Mount Holyoke News - 10/13/2023

Mount Holyoke News AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1917 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2023

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The Mid-Autumn Festival arrives at Mount Holyoke BY DANIELA CHAMARRO ANGELES ’27 STAFF WRITER

A recent event hosted by the Chinese Cultural Association invited Mount Holyoke College students to a Chinese celebration commemorating the end of the autumn harvest and celebrating the moon. On Sept. 29, the CCA held its annual Mid-Autumn Festival to observe the holiday, which takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The New World Encyclopedia defines the Mid-Autumn Festival as a gathering where people have dinner, pray for family and friends, light paper lanterns and eat mooncakes, which signify the importance of moon worship and family harmony to the festival. These activities are practiced to worship the Chinese goddess of the moon, Chang’e. “[Chang’e is] a moon goddess in Chinese mythology and is often depicted as a beautiful woman symbolizing elegance, grace, and charm that lives on the moon,” Stella Chen ’26, chair of the CCA, said in an interview with the Mount Holyoke News. During the celebration in the Blanchard Hall Great Room, students gathered to paint paper lanterns and fans with important sym-

bols associated with the Chinese festival. The event was open to all students who wanted to be a part of the celebration. At the event’s entrance, riddles were placed alongside traditional Chinese candy. Attendees had to solve the riddles to win candy, which according to the New World Encyclopedia, is customary with mid-autumn festivals. Chen shared that, while the CCA wanted to provide activities that are traditional to the practice of Mid-Autumn Festivals, they also offered traditional ornamental makeup and Chinese fan-making in order to give attendees more options. The celebration was also complemented by students singing along with their favorite Chinese songs. During the traditional Chinese festival, the riddles are placed in lanterns and are displayed during the celebration. The answer could be a word, a phrase or even a poem. Chen shared that the planning for this event started over the summer. “We expected this event would be engaging to both the students who are familiar with … Chinese culture and those who are not,” Chen said. During the event, some attendees shared their own ways of celebrating the festival at home. Alice Zhang ’27 shared what

she felt were the main differences between the celebration at Mount Holyoke and the traditional festival with the Mount Holyoke News. “I always spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with my family. This is the first year I am not with them,” Zhang said. “We couldn’t have family dinner anymore, but MHC is a new home for me now.” Although Zhang may be far from home, one Chinese proverb has stuck with her. “I know there is a saying in Chinese that when you miss your family, you just look at the moon because we are all looking at the same moon,” Zhang said. Chen believed that the CCA achieved its mission not just by making Chinese students feel more welcome in the Mount Holyoke community but also by embracing cultural diversity and sharing traditions with people from different cultural backgrounds. Chen also shared her last impressions of the event during the interview. “We saw a lot of people from different cultural backgrounds have joined this event! I think this is a great chance for them to get to know some Chinese culture and traditions,” Chen concluded.

Photo by Daniela Chamarro Angeles ’27 Two Mount Holyoke students applying temporary tattoos together during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Photo by Daniela Chamarro Angeles ’27 A Mount Holyoke student decorates a traditional Chinese fan during the festival’s craft activities.

Campus coyotes reported missing, college staff takes action BY RIVER DALLEY ’27 STAFF WRITER

Mount Holyoke College students have likely noticed the addition of several new plastic canines to campus this semester. Coyote decoys were installed to “keep the Canada goose population to a minimum on [Mount Holyoke’s] campus,” according to the Sept. 27 edition of the “MHC This Week” newsletter. The coyotes were selected due to their “safe, nonlethal” nature and lack of interference with Jorge the goose, one of Mount Holyoke’s beloved unofficial mascots — an “MHC This Week” from July anticipated that Jorge would remain “undaunted.” While these decoys may help

repel the goose population, they have attracted another population: thieves. The Sept. 27 newsletter notified students of a recent update regarding the decoy coyotes. Three of the original decoys have vanished from their original locations on campus due to theft. These decoys have been seen around campus far from their original areas. They have been spotted in residence halls, common rooms and dorms, and even found posed in vulgar positions. Karla Youngblood FP ’99, associate vice president of facilities management, stated that the stealing of decoys was not exactly surprising.

“Any time you deploy decoys on a college campus, you have to expect some interference,” Youngblood said. In response to these incidents, the College announced that five more decoy coyotes have been purchased to disperse around campus. In addition, Apple AirTags have been purchased to attach to all new and existing decoys. The newsletter states that this will help staff “keep track of their whereabouts.” “Part of the decoy effectiveness is purposefully moving them to different lawn areas,” Youngblood said. “The AirTags will help us keep Photo by Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25 A stolen coyote decoy placed in the North Delles. track of their location and also to

locate them after any unsanctioned relocation.” In addition, the AirTags will assist staff in catching any further theft of the decoys. Prospective and current thieves be warned: the newsletter stated that “tampering with the coyotes, or the AirTags, will have consequences with the local authorities and through the College’s community standards process.” The effectiveness of this new strategy has yet to be determined, but Youngblood is hopeful. “The effectiveness of the decoys surpassed our expectations, and we now consider them a crucial part of our strategy,” Youngblood said. The Mount Holyoke News will continue to follow any updates concerning the coyote crooks.

Mount Holyoke News celebrates 105 SGA senate holds its first years since its first ever publication meeting this academic year BY PAIGE COMEAU ’26 STAFF WRITER

Graphic by Gabby Gagnon ’24 MHN Birthday graphic created based on popular 2004 film Mean Girls.

BY MARIAM KEITA ’24 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On Wednesday, Oct. 3, 1917, The Mount Holyoke News published its first issue, makin the anniversary of the publication’s 105th year in print. Now simply known as Mount Holyoke News, the College’s independent, student-run news publication has been in print for over a century. At the time, Mary Emily Aplin, class of 1918, served as the Editor-in-Chief of the publication’s Board of Editors. Upon the start of her term on the board, the staff consisted of only 16 students. Today, the Mount Holyoke News has more than 100 students on its staff.

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Photo by Tara Monastesse ’25 A tapestry displaying the various mastheads of the Mount Holyoke News.

The first issue contained a message to the first-year class, the class of 1921. “Hello, 1921! We’re glad to see you—the whole 255 of you. The News is beginning its college career, too. Here’s hoping that neither of us proves a bore, and that we both make a success of college!” the statement read. The Oct. 3, 1917 issue, only six pages long, had headlines ranging from “Miss [Mary] Woolley’s Welcoming Speech”, detailing President Mary Emily Woolley’s convocation speech, to “Class Tree Gone,” which details the fallout of a thunderstorm on one the College’s older trees. One notice, headlined “Junior Lunch Giv-

2 FEATURES: Yom Kippur at Mount Holyoke

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en Up,” even mentions the ongoing “war-time measures” in response to World War I. Those who are interested in visiting the archival collection of the Mount Holyoke News’ back issues dating back to the early 20th century can visit one of three places. Physical copies of the original issue can be found in either the Mount Holyoke Archives and Special Collections located in Dwight Hall or the Periodicals section on level 2 ½ of Williston Library. Curious minds can also find the original 1917 issue by visiting the Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections Digital Collections online.

4 GLOBAL: Iraqi TikToker murdered

The first senate meeting of the academic year aimed to introduce new members to the mission and practices of the Student Government Association. Senate opened the Oct. 3 session in Blanchard Hall’s Great Room with the Mount Holyoke College land acknowledgment. Following the reading of the agenda, the senate team introduced themselves. This sector of the Student Government Association includes Linden Wade ’26, the chair of special interests, Serynn Nowlin ’25, the chair of halls and Julia Madonick ’24, the chair of the senate. Senate then reviewed its three main goals for the 2023-2024 academic year. The first of these goals is community. With this, the senate hopes to work on increasing accessibility and harm reduction, as well as improving community involvement within SGA. The second goal is transparency, as senate hopes to be more clear about what happens within SGA. The third and final goal is shared governance. This goal aims to improve the way that the student body works with SGA, as well as improve overall cooperation. Next, for the benefit of newer members, the senate team examined the four pillars of senate. These four pillars are what the senate members aim to work on during the weekly meetings. The first pillar is open floor, a place and time for senators to voice their questions and concerns. The second pillar is legislation. The types of legislation senate passes include petitions, resolutions and memorandums. Legislation like this is generally rare — often, it is a last resort for SGA to get things done. A much more common piece of legisla-

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tion senate passes is a vote to ratify All Campus Elections. The third pillar of senate is Town Halls. These are senate meetings where staff and administration come together to answer questions and address concerns. The final pillar of senate is ad hoc committees. These committees are grouped by interest and work towards a shared goal, often writing petitions to address some sort of issue. To round off the introductory portion of the evening, the senate team hosted a pop quiz — each table got into teams and competed in a senate-wide game of “Kahoot!”. The quiz included questions such as “Where is the best place to lodge an informal complaint?” and “What is the biggest responsibility of a senator?” To conclude the meeting, SGA introduced the senate’s first official task: ratifying the All Campus Elections results. Although the class of 2027 met the quorum, the class of 2026 did not, meaning that the election had to be ratified by senate. Quorum is the minimum number of votes necessary to conclude an election as valid — at the College, quorum is 50% of the eligible voters plus 1. After a brief survey, senate ratified the results, which were emailed the next day, on Oct. 4. The winners of the 2026 election included Tiko Dolidze ’26 and Emmy McCormack ’26 as Social Chairs and Nathania Amadi g’26 as Senator. The winners of the 2027 Election included Elle Rood ‘27 as President, Brie Foster ‘27 as Vice President, Anna Neubauer ‘27 as Secretary, Hana Atiq ‘27 as Treasurer, Momo Yang ‘27 and Keira Gillin ‘27 as Social Chairs, and Kit Moore ‘27 as Senator. The senate team then took questions before concluding the meeting.

6 OPINION: WGA deal is not the end

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FEATURES

October 13, 2023

. Mount Holyoke News

President Holley continues the College’s Yom Kippur tradition Emma Mair ’23 felt that it was even more meaningful when reflecting on this tradition in light of the history of the Jewish community at Guests were treated to a catered the College, she wrote in an email dinner featuring fresh rolls, melon, with the Mount Holyoke News. berries and bagels with lox after re“To be invited to break the fast ceiving an invitation from President with the president is meaningful Danielle R. Holley to break the Yom evidence that the College cares for Kippur fast together. its Jewish community members in Students and staff entered the a way that it hasn’t always previousWillits-Hallowell Conference Center ly,” Mair said. “Mount Holyoke has on Monday, Sept. 25, with Jewish a long legacy of antisemitism, both Student Union co-chairs Nina Baran overt and covert: limits on numbers ’25 and Jennifer Garcia-Isabel ’24 of Jewish students, blatant disreleading the “brakhot” — blessings gard for the Jewish calendar [and] to acknowledge being in communi- lack of resources available for Jewty and gratitude for the food about ish community members.” to be eaten. As dinner began, HolAlthough the Yom Kippur event ley gave a short speech, introduced may have been just one meal, to herself and spoke with each table of Mair, the President’s gesture holds a guests as they ate. larger significance. This tradition was last held con“Being invited to break the fast sistently at Mount Holyoke College with the president is … both a strong in 2010, when Joanne V. Creighton’s testament to the College’s commitpresidency ended. Beverly Daniel ment to honor the unique needs of Tatum reinstated it last year during Jews and celebrate our community, her time as interim president. and a meaningful act of teshuvah Holley was excited to extend (repentance/return) for previous the invitation, she explained in an harm caused,” Mair said. interview with the Mount Holyoke It is fitting for this type of reNews. “I have been fortunate enough pentance to occur during Yom Kipto be a part of other Yom Kippur pur. “It’s the holiday of social justice fast-breaking events in my life, and work as we consider how we caused I find them to be meaningful and joy- harm, how to repair that harm and ful affairs,” she said. “I was thrilled how to hold ourselves and our comto find out it was a presidential tra- munity accountable to not repeat dition to host [the Yom Kippur break that harm again,” Mair said. fast] and [am] delighted to continue For Baran, “Yom Kippur is a day the tradition.” of atonement and introspection, but Olive Benito ‘26 was enthusias- it’s also a day where we can come totic about breaking fast with the new gether as a community.” president. Before din“I thought ner, Mair and I think it’s always an honor that it was realJewish Chaplain for our traditions to be ly special to be to the College invited … I was Amelia Ender led recognized and so happy to meet generously accommodated. a Neilah service President Holley in Eliot House. for the first time The Neilah is the and grateful that final Yom Kip– Olive Benito she … showed an pur service perunderstanding of formed before and willingness to engage with the breaking the fast, and it is thought practices of Yom Kippur,” Benito to be a symbolic closing of the gates said. “I think it’s always an honor for of Heaven. Students in attendance our traditions to be recognized and then walked to Willits together. so generously accommodated.” “My favorite part of the night Amanda Weber ’26 echoed these was walking from Eliot House to the sentiments. “It meant a lot for the Conference Center after services, new president to put in the effort to surrounded by friends,” Benito said. continue the tradition, and for her to “I felt grateful to know so many peomake sure we were all safe and able ple in our Mount Holyoke Jewish to be together,” she said. community, and so excited to share BY EMMA QUIRK ’26 PHOTOS EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER

Photo by Emma Quirk ’26 President Holley chatted with Jewish Chaplain Amelia Ender, her family and JSU board members at this year’s Yom Kippur event hosted on Sept. 25.

a meal with them.” While originally meant to be held at the President’s House, the break fast ended up taking place in the Smith Dining Room at Willits. Some students felt that this location change ended up being beneficial. Baran said that, compared to last year, “this one felt more intimate due to the change in location.” Their favorite part of the event was “doing the Birkat Hamazon with President Holley,” a set of blessings performed after a meal. Students are looking forward to continuing the tradition next year. Benito and Weber both said they “would definitely go” to a similar event next year. Other attendees appreciated the atmosphere created. Jonencia Wood, assistant vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, said the event was “fantastic” and “heartwarming” and that she enjoyed getting to interact with students. “I was able to meet new students and talk to them about why this practice felt so important to them and I learned so much from these conversations,” she said. “I was able

Photo by Emma Quirk ’26 This year, the dinner took place in the Willits-Hallowell Center instead of the president’s house.

to connect with first-years who experienced Yom Kippur on this campus for the first time, [and] they shared that this felt really supportive and gave them a greater connection to Mount Holyoke.” Holley was happy with the event and is looking forward to future community gatherings. “I have been pleased and deeply grateful at how supportive and welcoming the entire Mount Holyoke

campus is. I am not Jewish, but to be in community to celebrate the conclusion of the holiest day in the Jewish calendar is profoundly moving,” Holley said. “[This]says a lot about the care and acceptance that everyone at Mount Holyoke has for one another. I’m grateful for these moments and I look forward to more this year … [and] am very much looking forward to opening my home to the [break fast] next year.”

Naomi Goldberg ’04 shares insights about advancing LGBTQ+ equity BY EMMA QUIRK ’26 PHOTOS EDITOR & STAFF WRITER

As it rained outside, students made their way to the Cassani Room in Shattuck Hall for a conversation with Naomi Goldberg ’04 about LGBTQ+ equity. Hosted by the Weismann Center for Leadership on Sept. 30, attendees sat in a circle snacking on muffins, fruit and yogurt as Goldberg discussed her educational and career journey. After an introduction from Amy Martin, director of the Weissman Center and professor of English, Goldberg explained her educational journey to her current roles as deputy director and LGBTQ program director of the Movement Advancement Project. Goldberg currently lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with her wife and son. MAP, founded in 2006, is an independent, nonprofit think tank dedicated to combining communications, policy and collaboration to advance equity for all. The 11-person organization is committed to “messaging research, policy research and movement capacity work,” according to Goldberg. They organize focus groups with voters who are conflicted on current social issues, working to elicit the values of the participants so they can better understand where other people are coming from. This inspires the talking points that they then share with movement organizations. For example, MAP recently facilitated a focus group conversation about transgender kids in sports. They began the focus group by asking general questions about kids in sports, and then specifically trans kids in sports. These dialogues expose “a huge gap between what people understand for themselves or kids they know versus trans kids,” Goldberg said. “Part of what we try to do is to say … actually, trans kids want to play for the same reason that your kid wants to play, and then we might create videos [of] trans kids talking about playing on the team with their

friends after school, or [how] their best friend is on the team, or they’re not very good at field hockey, but they love to play, and they like to see themselves getting better.” Goldberg has worked at MAP for 13 years in varying positions. She started as an LGBT movement and policy researcher in 2010 and continued her work until she became deputy director and LGBTQ program director in 2021. “As deputy director, I’ve been overseeing both movement strategy, all the operations and finances and HR components, and then also still continuing to do my own policy research and advocacy work,” Goldberg said. Before discussing her current work, Goldberg opened with reflections on her time at Mount Holyoke College. “In hindsight [my journey] looks linear, but in the moment … there were a lot of question marks,” Goldberg said. Originally a chemistry major at Bryn Mawr, she transferred to Mount Holyoke as a junior. She made this decision “in part because I came up here with a girlfriend who was a Smithie and … this area just felt so vibrant,” she said. “This is what college is supposed to be like.” Goldberg’s academic trajectory changed in more ways than one. At Mount Holyoke, she became a Critical Social Thought major. “I kept thinking, ‘I want to be doing something impactful and relevant and [make] change and us[e] my skills to do that,’” Goldberg said. She explained that in CST, she felt everyone was “asking really interesting questions, and it felt very relevant.” After graduation, she was still unsure about her future and ended up trying out various types of work. She received a master’s in public policy from the Ford School at the University of Michigan, participated in a fellowship at the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law and then began working at MAP. There was a point in 2015 where she considered changing course again and moving to broader policy work, but she ultimately decided to

continue with the LGBTQ+ movement. “I feel like I’ve built this career now working in the LGBTQ movement for 15 years that I have just found so rewarding,” Goldberg said. Students were refreshed by her candor in how she spoke about the uncertainty she had as a student and beyond. “We rarely hear people with successful, impactful careers talk about the uncertainty they felt as students. Naomi Goldberg did not know exactly what she wanted to do as a student, but in following what she was interested in, she was able to create for herself a career that is fulfilling and serves society at large,” Lia Di Lisio ’26 said. “Her story offers a refreshing perspective for students in a culture obsessed with the outcome.” Naoise Grybko ’26 agreed, with their takeaway being “the idea that even if our path looks linear in hindsight, it doesn’t always feel that way in the present.” Goldberg’s willingness to change direction when something didn’t go according to plan was encouraging to students in attendance. “I was inspired by her courage to start a new path on her own when things didn’t meet her expectations,” Luyue Liu ’27 said. The small group of attendees allowed for an intimate conversation, to which Goldberg’s status as an alum contributed. “I feel a unique connection with Naomi because she also belongs here,” Liu said. “I enjoyed listening to her talk [more] as a friend than in other roles.” Frankie Crosby ’25 agreed with these sentiments. “I felt really comfortable during the event — it’s always really lovely to be in community with people who are LGBTQ+ and/or want to engage with LGBTQ+ issues in their future careers,” she said. “It’s also always wonderful to hear stories from queer people who have found their people and a professional career that they’re passionate about.” Goldberg’s advice for the next generation of queer people: to share their stories. “We still have so much

Photo by Emma Quirk ’25 Naomi Goldberg ’04 discussed her time at the College and her work centering LGBTQ+ activism.

public education and narrative change, and hearts and minds work that we need to do,” she said. “Share your own story. Shware your friend’s story … shar[ing] a broader vision of inclusivity among our friends and our family is really important.” Narrowing in on Mount Holyoke, she professed that its “unique environment” allows for a perspective to which most people don’t have access. She believes the Mount Holyoke community subverts not just gender norms but ideas of leadership, visibility and representation. “I loved going to … a historically women’s college,” Goldberg said. “I can talk about the importance of gender inclusivity, and it’s not a zero-sum game, and I think you are living that here.” In general, she emphasized the importance of getting involved with

local organizations and being visible in the community, especially in the wake of discussions about the perceived harms of giving children access to gender-affirming care. “We’re hearing that in the data that the rhetoric [about gender-affirming care] is having a harmful impact on kids. And so the more that they can see you thriving [and] see you living your life [is] important,” Goldberg said. “I think the more we can do that, the better.” A major takeaway students had from the conversation was the notion that there is no single perfect path. “I’ll be taking away the idea that there’s no ‘right way’ to go about combining your interests into a career,” Crosby said. “There are so many avenues for engaging in LGBTQ+ activism, all of which are valuable.”

October 13, 2023

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

. Mount Holyoke News

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‘Madame Architect’ highlights women’s voices in architecture BY MELANIE DURONIO ’26 FEATURES EDITOR

An innovator in the architectural world, Julia Gamolina is a New York City-based architect, writer and educator best known for her digital magazine Madame Architect, which both highlights the stories of and builds community for women architects. Gamolina was invited to speak in Gamble Auditorium on Wednesday, Sept. 27, for the event “Towards Madame Architect: Dialogues for a Different Future,” where she talked about her startup and offered career advice to students. The event was organized by Five College Associate Professor of Sustainable Architecture Naomi Darling, who wanted students to know of the “many different ways in which to pursue one’s interests and a career in the greater architecture and design proficient profession.” Madame Architect originally started as a column in the Architects’ Journal, an architectural magazine based in London. Gamolina wanted it “to break the architect’s mold and show young women entering the industry the myriad choices they have in crafting a dynamic, meaningful and interesting career,” according to the Madame Architect website. Gamolina’s first interview, in 2015, was with Vivian Lee, her “official mentor.” The two met while working with ArchiteXX, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting gender equity in the field of architecture. “After every single conversation with [Lee] I thought, ‘I need to share this.’ I’m not the only woman, or the only person or the only young architect with the same questions and anxieties, but also hopes and dreams,” Gamolina said. “So how can I really pay forward [the knowledge] I’m getting from my mentors?” In her writing, Gamolina tries to interview people with different focuses in the field who are at different stages in their lives. She recalls the positive notes from her mentors and peers, especially comments along the lines of “Thursdays are now my favorite day because that’s when a Madame Architect interview comes out.” It was the first sign she saw that her work was having a meaningful impact. What Professor Emeritus of Art History Michael Davis, who attended the event, found most insightful about Gamolina’s remarks was “that they offered a glimpse of the many ways in which one can engage with architecture and design as well as the ways in which architecture can be an active force for positive change in the world.” Writing Madame Architect also helped Gamolina connect with people in her new community, as she was new to the New York area at the time. She frequently turned to magazines to “figure out how to navigate [her] worlds.” Doing so, she noticed that “the general interest women’s magazines very rarely featured architects … I wasn’t getting the kind of stories I

was looking for in architecture [media], and I wasn’t seeing architecture in general interest magazines,” Gamolina said. “Eventually, I realized [that] this series I was doing interviews [for] was really tapping into something.” Since then, Madame Architect has published weekly for the past five years, featuring over 400 women architects. It publishes a variety of articles and columns, including feature interviews — “the heart and soul” of the publication — as well as personal and academic essays, a historical column titled “In Ink,” and team interviews that highlight women from different architectural firms. Other columns include “NextGen,” Gamolina’s “favorite column” focused on student architects, and “Expanding the Conversation,” which emphasizes intersectionality in architecture. Madame Architect accepts submissions from anyone interested in writing an essay for the magazine. The articles show how women’s daily lives intersect with their art, as well as the variety of professions within architecture. From fashion to geology to journalism, Madame Architect gives a “peek inside” the industry and its existing options. “Not every — or even many — architecture student ends up building skyscrapers and art museums, but whatever they do, they bring along a powerful combination of analytical and creative skills,” Davis said. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, the architecture field also faced an “accelerat[ed] awareness … of issues women face” in the industry. As women’s writing slowed and men’s increased, many spoke of increased pressure to take on more childcare and household duties. Students spoke of their anxieties about entering the workforce during a time when everything shut down and turned remote. Madame Architect provided a platform for these voices and concerns through personal essays and columns such as “NextGen.” However, the gender of the interviewees is never the main subject of the Madame Architect articles unless they “feel like gender … was an element” in their career path. Instead, subjects are asked about their backgrounds, how they came to the field and built their firms, any challenges they faced and their accomplishments and goals for the future. “What I really wanted to do through these interviews is [present] this theme of ‘architects that are women’ from a very celebratory place,” Gamolina said. “These women have worked so hard to make the careers that they have, the firms they have [and] to become the professors that they are. And I just really want to hear about that journey.” As a whole, the magazine provides a platform for “mentorship and inspiration,” with Gamolina referring to it specifically as a “virtual mentor.” Madame Architect provides a space for architects of all ages and backgrounds to connect. Gamolina feels “the community aspect of Madame Architect is really,

Photo courtesy of Sylvie Rosokoff Julia Gamolina, a New York City based architect, founder of magazine ‘Madame Architect’ spoke to students in Mount Holyoke’s Gamble Auditorium

really strong,” and not just that, it is “a community that wants to do things differently.” “This idea of … this small community that is focused on highlighting their peers [and] their colleagues in the industry has been really, really incredible,” Gamolina said. Gamolina ended her speech with three main takeaways for students: to retain a deep respect for the industry and people they work with, to “study [them]selves” by understanding how an interest can be used to “put something new out into the world” and to share work and make connections. “Sharing your work ultimately is really important, and self-advocacy is really important so that you can collaborate and find your community and people to bring beautiful things into the world,” Gamolina said. “Make sure you’re talking about things that you care about and the work that you’re doing, and that will lead to more wonderful work and opportunities.” Davis felt that “she reassured the audience that each person could follow their interests and strengths in their education and practice — as artists, as writers, as scientists. Students can find themselves and be themselves under the broad tent of architecture.” “For me, teaching at Mount Holyoke College, the oldest women’s college in the U.S., and now a gender-diverse women’s college, it is especially meaningful to have Julia with us here today,” said Darling. “Thank you, Julia, for collecting so many voices and perspectives of women working on behalf of our built environment.”

Photo courtesy of Belle Morizio Staff of the magazine ‘Madame Architect’ pose together and celebrate their impactful journalism

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GLOBAL

October 13, 2023

. Mount Holyoke News

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh face humanitarian crisis BY KIERA MCLAUGHLIN ’26 STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article discusses mass death and state-sanctioned violence. Over 100,000 Nagorno-Karabakh refugees had crossed the Armenia-Azerbaijan border into Armenia as of Sept. 24, 2023, Armenpress reported. Only 34,607 of those refugees had been accepted by the government for accommodation. As of Sept. 24, Armenia had space to accommodate only 40,000 people from the Nagorno-Karab region of Azerbaijan, according to Reuters. The Nagorno-Karabakh region was home to a majority Christian ethnic Armenian population and was reclaimed by Azerbaijan in 2020 after a six-week conflict, Reuters reported. Originally established by the Soviet Union in 1923 within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic territory, the Nagorno-Karabakh region was 95% ethnically Armenian, as the Council on Foreign Relations explained on its website. The Nagorno-Karabakh region is entirely surrounded by Azerbaijan territory. When Armenia and Azerbaijan became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991, the region also claimed independence from Azerbaijan, wherein it was geographically located . However, war broke out across the region between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with Armenia winning and gaining control in 1993. A ceasefire was agreed upon in 1994, which led to Nagorno-Karabakh having its own self-proclaimed government and independence until the warring neighboring countries broke the arrangement almost 30 years later, the Council on Foreign Relations explained. In 2020, the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War broke out over the region and, in a deal reinforced by Russian peacekeepers, Azerbaijan reclaimed the majority of the region, carrying out a genocide of the Nagorno-Karabakh population. According to Al Jazeera, in December 2020, the Azerbaijani government implemented a blockade between Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region. This prevented food and fuel from reaching the area, then home to approximate-

Photo courtesy of Raimond Spekking via Peace News Over 100,000 Nagorno-Karabakh refugees have crossed the Armenia-Azerbaijan border into Armenia as of Sept. 24, 2023, despite Armenia having only enough space to accommodate 40,000 of them.

ly 120,000 people. The blockade was instated as a response to claims from Azerbaijan that Armenia was using the connection for mineral extraction and weapons transportation to separatist movements. Then, at the beginning of September 2023, Azerbaijan attacked the region — leading to more than 200 fatalities and around 400 injuries — until the Nagorno-Karabakh officials agreed to a ceasefire orchestrated by the Russian government, CNN reported. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that they achieved sovereignty over the region “with an iron fist.” In the past, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has warned of evidence that ethnic cleansing was underway in the territory, CNN reported. In an official transcript published by Reuters, he said, “If proper conditions are not created for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to live in their homes and there are no effective protection mechanisms against ethnic cleansing, the likelihood is rising that the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh will see exile from their homeland as the only way

to save their lives and identity.” On Sept. 22, in a statement given to Armenpress, 123 Turkish scholars delivered clear warnings of ethnic cleansing and genocide in Nargorno-Karabakh. The statement claimed that the goal of the Azerbaijan government is “to end through violence the existence of Armenians within borders drawn by force.” They group alledged that the Azeris — the majority ethnic group in Azerbaijan — had already destroyed an Armenian cemetery in Julfa in an attempt to erase Armenian identity. The scholars called for genocide prevention from “all countries, led by the U.N., all international organizations and the international community, to assume an active stance.” The United States Agency for International Development promised additional humanitarian support for the displaced Nagorno-Karabakh population on Sept. 26. “The people living in Nagorno-Karabakh deserve an end to violence, they deserve to live in safety, and they deserve to maintain their Armenian cultural connections and the ability to move

back and forth as they choose,” Samantha Power, the administrator of USAID, stated. The violence has not ceased. As some of the people fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh were getting fuel on Sept. 25, a gas station near Stepanakert exploded, and at least 20 people were killed and 290 were wounded, CNN reported. This was devastating for the refugees trying to escape, but David Babayan, one of the advisors to the president of the Nagorno-Karabakh, said that he didn’t think the explosion was a terrorist act. On Sept. 26, according to Armenpress, the traffic to leave the region was “tens of kilometers” long, making it impossible for all residents to vacate by car. A reporter for Armenpress trying to make it to Armenia in the traffic said that her car was “able to drive only a hundred meters in four or five hours […] The authorities told us to wait, they assured [us] that all of us will be able to leave normally.” The leaders of the Nagorno-Karabakh government informed Reuters that the whole region would be mi-

grating to Armenia due to fear of the Azerbaijan government and the threat of ethnic cleansing. This is already underway, with almost 84% of the Nagorno-Karabakh population in Armenia as of Sept. 30. Babayan claimed that “99.9% [of the population] prefer to leave our historic lands” in an interview with Reuters. Since then, the Nagorno-Karabakh government has decreed it will be disbanding in the coming year, The New York Times reported. The same article explains that the Azerbaijan government had also arrested some leaders of the region’s government — including Ruben Vardanyan, who was the leader of the territory — on claims of financing terrorism. Some refugees are deciding whether or not to keep moving beyond Armenia for fear that Azerbaijan will not stop with Nagorno-Karabakh territory. Armen Bagadasaryan, who is thinking of moving to Russia, told The New York Times that “if we had anything to defend ourselves with, we would. But we were sitting in a bottle. I still cannot believe that we have left our city.”

Iraqi TikToker murdered in Baghdad amid rising LGBTQ+ targeted violence

Photo courtesy of Ryan Prince via Flickr The death of Tiktok influencer Noor Alsaffar, who was shot in Bahgdad, coincides with the Iraqi government’s growing penalization of homosexuality.

BY JENDAYI LEBEN-MARTIN ’24 MANAGING EDITOR OF CONTENT AND GLOAL EDITOR

Content warning: This article discusses murder and violence against LGBTQ+ people. Violence against gender-nonconforming people has led to new bloodshed in Iraq. According to CNN, on Sept. 25, 2023, Tiktok influencer Noor Alsaffar, who went by the social media name “Noor BM,” was fatally shot. The shooter has not been publicly confirmed. Gay Times reported that Alsaffar was well-known online for posting fashion and beauty content and had over 370,000 followers between TikTok and Instagram. Alsaffar’s social media accounts were inundat-

ed with comments following their death, both from those mourning their loss and those celebrating their murder, according to CNN. Few details have been released about Alsaffar’s death, and a source from Iraqi security has told CNN that there is an ongoing, open investigation. The source maintained that they are not authorized to speak about the case to the media. Similarly, Khaled Almena, a representative for the Iraqi police, told CNN that the shooting was a “criminal incident” and that he would make further comment at a “later time.” Alsaffar, who identified solely as a “crossdresser and a model” when interviewed on Al Walaa’s Youtube channel in 2020, stated that they did not identify themselves as gay or

transgender, Gay Times reported. However, according to CNN, IraQueer, an Iraqi LGBTQ+ advocacy group, used hashtags “#transphobia” and “#murderoftranspeople” in Instagram posts memorializing Alsaffar’s life and impact. According to Gay Times, a Human Rights Report found that Alsaffar was only one of many people aligned with the queer community being targeted on social media across the Middle East and North Africa. The outlet further reported that instances of such harassment have increased in lieu of physical attacks on LGBTQ+ people in the streets. Alsaffar’s death coincides with the Iraqi government’s growing oppression of LGBTQ+ expression and comes only a few months after continued efforts to criminalize homo-

sexuality, CBS reported. In August LGBT rights researcher at Human 2023, Iraq’s Media and Communica- Rights Watch told the think tank tions Commission required that all that “Iraq’s proposed anti-LGBT law social and other media platforms would threaten the lives of Iraqis alstop using terms like “homosexual- ready facing a hostile environment ity” and “homosexual” in their con- for LGBT people.” tent. The term “sexual deviancy” Younes also stated that “Iraqi has been chosen to replace any men- lawmakers are sending an appalling tions of homosexuality. message to LGBT people that their CBS reported that this decision speech is criminal and their lives was primarily are expendable.” reported by gov[I am] not going to pretend The researcher ernment and priclaimed that this that there’s been a record vate news platidea feeds directof tolerance on a very forms and has ly into the atbeen justified tacks that queer public level … now we’ve as an attempt at people in Iraq seen the development of preserving “soface, both online these kinds of laws as a way and in person. cietal values and public order.” No When asked for weak governments to penalties have about the reacentralize power. So it’s an son for such a been written yet attempt to build a nation for not acting in progression of accordance with anti-LGBTQ+ state. these guidelines, legal efforts, Dr. but a represenSohail Hashmi, - Dr. Sohail Hashmi tative from the professor of polIraqi governitics and interment has claimed that fines could national relations and chair of the be a possibility for not following the international relations department Media and Communication Commis- at Mount Holyoke College, said that sion’s guidelines. “in Muslim societies, traditionally, While the penal code of Iraq issues around sexuality have been does not directly criminalize homo- generally treated as a private matsexuality, Iraq’s judiciary system ter. They were not subject to governoften finds ways to penalize homo- ment enforcement, so to speak.” sexual activity and expressions. For He continued by explaining that, example, it often claims to use the while he “[is] not going to pretend protection of “public morals,” which that there’s been a record of tolerare written into law, as a justifica- ance on a very public level … now tion for such prosecutions. The am- we’ve seen the development of these biguity of these laws has allowed for kinds of laws as a way for weak govhomosexuality, which has not been ernments to centralize power. So it’s explicitly declared illegal, to be indi- an attempt to build a nation-state.” rectly criminalized. Dr. Hashmi also explained that A proposed bill that does directly such tactics of using the law to gain outlaw homosexuality was submit- control over marginalized groups ted to Iraq’s Speaker of Parliament are not a new practice. Many marginby Mortada Al-Saadi, the deputy alized groups, “whether they’re ethhead of the Committee on Legal Af- nic or sexual, [or] whether they’re fairs in the Iraqi federal parliament, women … [have] felt the brunt of it.” in July 2023, Gay Times reported. Commenting on how unique the Despite the progression of an- Iraqi government’s relationship with ti-LGBTQ+ legislation, there have LGBTQ+ rights is, Dr. Hashmi stated been calls by activists to stop the that “this is nothing new. We’ve seen spread of violence against queer this in many, many countries around people in Iraq. Rasha Younes, senior the Muslim world.”

October 13, 2023

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

. Mount Holyoke News

5

How smart is your smartphone? New developments in ChatGPT spark debate over the ethics behind AI BY BELLA DELMONTE ’27 STAFF WRITER

Sentient robots once seemed like a figment of 1980s sci-fi; however, new hearing and speech abilities for ChatGPT announced by OpenAI could potentially introduce this concept to the real world. McKinsey & Company has described 2023 as the “breakout year” for generative artificial intelligence. Generative AI is a branch of AI that learns from and imitates vast amounts of data to create content based on inputs or prompts, per the Harvard University website. Generative capabilities include text, images, music, videos, code and more, the same website described. According to their website, ChatGPT is a generative AI program created by the Microsoft-backed startup OpenAI. According to OpenAI, the program’s dialogue format allows it to answer initial and follow-up questions, admit its own mistakes, challenge incorrect assumptions and reject inappropriate requests. To some extent, generative AI may now even mimic human conversation, as OpenAI announced in late September that ChatGPT will soon include hearing and speech capabilities. In the same announcement, they said they will soon begin to release the vision features of GPT4, allowing the program to perceive and analyze visual inputs.These capabilities could ultimately lend themselves to assistive technology for the visually-impaired. Since the original ChatGPT’s release last November, it has raised some eyebrows in schools. The New York Times reported that some administrators and educators have amended honor codes and teaching practices in a fight against the machines in the battle for honesty, integrity and quality in education. Though not an overwhelming majority, a notable portion of students may be turning to these programs for help. A survey by BestColleges shows that out of 1,000 college students surveyed this March, roughly 22% admit to using or having used generative AI for

Photo courtesy of Sanket Mishra via Flickr ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence program, leads the rise of AI in the technology industry, raising questions about the role of AI in society.

their schoolwork. According to The New York Times, ChatGPT is a common suspect for students turning to AI assistance for schoolwork. Reuters reported that its popularity surged to 100 million users in the first two months of its release, and its writing capabilities — though suggested by OpenAI to be mediocre based on its Advanced Placement English scores — are a convenient escape for students unable to complete their work or who just can’t be bothered. While the educational perspective of the issue is a troubled one, the financial prospects for developers of generative AI are looking bright, Reuters reported. According to Reuters, OpenAI expects to reach over $1 billion in revenue in 2023, currently generating more than $80 million each month, compared to $28 million last year. The Big Technology newsletter suggests that Generative AI has also transformed the job market by increasing demand for engineers who can create, maintain, manage and fine-tune generative AI systems. According to LinkedIn, the demand for AI engineers in 2023 has grown

at least twofold, and based on data from Indeed, OpenAI is averse to offering salaries ranging from $95,000 to $578,000. The sense of importance among builders of AI comes from more than the high demand for their expertise and generous salaries. Thomas Krendl Gilbert, a machine ethicist, asserts in an Algorithmic Bridge article that these engineers think “what they’re doing is ‘magical.’” In the article, he implies that the manufacturers of these systems believe they are bringing humankind closer to the kind of superintelligence once limited to the domain of science fiction. This “magic” is also underpinned by AI’s potential for good. For example, the Danish startup Be My Eyes is collaborating with OpenAI, using GPT-4 to transform visual accessibility, the OpenAI website detailed. As explained by OpenAI, BME creates technology for those who are blind or visually impaired by connecting them with volunteers who help with hundreds of daily life tasks. With the new visual input capability of GPT-4, BME began develop-

ing an AI feature within the Be My Eyes app that can generate the same level of context and knowledge as a human volunteer, according to OpenAI. BME CEO Michael Buckley has stated, “In the short time we’ve had access, we have seen unparalleled performance to any image-to-text object recognition tool out there.” Despite the innovative prospects of AI, Gilbert describes it in another Algorithmic Bride article as “mystic exploration without understanding.” The development of many AI systems is dubious as it is achieved mainly through trial and error, and developers do not focus on scientific processes or theory so much as quickly achieving new goals. Consumers may want to employ some healthy skepticism for these programs, as TechCrunch suggested in an article covering the lingering flaws of GPT-4V, the visual component of GPT-4. Consider the details of a system card released last week by OpenAI covering GPT-4V, currently in research preview. The program, as described by OpenAI, intends to enable users to instruct GPT-4 to analyze image inputs provided by the

user. However, the company admits to some faulty aspects of the feature. Though it can occasionally correctly identify toxic foods such as poisonous mushrooms from images, it has misidentified substances like fentanyl, carfentanil and cocaine from images of their chemical structures, OpenAI explained. Their system card also reports GPT-4V’s facial recognition systems having disparate performance based on race and the program being prone to stereotyping members of different races. According to The New York Times, while machines learn to execute tasks through data analysis, they sometimes develop the types of harmful and unexpected behavior patterns explained in the system card. Through human feedback, however, OpenAI says they are attempting to reduce the flaws of GPT-4 and 4V. The New York Times suggests that human cognitive reasoning skills serve as an important check to reduce the misinformation, bias and other toxic information produced by generative AI. However, this feedback may have damaged other aspects of the program, as a recent study from researchers at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, shows that the accuracy of ChatGPT in mathematics, coding and reasoning skills has diminished in the past several months, potentially due to this human feedback. Finding an equilibrium between programs being “too human” and “not human enough” may require a different approach. Though engineers and consumers alike are finding ways to incorporate generative AI into their lives, the future role of AI remains foggy in the opinion of some scientists, such as Gilbert, who suggests AI is going nowhere fast and “can’t really bring any valuable insights.” However, according to Cambrian AI Analyst Alberto Romero, AI could be only a piece of the puzzle. Romero points out that, like alchemy giving way to chemistry, AI might be the antecedent of a new science yet to be unveiled.

Wave of COVID-19 cases raises questions about on-campus protocol BY LILY BENN ’24 STAFF WRITER

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States ended its public health emergency declaration about the widespread danger of COVID-19 in May 2023. However, a new rise in cases indicates the virus has not gone anywhere. The newest variant of COVID-19 has been dubbed “Eris”, according to U.S. News & World Report, and accounted for 30% of new cases as of late September. The same article stated that although there is a recent decrease in hospitalizations as of Sept. 29, experts are warning of fall and winter waves of COVID-19 cases, as the new variant is causing a rise in infections. Hospital admissions for COVID-19 doubled in August, and a sample of federal surveillance laboratories reported a tripling in positive cases in July and August, CNN reported. The outlet went on to explain that anecdotally, it may seem like everyone knows someone who is infected with COVID-19. According to CNN, experts say there are likely more cases than the current federal tracking systems can capture. The CDC has explained that national reporting of COVID-19 cases has changed since the public health emergency was in effect, as many laboratories and government systems are no longer required to report cases. This federal data is likely not accurate, given that public interest in testing, as well as the widespread use of rapid home testing, is declining, as CNN reported. CNN also suggested that COVID-19 infections in the U.S. are likely higher than the current reported number. Many public places and institutions, including Mount Holyoke College, have also changed their COVID-19 precautions. In an email sent to the Mount Holyoke community on Sept. 22, the College informed students that COVID-19 self-test kits are available in the Student Life suite starting Sept. 25, during the hours the suite

Photo courtesy of Marco Verch Professional Photographer via Flickr COVID-19 cases have been rising in recent months because of the new COVID-19 variant known as “Eris.” Some students felt unsupported by the College during the recent surge of COVID-19 cases.

is open. According to Mount Holyoke’s online COVID-19 policy, after July 1, 2023, students were no longer required to notify Health Services about their positive COVID-19 test and infection. The College is also no longer tracking COVID-19 cases on campus or handing out KN95 masks as readily as it had in the past. The online reports of COVID-19 rapid tests and KN95 mask supply are also not up to date, as Mount Holyoke’s previous protocol did not include supplying these items to students. According to an interview with a student from the Class of 2024 who had COVID-19 at Mount Holyoke this semester, students are still becoming infected and coming in close contact with others. This student detected her positive infection results with her own supply of home tests from last semester and those she purchased herself. At the time, Mount Holyoke was not supplying any rapid home tests or PCR tests, as they had

in the past. “I did not feel supported by MHC during my isolation period. I read through all the COVID guidelines as soon as I tested positive, but they didn’t really offer many resources,” the student said. She explained that the first rapid at-home test she took while symptomatic was negative, but that 12 hours later, her test was positive. Since the College’s Protocols no longer supports meal delivery for those with COVID-19, the student’s friends brought her food using the College’s reusable takeout container service, USEFULL. “Even with friends bringing me food, however, I was worried about exposing them to COVID when they took back my USEFULL containers. I was also worried about exposing others on my floor to COVID through a shared bathroom,” the student said. According to this student, previous Mount Holyoke protocols would have eased her worries and changed

her COVID-19 infection experience on campus this semester, but she explained that some parts may still have been difficult. “In the past, students had access to food delivery services, which would have eliminated logistical issues and anxiety around acquiring food,” the student said. “Isolation housing would also have helped protect others on my floor from COVID exposure through shared bathrooms, but having to move to isolation housing while really symptomatic and sick would have been stressful.” According to CNN, a majority of people in the United States now have some level of immunity to COVID-19. CDC-partnered biotechnology firm Biobot Analytics performs wastewater surveillance of the amount of virus particles detected in major sewage systems, CNN explained. The article states that the amounts of viral concentrations seen in wastewater are similar to

what they were at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. However, according to CNN, the amount of viral matter an individual sheds varies depending on their immunity, which is difficult to measure. CNN explained that though many people treat COVID-19 like the flu, it is deadlier, has more frequent waves and has long-term health implications for some people. The student expressed similar sentiments as the CNN article. “General public interest and commitment to preventing the spread of [COVID-19] has definitely decreased,” she said. “I think many of us have also gotten a bit complacent.” In another CNN article, experts explained that there is less of a risk when someone is infected with COVID-19 in late 2023. Despite this, it is still important to take caution, as the influx in cases and continuing prevalence of COVID-19 on campus has shown.

6

OPINION

October 13, 2023

. Mount Holyoke News

How the WGA resolution will weather the streaming economy

Photo courtesy of ufcw770 via flickr The WGA and AMPTP recently reached an agreement after a months-long strike concerning the working conditions, rights and payment of creators. The strike was fueled by writers’ frustrations about not receiving residual payments for previous work.

BY MAX RHOADS ’25 STAFF WRITER

terchangeable, forced to go from job to job just to make ends meet. After the COVID-19 pandemic, In a critical new development, many streaming services lost profthe Writer’s Guild Association its, and compensated by implementreached a tentative agreement with ing cost-cutting measures such as the Alliance of Motion Picture and raising prices and laying off writers. Television Producers, putting an Pay for writers remained stagnant end to the 148-day strike. While this in a media space that is increasingly is good news, the fight is far from automated and focused on efficient, over. The Screen Actors Guild’s la- large-scale production. According bor union is still on strike, and writ- to an article by Trading Economics, ers have yet to see whether or not inflation in the United States rose AMPTP will honor this new agree- at a rate of 3.7% in August 2023, and ment. it is only going to get worse. One of According to The Washington the main demands of the WGA strike Post, the strike ignited over the was that pay rates should increase matter of residuals. Writers were as inflation increases. not receiving payments from the The average cost of living in scripts they had written while en- Los Angeles is 51% higher than the tertainment executives continued national average, with the average to profit from their work. To stay rent for a one-bedroom apartment afloat, writers often had to find work being $2,853 according to a report immediately after a project was com- from FOX-LA. A report from FOXpleted. Another aspect of the strike LA states that to live comfortably, concerned the use of artificial intel- a single adult would have to make ligence, as executives threatened to $76,710 after taxes. Most members use AI to replace the work of actors of the WGA receive inconsistent inand writers. come from writing scripts and often The terms of the new agreement have to take another job to afford include minimum staffing require- living expenses, exposing a need for ments, higher script fees, higher inflated pay. weekly minimums and increased The strike and its ensuing constreaming residuals. Over the past troversy with AMPTP reflect the decade, streaming services have realities of late-stage capitalism and become the primary mode of visual its effects on the entertainment inmedia consumption. The WGA has dustry. According to an article by made great progress, but with the the University of Sydney, late-stage current streaming model, we should capitalism has a very broad definiquestion if these tion. However, changes will it is typically The conditions stick and what used to refer screenwriters were forced impact they will to the current have on the enmoment in capito endure before the strike tertainment intalist countries, was clear evidence of dustry. where wealth unchecked corporate greed. The existbecomes coning model of centrated at the streaming is very top. such that content needs to be proThe conditions screenwriters duced in mass quantities at rapid were forced to endure before the rates. In traditional network televi- strike was clear evidence of unsion, viewers receive a new episode checked corporate greed. As this on a weekly basis; with streaming, mistreatment continued, writers’ viewers typically receive the en- frustrations accumulated more and tire season at once. As a result, per more, and the strike finally erupted. The Washington Post, writers for With this protest, writers planned streaming content are treated as in- to disrupt the flow of profit to the

studios. Ultimately, they hoped this would motivate the studios to pay them more fairly in response. The fact that studio executives would have rather replaced writers with AI than pay them more illustrates that they see their workers as machines for churning out content instead of real people. They view screenwriters and chatbots like ChatGPT as interchangeable, regardless of the difference in quality between AI-generated scripts and authentic human work. Even more disturbingly, programs such as ChatGPT receive input from various writing sources, so they can be trained off of another writer’s existing script. Ac c o r d The fact that studio executives would ing to an arhave rather replaced writers with AI ticle by Variety, WGA and than pay them more illustrates that they AMPTP only see their workers as machines to churn came to their out content instead of real people. They three-year agreement on view screenwriters and chatbots like Sept. 24, so ChatGPT as interchangeable, regardless time will tell of the difference in quality between AIif the studios actually comgenerated scripts and authentic human ply with the work. Even more disturbingly, programs terms. In adsuch as ChatGPT receive input from dition, there is evidence various writing sources, so they can be that streamtrained off of another writer’s existing ing sites are script. taking more cost-cutting measures in response to this decision. For example, Disney+ has announced that starting in 2024, it will begin rolling out tactics to stop users from sharing passwords, which will force each member of a household to pay for their own subscription. They have also announced plans to raise Photo Courtesy of ufcw770 via Wikimedia Commons their subscription cost as of Oct. 12. The WGA strike had lasted 148 days and culminated in a three-year agreement in late September. Companies have already prepared for the potential profit loss and are overcompensating by putting the onus on the consumers. All in all, the agreement is still very new. Although it is a significant victory, it is important to remember that these companies will almost always value profit over the lives of their workers.

Photo Courtesy of ufcw770 via Wikimedia Commons The Writers Guild Association stood in solidarity for a grueling, months long strike before they reached a final deal with the AMPTP last September.

Photo Courtesy of Fabebk via Wikimedia Commons The continued profit of entertainment executives from work created by writers was controversial.

BOOKS & SPORTS 7 Lyonfish Artistic Swimming makes a splash on campus October 13, 2023

. Mount Holyoke News

BY GENEVIEVE ZAHNER ’26 AND ZELLIE CALAVITA ’26 SPORTS EDITOR | STAFF WRITER

The Lyonfish Artistic Swimming team aims to provide members with the opportunity to explore artistic swimming in a relaxed, non-competitive setting Founded in the fall of 2021, it is working on becoming more widely known. The group was recently recognized as an official Mount Holyoke club around fall of 2022. Mamie Mulder ’25 and Evi Ratner ’25 are co-presidents of the team and were introduced to the organization their freshman year by founder Arrow Hill ’23, who graduated last spring. Both Ratner and Mulder want to keep the team spirit of fun, casual swimming alive. “I think the activity is just fun. So [we want to focus] on that and just make a place where people can come swim more casually and do this different type of swimming,” Ratner said. Ratner talked about their interest in the team and how they got involved. “I’m the type of person [who loves] funky little sports or just anything sort of off the beaten path. I love it,” they said.

Photo by Emily Tarinelli ’25 Lyonfish Artistic Swimming was founded in the fall of 2021 by Arrow Hill ‘23, and as of fall 2022 it became an official Mount Holyoke organization.

Ratner mentioned how they watched Olympic synchronized swimming and wished they could participate in a similar activity. “And then I saw [Hill] at the involvement fair. I was like, ‘This is a thing at Mount Holyoke? … I have to join that.’” Both Mulder and Ratner were opposed to the idea of traditional lap swimming and wanted a more relaxed environment where they could be creative in the pool. They want to

continue to foster that environment in their leadership roles. “ I feel like a lot of people don’t really like lap swimming, but still like being in the pool, talking and [doing] cool things in the pool. It’s a super fun and welcoming environment,” Mulder said. The team’s routine during their Saturday practices consists of a few different activities. “We warm up at the pool, so typically, we get right in, and then we do some stretching in

the pool. A lot of it is leg-focused,” Mulder said. Ratner added that they like to chat and catch up while stretching. “I think oftentimes, [having] a little catch-up chat session while treading water [and] practicing the correct form of treading water [is] good for endurance. Just staying afloat while talking is really fun and actually [part of] practicing. And then we’ll work on some skills,” Ratner said. Mulder added that the team

has been working mostly on basic swimming skills at their practices but will move into more choreography in the coming months. Last semester, a group of five performed during Open Swim hours. They presented two group pieces and four solo pieces that they had been working on over the course of the year. Mulder said there is no competitive aspect to their performances. “The performances [were] just so fun. People showed up who had never seen artistic swimming [before]. It’s not supposed to be competitive at all.” Mulder’s goal this year is to do one or two more shows, and they encourage those who are curious about the sport to show up to learn more about what they do and see what the group has been working on. Ratner hopes for the team to have “a good, positive social group where we can be active and physically moving, but also just be comfortable with each other and have a good time and engage physically and creatively at the same time.” They encourage anyone interested in artistic swimming to join their Embark page. No experience is necessary — only the ability to keep oneself ‘alive in the pool,’” Mulder joked.

Game of the Week: Field Hockey hosts pride game to support Athlete Ally BY KATE VAVRA ’26 AND EMILY TARINELLI ’25 STAFF WRITER | SPORTS EDITOR

A 1-0 loss to Clark University did not keep Mount Holyoke College Field Hockey from celebrating LGBTQ+ athletes in its pride game on Saturday, Sept. 30. According to a post on the team’s Instagram page, all field hockey teams across the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference — including Mount Holyoke — played games this weekend raising money and awareness for Athlete Ally, a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting LGBTQ+ athletes and ending homophobia and transphobia in sports.

Before the game started, the commentator announced the game’s pride theme and its importance. “NEWMAC Field Hockey stands with Athlete Ally in working to provide everyone equal access, opportunity and experience in sports. We hope the funds we raise can help Athlete Ally continue their activism in providing education and meaningful change in and through sports,” the commentator stated. Siggy Ehrlich ’26, a member of the team, expanded on the connections with Athlete Ally. Former player and team manager Emet Marwell ’18 and current assistant coach Anna Baeth, work for Athlete Ally. “We wanted to show support for our teammates, an alum of the team and

for our assistant coach who does a lot each day to be able to play with us,” Ehrlich said. After a grueling four quarters of intense play, the two teams were forced into a 10-minute overtime. With less than a minute remaining on the clock, Clark scored a goal, securing a win for the Cougars. Out of the 15 shots of the game, Mount Holyoke attempted nine and put three shots on goal. Clark locked in three saves against the Lyons’ offense, and Mount Holyoke goalie Rachel Katzenberg ’25 made a diving save on a potential goal during the second quarter. Next, Mount Holyoke Field Hockey will host Salve Regina University on Oct. 14.

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics Mount Holyoke Field Hockey celebrated LGBTQ+ athletes in their pride game on Sept. 30, 2023.

Horror, comics and history: three books New student-run book club aims to check out for Indigenous Peoples’ Day to make leftist theory accessible

Photo courtesy of Writing Barn via Rawpixel Horror, history and superhero comics are included in this trio of books by great Indigenous authors.

BY HONORA QUINN ’27 STAFF WRITER

Content Warning: this article mentions violence against Indigenous communities, fetal alcohol syndrome and the sexual abuse of children. Monday, Oct. 9, was Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In honor of the holiday, the Books section of Mount Holyoke News has curated a list of books by Indigenous authors for you to check out. “Man Made Monsters” by Andrea L. Rogers “Man Made Monsters” is a horror anthology perfect for the spooky season. This anthology follows a family over the course of almost 200 years as they battle both literal monsters and the figurative monsters of colonialism and imperialism. One summary on the author’s website reads: “From the tribe’s homelands in Georgia in the 1830s to World War I, the Vietnam War, our own present and well into the future, each story delivers a slice of a particular time period that will leave readers longing for more.” A review of the book by Go-

odreads user Beautifully Bookish Bethany noted that “often the true horror of the story will be rooted in human violence, racism, misogyny, homophobia and systemic oppression.” Rogers is from Tulsa, Oklahoma and is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. She has a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the Institute of American Indian and Alaskan Arts and is pursuing her doctorate at the University of Arkansas. Her debut novel, “Mary and the Trail of Tears,” came out in 2020 and was in NPR’s “Favorite Reads of 2020” list. She also contributed to the anthology “Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids.” “A Council of Dolls” by Mona Susan Power “A Council of Dolls” is a family saga following three generations of women from the same family. According to the dust jacket, it is “told in part through the stories of the dolls they carried.” According to the author’s website, the scope of the story spans “from the mid-century metropolis of Chicago to the windswept ancestral lands of the Dakota people, to the bleak and

brutal Indian boarding schools.” As one Goodreads reviewer said, “This is not an easy read. Combining fact and fiction, the author has poured heart and soul into a narrative that is powerful in its simplicity, matterof-fact yet intimate, insightful and thought-provoking.” Power is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and “A Council of Dolls” is her fourth novel. She got her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, respectively, and was a member of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. This is the first long-form prose that Power has published since 2014. Following her debut novel, “The Grass Dancer,” her short-form writing has appeared in a number of publications, such as The Atlantic Monthly, The Paris Review and The Best American Short Stories. “Tribal Force” by Jon Proudstar The idea for the Tribal Force comic series originated almost three decades ago, in 1996. Soon afterwards, the comic’s publisher went out of business, meaning that the first issue was also the last. However, a Kickstarter campaign has revived the project after raising $1800 more than its $6500 goal. The team at the center of the story is composed of seven heroes who reprise their roles for a minimum of five issues. Proudstar has said that he will not back down from the difficult real-life topics his characters face and has turned down working with big publishers because of their unwillingness to spotlight these problems, including childhood molestation and fetal alcohol syndrome. Jon Proudstar is an accomplished actor who is well known for his work on the hit Hulu series “Reservation Dogs,” but he has a track record of writing. In addition to authoring the Tribal Force comic, Proudstar wrote, starred in and directed the movie “Dude Vision” (2005). Proudstar is of Yaqui, Mayan, Jewish and Latino descent. (2005). Proudstar is of Yaqui, Mayan, Jewish and Latino descent.

Photo courtesy of Vic Klapa ‘25 The club’s first meeting was held on Sept. 29.

BY SOPHIE FRANK ’26 & MIRA CRANE ’27 BOOKS EDITOR | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The inaugural meeting of the Red Scare Reading Club kicked off with an icebreaker: What is something that makes you mad? “Slow walkers” was the most common lighthearted response. The reason for the question, however, was to highlight that anger is a powerful motivator for young progressives to stand up and take action. The Red Scare Reading Club, which had its first meeting on Sept. 24, is a new student-run book club focused on reading leftist theory and making it more accessible. The group,unrecognized by Mount Holyoke College, is led by Vic Klapa ’25. Klapa believes in the radical power of anger, but their model for activism comes mainly from their belief in the importance of education. “Education is one of the best ways we can liberate people,” they told Mount Holyoke News. “Caliban and the Witch” by Marxist feminist Silvia Federici is the

first book that the club will read and discuss. Federici, an intersectional feminist activist who has worked with feminist groups in Argentina, Nigeria and Spain, is a professor emerita at Hofstra University. Federici is also the co-founder of the International Feminist Collective, which launched the Wages for Housework Campaign in 1972 and has lobbied for recognition of domestic labor. Her book, released in 2004, explains how witch hunts reshaped the way women and domestic labor were viewed in early modern Europe, forcing women to conform to a more restrictive model of gender. This subjugation of women, Federici argues, directly served the needs of the developing capitalist system. This argument is a feminist response to Karl Marx’s theory of primitive accumulation, which concerns the violence perpetuated by those with resources against those without, and how distinctions between social classes manifest. Federici believes that the theory does not consider how violence and subjugation are built into every exchange in a capitalist system, not just interactions between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. The club intends to steer away from reading strictly traditional theory. “Marxism is an entire discipline that people of many marginalized backgrounds have expanded, criticized and studied,” Klapa explained. Instead, they want the club to “broaden our horizons from ideas that were largely pushed into us as a result of fear-mongering.” When studying leftist theories, the club acknowledges that it can be easy to fall victim to hopelessness and despair, and so it aims to fight back against that. “Nihilistic is the worst thing leftists can be, because what are you fighting for?” Klapa asked. In traditional book club fashion, the meetings will be discusCONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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October 13, 2023

Student-run leftist book club holds its first meeting, cont’d

f HOROSCOPES f BY PEARL YOUNG ’24 & SARAH PARSONS ’23 HOROSCOPE WRITERS

March 21 – April 19

Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

This week, you might be tempted to have some fun. Not too much fun! Beware of impulsivity. Do: Board games| Don’t: Buzzcuts

This is your time! This is your season. You’re going to be feeling good about yourself, others are going to be feeling good about you. Yay libra! You might have some intense dreams.

April 20 – May 20

Do: Dream journal | Don’t: Miming

Taurus, you’re going to be reprioritizing and getting your work done this week. It’s time to see what’s working in the schedule. Do: Napkin to-do list | Don’t: Hitting Snooze

Oct. 23 – Nov. 21

Scorpio, take note of your dreams right now. Things may be brewing for you in the subconscious. Do: Cobwebs | Don’t: Fly traps

May 21 – June 20

Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

Venus moves into the 10th house. Moon moves from 9th to 10th to 11th. Uranus in a quintal with neptune which squares juno which makes a T to saturn which then is in trine. Sorry about that. Do: Peanut butter | Don’t: Puppy dog eyes

Idk, like you’re gonna have fun. Be creative. Maybe have a fun little date. Next week, you will start getting serious about your life. Do: Group friend dates | Don’t: Toy horses

Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

Cancer, this week you’re going to be doing things that bring you comfort. Take yourself out to Thirsty. You deserve it.

June 21 – July 22

Sun in the 10th house of libra means you are getting shit done. At the end of the week, you will finally put some time into your friends. Public eye. Grinding. Next! Do: Office hours | Don’t: Study dates

July 23 – Aug. 22

IYou’re gonna be in a writing mood. Write down your thoughts. Take notes. You will find yourself wanting to be more engaged with your community. More infographics? Do: Voice messages | Don’t: Tell a tall tale

Curiosity is a friend to aquarians this week. What they seek, they will find. Do: Podcasts | Don’t: Locked doors

Feb. 19 – March 20

Pisces, the sun in your 8th house means you will feel sexy or empowered. Or maybe shit’s being uncovered for you… either sexy time or you’re going through some shit. Karmic debts. Serious weird things. Sex, death, rebirth. Debt. Pisces, it’s gonna be rocky. Do: Rocky Horror | Don’t: J-walking

Aug. 23 – Sept. 22

This week, you may find yourself contemplating identity and self (after all, it was just National Coming Out day). There may be some money coming your way. Do: Bi pride | Don’t: Lottery tickets

Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Sophie Soloway ’23

Publisher Ali Meizels ’23

Managing Editor of Content Emma Watkins ’23

Managing Editor of Web Artemis Chen ’25 & Michelle Brumley ’24

Managing Editor of Layout Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25

Business Manager Katie Goss ’23

Copy Chief Lydia Eno ’26

Human Resources Hannah Raykher ’23

Editorial Board

Eliška Jacob ’24 & Lucy Oster ’23

Features

Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25 & Melanie Duronio ’26

Science & Environmental Catelyn Fitzgerald ’23

Photos

Opinion

Rosemary Geib ’23 & Ali Meizels ’23

Books

Gabriella Gagnon ’24 & Sunny Wei ’23

Global

Layout Editors

Jahnavi Pradeep ’23 Olivia Wilson ’24 Shira Sadeh ’25 & Jendayi Leben-Martin ’24

sion-based, and Klapa encourages members to raise new ideas and push boundaries while respecting each other as peers. “Please be opinionated. Be okay with being wrong. Speak your mind,” they said. While reading theory may not be completely new for students, the club’s mission is for students to have the opportunity to read theory with peers, free from the pressures of a professor or grading system. In keeping with this collaborative community, students get to vote on the books the club reads and can suggest books for the group to vote on. “My goal is to help people learn,” Klapa said, a self-described theory nerd with a large personal theory library on campus. “I love theory. I eat, sleep and breathe politics. It’s really important knowing I have these resources. In the long run, I hope people are able to learn and become more empathetic and have that empathy reflected through

their political ideology.” In addition to intellectual discussion around the material, Klapa would like the club to inspire action on campus. “While education is one of the greatest liberators we have, I think establishing a community and actually putting what we discuss into practice will make us better leftists,” they said. Potential action items included community potlucks, book and food drives, a pen pal program with those incarcerated in the area, a slam poetry night, creating and distributing a zine and connecting with other campus organizations at Mount Holyoke College and within the Five Colleges. These actions are also designed to bring club members together outside of reading discussions. “I would like to cultivate a community,” Klapa explained. The group meets every other Sunday in the Abbey Hall common room and can be found on Instagram @redscarereadingclub. Their next meeting will occur on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 6:00 p.m.

Copy Editors

Jude Barrera ’24, Eliška Jacob ’24, Max Endieveri ’25, Gemma Golovner ’25, Meghan MacBeath ’25, Kamlyn Yosick ’25, Liv Churchill ’26, Kate Koenig ’26, Abigail McKeon ’26, Hema Motiani ’26, Emma Quirk ’26 & Caroline Huber ’26

Graphics

Summer Sit ’25, Orion Cheung ’25, Sophie Dalton ’25, Rachel Adler ’26 & Melanie Duronio ’26

Saturday, Oct. 14 Oktoberfest Join the German Club in this year’s celebration of Oktoberfest, an annual German cultural celebration of the fall and community! We will be serving locally catered Bavarian food, listening to traditional and modern German music, and playing lawn games! Creighton Green. 12-2 p.m.

Firepit by Pratt Hall. 7-8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 17 “Nos Tenemos (We Still Here)” Film Screening and Talkback Join the Community Based Learning Program for a viewing of “Nos Tenemos,” a documentary film telling an intimate story of community power and resilience as the youth of Comerío, Puerto Rico, fight for their community in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Afterward, join filmmakers Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi and Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi for a discussion.

Web Editors

Maira Khan ’25, Aditi Menon ’25, Chloe Wang ’25, Lily Hoffman Strickler ’23, Thao Le ’25, Sophie Simon ’25 & Ramisa Tahsin Rahman ’25

Cleveland Hall L1. 5-6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 18 Study Abroad 101

Sports

Emily Tarinelli ’25

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Event Highlights

S’mores, friends and fanfic galore! Come down to the firepit near Pratt Hall with Write Here, Write Now to toast marshmallows, laugh with members of the Mount Holyoke writing community and read fanfiction from all corners of the internet. Vegan and gluten-free options are available for s’mores! Please keep readings at least somewhat appropriate.

Mount Holyoke News is an independent student newspaper written by and for Mount Holyoke College students since 1917.

Arts & Entertainment

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Sunday, Oct. 15 Fanfic Firepit: A Write Here, Write Now Event

Mount Holyoke News

Tara Monastesse ’25 & Bryn Healy ’24

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Do: Fresh laundry | Don’t: Pacifiers

Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

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Thursday, Oct. 19 Beyond Pronouns: Gender in Action In the past year since Mount Holyoke launched its Pronoun Policy, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has held multiple listening sessions on the policy and various “Pronouns 101” workshops. Now we are proud to present our “Beyond Pronouns: Gender in Action” workshop. Gabriel Andres Hall will analyze the historical and cultural contexts of gender, how that translates — and doesn’t — into pronoun usage, analyze the relation of privilege and oppression of different gender identities, and help us consider our own gender journeys. This is a brave and collaborative space aimed at moving our campus community towards trans inclusivity. Virtual Event (register on Embark for the link). 6-8 p.m.