to the regular night-life experience at the 5Cs. “I’m not a huge party person, so it was a great opportunity to dress up and have fun with friends without feeling like a typical 5C party,” Miller said. Ella Lehavi SC ’24, who plays Brad, spoke on being an actor in the show. “I feel like the cast here is very supportive,” Lehavi said. “It’s an environment where you get to do that. Lots of silliness, lots of shenanigans and I enjoy that part.” As the lights flickered off in the theater, the live actors made their way to the stage and began with an opening burlesque dance performance to the iconic “Science Fiction/ Double Feature” by Jamie Donnelly. With the theatrical cult classic film projected behind them, actors lipsynced to the dialogue, performed the musical sequences and moved around the auditorium to reenact the on-screen choreography. While the cast performed on stage, the audience also took an active role in the production. A unique aspect of “The Rocky Horror Picture
Show” is the concept of playful heckling, in which the audience is encouraged to joke about the film’s content and make callouts. Audience members routinely yelled out “Asshole” and “Slut” when Brad and Janet entered a scene. This “heckling” is a long-standing tradition of the show’s live production. Cast member Elise Thuresson CM ’24, who plays Janet, described performing with an interactive audience. “The energy goes up to a whole nother level when you have an audience cheering for you and reacting to things you do,” Thuresson said. “When I got to go on stage with the audience, I think I stepped up my game.” Miller spoke further on the immersive experience of the Rocky Horror show as an audience member. “My favorite parts of the show were when cast members would run through the audience while acting out a chase scene, or when the audience would use props like glow sticks and playing cards to help tell the story,” Miller said. Challenging both heteronormativity and gender norms, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” situates itself as a distinctly queer film. Throughout the film, Dr. FrankN-Furter describes himself as a “sweet transvestite” and sleeps with both the male & female characters. Moreover, Brad gives a final musical solo in which he describes his gender nonconformity. “I feel like stepping into [the role of Brad] proves that I can go on stage and I can wear more revealing clothes and do more feminine bits and still have that [masculine] side of me perceived,” Lehavi said. “I don’t need to adjust how I dress myself and make myself take less space in the world just because I’m afraid people won’t see me for me.” In addition, the tradition of live production and callouts has been upheld by queer communities. Director Aidan Trulove SC ‘24 commented on the show as a site for queer community-building and empowerment at the 5Cs.
“This show has always been a space for queer individuals to express themselves,” Trulove said. “It offers a form of electric, vibrant community that I deeply value and enjoy.” Lehavi spoke further on the significance of fostering community among both the cast and audience. “I think that the fact that you have so many people here who have a theater background and [others] have no theater background at all really shows that this show is not just a production, but a community,” Lehavi said. “I think that being able to have this level of vulnerability with people and bond over something as fun as this [production] has been just really, really nice.” Actors challenged themselves to collaborate with cast members to produce provocative, vulnerable moments on stage. For the audience, these were among the show’s most memorable scenes. Performers comedically simulated intercourse behind a curtain to reenact Dr. Frank-n-Furter’s seduction of Janet and Brad. Furthermore, many of the actors spent a majority of the performance in lingerie costumes. “{The most challenging part of the show] was definitely getting comfortable showing a lot of skin and being sexy on stage,” Thuresson said. “[It was] very out of my comfort zone.” As the show came to a grand conclusion with characters RiffRaff and Magenta returning to their home planet of “Transsexual” in the galaxy Transylvania, the audience erupted into enormous applause for the wildly talented performers. Students exited the theater with a newfound love for the gender-bending and fantastically absurd Rocky Horror Picture Show. Rocky Horror plans to have an additional performance of the show in December. You can keep up to date with Rocky Horror on their TikTok @rocky.horror.5c and Instagram @ rockyhorror5c.
COURTESY: OLIVIA IVAN The cast of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” held their second annual performance on Oct. 27 and 28.
WENDY ZHANG • THE STUDENT LIFE “Queer-ish”, a new exhibit celebrating queer communities, opened on Oct. 28 at Scripps College’s Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery.
JOANNA LAM Does art have the power to foster community at the Claremont Colleges? The newest exhibit at Scripps College’s Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery hopes to do just that. On Oct. 28, the gallery hosted an opening reception for their new exhibition, “Queer-ish: Photography and the LGBTQ+ Imaginary.” Students and community members came to see the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century vernacular photographs and contemporary works by LGBTQ+ artists. Works presented throughout the exhibition explore themes such as representation, evolving social norms and same-sex affection. Ken Gonzales-Day, Scripps Fletcher Jones Chair in Art and curator of this exhibition, commenced the event with a speech, where he shared the inspiration behind “Queer-ish.” Gonzales-Day wanted the title to reflect the fluidity of gender and sexual identities and the performative nature of image production while not assuming the queerness of the artists, hence the “-ish.” The exhibition is organized into four sections depicting queerness differently: touch, portrait, queer imagery and acting out. “What you will learn from it is that people’s understanding of touch, people’s understanding of each other was different 100 years ago than it is now,” Gonzales-Day said. “So that is an invitation to think about your cultural ancestors.” Many of these pieces resonated with attendees’ personal backgrounds. Attendee Marina Shishkina SC ’25 particularly enjoyed “Ronni and Jo, Seattle, WA” by Molly Lanreth, stating that it was one of her favorites from the exhibition. The photograph shows two women dressed in traditional Orthodox Jewish attire sitting at a crowded kitchen table, with one staring into the camera while the other stares at her. “I think it really spoke to me because one, I’m Jewish, and two, it’s just a really new way of portraying … queerness where supposedly there is no queerness,” Shishkina said. Alison Wang SC ’27 shared similar thoughts on an untitled piece by Taino Kato. It is a
self-portrait of the photographer embracing his partner, Kamejiro Sawa. “I’m from [Los Angeles] LA myself,” Wang said. “And so I just think it’s very interesting to see queer Asian people, especially in such a different time period, who emigrated to the United States.” Wang explained the exhibition’s ability to evoke strong emotions through its unique subjects. “I think, sometimes, the images make me a little sad and surprised, because oftentimes, you don’t see a lot of queer people get to live their older years to fruition,” Wang said. “And for someone like myself, it’s strange to see older queer people.” Shishika described her appreciation for Scripps’ decision to host an exhibition like this. “I’m proud to go to this school and have professors like Ken and a president like Amy [Marcus-Newhall] to be able to bring people and artists from all over the United States to talk about these ideas and showcase them to the students,” Shishika said. Education was not the only reason for the decision to host this exhibition at Scripps. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the significance of an exhibition like this became clear to Gonzales-Day. “We had a pandemic, in which everybody was staying home with their parents for a couple of years,” Gonzales-Day said. “And there was just a sense of loss of community.” Shishkina agreed with this idea, describing the impacts she saw as a result of the pandemic. “COVID-19 has just changed people’s lives in all these different ways that separated a lot of people from the community, from other human beings, from touch and from ideas of disease,” Shishkina said. “It’s a really big setback in our perception of what a community is.” However, Shishinka believes an exhibit like this has the power to heal that wound. “I feel like shows and live events like this are what changes that [perception of community] and creates a different perspective [on] what that really looks like in the future,” Shishkina said. Gonzales-Day welcomed all to visit. “So walk through, look at the work,” Gonzales-Day said. “Make a friend.” Guests can visit the exhibition from now until Dec. 15, 2023, Wednesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Luxury shoe designer Stuart Weitzman shares advice on life and career goals at Pomona College PETER DIEN & CARTER SOE On Nov. 2, luxury shoe designer Stuart Weitzman spoke to a crowded Rose Hills Theater at Pomona College. Weitzman offered his life and career advice, sharing his mantra of taking the “road less traveled,” a quote originally penned by poet Robert Frost. Weitzman offered sound advice while recalling the journey of his 60-year shoe-making journey. Starting his career by designing shoes for his father’s company in the early 1960s, Weitzman received his big break when singer Aretha Franklin thanked him for making her one-ofa-kind heels at the 1983 American Music Awards. “I got lucky,” Weitzman said. “I called a stylist I met at the previous company [and told her] if she can get any celebrities to dress … I can make them custom shoes. [I] became the shoemaker for the stars.” Weitzman also spoke about his company’s influential ad campaigns, from the pumpkin carvings of his shoes to his dog, a Dalmatian, that had his shoes for spots. Run in magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, each ad put thousands of eyes onto his designs through clever and innovative marketing techniques. He attributed his success to his creative directors’ ability to synthesize the mission of selling luxury footwear with principles influencing his career: imagination and inspiration. “You’ll hear a lot of the things we’ve done that show that imagination always played a role,” Weitzman said. “You have to be able to get
inspiration. You can’t sit in a closet and come up with the greatest design or the greatest software all by yourself.” Toward the end of his talk, Weitzman had several 5C students model his iconic shoes. Each student strutted around the room wearing Weitzman’s designs — one student even wore his $1 million high heels that included 464 diamonds and were worn by actress Laura Harring to the 2002 Academy Awards. After the modeling portion ended, Weitzman offered one last piece of advice for students. “You’ve gotta be able to sell yourself and it doesn’t matter where you start,” Weitzman said. “So if you love it, go for it and don’t let anyone shut you down. You’ve gotta be your biggest voice.” Hazel Raja, Pomona director of career development and chief organizer of this event, explained Weitzman’s career journey could serve as an important lesson for all 5C students. “Especially in liberal arts campuses, there is that question of ‘What can I do after I graduate?’” Raja said. “So we want to really encourage [students] to think outside the box; to kind of take control over what possibilities one can explore.” For attendee Dana Hussein PZ ’25, despite being a cognitive science major, it was always her childhood dream to work in the fashion industry — a dream that not only introduced her to Weitzman’s designs but also motivated her to attend the event on a Thursday night. “Although it’s not in my academic path, I still always have that
WENDY ZHANG • THE STUDENT LIFE Shoe designer Stuard Weitzman spoke at Pomona College’s Rose Hills Theater on Nov. 2.
kind of dream within me,” Hussein said. “I think [Weitzman] just brought it back to life.” Hussein also valued Weitzman’s advocacy for collaboration and community involvement throughout his speech. “I think that what you would expect from a designer in a corporate world is to be a very individualistic type of person, which I think for our generation can be a little bit stressful to imagine,” Hussein said. “But his emphasis on community even in such a fast-paced world is inspiring and shows that you can succeed with your community.” When the event finished, Sascha Weiss PO ’26 immediately wrote on her hand, “Run your career the same way you want to live your life,” advice Weitzman called “Stu-
isms” that he gave to the crowd during his talk.
interests with your values, go for it,” Raja said.
“Stuart Weitzman has always held a special sort of place in my mind and heart for being a luxury shoe brand and for being [a] fancy, high-end elegant classic shoe brand,” Weiss said. “Stuart White was the first pair of fancy high heel designer shoes I ever had. Raja elaborated on her admiration for Weitzman, stating that his company’s values of community impact, ambition and pursuing imaginative design are all important tools for 5C students to employ in their own lives. “Individual values are very hard to have stability [compared to] the salary and benefits but if there’s a way for you to merge both your
On Nov. 2, luxury shoe designer Stuart Weitzman spoke to a crowded Rose Hills Theater at Pomona College. Weitzman offered sound advice while recalling the journey of his 60-year shoe-making journey. Starting his career by designing shoes for his father’s company in the early 1960s, Weitzman received his big break when singer Aretha Franklin thanked him for making her oneof-a-kind heels at the 1983 American Music Awards. “You’ve gotta be able to sell yourself and it doesn’t matter where you start,” Weitzman said. “So if you love it, go for it and don’t let anyone shut you down. You’ve gotta be your biggest voice.”
Opinions
November 3, 2023
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Stop censoring Palestinian voices on campus DANIA ANABTAWI & AYELET KAMINSKI From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters, pro-Palestinian voices are facing backlash and censorship across college campuses. With organizations that aim to compile and track pro-Palestinian student activists, many Palestinian, Muslim and/or Arab students are forced to keep quiet and hide their identities for fear of risking their livelihoods. Recent examples from Harvard and Columbia of students being doxxed for their support of Palestine make us worried that a lack of administrative support at our colleges will lead students to the same fate. As college students, we have seen that when Palestinian students attempt to speak out, their personal experiences are politicized and deemed controversial. We went to high school together and went on to attend colleges on opposite coasts: Pomona College and the University of Vermont (UVM). No matter our location, we have noticed Palestinian students’ voices silenced in the name of “safety.” But now, more than ever, it is important to listen to what they have to say. We all come to college expecting to find a diversity of perspectives and opinions, whether it be at UVM or across the 5Cs. Not only are colleges failing Palestinian students, but, in suppressing dissent, they are acting counterintuitively to their educational mission for all students. Recently, UVM administration canceled a talk sponsored by the Will Miller Social Justice Lecture Series where prominent Palestinian poet and journalist Mohammed El-Kurd was supposed to speak due to “safety concerns,” according to an Oct. 23 NBC article. Further information on the exact reasoning for the cancellation was not given. The event had been planned for months ahead of time and was canceled against the wishes of the events’ sponsors and organizers, according to an Oct. 23 VTDigger article. Over 2,000 people have signed the petition sponsored by the Champlain Valley chapter of the
SASHA MATTHEWS • THE STUDENT LIFE
DSA denouncing the event’s cancellation, demonstrating the public’s support for free speech. Despite UVM’s claim that they didn’t have the resources to ensure the safety of the event, they made sure to have plenty of police officers tag along the ensuing protest against the University’s decision. Out on the West Coast, 5C presidents sent out emails in response to the recent events in Palestine and Israel. These emails vehemently condemned Hamas’ actions and informed students of events being held with the purpose of support. UVM students received similar emails on the subject. No email from either college mentioned the words “Palestine” or “Pal-
estinians” despite the fact that thousands of Palestinians had also been killed in that time frame. In Claremont, 5C administrators held events to mourn Israeli lives that were intended for Jewish students, such as a vigil held by the McAlister Center for Spiritual Life for the Jewish community at the Claremont Colleges. There were no such events endorsed by the administration for Palestinian students. When the Claremont chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine held a vigil and rally and invited the college presidents, campus security was in attendance instead. The events that followed continued to disservice Palestinian
students. On Oct. 20, students set up a memorial at the Coop Fountain which was dismantled by the college five days later. On Oct. 27, during Pomona’s parents weekend, students held a demonstration and another memorial. The second memorial was dismantled within hours. On the East Coast, Hillel recently announced a “Grief and Loss Processing Session” partnering with UVM Counseling and Psychiatry services, explicitly centering the Israeli perspective. No such counterpart mental health support exists for students grieving the loss of thousands of Palestinian lives in Gaza, as the Israeli state continues to indiscriminately bomb civilians.
Administrative support for Palestinian students is essentially nonexistent. But when these students try to create their own support, they face backlash. Palestinian vigils were student-run and politicized, while vigils for Jewish students were college-organized and publicized. However, these events were intended for Jewish students — such as a vigil held by the McAlister Center for Spiritual Life for the Jewish community at the Claremont Colleges — with no regard for the needs of Palestinian students. Neither Jewish students nor Muslim and/or Arab students are strangers to fearing for their safety due to their identity on campus. The difference is, while Jewish students are given avenues to express their concerns, Middle Eastern students face the threat of doxxing and harassment for doing the same. In a piece covering student responses from TSL and other campus newspapers, Palestinian students chose to remain anonymous, while other students were willing to at least give their first names for the publications. UVM and the 5Cs aren’t the only campuses where tensions are boiling over: all over the country, pro-Palestinian student activists are being met with censorship and repression, according to an Oct. 27 article by Democracy Now. At Princeton, a pro-Palestinian student protestor was assaulted by a staff member, according to an Oct. 31 article in the Daily Princetonian. The violence in Palestine is ongoing and student responses can and will continue. It is essential to uplift and listen to Palestinian voices on our college campuses. Our colleges should support and allow Palestinian students to express themselves and have agency over the spaces where they grieve. No student, regardless of their religion or ethnicity, should feel unsafe on campus because of their support for the people of Palestine. Dania Anabtawi PO ’26 is a sophomore at Pomona College. Ayelet Kaminski is a sophomore at the University of Vermont.
Don’t let imposter syndrome scare you away from STEM JOANNE OH From refugee and humanitarian crises to cyber security issues, our society faces more challenges than ever before. To tackle these modern challenges, we need modern solutions — and oftentimes, science has the answer. The number of women in STEM has been steadily increasing, with a 31 percent increase between 2011 and 2022. But women still make up a minority of fields such as computer science and engineering. This underrepresentation in certain fields can lead to feelings of imposter syndrome, or an internalized feeling that one is incompetent and doesn’t deserve their accomplishments. This is the reality for many women, particularly in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). I for one know this feeling all too well. As a biochemistry major, I have to take many classes in STEM fields. Whether it’s quantum chemistry, physics or linear algebra, I find myself scrambling to keep up. These classes are difficult for me (as they may well be for others). To keep up with them, I grind long hours in the library, attempting problem after problem to understand these concepts. Oftentimes, I convince myself that I am the only one working hard to understand these concepts: everyone else just ‘gets it.’ And if I do well on an exam, I tell myself that my success was due to external factors, such as the teacher being a lenient grader. But as with anything else, chances are that I am not alone. And neither are you. Across the 5Cs, women are struggling to feel like they belong in their fields of study and this isolation often leads to all-encompassing self-doubt. Larissa Chung SC ’25 is a biology major at Scripps College hoping to attend graduate school. After reflecting on her conversation with her research advisor, she was able to find connections between her imposter syndrome and perceived opportunities. “Even though some of my professors that I know will say that I’m doing well, I still think that I need to have everything all together, or be better to be good enough for a lot of opportunities and think that some opportunities are just out of reach for me,” Larissa told me. Pratya Poosala PZ ’24 is studying behavioral neuroscience with a self-designed major in narrative medicine. She also struggles with feeling imposter syndrome in an academic context, specifically in her classes. “As a woman in STEM whose interests were in the humanities prior to college, I have experienced bouts
of self-doubt in several of my classes,” Pratya told me. “Even when I perform well on a STEM exam or receive some sort of validation of my work, I still fall into the trap of wondering whether I’ve truly earned it.” Evelyn Chan SC ’25 is majoring in molecular biology and hopes to attend medical school after graduation. She spoke about imposter syndrome’s effects on how she perceives her abilities. “Whenever attending STEM program informational panels, which are often held with the intention to bolster student confidence, I often feel worse heading out,” Evelyn told me. “Hearing about other students on the panel having done amazing research and extracurriculars made me actually not apply to some programs because my qualifications seemed so low in
comparison.” I relate intimately to the experiences of other 5C women. In my role as an organic chemistry lab teacher’s assistant (TA), I want to be perfect and have the answers to all questions that the students could ask, an example of perfectionism. Or I put an insane amount of pressure on myself to achieve at all costs. When I score what I deem to be ‘poor’ on an exam, it drives me to work longer hours in an honestly unhealthy way. Ironically, this pressure leads to worse scores on exams. The competitive and rigorous environment of the 5Cs leads many students, particularly female ones, to overemphasize their successes and be afraid to mention their failures. Yet, mentioning these ‘failures’ may very well be what the 5Cs need. For the women in STEM who feel undeserving and unworthy, contin-
ue taking those hard STEM classes. Keep raising your hand in class and ask the ‘dumb question.’ Chances are that the question isn’t dumb and someone else has it, too. If you start making those small changes, who knows, this may inspire other women in STEM to take on those actions too. “I think there’s a lot of value in holding space for these kind[s] of conversations because STEM can feel like an isolating experience for many women,” Poosala told me. And if you feel this way, talk about it with your therapist or a loved one. Hearing from an outside perspective what you’ve accomplished and how you got there can be healing. “As a first-gen Latina, I’m not just breaking barriers in the world of science,” said Bertha Posada PZ ’26. “Every day, I challenge the
boundaries within myself, confronting doubts and redefining what I once believed was possible.” I urge all of you to continue your pursuit of STEM. Although you may feel inadequate now, keep relentlessly pursuing knowledge. Whether it’s reading papers, continuing to work in a research lab or taking on a TA role that you don’t feel you’re ready for, continue stepping out of your comfort zone. Mastery has never been achieved in a day –– it is achieved over time, through making mistakes and learning from them. So, don’t give up. The world needs you. And who knows, maybe you’ll be the next 5Cer to win a Nobel Prize. Joanne Oh PZ ’25 is a biochemistry and sociology major. She definitely feels imposter syndrome and hopes to help other students understand their imposter syndrome as well.
QUINN NACHTRIEB • THE STUDENT LIFE
Opinions
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November 3, 2023
5C administration and student leaders should cut back on the sweets ROWAN GRAY
CW: This article contains mentions of eating disorders and food restrictions. Today, I’m going to talk about the second most dangerous white powder on campus. Unlike the first most dangerous, which is a bit tricky to get unless you have the right friends, this one is everywhere: added sugar. And yes, I know I probably should have done this before Halloween, but I didn’t and you’re just gonna have to be okay with that. Most events, both student and administration-run, provide some sort of sweet snack to encourage attendance. To the credit of both parties, the incentive works. We have a rule of thumb at Claremont McKenna College: If an event provides boba, you have to show up at least 10 minutes early to have any chance of getting any. And from my own objective — and universally applicable — anecdotal experiences, events that have these incentives are just more successful. Not to mention the dining halls, stocked with no end of delicious sweet things every meal, every day; or the guest lectures that always seem to include a tempting looking dessert; or the campus stores that sell no end of candy, sweet coffee and milkshakes. At the 5Cs, we’re constantly surrounded by added sugar. And, like all creatures, we respond to our environments. We eat these sweet treats and we thoroughly enjoy them. We go through our days without even noticing how much sugar we eat, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. One quick caveat — when I say “sugar,” I mean added sugar or sugar substitutes, especially in the context of sugary drinks, unless I explicitly say otherwise. It’d be quite a mouthful to have to say that one every time. Okay, time for the doom and gloom section. Sugar is one of the biggest causes of the current obesity epidemic and of heart disease, the number one cause of death. Excess sugar consumption can lead to type 2 diabetes and has been shown to increase your chances of getting some cancers by up to 200 percent. Sugar can increase your chances of developing fatty liver disease
LUCIA MARQUEZ-UPPMAN • THE STUDENT LIFE
by 56 percent, can increase your chances of getting kidney disease and can cause you to develop gout. Sugar accelerates your skin’s aging process and decreases your overall immune function, leaving you more vulnerable to disease. And of course sugar, especially in drinks, can rot your teeth. Beyond your physical health, sugar is dangerous for your brain. High sugar consumption has been linked to cognitive impairments, memory problems and anxiety. In studies, excess sugar consumption has been shown to increase your chances of developing depression by 23 percent. Sugar has been associated with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, strokes and general cognitive decline. Okay, so now we all know the extent to which excess sugar is unhealthy. What is less talked about, however, is that sugar is also super addictive. Studies have shown that sugar can be as addictive as cocaine — we just don’t have the same social
stigma around it. In fact, sugar is often portrayed as a “comfort food,” suggesting that turning to it in times of stress or depression can make us feel better. But as bad as your breakup is, developing a sugar addiction isn’t going to help. Go on a run! Spend time with your friends! Call your family! While sugar addiction increases the likelihood of experiencing negative health effects, there are additional dangers inherent to any addiction. Binge and stress eating are both related to sugar addiction and can be incredibly dangerous. As with any other addictive substance, people who cut sugar experience withdrawal, commonly described as feelings of moodiness, irritability and powerful sugar cravings. Sugar addiction is a serious issue in the United States and even more so at American colleges. The average American eats more than three times the recommended level of sugar. Sixty-five percent
MANHOLE SANDWICH: A COMIC BY SASHA MATTHEWS
Plato’s allegory of the Frank dining hall bagel station
of college students drink sugary beverages every day and only 10 percent of students are attempting to lower their sugar intake. Okay, but where do we go from here? Do we make sugar illegal? Do we cancel my grandma for mailing me cookies? Well, no, of course not. The problem isn’t that people eat things they like, it’s that we’ve curated an environment that makes it so difficult to not eat a ton of sugar. We should be conscious of how sugar-heavy the environment is at the 5Cs and take steps to help solve it. As with any addiction, working with a sugar addiction is genuinely really difficult. That said, there are things you can do to make it easier. The American Heart Association gives a few helpful tips for college students — try substituting your soda for water or seltzer water, eat more spiced food to give your meals a non-sugar flavor and cut down on the amount of sugar you put into things when baking.
One that worked really well for me was eating more fruit. The natural sugars in fruit can help satisfy cravings without the negative impacts of excessive added sugars. But as good as quick tips are, they aren’t a substitute for actual therapy — take advantage of Monsour Counseling too! At the end of the day, there’s only one thing we can tangibly do to make the 5Cs less sugar-centric: Cut back on how much of it we offer at events. Student leaders and administrators, this one’s for you. I get that it’s important for your attendance, but maybe you should prioritize the health of your community members first. And maybe, just maybe, try making your events more interesting so that people will have a reason to go aside from the snacks. Rowan Gray CM ’26 is from Sharon, Massachusetts. He wants you to know that all Oxford commas in this piece were violently deleted by his copy editors.
MANHOLE SANDWICH: A COMIC BY SASHA MATTHEWS
Tool cows
Kahani’s Crossword: Enjoy?! ACROSS 2. Partisan caramel shortbread chocolate bar 3. Number of years after the end of WW1 that Scripps was founded 5. What section does this crossword author edit (hint — it’s in this paper!) 10. Two-letter code for the 5C with a clock tower not surrounded by palm trees 11. Closest square number to the founding 5C’s favorite digit 13. If your period or course registration time are this time-related adjective, you should panic 15. New addition to CMC’s campus in 1976
DOWN 1. CMC Roundtable founded by former House Rep and alum 2. Name of beloved dog who’ll be back on CMC’s campus in Jan. 2024 4. Name of nearby mountain littered in spuds 6. World renowned British celebrity chef’s iconic sandwich prefix 7. Last name of singer who graced Bridges Auditorium in 2012 8. Pitzer students’ favorite color 9. What’s chasing the sprinting person in the temple? 12. First name of the renowned actor and comedian who dropped out of CMC (probably to escape a career in consulting) 14. Two-letter code for Niche’s 2024 Best Value College in America KAHANI MEHOTRA • THE STUDENT LIFE
Sports
November 3, 2023
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CMS Swim and Dive seeks to make a splash following successful 2022-2023 season ANDREW YUAN Jumping into their talent pool to keep competitors in their wake, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Swim and Dive team’s (deep end) goal is to build off of last year’s success. After filling their tummies with a feast of achievements in the winter 2022-23 season, CMS is hungry for more. Last year, CMS clinched the SCIAC conference title for both their women’s and men’s team, with the Stags going back-to-back and the Athenas reclaiming it from their Sixth Street rival, the Pomona-Pitzer (P-P) Sagehens. However, conference dominance was not the end of their story. Two of CMS’s swimmers, Athena August Lewis CM ’23 and Stag Frank Applebaum CM ’24, went onto win national titles in North Carolina, marking the first time members
of CMS Swim and Dive had ever won an individual NCAA DIII championship. CMS hopes to ride last year’s wave into this season. Through their commitment to holistic athlete development, daily improvement and fostering team unity, the Athenas and Stags are optimistic about another successful winter, setting their sights on both SCIAC and national titles. Head coach Charles Griffith explained the program is working to maintain their position on top by helping their athletes develop as individuals, both in and out of the water. “We stay focused on process goals throughout the year,” Griffith said. “Those goals include succeeding academically, improving in the pool, being good citizens of the colleges and the world and having fun with
the process and with each other.” Swimmer Milan Manfredi CM ’27, who is about to begin her first season as an Athena, said she has already felt the positive impact of the team’s holistic approach to improvement. “While [the coaches and captains] care about your performance as an athlete, they care about your well being as a person first,” Manfredi said. “I think it is nice to be in a place where they see you both as a person and an athlete.” Griffith noted that the team has embraced their principles with the adoption of a new catchphrase. “Our theme for the year is ‘Win the Day,’” Griffth said. “The key to our success is to take advantage of our daily opportunities to train, compete and enjoy each other.”
CMS swim and dive are ramping up for another NCAA championship-caliber season.
According to diver Bennet Matazzoni HM ’26, the season’s ‘theme’ provides him with a clear direction. “I understand [the theme] as putting all you can into each day,” Matazzoni said. However, despite emphasizing daily holistic personal progress, according to Matazzoni, CMS recognizes the indispensable value of teamwork. He expressed that the close-knit community within the program is another essential ingredient in the team’s recipe for success. “When you have a team that you are more comfortable with they can better push you to improve and try harder dives and it makes you more excited to be at practice,” Matazzoni said. Griffth echoed this and said that CMS’s program places the focus on collective teamwork
COURTESY: CARLOS MORALES
rather than individual achievement. He credited the success of the NCAA champions to the entire program. “The titles were the result of full-team efforts with substantial contributions from swimmers and divers from each of our three colleges, all four class years and each of our training groups,” Griffith said. Manfredi credited the team’s strong sense of community to student-led practices and non-swim related activities organized by the captains. “Our captains are super involved,” Manfredi said. “Prior to the start of [the] season … the captains would write their own practices, encourage people to show up, give encouragement during the actual swims and organize team events and dinners.” Manfredi also emphasized the captains’ efforts to foster unity have helped her transition into the team as well as create a good community that she said will set the team up for success. “As a freshman being integrated into the team … [that] really set the tone for a good team environment,” Manfredi said. Acknowledging the hard work the captains have put into strengthening the team’s culture, coach Griffth said he has noticed the team pushing itself and appreciates the hard work. “Our divers have been throwing some new dives and increasing the degree of difficulty in their lists,” Griffith said. “The swimmers have been working sets on tighter intervals than in the past and training at a slightly higher level each week.” Matazzoni said he is happy with the way the pre-season went and is hopeful the team’s hard work in the offseason will pay off with postseason success once again. “I think that we’re preparing pretty quickly this year,” Matazzoni said. “We are jumping into difficult training pretty quickly. It should put us in good shape for a season where we perform well.” Looking forward, CMS swim and dive will compete in their first conference meet of the season starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4 when they will host Chapman and Whittier at Axelrod pool.
Self-coached Claremont Weasels women’s club basketball go down to the Bruins in first game of the season ADAM AKINS The scrappy, self-coached Claremont Weasels women’s club basketball team suffered a gruesome mauling at the paws of the UCLA Bruins in their first game at Roberts Pavillion on Saturday, Oct. 28. Claremont’s grizzly defeat saw UCLA take home the victory 51-21. The Weasels came out swinging, facing a physically imposing, more organized and resourced side in the Bruins, combatting UCLA’s play book and size with scrappy defense and high energy. Team co-captain and co-coach Alayan Nonhomme PO ’24 struck through UCLA’s backcourt in the opening minutes of the game, scoring a quick bucket and immediately running down the court, playing hard defense and earning a block on the other end. The team’s other co-captain and co-coach Casey Donnelly PZ ’24 had nothing but praise for Nonhomme’s effort throughout the game. “Alayan is so great,” Donnelly said. “She is never tired and she is always going to outlast everybody.” The Weasels held their own against the Bruins, keeping them in check early on with the score reading 7-7 after 10 minutes of play. Nonhomme credited the team’s hustle stats for keeping the game tightly contested. “Our defense in the first half was really good.” Nonhomme said. “We were crashing boards hard for second-chance points and getting back in transition and stopping plays.” However, dynamic drives into the key from UCLA’s point guard and coordinated plays from the more experienced UCLA offense left the Weasels scrambling at times. UCLA’s attack brought the score to 14-7 in favor of the Bruins at the half. At half time, the Weasels, who have been playing without a coach since the preseason, have been relying on Donnelly and Nonhomme to step up, taking the responsibility of building and calling plays. Donnelly spoke on striking a balance while coaching. “Honestly, it is a really hard thing to separate your own individual emotions and keep everyone’s emotions at bay,” Donnelly said. “I think people do best when they’re given instructions about things they need to improve and honestly
this team is so good at picking up what’s not working — it’s just a matter of us coming together and doing it.” At the start of the second half, the Weasels’ spirits and energy seemed drained. The Bruins, taking advantage of their deeper and more experienced roster, started to pile on, creating a heavy point deficit that ballooned to 30-12. Nonetheless, Stella Holt Dupey SC ’27 pushed hard, breaking a nine and a half minute long dry spell by breaking through the clogged paint, putting up a contested lay-up and earning and converting on an and-one. “Stella really stood out to me,” Carolyn Lau PZ ’26 said. “She’s been aggressive in practice; she’s
been really good at driving [and] shooting. I definitely saw that highlighted today.” Holt Dupey’s highlight play reinvigorated the Weasels, helping them find some of the energy and defensive skill to box out harder on defense. Unfortunately for them, the score gap was too wide. The first game of the Weasels’ season came to a close with UCLA winning by 30 points. Nonetheless, Claremont remains hopeful and has high goals for the season. “I’m really proud of this team,” Nonhomme said. “It’s a lot of buy-in from the team to stick around without a coach, first and foremost we build our community and we’ve bonded a lot. From August until now they
have just been coming two times a week.” With their full starting rotation of seniors last year graduating and their coach of three years departing before this season, the Weasels are in a rebuilding period. As leaders of this new era, Nonhomme and Donnelly are looking to construct a new team culture. The Weasels, following in the tradition that Nonhomme calls the “Weasel Way”, are building out their team, using their resources, however limited they are. For example, many of the plays that the team ran and are training on for the upcoming tournament come from the playbook of Holt Dupey’s dad, who coaches for a high school team.
To get ready for their next game, Nonhomme is hoping Claremont can build off of what they did well against UCLA. “It was a litmus test for us,” Nonhomme said. “I’m going to take the [positives from the] first half and continue to work on the strengths we saw.” Donnely agrees, but believes a huge step in improving would be finding a coach. “If anyone would love to be our coach, we will interview you,” Donnely said. “Take us out for coffee and we’ll interview you, please, please.” The Weasels will continue to develop their on-court strategy and cohesion in preparation for a tournament hosted by UCLA on Nov. 11 and 12.
COURTESY: EVELYN HARRINGTON Alayan Nonhomme PO ‘24, co-captain and co-coach of the Claremont Weasels, pushes hard into the key during Saturday’s 51-21 loss to the UCLA Bruins club womens basketball team.
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November 3, 2023
CMS tricks and treats Caltech to a Halloween sweep MAC KELLEY The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) women’s volleyball team got out their magic brooms for a Halloween 3-0 sweep of Caltech. The spookily successful performance from the Athenas scared the Beavers right out of Roberts Pavilion on Tuesday, Oct. 31 and sent them home with a ghostly L. This graveyard smash from the Athenas was thanks to dominant performances by Georgia McGovern CM ’24 and Jenna Holmes CM ’24. The win puts the Athenas at the top of the SCIAC with a 12-2 in-conference record. At the beginning of the first set, CMS came out strong, scoring the first point of the game off of a hit from Holmes, the first of many from her in the game. However, a series of unfortunate bounces set the Athenas back early, keeping the score close for the first 10 points. The two teams continued to trade points back and forth before the Athenas went on a 7 to 1 scoring tear. Finishing with a McGovern ace and a block by Lauren Parker HM ’25 and Holmes, the Athenas forced a Caltech timeout as the scoreboard read 14-8. Out of the break, the Athenas’ dominance continued. Four quick points forced Caltech to take yet another timeout. However, the break was not the solution for the Beavers as the Athenas continued their scoring streak and finished the set with a decisive 25-10 win. The dominant first set came on the back of Holmes, who had 6 of her 15 kills in the first set. She attributed her performance to her headspace
leading up to the game. “I really tried to get into the game throughout my day … I think it really worked and helped me get into that mental space right off in the first set,” Holmes said. Despite tyrannizing the first set, the second started off slow for the Athenas. They struggled to finish points early on, trading off with the Beavers up to 12 apiece. However, just like before, CMS began to pull ahead and scored three in a row to make the game 15-12, forcing Caltech to use their third timeout. After the pause, Caltech prevented the Athenas from expanding their lead to more than three. Nevertheless, the Beavers couldn’t hold back the Athenas for long and the dam broke, allowing CMS to get up to 19 points. Despite that, the Beavers were not going down without a fight, narrowing the lead to two with a 5-2 run. Still, even this wasn’t enough and CMS came through to score four in a row and close the set 25-19. In the third set, CMS started off shakey with a series of misplaced hits keeping the Beaver’s hopes that they could extend the game. But just like in the previous two, the Athenas finished the third set stronger than they started. A big ace from McGovern sent Caltech into yet another timeout with the scoreboard reading 13-9. This ace was the clear turning point of the final set, but despite its significance, McGovern stayed cool, calm and collected. “I was treating it like any other serve,” McGovern said. Following the timeout, the
COURTESY: EVA FERNANDEZ Izzy Sakoda CM ’24 digs deep during CMS Volleyball’s sweep of Caltech.
Beavers had no answer for the onslaught from the Athenas. CMS licked their lips as they finished off the game with yet another clean sweep, ending the third and final set 25-16. McGovern’s command over the game was on full display with a team-leading 33 assists. However, despite her stellar individual performance, McGovern emphasized the importance of her team’s depth offensively. She said that one effective CMS strategy is utilizing all of their players to throw off their
opponents. “It’s all about balance,” McGovern said. “The more you balance the offense, the less likely that other teams are going to know what you’re doing. And the more you involve everyone, just the better everyone plays.” This focus and balance was clear for any spectator. According to head coach Kurt Vlasich, even on a holiday his team remained frighteningly focused. When talking about game planning for a strong defensive team like Caltech,
he emphasized the importance of the little things. “I was proud of just talking about little things like our middles swinging deeper into the corners instead of trying to just bounce balls,” Vlasich said. The Athenas will play away against Chapman at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3. This will be the penultimate game of the regular season against the sixth-ranked Panthers. A win against Chapman would cement CMS’ stranglehold on first in the SCIAC going into the playoffs.
Hens soar into SCIAC finals: Athenas fall in Sixth Street rematch ANSLEY WASHBURN The Sagehens secured the win in Sixth Street soccer for the first time this fall, soaring to the SCIAC final and sending the Athenas home with dented shields. At 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2, the No. 2 ranked Pomona-Pitzer (P-P) women’s soccer team beat their Sixth Street rival, the No. 3 ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Athenas, 2-1 in the SCIAC semifinal. Boosting P-P’s undefeated season record to 10-0-3 and allowing them to advance to the SCAIC final, the Hens’ victory eliminated CMS from the playoffs and ended their 2023 season. Despite the loss, this game came at the tail end of a rebound season for the Athenas. CMS had a shaky start to the year, winning only two of their first eight games, but won five of the last eight. However, Thursday’s final whistle signaled that this was their 2023 finale and the last collegiate game for Laurel Ovenell SC ’24, CMS’ sole senior. The game started with high energy from both sides. The Hens were obviously on their toes, looking to get ahead early and avoid a repeat of the stalemate in the last Sixth Street matchup that ended the Hens’ chance of a perfect season. However, the Athenas’ defense was able to control P-P, who metered passes to mount multiple runs into the final third but were unsuccessful in their execution, sometimes turning over the ball to the Athenas to counter. Gigi Adiyia CM ’25 said that CMS anticipated the high level of play and prepared for the game by focusing defensively. “We focused a lot on defensive shape and how we wanted to highpress and counterattack after,” Adiyia said. “I think we did a pretty good job. There were some instances where we won the ball back very high up the field and created chances.” However, despite the Athenas’ best defensive effort, the Sagehens broke free and hatched from their egg in the 29th minute. From the top of the box, Hannah Hong PO ’26 rocketed the ball cleanly past CMS’ goalkeeper, Sadie Brown CM ’26, and directly into the right side netting, sending P-P fans into a flurry of celebration. Hong explained she was ecstatic to execute one of the Sagehens’ few chances in the first half, noting CMS’ effective defense. “We didn’t really have too many chances in the beginning,” Hong said. “It was hard to build out and make combination plays. I was looking for
ADAM AKINS • THE STUDENT LIFE Vivian Rojas Collins PO ’27 dribbles past Cate Lewison HM ’26 during the Sagehens’ 2-1 conference semifinal victory.
the perfect opportunity and I found it and I bent it in the corner. It was a lucky shot.” The Sagehens maintained their focus through the chaos of the crowd, controlling the game in the minutes following. CMS had a few close chances, one almost resulting in an equalizer, but the Sagehens were able to fend them off. As the clock continued to tick, CMS regained some control, drawing corners and creating a few promising chances. However, despite dangerous attacks from both sides, neither were able to execute and the scoreboard remained at 1-0 going into the half. Adiyia said that despite trailing, the Athenas remained positive. She noted that their optimism stemmed from their previous game against Redlands, where they came back from an early deficit to win the game. “We weren’t too worried, it was only one goal,” Adiyia said. “It was just a matter of putting it all out there and getting after it.”
Friday, November 3
CMS
Women’s Volleyball @Chapman 7:00 pm Saturday, November 4 Women’s Swim and Dive vs. Chapman/Whittier 10:00 am
P-P
The second half started slow. Play stagnated and the Hens fluttered steadily into the driver seat, controlling movement and distributing expertly. However, after 30 minutes of hard defense and distribution, the Athenas got possession and ran with it. Riley Zitar CM ’26 powered a shot from the right side that ricocheted off the fingertips of goalkeeper Patricia DePalma PO ’23 and rolled just over the Hens’ goal line, equalizing the game 1-1 with 10 minutes left. Now it was Athenas’ turn to explode. The CMS fan section screamed, and it seemed as if the Hens’ hard work might all be for naught. A draw was not an option in this playoff game, and with the game tied up, two fifteen-minute halves and penalty kicks were on the horizon. Knowing this, P-P began an aggressive counterattack immediately following the CMS goal. The game transformed into an intense back-and-forth battle, with both sides amping up the pressure
in hopes of turning the game in their favor. In the 88th minute, the Sagehens were delivered a gift. A P-P shot in the Athenas box that bounced off of a CMS defender’s arm was grounds for a penalty kick, and the whistle immediately blew to call it. With two minutes left, and a trip to the conference finals on the horizon, Spencer Deutz PZ ’25 took a deep breath and lined up to take the kick. Brown guessed correctly and dove to her left, but she wasn’t fast enough. The ball whizzed past her and into the back of the net. On the bench and in the crowd, P-P supporters were electric, blowing horns, banging drums and cheering for the Sagehens. Deutz said she was elated when she scored. “I feel like everytime I take a PK there’s a level of confidence that I have,” Deutz said. “I dialed into that and knew I was going to make it, so I was really glad I was able to seal the deal for the team today.”
Men’s Swim and Dive vs. Chapman/Whittier 10:00 am
Women’s Volleyball vs. Occidental 4:00 pm
Women’s Soccer vs. SCIAC Finals
Football @ Cal Lutheran 7:00 pm
Men’s Water Polo @ Occidental 11:00 am
Friday, November 3
Saturday, November 4
Men’s Swim and Dive @ DIII Shootout 4:00 pm
Men’s Swim and Dive @ DIII Shootout 4:00 pm
Women’s Swim and Dive @ DIII Shootout 4:00 pm
Women’s Swim and Dive @ DIII Shootout 4:00 pm
Volleyball @ Whittier 7:00 pm
Women’s Swim and Dive @ Cal Lutheran 10:30 am
Men’s Water Polo vs. Redlands 11:00 am Volleyball vs. Cal Tech 4:00 pm Football vs. Redlands 7:00 pm Women’s Soccer vs. SCIAC Finals
Deutz was right, and despite frantic attempts from the Athenas to get a last-minute equalizer, the final scoreboard read 2-1 in favor of the Sagehens. Adiyia noted the painful way to lose, but said that the Athenas are looking toward the future. “It’s an unfortunate way to go out,” Adiyia said. “But we’re a pretty young team. We have 12 freshmen and only one senior. It sucks that this season is over but we have to look forward.” This victory secured the Sagehens’ place in the SCIAC final, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 4, away against the No. 1 ranked Cal Lutheran. The winner of that match will be named conference champions, a title the Sagehens have held for the past two years, and will earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III tournament. Deutz said that the Sagehens are optimistic going into the final. “I think this game gave us a lot of confidence,” Deutz said. “We know that we’re the best team in the SCIAC and that we can do anything. We’re confident, excited and ready to go.”
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