Mount Holyoke News - 10/20/2023

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Elle Rood ’27 brings passion for social justice to class presidency

BY NYX CIEPRISZ ’26 & MELANIE DURONIO ’26 NEWS EDITOR | FEATURES EDITOR

After running a successful campaign that connected with the student body’s desire for progress, Elle Rood ’27 was elected president of the Class of 2027 earlier this month.

With a wealth of political experience and a desire for change, Rood sees her presidency as “aligning [her] passions of politics and political organizing with [her] purpose of advancing social justice causes.”

In a recent interview with Mount Holyoke News, Rood discussed her experiences in politics, the importance of representation as the first transgender woman elected as president of a class at Mount Holyoke College, her goals to center civic engagement and community care at the College and her desire to work directly with other students.

“I decided to run for President based on my belief that I could bring ‘Experienced Progressive Representation’ — my motto and my goal — to our class,” Rood said. “I knew I had the experience necessary for success, the progressive values necessary to do socially just work in our community, and the representative abilities needed to demonstrate diverse, equitable leadership.”

The 2016 presidential election

Photo by Emma Quirk ’26 Elle Rood ’27 would like to bring “Experienced Progressive Representation” to the class of 2027.

Photo by Emma Quirk ’26 Chalk messages in support of Rood could be seen across campus in the days before the election.

sparked Rood’s interest in politics.

She remembers listening to NPR and reading The New York Times, finding them “fascinating” and trying to “take in as much information as [she] could.” From there, she conducted her own research on the politicians and policies that spoke to her.

She considers herself “a big Bernie fan” and prefers progressive candi-

was learning. And I did … surprise them with some substantive questions,” Rood said. “I asked a very specific question about … zoning for affordable housing, and I think they weren’t quite prepared to have to answer [that] to an 11-year-old.”

When she moved to New Jersey, she became involved in local politics there. She volunteered for

dates like Elizabeth Warren.

With this newfound interest, Rood hosted a “politics show” on her local community access television station WinCAM. There, she interviewed state representatives and senators, including Rep. Michael Day and Sen. Jason Lewis of Massachusetts.

“It wasn’t my best work, but I

Rep. Andy Kim’s campaign in 2018 and worked as a youth organizer for Andrew Yang’s 2020 presidential campaign. Although she states that she “no longer support[s] Andrew Yang,” his campaign gave her the opportunity to learn political advocacy and organization skills.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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‘MHC Housekeepers’ Wage Proposal’ circulates the College’s campus

BY BRIE FOSTER ’27 STAFF WRITER

A student-created petition advocating for a raise in wages for housekeepers at Mount Holyoke College has recently circulated around the community.

On Tuesday, Oct. 10, Wilder Hall Residential Fellow Isha Chinniah ’24 posted a petition titled “Support MHC Housekeepers’ Wage Proposal” to Change.org. The petition rapidly circulated on campus via student Instagram stories and social media pages, gaining the attention of hundreds in the community in just a few days. As of Oct. 20, the petition had over 500 of its desired 1000 signatures.

“Our goal through this petition is to continue to involve the student body in advocating for higher wages and the well-being of the housekeeping staff on campus,” Chinniah said.

The petition addresses what it describes as the unlivable wages Mount Holyoke housekeepers receive from the College.

“As students of this college, we are the strongest driving force behind the change at this institution,” Chinniah wrote to Mount Holyoke News. “This is an opportunity for us to come together, recognize the

dedication of our housekeepers, and support them with their request for fair compensation.”

Chinniah’s eyes were opened to the issue when she and some friends saw Wilder Hall Housekeeper Bonnie Bozetka wearing a badge for the UAW Local 2322 union and decided to ask about it.

“She told us about the Housekeeping Union’s request for higher wages that wasn’t making a lot of progress.” Chinniah said, “It was genuinely heartbreaking to hear about the multiple jobs she had to work just to provide for her family.”

To make a difference in the lives, families and paychecks of the housekeeping staff, Chinniah emphasized that it is up to the student body to advocate for change.

“If we are expected to view this college as an exceptional institution, it is high time we prioritize the well-being of its employees who are an integral part of our campus community.” Chinniah explained.

According to an email sent to Mount Holyoke News from a UAW Local 2023 email account, the union’s 2023 wage proposal is 45 cents more than Mount Holyoke’s previous offer.

The school’s housekeepers are currently paid $16.72 at the entry level, $17.77 at the mid level and $19.23 at

Photo by Emma Quirk ’26 Mount Holyoke College housekeepers clean residence halls, such as Mandelle Hall, pictured above.

the working level, the email stated.

The minimum wage in Massachusetts in 2023 is 15 dollars per hour.

The Housekeeping Union’s fight for fair pay is many years in the making. The union was formed in 2000, but as Union Steward and Creighton Hall Housekeeper Rhonda Saletnik told the Mount Holyoke News, “[housekeepers’] wages are not enough to keep up with the economy. And as [Massachusetts] minimum wage increases, we are not that far ahead.”

This is not the first time in recent years that a student has created a petition to support facilities management workers on campus.

In May 2022, Serynn Nowlin ’25 post-

ed a petition on Change.org titled “Raise the pay for Mount Holyoke’s Dining and Faculties Workers!” This petition addressed similar issues to Chinniah’s concerning the wages of the Mount Holyoke housekeeping and dining staff.

From understaffing issues to an hourly pay not much higher than minimum wage, the housekeepers are “exhausted and worn down,” South Mandelle Hall Housekeeper Marilyn Tremble said. “There is a lot of responsibility being a housekeeper,” she said.“It is not just about cleaning; we are also responsible for reporting any hazardous situation, any damages, anything that’s been broken or malfunctioning, as well as

assist[ing] students with non-res life issues if needed.”

The removal of individual dining areas in residence halls has resulted in those spaces being converted to new purposes, such as Golden Pear kitchens and common rooms. This has resulted in an increased area for housekeeping staff to attend to that is not accounted for in wages. As Saletnik puts it, there is “more work and less pay.”

Due to Mount Holyoke’s failure to consider these factors, Bozetka believes that housekeepers live on an unlivable wage, forcing many of them to pick up second jobs to make ends meet. “[It] is impossible to survive on the paychecks we are taking home,” Bozetka said. “It is important for the whole community to understand that housekeepers take pride in caring for the wellbeing of students on a daily basis by making their home away from home nice, clean and safe.”

“Another reason to have the petition, and what we are looking to achieve is to show the president and the trustees and management that our request for higher wages is not unreasonable,” Tremble said. “If the College believes that our work is so valuable and important, the best way to show that is through the wages.”

Senate welcomes Angie Gregory to discuss geothermal energy project

BY PAIGE COMEAU ’26 STAFF WRITER

Senate on Tuesday, Oct. 17, began with the SGA senate team reintroducing themselves. The team consists of Linden Wade ’26, the chair of special interests, Serynn Nowlin ’25, the chair of halls and Julia Madonick ’24, the chair of the senate. Then, the group stated the agenda for the evening, which consisted of E-Board updates, a community guidelines workshop and open floor. The meeting also featured a presentation by Angie Gregory, the sustainability program manager at the Miller Worley Center for the Environment.

During E-Board updates, the senate leaders urged hall senators to take their first Newsflush of the year — a monthly newsletter posted on the doors of every bathroom stall in every hall. For the sake of conserving resources, the leaders asked that each senator keep track of how many stalls there were and report that number to the team. This way, they could print exactly the right amount of newsletters from this point forward.

As mentioned during the previous meeting, the senate team will highlight a new Native nation at the

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beginning of each month in an attempt to take action toward the mission described in the Mount Holyoke College land acknowledgment.

This month, the SGA highlighted the Nipmuc Nation, a community of nearly 600 members located throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. In the PowerPoint presentation sent to every senate member, the team linked different resources for supporting the Nipmuc. These resources included the nation’s Instagram, official donation site and early history database.

Next, the senate moved on to a community guidelines workshop.

The senators brainstormed values and guidelines for the senate sessions in order to ensure each person felt comfortable voicing their opinions. Many students pitched their ideas, including guidelines such as active listening, no interrupting and being respectful of everyone’s opinions and backgrounds.

The senate asked that students keep these ideals in mind before moving onto open floor, a portion of the meeting that allowed the students to voice their opinions, concerns, questions and announcements.

2 FEATURES: Celebrating Indigenous Peoples

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Many representatives and senators, such as the senator for North Creighton Hall and the representative for WMHC, spoke up on different topics. These ranged from the lack of straws in the Kendade Grab ’n Go to the SGA Ways and Means Committee budget cuts.

Around halfway through the meeting, senate leaders introduced Gregory, who spoke on the recent construction around campus. This construction, Gregory explained, is a part of the geothermal energy project, a venture that will transition Mount Holyoke’s campus from carbon energy sources to geothermal energy over the next seven years.

Gregory divided her presentation into two parts to explain why Mount Holyoke is carrying out the project and how it works. She cited a Massachusetts state law passed in 2022 that set a goal for net zero carbon emissions by 2050 to show how Massachusetts is a leader in state sustainability practices.

Mount Holyoke itself has a carbon neutrality goal by 2037. Carbon neutrality, or net zero carbon emissions, means that a state or institution emits only as much carbon as they remove or store. The current geothermal energy project aims to

Photo by Emma Quirk ’26 Guest speaker, Angie Gregory, discusses sustainability work on campus done by Max Paster ’25.

place Mount Holyoke on the track to meet its 2037 goal in the most cost-effective way possible.

The geothermal energy project works like a battery placed underground, except the battery is actually a rock, Gregory described in her presentation. Through pipes placed in the ground, the school will funnel warm or cool water into the earth, which will, in turn, warm or cool the rocks. The heat or cold trapped in the rocks will then be used to warm or cool the buildings.

4 OPINION: Trans soldiers, spies, and Stonewallers

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This system is unlike other renewable energy sources, like wind power, because it does not depend on specific conditions to work. Interestingly, Gregory revealed that when excavating Skinner Green this summer, they found a piece of the original foundation belonging to Mount Holyoke’s original seminary building. Coincidentally, this piece of the foundation belonged to the boiler room. Gregory took questions, the senate team thanked her for coming and then the meeting was adjourned.

6 S&E: Asteriod sample collected after 7 years

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FEATURES The College community honors Gloria Anzaldúa and Indigenous communities for Indigenous Peoples’ Day October 20, 2023

Mount Holyoke News

BY EMMA QUIRK ’26 & MADHAVI RAO ’24 PHOTOS EDITOR & STAFF WRITER | STAFF WRITER

To celebrate Latinx Heritage Month and Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sponsored multiple events including, “Honoring the Ancestor, Gloria Anzaldúa: Joy, Love, And Liberation featuring Latinx Writers” and a field trip to the third annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day Ceremonial Celebration in Newton, Massachusetts.

Irene “I-SHEA” Shaikly, a performance and teaching artist described as an advocate for social systemic change, was invited to lead “Honoring the Ancestor.” The event, organized by Assistant Director of Diversity Programming and LGBTQ Resources Nohelya Zambrano Aguayo ’21, took place over lunch on Friday, Oct. 6, at the Unity Center.

Mount Holyoke College staff, faculty, and current and prospective students gathered in the space to pay respects to Gloria Anzaldúa, an American scholar of Chicana feminism, cultural theory and queer theory who centered LGBTQ+ people of color in her work.

Before the celebration, participants were treated to Mexican food with options including mole, tortilla chips, plátanos, rice, beans, guacamole, salsa and Jarritos. Attendees were given complimentary copies of “The Gloria Anzaldúa Reader” and some of Anzaldúa’s books, including “Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza”.

I-SHEA, surrounded by an array of various colorful and unique instruments, began the event with a song dedicated to Anzaldúa. She created space to remember the ancestors who paved the way for queer communities of color. Everyone in the Unity Center picked an instrument from I-SHEA’s extensive collection, forming a musical circle. Instruments ranged from ocean drums, hand-pans and sound bowls to maracas and Ghanaian gourd shakers.

As everyone settled in, I-SHEA instructed one individual in the group to begin playing their instrument. In their own time, each person in the group started playing, each sound layering onto the next until every instrument’s sound rang out within the circular room.

The music reverberated until the person who began the sound circle decided to stop playing their instrument. Everyone in the circle consecutively ceased playing until the room was once again silent.

“The feeling of sitting and listening to the collective noise generated is indescribable,” Sara Abubo ’25 said.

“Truly I could feel it in my spirit.”

After the circle, I-SHEA created space for people to name loved ones they would like to remember

Photo courtesy of Madhavi Rao ’24 Attendees of the ‘Honoring the Ancestor’ event, which involved communal music, pose for a photo.

and ancestors whose power needed to be honored. “When you call ancestors and spirits, they listen, and they come,” Abubo said. “I definitely felt a presence of some higher power, whether it be ancestors, spirits, or maybe just everyone’s energy together in the room, but it was there.”

Next, I-SHEA opened the musical circle again, allowing attendees to enter and exit, playing their instruments in a building sequence as the room once again resonated with sound and eventual silence. When the second circle closed, I-SHEA encouraged people to write about their experiences in the space, what they learned and how they felt connected.

The prompt she offered was, “The truth is…”After reflecting on the activity, I-SHEA invited everybody in the room to write unaddressed love letters to another person in the room. These love letters were collected, put into a basket and passed around the circle until everyone had a letter they did not write. To end the event, I-SHEA went around the circle, asking people to share their challenges and areas of growth and to read their love letter aloud. “It’s always surprising the level of vulnerability that can be achieved when people come together for events like this,” Soleil Doering ’24 said.

Students present felt that the event cultivated a sense of love, appreciation and warmth among the group. “Overall, it was an amazing experience that is hard to put into words that convey the enormity of the feelings generated,” Abubo said.

“You just had to be there.”

The community reflection did not end there. On Oct. 9, Mount Holyoke staff and students joined a crowd of hundreds of native and non-native folks at Albemarle Field in Newton, Massachusetts, to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Zambrano Aguayo, Krysia Villón ’96 and Vice President for Equity and Inclusion Kijua Sanders-McMurtry organized the trip, while Zambrano Aguayo and Graduate Assistant Katie Dick ’21 led it. Villón is the owner of Chiqui’s Kitchen — a restaurant dedicated to making Peruvian-style empanadas and honoring her Peruvian-Quechua-American heritage — and one of the founders of the celebration. “[The Office of DEI] had just received a grant for Indigenous-focused programs and resources, and knew we wanted to use some of it to sponsor the celebration, take our students, and honor Krysia’s labors and talents,” Zambrano Aguayo said.

The event’s opening ceremony included the Four Directions Prayer, an intertribal song and dance intended to honor ancestors, and speeches from elders and tribe leaders. Immediately afterwards, students were treated to a complimentary lunch from Chiqui’s Kitchen. Throughout the day, Indigenous leaders spoke, led prayers, sang and danced. The event featured pow-wow style performances, intertribal dances and social dances where all attendees were invited to participate.

The ceremony allowed participants to connect with nature as well as with one another. “I felt so present, connected and grateful throughout,” Zambrano Aguayo said. “[The opening] land acknowledgment connected all of us in the field to be present with one another and Mother Earth. From there on, it was clear that Indigenous knowledge would be valued and centered, which isn’t typical in most higher academia spaces like MHC.” Several tribal elders and leaders — including of the Narragansett and Wampanoag Nations — gave

Photo by Emma Quirk ’26 A jingle dancer, pictured above, does a pow wow dance at Newton’s third annual IPD Celebration.

Photo by Emma Quirk ’26 People participate in an intertribal dance at the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration in Newton.

speeches before the crowd. A significant moment for Peters was “when the Chiefs were reading about how the land was taken away from us and what they are trying to do to get some back.” After the celebration, they felt “encourage[d] that there are so many people working towards change.” Attendees could purchase Indigenous food and art from local vendors, as well as interact with nonprofit organizations that had tents set up around the field. Leaders spoke about their love for their communities alongside initiatives such as taking care of the Earth, fighting for a permanent reservation for the Nipmuc people and pushing for a new Massachusetts state motto and an updated state seal. A commission of lawmakers, indigenous representatives, historians and others was created in 2021 to change the state seal and motto, which have been “condemned as racist,” according to WBUR. This negotiation is currently in progress.

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller

and state Senator Ed Markey were in attendance and gave remarks. They both spoke in support of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and local native people and communities. Markey shared the same sentiments in his speech on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Today — and every day — I am with native people in the fight for sovereignty, land rights, and environmental justice.” Overall, the event was a positive experience for attendees. “It was so validating for us to all resist white supremacy in engaging with the music, dances and cultures of various Indigenous people, supporting Indigenous food and art vendors, and actively listening to Indigenous people speak throughout,” Zambrano Aguayo said.

“I always go to Pow Wows to celebrate our heritage and culture and this was another opportunity to celebrate,” Peters said. “I felt included, accepted and honored.”

Editor’s note: Madhavi Rao ’24 is a member of Mount Holyoke News.

Hardcore scene flourishes at boisterous Marsh Arts House show

BY CAROLINE HUBER ’26 STAFF WRITER

Hardcore punk enthusiasts and musicians alike crammed into the Marsh Arts House, a dorm at Amherst College, for a free “Western Mass Attack” show at roughly 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 12.

Western Massachusetts has a lively community of hardcore genre enthusiasts, with venues including the Marsh House, the Jones Library, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst, the Rat Trap and the Hoff in Holyoke. The frequent shows held there draw a returning, dedicated and violent audience.

Kyle Cohen, who organized the show and plays in Target Scammers, stated that he “really love[s] the people involved in the scene” and “there’s some really cool art being made, and people are here to enjoy it.”

The show opened with a performance by the three-piece band Th3 Butt3rfli3s and B33z, a group inspired by the animated series Adventure Time. They played an uptempo set that included a cover of “Remember You” from the series, alongside several original songs. The set also featured mournful screaming, followed by a disjointed sing-along of “Like a Prayer” by Madonna.

Next, a four-piece hardcore

band from Brimfield, Mass. called Posthumous Obsession enthused the crowd, kicking off a violent set.

The audience’s frenetic energy resulted in several injuries, including a bloody nose. The chaotic but energetic performance featured a circle pit and particularly aggressive dancing from revved-up moshers.

“Posthumous Obsession is a force to be reckoned with,” Cohen said.

Following the lively performance, the four-piece Western Massachusetts band Robbery played, beginning their musical set with a speech that recognized those suffering in Palestine, regardless of political belief, to an ardent response from the crowd. They also acknowledged that they were temporarily missing a member for unrelated reasons.

Four-piece local hardcore band Birthright performed a heavy set, with screaming vocals and aggressive drumming creating a rough texture that revved up the increasingly wild crowd. Benjamin Nadeau, who screams for Birthright, noted that they enjoyed playing Amherst because of “the amount of people who pull up to shows, [and] the types of people that pull up to shows.”

Brief confusion arose between sets when an alarmed door was propped open, alongside concern over bloody injuries sustained

during the previous act.

Next, the Agawam-based twopiece queer punk band, Film & Gender, played a joyful and passionate set. The musicians encouraged participants to kneel and jump in coordination with each other, leading the room to take on boisterous and connected energy as they played their original songs. “Hardcore has always been about unity,” Nadeau said.

Pach Pacheco ’25 “really enjoyed the sets” from Birthright and Film & Gender. “They both have really good stage presence and really know how to bring energy to the crowds,” Pacheco said. They specified that Film & Gender’s sets “are more like performances” and that they would like to “see more trans and queer bands [and] acts being pushed in the scene.”

Due to time constraints, the four-piece Amherst rock band Target Scammers played immediately after. Their upbeat and rushed performance was augmented by a writhing mass of dancing listeners tightly packed around the band.

“The highlight of this show for me was seeing the community come together for a good night,” Cohen said. “Everybody looked like they were having such a good time, and there was so much support from band to band.”

Photo courtesy of Ruby Thompson Agawam-based two-piece queer punk band Film & Gender, above encouraged coordinated kneeling.

October 20, 2023

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

. Mount Holyoke News

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‘Spiderman’ was beautiful, emotional and full of new spiders

BY WOODLIEF MCCABE ’23 STAFF WRITER

through the city, working in synchronicity. Miles follows her into another universe, and we get introduced to After “Spiderman: Into the Spi- a whole new cast of Spider-People derverse” experienced lucrative while reuniting with some familiar success upon its release in 2018, this ones.

The similarities between differpast summer’s “Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse” is a clever, emo- ent Spider-People’s experiences is a tionally intelligent and visually thread of connection woven throughstunning sequel to the first film. out the entire film, growing stronger It opens with Gwen Stacy (Hail- as we are introduced to the many ee Steinfeld), aka Spider-Woman, Spider-People — and one horse — in delivering an introductory mono- all universes. logue that mimics the one protagoThe film doesn’t prioritize the nist Miles Morales (Jharrel Jerome) action sequences but rather takes a gave in the first film. Gwen strug- humanizing and intimately personal gles with loneliness and grief from lens to the heroes. Some of the best events that predate the first film scenes in the film are the introducand the loss of connection with the tions of some of the new characters, friends she has made. She is also like the cockney punk Hobie Brown struggling to keep her identity a (Daniel Kaluuya), and Pavitr Prasecret from her father, a police cap- bhakar (Karan Soni), a Spider-Pertain intent on capturing and arrest- son from Mumbattan. In fact, I wanting the masked vigilante known as ed even more screen time for these “Spider-Woman.” Gwen deals with characters. this differently than Miles. She quits Regardless, the film successfulthe band she is in and pushes peo- ly executed the introduction of new ple away, choosing to be alone so she characters into an existing film senever has to experience the pain of ries, providing a clear sense of their losing anyone ever again. This char- personalities without disrupting the acter struggle is depicted visually: flow or pushing aside the existing as Gwen plays her heart out on the characters we already love. drums, rhythmic explosions of color The film itself is gorgeous. Like and movement cover the screen as the first movie, this one feels like a she attempts to drown out and play love letter to the art of animation through her pain. and illustration. Each universe is When she dons her suit to re- given its own visual style, and each spond to a disturbance at an art character then gets their own animuseum, unfamiliar Spider-People mation style. These universes are from other universes arrive on the individually unique locations with scene. They defeat the intruding rich stories to be told but maintain a Vulture (Jorma Taccone) and intro- connectedness that does not need to duce Gwen to their elite Spider So- be obvious to be effective. ciety, which she begs to join as she The superteam of Spider-People feels her own universe has nothing is a dazzling mosaic of movement to offer her. and color. The Back in animation is At the center of attention his own unibeautiful, someof the film are its visuals. verse (known times gliding, They are more than just a as Earth-1610), sometimes haltMiles Morales is ing. medium for conveying the also still living asionplot. This is what animation ally,O itc c is a double life as highis for — creating a visual Spiderman. He ly detailed, but has not stopped sometimes, the language that illustrates thinking about are what live performance and characters the multiverse standing before set design could never do. friends he made, a background especially Gwen. awash in waterMiles is juggling fighting a new en- color. These choices enhance the emy known as the Spot while also emotional moments, leaving charactrying to be a good student and be ters isolated or crowded out by their present for his family. Being a super- circumstances. hero can take a toll on a teenager, At the center of attention of the especially when they have no one to film are its visuals. They are more talk to about it. than just a medium for conveying When Gwen reappears and re- the plot. This is what animation is veals the existence of the Spider So- for — creating a visual language that ciety, the viewer is shown enjoyably illustrates what live performance colorful and beautifully dizzying and set design could never do. The sequences of the two of them flying “Spider-Verse” films continue to el-

Photo courtesy of Sony Animation via Wikimedia Commons ‘Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse,’ uses a variety of visual motifs such as eyecatching colors as well as intimate storytelling to pull fans into the film.

evate the medium of animation and remind us that this kind of splendor is possible when the medium is centered in the production.

The visual motifs of the different characters also help to develop their personalities quickly – for example, Hobie’s edgy, angular style sets him apart immediately. These styles work as a shorthand for who these characters are and make them memorable in a sea of Spider-People.

Part Two in the “Spider-Verse” trilogy-to-be deals with the aftermath of the first movie and the emotional toll that it has taken on its characters. Despite some chase scenes, the first half of the film is slow. Miles deals with planning for his future in school, his parents’ expectations and their reactions to his odd behavior.

When Gwen comes to visit, they swing around the city, but they also sit and have conversations about how being a part of the legacy of Spider-People has affected them. Miles deals with his hurt of not knowing sooner that Gwen could travel through dimensions. Meanwhile, Gwen struggles with the knowledge that in every universe except her own, Gwen Stacy falls for Spiderman and dies. The internal struggles in the movie keep pace with the exterior threats as the Spot’s power increases and becomes more danger-

ous.

It takes a bit of time for the film to develop its central conflict, but when it does, it feels as though it barely lets us digest the information before providing a feast of new plots to consider. While the first half is well-paced and character-driven, the latter half delivers the multiverse and character lore at a rate that feels like it is making up for the slow pace of the first half.

Toward the end of the film, there are two huge revelations made without any other subplots being resolved. Based on how it is structured, it is no surprise to learn that this was originally meant to be one film that had to be cut into two. We are in an era of media that loves a multiverse. Marvel, DC and even indie studios are putting up their own takes on what it could mean to have other versions of our own world out there. Some are successful; some feel forced. “Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse” is proof that we can have superhero multiverses done thoughtfully and executed well.

However, if Marvel and other franchises want to engage us in the multiverse, some culling must be done. Ideally, this film will be included in a trilogy – and if the producers are smart, they won’t weigh us down with excessive additions such as a whole new series, a TV show and a

prequel.

As much as we may love the characters, sometimes it’s okay to be left with a few questions and curiosity. The charm is lost by asking the creators to fill in every second of the history of the characters. “Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse” also gives us new characters that don’t rely on the audience’s love for their more popular counterparts.

All the Spider-People have different personalities, powers, ideologies and goals. Though this film does technically connect to the other Sony and Marvel Spiderman movies, they did not rely on audiences’ knowledge of them to carry the plot.

Miles Morales and his friends are original characters.

The use of the Spider-Verse characters did occasionally seem to want to elicit an “I know that reference” response from the audience, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as what has been done in other franchises, and the nature of the film was set up so that it did not feel especially shoehorned into those scenes.

The first “Spider-Verse” film was a tough act to follow, and we won’t know if the follow-through will pay off until the third installment.

Still, “Spiderman: Across The Spider-Verse” certainly stands as a visual marvel and a compelling continuation of these characters’ stories.

Crossword of the Week: October 20, 2023 Down:

1. The animal used as a decoy by Facilities Management to ward off invasive geese.

3. The last name of the doctor quoted in a CNN article on NASA’s most recent achievement.

4. The last name of a forward on the MHC Rugby team.

7. The name of a four-piece hardcore band whose performance at Marsh Arts House featured screaming vocals.

9. Geological event that occurred in Afghanistan last week, measured by the Richter Scale.

14. ______ Heritage Month was celebrated between September 15 and October 15, 2023.

Across:

2. The last name of the new class president for the Class of 2027.

5. The last name of a transgender man who served in the Illinois Infantry in the American Civil War. 6. A country in the Middle East that recently entered into a state of war.

8. The name of the monthly newsletter posted on the doors of bathroom stalls in every residence hall.

10. The college at which Mount Holyoke Riding completed recently.

11. Third word in the name of an organization dedicated to empowering trans people and funding gender-affirming healthcare.

12. The last name of a Mount Holyoke worker who wore a union pin, prompting student body advocacy in solidarity with workers.

13. The group of Mount Holyoke workers currently advocating for a wage increase.

15. The first name of Spider-Woman in the new “Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse” movie.

16. The last name of a writer honored by the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in celebration of Latinx Heritage Month and Indigenous Peoples’ Day. 17. The word corresponding to the last letter in the acronym for the professional sports group that recently banned the usage of Pride Tape.

18. The name of the asteroid which NASA recently retrieved a sample from.

Grab a copy of the paper next week to see the answers!

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GLOBAL

October 20, 2023

. Mount Holyoke News

Hamas attacks Israel, leads to fears of increased destabilization

Graphic by Gabby Gagnon ’24

BY SHIRA SADEH ’25 GLOBAL EDITOR

Content warning: This article discusses mass death and state-sanctioned violence.

A surprise military attack on A surprise military attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas has prompted a declaration of war by Israel.

On Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, at 6:30 a.m. local time, Hamas fired rockets into central and southern Israel, although, as ABC News reported, the exact number is disputed — Israel claims 2,200 while Hamas has said 5,000. At the same time, bulldozers driven by Hamas militants tore down a section of the fence surrounding Gaza, allowing Hamas militants into southern Israel. More militants floated in on paragliders, and Israeli soldiers exchanged fire with Hamas motorboaters on the coast.

As the Israeli Defense Forces were taken by surprise, Hamas fighters fired at civilians rushing toward bomb shelters, entered homes to target families and took men, women, children and elderly individuals as hostages into Gaza.

According to NBC News, the death toll on Oct. 9 accounted for roughly 1,100 known deaths — 700 in Israel and 424 in Gaza. By Oct. 19, those numbers had risen to 1,400 known deaths in Israel and 3,800 in Gaza, CBS News reported.

AP News stated that the leader of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif, referred to this invasion as “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm” in a recorded video.

“Enough is enough,” Deif said in reference to the violence and discrimination Palestinians have faced from Israeli security forces in both Israeli and Palestinian territories.

He cited several inciting events such as a 16-year-long blockade of Gaza enforced by Israel and Egypt, violence at Al-Aqsa Mosque — which is located at a disputed holy site in Jerusalem — and Israeli raids in the West Bank, AP News reported.

Reuters reported that by Thursday, 360,000 Israeli military reserves had been summoned, most of whom were already in Israel. Several, however, were out of the country and

quickly returned to Israel.

According to The Washington Post, Iran is said to be involved in Hamas’ recent attacks, though it is unclear to what extent. Sohail Hashmi, professor and chair of international relations at Mount Holyoke College, stated that “there’s definitely a connection between Iran and Hamas.”

He explained that despite their differences — Hamas is a Sunni organization and Iran is Shia — they share a common enemy: Israel.

Whether this means that Iran was behind Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, however, remains unclear.

“Hamas gets a lot of weapons and supplies from Iran. And more than likely, they got some kind of training somewhere for the current attack that they mounted this past weekend,” Hashmi said. “But whether Iran masterminded the whole thing or whether they even knew the operational details, no one has been able to show that at this point.”

While Iran’s level of direct involvement with Hamas is not clear, Professor and Director of Program in Middle East Studies at Smith College Steven Heydemann explained that another regional concern for Israel is the involvement of Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group.

“What we know … is that Iran is now looking to bolster the military capacity of Hezbollah, even beyond its current very impressive levels,” Heydemann said. “It is principally through Hezbollah, I think, that Iran is exerting military influence on this conflict. And I suspect that there is a great deal of discussion happening between Iran and Hezbollah about how to calibrate Hezbollah’s military reaction to what Israel is doing in a way that doesn’t lead to an allout confrontation, which I think Iran does not want, and which I think Hezbollah would probably be reluctant to get involved with.”

Hashmi explained that Hezbollah emerged in the 1980s during the Lebanese Civil War. Since then, it has remained an independent militia within Lebanon located right above its southern border with Israel.

“In Lebanon today, you have Hezbollah acting almost like a ministate within the state of Lebanon,” Hashmi said. “And the reason why

they were given this concession is because they vowed to keep Lebanon safe from any further Israeli incursions. So Lebanon now has this kind of very bizarre situation where the [Lebanese] government cannot really control what Hezbollah does — Hezbollah is as armed as the Lebanese army pretty much.”

When asked about the link between Hamas and Hezbollah, Heydemann responded that the two groups tend to collaborate because their political goals often align closely.

“Hamas and Hezbollah [both] proclaim themselves to be the principal anti-Zionist, anti-Israeli, anti-Western, anti-American actors in the Levant and the eastern Mediterranean. So in the sense that Hamas and Hezbollah kind of share a strategic conception with respect to Israel, there’s opportunity there for cooperation and collaboration,” Heydemann said.

According to Reuters, since Oct. 7, Israel has placed Gaza — which has a population of approximately 2.3 million — under a total siege and released an “unprecedented” amount of airstrikes on the strip. Officials in Gaza reported that by Oct. 13, 1,900 people who live in Gaza had died.

On Oct. 13, Israeli officials advised 1.1 million residents in the northern part of Gaza to evacuate to the south, while Hamas told residents to stay, saying they would fight “to the last drop of blood.”

Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons for the United Nations, stated in a press release that Israel must rescind this evacuation order, saying that “forcible population transfers constitute a crime against humanity, and collective punishment is prohibited under international humanitarian law.”

In a public address given on Oct. 13 and posted to the Associated Press Archive YouTube channel, the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, stated that Israel’s goal is to “obliterate Hamas terror capabilities.”

Research Associate Alexander Palmer and Senior Fellow Daniel Byman from CSIS have explained, however, that this goal would be difficult to execute through a blockade or an ongoing air campaign. This means that a ground invasion into Gaza remains the most likely avenue through which Israel will attempt to eradicate Hamas.

This ground invasion would be catastrophic for Palestinians in Gaza and potentially complex for the Israeli military to conduct because Gaza is a densely populated urban space. Furthermore, should this invasion unfold, Israel will have to decide whether to severely weaken Hamas or to destroy it. Weakening it might leave room for future altercations, but destroying it may allow another militant group to take its place, Palmer and Byman explained.

Palmer and Byman went on to recall the 2014 incursion into Gaza, in which the IDF could only advance a few kilometers after two weeks of fighting. During this operation —

Operation Protective Edge — over 2,000 Palestinians, 66 Israeli soldiers and six Israeli civilians were killed.

Heydemann echoed their reservations about an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza.

“I think the likelihood of a ground operation happening is almost 100 percent. I think it would be very difficult to dissuade Israel at this point that it should not conduct ground operations. I also think, though, that [Israel creating] the expectation that it’s going to destroy Hamas and eradicate Hamas is quite unrealistic,” Heydemann said.

Heydemann clarified that it would be inaccurate to say that all Palestinians in Gaza support or work for Hamas. “Even though it is very much the case that many Palestinians in Gaza may not approve of Hamas and the way it governs, … it still has a wide base of support,” Heydemann said.

As evidence for this, he recalled the 2006 Palestinian Legislative Council elections, in which Hamas won by a majority of the vote. Heydemann explained that the operation to destroy Hamas, therefore, would likely be unsuccessful, instead leading to mass civilian casualties in Gaza. He also predicted that it would be politically unfavorable among Israeli citizens because of its infeasibility.

According to Time magazine, many state leaders — including those from the United States, China and Ukraine — have condemned Hamas’ attack and, as the situation escalates, have increasingly called for restraint to be shown by all parties involved. On Oct. 15, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres requested that Israel allow “unimpeded access for humanitarian aid” into the Gaza Strip and that Hamas release all the hostages back to Israel. According to the United Nations, Guterres’s statement “comes as clean water and other vital supplies are dwindling inside Gaza in the wake of Israel’s blockade.”

Human rights groups echoed these sentiments in their statements.

Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard stated, “The collective punishment of Gaza’s civilian population amounts to a war crime — it is cruel and inhumane.

As the occupying power, Israel has a clear obligation under international law to ensure the basic needs of Gaza’s civilian population are met.”

Representatives from other humanitarian groups and non-governmental organizations have also weighed in.

“War crimes by one party don’t justify war crimes by the other,” Program Director at Human Rights Watch Sari Bashi wrote on the nonprofit’s website. “International humanitarian law, or the laws of war, lay out obligations that parties to a conflict owe to civilians, no matter what the other side does. The fact that Hamas-led fighters targeted civilians doesn’t allow the Israeli military to target civilians or flout its obligations to protect them.”

U.S. President Joe Biden expressed very strong support for Israel immediately following the attacks

on Oct. 7, according to The New York Times. However, he warned that an Israeli occupation of Gaza would be “a big mistake.” Biden has been unequivocal in his belief in Israel’s right to retaliate against Hamas and, according to BBC News, has moved U.S. warships closer to the region.

The New York Times also reported on a “60 Minutes” interview in which Biden appeared. “[Israel] has to go after Hamas. Hamas is a bunch of cowards. They’re hiding behind the civilians. They put their headquarters where civilians are and buildings and the like,” Biden stated. He did not, however, explicitly endorse a ground invasion and acknowledged the importance of leaving a path to a Palestinian state through the Palestinian Authority.

Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst David Mednicoff spoke about the relationship between Israel and the United States, saying that “even with the Biden Administration’s — and many liberal Jews’ — revulsion for the pre-Oct. 7 Israeli government, there are strong affinities of politics and history that connect Israel and the U.S., which have led to significant support in the wake of the Hamas attacks.”

“I assume that, behind the scenes, many American diplomats are involved in trying to limit casualties to civilians in Gaza,” Mednicoff said. He further explained that the fact that there are some Americans whom Hamas has taken hostage increases the “U.S. government’s enmity towards Hamas.” However, he believes that the American reaction likely would have remained similar regardless.

“This certainly increases … the need for Washington’s intervention to help with the hostage crisis, even as it doesn’t change the general deference that is being given to Israel because of the nature of the Hamas attack on Israeli territory,” Mednicoff said.

According to POLITICO, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced on Oct. 16 that the president will travel to Israel in a show of solidarity. He also planned to arrive in Amman, Jordan, to meet with world leaders, including the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt.

However, on Oct. 18, POLITICO reported that the summit in Jordan had been canceled in light of an explosion at a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds of people. The White House stated that the meetings with leaders from Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Egypt will be postponed.

According to The New York Times, the cause of the hospital explosion is still being contested, with neither Israel nor Palestinian Islamic Jihad — the group accused by Israel of being behind the explosion — accepting responsibility.

A panel discussion on the implications of this crisis is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 5:30 p.m. at Hooker Auditorium

Afghanistan hit by two 6.3 magnitude earthquakes in one week

BY ELIZABETH MURRAY ’26 STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article discusses mass death.

In the span of just one week, Afghanistan has been hit by two earthquakes. As of Oct. 11, 3,000 people are believed to have been killed, according to The Guardian.

AP News reported that the first earthquake on Oct. 7 had a magnitude of 6.3 and hit a heavily populated area near the city of Herat. The death toll initially released by the Taliban would have made it one of the country’s deadliest earthquakes in 20 years.

Several aftershocks followed, with the strongest measuring magnitudes of 6.3, 5.9 and 5.5. Then, on Oct. 11, another 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit north of Herat, according to BBC News.

It is reported that 90% of the deceased are women and children. The governor of Herat province has confirmed that there has been massive infrastructure damage as a result of the two disasters.

The Herat province is located in western Afghanistan and borders Iran and Turkmenistan. BBC News

reported that a majority of the area’s livestock were killed during the earthquakes, which is especially devastating as the region depends heavily on farming.

The situation in the Herat province has become dire. According to The Guardian, electricity was cut off on Wednesday, and residents are losing access to food and clean drinking water. Many are evacuating the main city or heading to the desert, fearing another earthquake. Herat province is home to approximately 2,000 villages, the residents of which have left their homes. According to CBS 12, villages of up to 1,000 homes were completely destroyed.

These two earthquakes come on the heels of the Afghan economy collapsing following the Taliban’s overthrowing of the government in 2021, CBS News explained. As a result of this change, much of the aid sustaining the region has been cut off.

AP News states that the country is now struggling to receive aid in the aftermath of these two disasters, as many in the international community are hesitant to work with the Taliban. Assistance has mainly come from non-governmental aid groups, as well as China and Pakistan.

According to Reuters, some

groups, such as the World Food Programme, simply do not have the resources to provide adequate aid to all those affected. “We have 50 million people who do not know where their next meal will come from, and the World Food Programme is only able to support three million [people],” Phillipe Kropf, the head of communications for the World Food Program Afghanistan, told Reuters.

On Thursday, the United States said it would send $12 million in aid, according to CBS News. In 2021 — when the Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban took over — the United States froze $7 billion in central bank assets, after which half of those allocated funds were placed in a Swiss banking account as aid for the Afghan people.

Analysts are now calling for the utilization of some of those funds to be used to help rebuild after the earthquake.

According to The Guardian, the U.N. and EU have both approved $5 million and $3.5 million in aid, respectively. The Guardian proceeded to explain that the country will face an uphill battle as aid groups scramble to raise funds and help rebuild a country that has faced catastrophe after catastrophe in recent years.

Photo courtesy of Tasmin News Agency via Wikimedia Commons An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 has struck a heavily populated area near the city of Herat.

October 20, 2023

. Mount Holyoke News

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT + PHOTO

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NASA returns unprecedented asteroid sample to Earth

BY SARAH GRINNELL ’26 SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT EDITOR

Another new piece of the final frontier is now within humanity’s grasp.

On Wednesday, Oct. 11, NASA revealed images of its first-ever asteroid sample returned to Earth, The New York Times reported. The fragments were collected from the seven-year-long OSIRIS-REx mission launched in 2016. The goal of the mission was to collect materials from the 4.5 billion-year-old nearEarth asteroid Bennu, according to CNN. According to the OSIRIS-REx mission description on the NASA website, the newly retrieved sample was collected in 2020, but the fragments finally landed in the Utah desert on Sept. 24 after being dropped off by a spacecraft. From there, they were delivered to their permanent residence at NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston.

On Wednesday, Oct. 11, a first look at the fragments was finally revealed to the public.

The unveiled images speak to the possibility of new insight into the origins of life, according to the OSIRIS-Rex mission description on the NASA website. The website mentions that scientists have hopes the samples will “offer clues to whether asteroids colliding with Earth billions of years ago brought water and other key ingredients for life.”

Professor Thomas Burbine, director of the John Payson Williston Observatory at Mount Holyoke College, though currently unaffiliated with the mission, has a small personal connection to the project, having worked on it many years ago for a former graduate school advisor.

“Asteroids are “remaining material that didn’t form the planets,” and they are most commonly found between Mars and Jupiter,” Burbine said.

According to Burbine, the asteroid “Bennu” appears to possess similar properties to carbonaceous chondrites, which he describes as “material that condensed pretty much out of the solar nebula.” This is the mass of dust and gas from which the solar system originated.

What Burbine says makes this particular sample so exciting is how “pristine” it is.

“You’re looking at material as original as possible as it is on the surface of the asteroid,” he explained, emphasizing that this mate-

rial is what astronomers consider to be the “most unaltered” type.

In a CNN article, Dr. Jason Dworkin, OSIRIS-REx project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, states that the Bennu sample is about 5% carbon, which makes it “the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever returned to Earth.”

Burbine explained that samples containing that much carbon typically have “elemental compositions very similar to the sun.” He said this makes them ideal for study since “you want something that hasn’t really been processed [and] that is as similar as possible to the composition of the solar nebula.”

According to Burbine, the rich carbon contents of the sample indicate that asteroids like Bennu contain “the building blocks of the planets.” Therefore, they could be revelatory in providing new knowledge about “the start of life and also the start of the solar system.”

“Asteroids like that also contain a lot of organic material, a lot of water and hydrated silicates, lots of carbon — all the elements you need for life,” he said. “So they think these asteroids, when the earth had formed … were striking the earth and giving the ingredients for life.”

Burbine also cleared up a popular misconception circulated by various news outlets. Namely, that this is the first time an asteroid sample has been returned to Earth. According to Burbine, Japan returned two samples prior to OSIRIS-REx. However, Burbine says what makes this particular return so “groundbreaking” is that it was the United States’ first return of an asteroid sample. It was also the first mission to return a sample of its size, which he estimated was “half a pound.”

“To get this much sample by going to an asteroid is . . . an amazing achievement,” he stated, even joking that the mission almost “worked too well” as the sheer size of the sample means the research process is going to be slower. Despite this, Burbine assured that “[NASA will] have huge discoveries.” These will likely be announced in December at the American Geophysical Union.

The physical retrieval of an asteroid sample often has significant implications for the study of asteroids. Normally, astronomers like Burbine study asteroids using a telescope, measuring them based on how light from the sun interacts with their surfaces. Since different minerals absorb and reflect light differently, scientists can use this to

Photo courtesy of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center via Flickr New images from NASA offer a first look at the fragments from the asteroid Bennu, which scientists say could offer new insight on the origins of life.

evaluate the asteroid’s composition, are doing work on very different Burbine explained. things. Everybody is studying lots With a physical sample like the and lots of asteroids. So it’s just one from Bennu, “You’ll know exact- amazing what’s going on now, that ly what is in the asteroid,” he said. there is all this stuff in the last year,” “And that allows you to better under- he said. stand how well we can determine the And the possibilities have only composition of an asteroid just by re- just begun. According to Burbine, flecting light.” the sample will Furtherbe stored, studTo get this much sample by ied and distribmore, the mategoing to an asteroid is . . . rial of these samuted for scienples is extremely tists across the an amazing achievement. fragile. Accordglobe to examine. ing to Burbine, if “They’re going – Thomas Burbine you were to put to keep the samit in your hand, ples for the next you could easily crush it. It typical- generation, next two generations, so ly would not be strong enough to people can submit a request for samget through the Earth’s atmosphere. ples. So this will be an ongoing projThus, he explained that this kind of ect . . . it just doesn’t end,” he said. material “is very rare on Earth” due Burbine hopes that this mission to its fragile nature, making the suc- will “generate interest in asteroids cess of this mission even more spe- and meteorites on campus’’ such cial. The abundance of asteroid mis- that, in the future, Mount Holysions currently planned or already oke students may one day even be underway has led Burbine to believe among the future generations to we are living in a “golden age of as- study the samples. In fact, Burbine teroid research.” said one former Mount Holyoke stu“There’s lots of money, people dent, Laura Breitenfeld ‘17, is even

currently involved with the mission as a researcher.

The study of asteroids also has far deeper implications than merely marveling at the wonders of the cosmos. Burbine stressed it could even be life-saving. “[Scientists believe that] the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs was only 10 kilometers in diameter,” he explained. Scientists want to know as much as possible about these objects because such catastrophes could be prevented “if you have enough time and you know what you’re doing.”

While natural disasters are tricky to predict and respond to, “an asteroid impact is something . . . you could prevent if you know enough about the asteroid,” Burbine stated.

These findings mean that we can do more than just revel in the feat of bringing a fragment of outer space back to Earth. Burbine suggests that “the small [amount of] money we’re spending to learn about these objects could save our lives sooner or later,” making the success of this mission and future retrievals even more important.

Campus coyotes decoys reported missing, staff takes action

BY RIVER DALLEY ’27 STAFF WRITER

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Last week’s edition of Mount Holyoke News covered the recent tampering with non-lethal goose repellent coyote decoys around campus. The decoys, originally implemented by Facilities Management to deter the rise of the Canada goose population on campus, were reported missing on multiple occasions.

However, the recent email from the College stating that decoys would be equipped with Apple AirTags to track their whereabouts did not phase the thieves; coyotes have continued to be misplaced around campus. These images display the unusual positions in which the Mount Holyoke community has discovered the decoys over the past week.

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1. Photo by Woodlief McCabe ’23. 2. Photo by Gabi Palermo ’24. 3. Photo by Emma Quirk ’26. 4. Photo by Paige Comeau ’26. 5. Photo by Jude Barrera ’24.

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OPINION Amplifying trans histories is essential and liberating

BY SILAS GEMMA ’26 OPINION EDITOR

Efforts to amplify trans histories are essential for the self-affirmation and empowerment of trans people.

They are also vital for opposing the conservative rhetoric that being trans is a novel trend that owes its existence to contemporary media.

Over the past few weeks, the organization Point of Pride has posted various short profiles of transgender trailblazers throughout history on its Instagram page. The group describes itself as “empower[ing] trans folks to live more authentically” and provides financial aid to people seeking gender-affirming healthcare.

To further the work begun by Point of Pride, I am amplifying and expanding on the mini-biographies that the group offers by adding additional research and commentary about .

The work of Point of Pride establishes a positive example for future projects aiming to propagate trans history that is often inaccessible or censored, leading to a lack of representation in history textbooks and modern media.

In this piece, you will learn about trans people who were present at the Stonewall Riots, worked as spies, and fought in the civil war.

Chevalier d’Eon One of the pioneers profiled by Point of Pride is Chevalier d’Eon, a trans woman who worked under King Louis XV in the mid-18th century, according to an Instagram post by the group. In fact, according to an Art UK article by Lydia Figes, she was a legal scholar who worked as a French spy in Russia.

Later, she fought in the Seven Years’ War and contributed to the subsequent Treaty of Paris. Contention over whistleblowing in Britain led to her ostracization within French political circles, with her return to France contingent on her “readoption” of women’s clothing, likely an attempt to rationalize her political banishment.

Point of Pride reports that after nearly 50 years presenting as a man, d’Eon transitioned discreetly and visited the court of the Empress Elizabeth of Russia as a woman. Figes adds that the Russian Empress herself was considered masculine in many aspects, especially when atop her horse in “hunting attire.”

This is a further representation of gender flexibility in the 18th century, even among authoritative and privileged figures. Figes comments that gender politics of the 18th century is an area of research that would be interesting to explore further.

Additionally, a posthumously discovered autobiography revealed that d’Eon considered herself to have been born female but cited her father’s desire for a son as the

October 20, 2023

primary reason for being “raised male.” This echoes contemporary familial tensions that complicate the ease at which a trans child is able to transition and express themselves in accordance with their internal gender. Thus, modern conflicts can be identified within historical biographies — a process that affirms our current experiences.

Albert Cashier Offering more representation of trans figures from past eras of history, Point of Pride describes the life of Albert Cashier, a trans man who served with an Illinois infantry in the American Civil War. According to the National Park Service, he was able to keep his trans identity private for most of his life, likely aided by the fact that many Irishmen like himself were small in size during that time. He was known for exiting military service largely unscathed, a feat representative of his wit and resilience.

Despite claims that Cashier’s stepfather selected masculine clothes for him, it is evident that his internal perception of his male identity persisted throughout his lifetime, countering possible speculations that his masculine presentation stemmed from parental pressure.

According to the National Park Service, Cashier’s trans identity was ultimately discovered after Illinois State Sen. Ira Lish, for whom Cashier worked for, ran over Cashier and fractured his leg. Despite this, his identity was not discovered on a broader scale until he entered a psychiatric hospital, where he later died in 1915.

As Point of Pride importantly notes, his tombstone is marked Albert Cashier rather than his assigned name, which is not common among closeted trans veterans — or trans people more generally.

Examining Cashier’s personal history uncovers trans representation within the realm of the military, which is traditionally thought of as a cis-masculine structure that has historically excluded marginalized groups. His service, as well as the service of other trans military members throughout history, has created an avenue for current trans military members.

Additionally, as reported by the Chicago Tribune, Cashier’s continuing impact is exemplified in Jay Paul Deratany’s play, “CiviliTy of Albert Cashier,” which centers Cashier’s story and legacy. This illustrates the power and potential of modern media to highlight stories of historically marginalized figures, leading to wider awareness and increased interest. A According to a Playbill article, there have been performances of this musical composed of an alltrans cast, which is fitting for a story

Mount Holyoke News

about historical trans exclusion in public and professional arenas.

Miss Major Griffin-Gacy For another one of their vignettes, Point of Pride turns to a more contemporary figure, Miss Major Griffin-Gacy. According to an article by Women & the American Story, Miss Major, as she is more commonly known, is a genderqueer activist known for her involvement in events such as the Stonewall Riots.

Born in the 1940s, Miss Major experienced subjugation and criticism for her feminine identity. For example, she was expelled from two colleges after being outed for having feminine clothes in her dorm. In her 30s, Miss Major’s experience with incarceration and an unjust parole process encouraged her to learn more about the inequalities within the United States’ legal structures.

Nonetheless, she was able to find solace in the drag community. In the modern day, the community fulfills a place in society by providing support for queer individuals amidst anti-queer sentiment. It has persisted despite the historical and contemporary attacks that drag faces.

Another topic that often comes up in conversations about Miss Major is her role in the Stonewall Riots, although her activism work extends beyond that. Journalist Toshio Meronek of “them,” a website centering queer topics, states that Miss Major rebelled against the police alongside pivotal figures such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera during a raid at the Stonewall Inn in the 1970s.

As an article by Women & the American Story points out, despite Stonewall often being considered the uprising that kickstarted the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States, there were persistent and impactful efforts by trans women of color long before that to cement queer rights. Additionally, Meronek includes a transcript of an interview conducted with Miss Major in which she explains that “it’s as if Stonewall never happened because it didn’t change anything for us.” She adds that she wants her “memory to live on in the hearts of the grassroots,” referring to her other pivotal activist undertakings throughout the decades.

Importantly, according to Women & the American Story, Miss Major was a central figure in the fight for AIDS awareness in the 1980s and 90s.

She was passionate about spreading accurate information to protect the queer community and educate the general public during an era replete with anti-queer — and specifically homophobic — rhetoric.

In fact, her second partner became a victim of AIDS, likely fueling her feverish efforts to combat the epidemic.

Photo courtesy of Quinn Dombrowski via Flickr Gemma discusses the need to recognize transgender activists, like Miss Major Griffin-Gacy, above.

The legacy of these efforts is a greater awareness of the pathology and etiology of the disease itself, as well as less homophobic stigma surrounding AIDS and effective treatment options that allow for disease management. It should be noted, however, that treatment in the form of medication is not accessible for all people with HIV. This is still an inequity that needs to be addressed.

Miss Major’s success is one prominent example of the impact of trans people of color in realms such as LGBTQ+ rights and liberation.

Her contributions, alongside those of many other under-recognized figures, must not be understated. It is essential to research the work of figures such as Miss Major, who are often not mentioned in mainstream media but have left an indelible impact on the livelihoods of marginalized communities.

Contemporary activism Past advocates for AIDS awareness and research can be directly connected to the greater openness with which modern people with AIDS share their experiences. A primary example is Jonathan Van Ness, a public figure in queer circles who is known for their effervescent personality.

According to The Guardian, although Van Ness is a symbol of positivity in the public view from their presence on Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, they have also opened up about their experience with HIV. They openly share the grief, fear and liberation that has come with the HIV diagnosis in their memoir, “Over the Top.”

The freedom that public figures have to share their experiences with a stigmatized virus is a direct result of the educational efforts of frontline AIDS activists such as Miss Major.

Accessible trans history is essential, especially for trans youth trying to navigate their identities and aspirations in a world that still centers the cisgender and heterosexual experience. Point of Pride is only one organization that has made an effort to compile profiles of influential trans figures, although many other individuals and organizations have pursued similar missions.

The fact that a cursory search on the internet can yield bountiful information about historical and contemporary trans figures is promising and indicates that greater access to diverse perspectives and experiences is becoming the norm.

Nevertheless, discriminatory exclusion still affects what stories and voices are given a platform. Queer people of color, for example, are often left out of history books and websites. It is also essential to recognize the inability of online media to offer a comprehensive account of trans history.

There are many trailblazers who may not have caught national media attention but were still highly influential in their less publicized areas of activism. Despite these obstacles, we must recognize the power of social media to amplify muted voices and histories, and we must use these stories to spark change in areas such as public awareness, school curricula and legal policy.

Trans histories are powerful, beautiful and liberating.

First transgender woman elected as MHC class president, cont’d u

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she also served as a national voter contact director for Mike Broihier, a progressive candidate from Kentucky who ran for the U.S. Senate.

She worked with the platform NGP VAN, a “core software apparatus for all democratic political organizing,” which helped her to further develop her skills.

“Political organizing is one of the most effective vehicles for social change in our country. So, I got involved in all of this work with a goal of making as much of an impact as I could on social justice causes,” Rood said. “I believe that everyone deserves a right and access to health care, to food security, to housing, to basic human rights. And I don’t believe that that is currently the case in our country. I believe political organizing is one way to advance that cause, so I wanted to continue working on that.”

In her local New Jersey community, Rood found that her town’s Board of Education “had a really significant impact” and “significant economic power.” School districts often hold public governance and, in terms of politics, have the power to impact their local communities. She became appointed as her school’s student representative for the Board and “really took to heart” her duties as a non-voting member. “[Whenever] there was a discussion of anything, from a budget

to different policy issues, I would participate in that discussion [and] ask questions [to] the other Board members,” Rood said. “I don’t think that was necessarily conventional, but I think it was appreciated by the Board members, and I was able to make an impact in that way.”

As student representative, Rood came to understand the importance of representation. She consistently raised awareness of DEI issues by “being a voice on the Board, push[ing] back on community rhetoric that was not always in line with diversity, equity and inclusion.”

She felt she was able to “be an LGBTQ+ voice … and really bring that perspective to the table.” Rood believes that in the current political climate, where transgender and LGBTQ+ voices are being suppressed in both the United States and the world, representation matters more than ever. At Mount Holyoke, Rood believes that representation is especially significant. “Mount Holyoke’s policy of gender diverse admissions has only been around for about 10 years … In 2012, I wouldn’t have necessarily been able to come here. That’s not some past era that we’re long removed from; it’s recent, and it’s impactful,” Rood said. “So there is a continued need to increase representation when it is only so recently that equality has emerged.”

Rood considers representation to be important in both direct and indirect ways. “[H]aving leaders who understand a certain perspective will lead

them to advocate for that perspective.” As the first trans woman to serve as class president, Rood hopes to bring a heretofore unrepresented perspective to Mount Holyoke’s student government. Able to identify the lingering issues caused by Mount Holyoke’s historical exclusion of transgender students, she is now in a position to make an impact.

“For the good of the community, I think it’s important [for] a student applying to Mount Holyoke [to] see that we have diverse student leaders, and that may ensure them that they’re coming [in]to a welcoming community or may inspire a student to run next year for student government.” In addition to making tangible change, Rood hopes that the visible inclusion of trans students in prominent positions around campus sends a message that they are welcome at the College.

Rood does not only represent trans students in student government but the entire Class of 2027. “[Representation] can also mean going out and hearing from the students that I represent. … So, I have weekly office hours, which is not … required of a class president. But it’s something that I committed to doing and that I am following through on as class president because I believe it’s important,” Rood said.

Rood’s office hours are one aspect of her larger goal of increasing students’ civic engagement “both at and outside of Mount Holyoke.”

The Class of 2027 had a record voter turnout for the election, with

296 out of 588 eligible votes cast. This election marked the first time in five years that a class election had managed to reach quorum.

Rood wants to keep the student body politically involved, and believes that part of that involvement is making herself accessible. “I want to make it a very democratic process where I am open to hear[ing] from anyone and I’m going to advocate for everyone,” Rood explained.

Her vision for politically engaging the student body is not limited to Mount Holyoke’s campus. “I think it’s important that a class as active and engaged in the community as ours … [is] using [our] voice because we have great things to say,” Rood said. She envisions a voter registration drive to help students either request absentee ballots or register in Massachusetts to engage locally.

Rood also aims to implement community care and mutual aid at Mount Holyoke. “I want to use the resources of the institution of the Student Government [Association and] of the class board to support each other and to lift each other up,” she said, citing the chest binder drive organized by SGA president Maille Romulus ’24 last year as an inspiration for the kind of events she plans to hold. “I think we need more community,” Rood said. She specifically highlighted issues the trans community faces on campus.

“I think we need more spaces also for…queer joy and joy for different communities,” she said. “… [And to] highligh[t] ways that we do have an

inclusive community…[and] areas where we have a positive reflection of what the result of that initial advocacy can look like.”

One of Rood’s campaign promises, “activities for action,” also emphasizes the idea of community. “I believe that we can marry the two student government endeavors of having fun activities and taking action for our community,” she explained. She plans to do so by hosting social fundraising events and bringing students together while also raising money to help meet the community’s needs.

Rood has a number of ideas for what she wants to accomplish in the future. Going into politics is one potential career path for the newly-elected class president, but she also sees herself at a nonprofit or working to increase trans representation in the academic sphere.

“I want to dedicate my life to social justice causes, and I don’t yet know exactly what that will look like,” she said.

She also sees multiple paths forward for herself and others. “In order to create a socially just world …

I think that academics, politics, community work, mutual aid, all of these things have to come together, and no one discipline is going to change the world on its own,” Rood said. “… I think that our advocacy is most effective when our passions align with our purposes. … I wouldn’t have the same ability to make an impact in this role if I wasn’t passionate about it.”

October 20, 2023

SPORTS

. Mount Holyoke News

7

New NHL policy prohibits the use of Pride Tape

BY KATE VAVRA ’26 STAFF WRITER

The National Hockey League recently announced a ban on the use of Pride Tape by players during games, warm-ups and practices, as reported

by MSNBC. The rainbow athletic tape has been utilized by many professional hockey players as a way to show support for the LGBTQ+ community and to promote a more inclusive athletic environment. Some members of the Mount Holyoke College hockey community were not shocked by this development.

“As someone who follows the NHL, the ban unfortunately didn’t come as a huge surprise,” Luci Campau ’25, a member of the Mount Holyoke ice hockey team, said. They suggested that this could be the NHL’s way of preventing discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in their fanbase, adding, “Instead of protecting queer players and fans, the NHL’s solution is to reduce homophobia by not giving homophobes anything to react to.”

Despite Pride Tape being used on players’ sticks for years, there has been a recent lack of support for the LGBTQ+ community within the NHL. Last year, after many players refused to wear pride jerseys for pride theme nights, the NHL moved to ban all themed jerseys.

Many teams have theme nights or programs to raise awareness for various causes besides Pride, such

Photo courtesy of Fanny Schertzer via Pro Stock Hockey The National Hockey League banned the use of pride stick tape during all games, warm-ups and practices earlier this month, sparking controversy.

as the Caps Care program run by the Washington Capitals or the Hockey Fights Cancer program, as stated on the NHL website. The NHL’s move restricts the mobilization of the professional athletic community to support movements such as LGBTQ+ awareness, cancer support and veteran appreciation.

The ban on Pride Tape, although connected to the ban on themed jerseys, is a separate issue, as Pride

tape was never a requirement for players. However, those who wanted to use it to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community had the option.

Campau stated that they “appreciated pride tape because it wasn’t something that players had to do — it was something they chose to do and could be worn at any time, not just during Pride Nights … it was always a cool experience to see a player choosing to use pride tape.”

Hannah Clark ’26, another member of the ice hockey team, shared a similar reaction to the ban. “This tape means more than most people think — it’s a reflection of our identities and place in the sport that often feels like it doesn’t include us,” she said. “In a sport that feels like a ‘boy’s’ club, it feels empowering to be represented.”

Pride Tape, a product backed by Kickstarter since 2015, was founded

to inspire LGBTQ+ youth to become more involved in sports. When professionals began endorsing the tape, it brought forth the idea that there is space and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community within athletics. “Queer visibility, acceptance or even just tolerance coming from idolized professionals can do wonders in changing biased perspectives,” Clark added.

Many individuals have pointed out that the ban defies the NHL’s rulebook, which states that “adhesive tape of any color may be wrapped around the stick,” MSNBC reports. Movements against the ban are underway throughout the United States and Canada, as many NHL players have spoken on how they believe this ban is a big step backward for hockey and the athletic community, The Athletic reported.

Dr. Kristopher Wells, a co-founder of Pride Tape, believes there will be enough pushback from professional players to have the NHL reverse the policy, “I don’t think the door is closed. We’ve certainly had players wanting to order Pride Tape and telling us they’re going to look for ways to use it themselves,” Wells said in an interview with The Athletic. “[The players] are not going to let the NHL deter them from showing support.” Some players, such as Scott Laughton and Joe Merrill, have already expressed how they plan to keep using Pride Tape despite the current policies. Acts of resistance to the ban may suggest a potential reversal in policy in the future.

Game of the Week: riding wins Williams College Show

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics Mount Holyoke Riding beat six teams and placed first at the Williams College Show at Bonnie Lea Farm in their season opener on Saturday, Oct. 14.

BY BAYA JAISWAL ’27 & GENEVIEVE ZAHNER ’26 STAFF WRITER | SPORTS EDITOR

Mount Holyoke College Riding competed at the Williams College Show at Bonnie Lea Farm on Saturday, Oct. 14, placing ahead of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Springfield College, Amherst Col-

lege, Williams College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Bennington College. The Lyons came in first place with 47 points, an 18-point advantage over UMass Amherst, who placed second with 29 points.

Team Captain Emmie Mirarchi ’24 shared her thoughts on the team’s win.

“I was so proud of the team’s

performance today,” she said. “We couldn’t have started off the season much better, so we’re hoping to continue that. We had a lot of riders show for the first time or for the first time at a new level, so that was very exciting.”

The first event was open fences, in which Helena Weiss ’25 took first place. Emmie Mirarchi ’24 and Ca-

mille Cheng ’25 took first and second place in intermediate fences, and Chloe McElveen ’24 competed over fences for the first time and took second in the class. Charlotte Subak ’26 also competed in open fences and placed outside ribbons.

In limit fences, Eliza Mutz ’27 and Montse Hartwig ’27 placed fourth and fifth in what was their Intercollegiate Horse Show Association debuts. Sunita Pearson-Siegel ’24 placed third, Cate Bates ’25 placed fourth and Carly Bitler ’27 placed sixth.

Next, Weiss took first place in open flats, while Mirarchi took first in intermediate flats. In the three limit flat sections, Subak and Bates won two first-place ribbons.

McElveen took second, Mutz took fourth and Bitler took fifth.

In the introductory event, Catherine Kazel ’24 placed first, followed

by Ririka Kakuta ’25 and Megan Bliamptis ’26 in second and third place.

In the pre-novice flat event, Sabella Riccio ’27 and Savannah Ma ’27 took fifth and sixth place in what was their first IHSA competition.

In the first section of the novice flat event, Mara Downie ’25 and Charlie May ’26 took first and second place. In the final section, Madison Hurley ’25 and Elliot Candela ’24 concluded the tournament, finishing in first and second place.

By the end of the tournament, Weiss won Reserve High Point recognition while Mirarchi won Overall High Point Rider and Intermediate High Point honors. McElveen was awarded Reserve Limit High Point honors, and Downie and Kazel swept the High Point Novice Rider and High Point Introductory Rider titles.

The riding team has had a strong start to the season, previously placing third place among 13 teams at the prestigious Pre-Season Tournament of Champions.

McElveen stated that she looks forward to the rest of the season.

“I’m both excited to see our new members get into collegiate competition and I’m proud of my team members that I’ve seen grow throughout the years into lovely strong riders,” she said.

Equestrian Coach C.J. Law shared the team’s goals for the year. “[Our goals are] for each of the riders to do well and to feel positive about their rides in the arena, [and] to learn from every ride and to build upon their experiences,” she said.

“Ultimate goals are to win the region, to advance to the IHSA Nationals and to do well at Nationals.” The Lyons will next compete on Saturday, Oct. 21, at the UMass Amherst Show.

Editor’s note: Savannah Ma ’27 is a member of Mount Holyoke News.

Club Corner: Mount Holyoke Rugby faces Springfield College

BY ZELLIE CALAVITA ’26 STAFF WRITER

The Mount Holyoke College Rugby team fell 34-14 to Springfield College on Saturday, Oct. 14 at Springfield.

Despite this loss, Charlie Barnard ’25 expressed his pride in the team’s performance.

“We’re seeing big improvements in our playing since our first game of the season, and this match was definitely the best we’ve done as a team thus far,” he said.

Carlin Rosen ’24, Reeve Haefele ’25, Allyson Joseph ’24 and Mitsuki Ito ’26 were recognized after the game for their noteworthy contributions. “I am so proud of my teammates [Rosen] and [Ito] for scoring our first tries of the season,” Emma Roth-Wells ’24 said. “Overall, everyone played really well.”

“Everybody on the team is starting to learn the different habits of each other and has started to work as a team,” Ito said.

While reflecting on the game, Rosen emphasized the importance of using both their own and the opposing team’s strengths to develop a strategy.

“Springfield players in general were much larger than our players, but we were much faster than them.

Photo courtesy of Lily Stevens ’27 Mount Holyoke Rugby lost 34-14 in an away match against Springfield College on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. Next, they will compete against Wentworth Institute of Technology on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.

… We had to have multiple players tackle the Springfield players, but we were also able to get two tries by outrunning the Springfield players,” Rosen said.

Rosen also spoke of their appreciation for the team’s atmosphere.

“I played team sports for 10 years before joining MHC rugby, and I have never experienced as much kindness or support from my teammates than I have on this team,” they said.

Forward Ava Healy ’24 praised the team’s strategy, courage and

strength in their game.

“The team’s performance was phenomenal today, [and] the air was truly electric. We played one of the best games that I’ve seen,” Healy said. “There was a palpable pride in the atmosphere, pride in ourselves

as players and as a team. This team is a strong team — in physicality, teamwork, spirit and heart.”

Mount Holyoke Rugby’s next game is their annual Camille Sillman Memorial game against Wentworth Institute of Technology on Oct. 21.

8

COMMUNITY

October 20, 2023

. Mount Holyoke News

i HOROSCOPES i

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

Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

Aquarius, you may get kudos from a boss or something. Or maybe you will be more perceived this week. Tagged Instagram posts?

Do: BeReal | Don’t: Ghosts

Libra, it’s almost Halloween. Have you gotten your costume yet? A mask? A tutu?

Boygenius attire? Good luck with your LEAP presentation.

Do: Thrifting | Don’t: Leo

June 21 – July 22

Feb. 19 – March 20

Oct. 23 – Nov. 21

Pisces, we notice you’ve been wandering around. Feeling directionless? Maybe turn to some deep academic theory: Foucault?

De Beauvoir?

Do: Socratic Seminar | Don’t: La La Land

Happy happy Scorpio season… The time has come. Time for a change? Maybe a haircut?

Everybody’s favorite timew of year!!!! Let’s all celebrate.

Do: Smashing pumpkins | Don’t: Futch wigs

March 21 – April 19

Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

Aries, you are going to enjoy the Halloween spirit and festivities. Be in your mysterious era this week.

Do: Graveyard | Don’t: Vlogging

Sagittarius, something is brewing in your subconscious; this is the time of endings.

Cut the cord now!

Do: Gluten-free mint Oreos | Don’t: Gluten

April 20 – May 20

Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

Taurus, this week will be a whole bunch of fun. Woohoo!! Venus is in your fiftth house, so get ready to have fun and strengthen your relationships.

Do: Vintage technology | Don’t: Method acting

It’s a good week to hang out with friends and go out. Maybe a party is in your forecast next week? Also, you will be more lucky this week; make a wish!

Do: 11:11 | Don’t: Grind

May 21 – June 20

Do you have a good routine? Well, you should. Get organized! Buy some paper clips. The rest will fall into place.

Do: Note taking | Don’t: Loose-leaf paper

This week, Cancer, it’s romance and art. A fun, artsy date. Have you seen Ghost? That scene with the pottery? That’s you, Cancer.

Do: Singing in the Rain | Don’t: Salted caramel

July 23 – Aug. 22

Good news, Leo! It’s time to #treatyourself.

Get yourself a little treat. A LITTLE treat.

Nothing too crazy, Leo. Do: Coupons | Don’t: Biphobia >:(

Aug. 23 – Sept. 22

Something tells me you have something to say. What’s on your mind? Speak it into existence! Everyone wants to hear your opinion, Virgo. We promise.

Do: Thinkpiece | Don’t: Prophecy

Mount Holyoke News

Event Highlights

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

Saturday, Oct. 21 Fall Fest

Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Mariam Keita ’24

Publisher Liv Wilson ’24

Managing Editors of Content Tara Monastesse ’25 & Jendayi Leben-Martin ’24

Managing Editors of Web Michelle Brumley ’24 & Melanie Duronio ’26

Managing Editor of Layout Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25

Business Manager Diksha Batra ’26

Copy Chief Eliška Jacob ’24

Human Resources Mari Al Tayb ’26

Editorial Board News Nina Sydoryk ’25, Nyx Cieprisz ’26 & Lilly Glass ’27

Science & Environmental Sarah Grinell ’26

Arts & Entertainment Eliška Jacob ’24

Photos Emma Quirk ’26

Opinion Silas Gemma ’26 & Gabriella Rodriguez ’27 Books Liv Wilson ’24 & Sophie Frank ’26 Global Jendayi Leben-Martin ’24 & Shira Sadeh ’25 Sports Emily Tarinelli ’25 & Genevieve Zahner ’26 Features Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25 & Melanie Duronio ’26

Graphics Gabby Gagnon ’24 Layout Editors Sophie Dalton ’25, Rachel Adler ’26, Leah Royes ’27 & Barbara Chen ’25 Web Editors Linlin Liu ’24, Yuke Jiang ’25, Elizaveta Kozlova ’25, Elle Zhao ’25, Scarlett Han ’25, Cynthia Akanaga ’25, Mia Kerchen ’24 & Adwoa Owusu ’26 Copy Editors Max Endieveri ’25, Gemma Golovner ’25, Kate Koenig ’26, Abigail McKeon ’26, Emma Quirk ’26, Gabriella Tonn ’27, Maddy Broussard ’26, Quill ’27, Sofia Ramon ’27 & Emily Tarinelli ’25

Publication Guidelines Mount Holyoke News does not endorse any of the opinions or views expressed within the pages of the paper, excluding staff editorials.

All content copyright of Mount Holyoke News. All rights reserved. Mount Holyoke News does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or age.

Advertising in MHN Interest in advertising in MHN can be directed to mhnews@mtholyoke.edu for pricing and deadlines.

MHN reserves the right to refuse submissions on the basis of, but not limited to, advertisements considered to be libelous, obscene, defamatory or discriminatory.

Subscriptions Mount Holyoke News is a weekly publication that prints weekly throughout the academic year. To join our mailing list, please contact the Publisher at mhnews@mtholyoke.edu.

Letters Policy Letters to the Editor appear exactly as they are sent to MHN, except for corrections to spelling, grammar and AP style. Letters cannot exceed 500 words. All letters must include the writer’s name and telephone number for verification purposes. Unsigned letters will not be printed. Names may be held upon request with the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. MHN reserves the right to decide which materials will be printed. Email submissions to mhnews@mtholyoke.edu by Sundays at 5 p.m. for publication the following week.

VISIT US: www.mountholyokenews.com www.facebook.com/mountholyokenews www.twitter.com/mtholyokenews_

Celebrate autumn at MHC with crafts, games, face painting and more! This event is for the entire Mount Holyoke community, and we warmly encourage all to attend! Event will be held rain or shine.

Skinner Green. 2-4 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 26 Multicultural Fall Festival: Honoring the Season of Change You’re invited for an evening of cultural exploration and celebration hosted by the Mixed Identity Student Collective! There will be multiple booths to learn more about the customs, rituals and stories that make this season special for so many cultures. Soumaya MaRose is the performance to look forward to as she will immerse the audience by sharing her culture through Moroccan folk dance. Then, she will lead an interactive workshop, inviting you to experience the art of Moroccan dance firsthand.

Blanchard Hall Great Room. 6-8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 29 Mount Holyoke News Presents: Writer Training Join the Mount Holyoke News for a crash course in everything journalism — write an engaging lede, how to conduct interviews and more! This writer training will be led by Tara Monastesse, theManaging Editor of Content, and Mariam Keita, the Editor-in-Chief. The training is open to the entire campus community and will cover the core skills needed to produce a solid article.

This training is required for all Mount Holyoke News staff members hired to a writing role and is strongly recommended for those in non-writing roles.

Blanchard Hall Great Room. 1:30-3 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 29 Mount Holyoke News Presents: Copy Editor Training Join the Mount Holyoke News for an introductory lesson in copy editing! Eliška Jacob, the Copy Chief, will lead this copy editor training. The training is open to the entire campus community and will go over the core skills needed to edit articles according to AP Style guidelines. This training is required for all newly hired Mount Holyoke News copy editors and is strongly recommended for those in section editor roles.

Blanchard Hall Great Room. 3-4:30 p.m.