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Students and faculty PE, Equestrian Center reflect on Ruth Bader face an external review Ginsburg’s legacy BY KATIE GOSS ’23 STAFF WRITER
On Sept. 18, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away after her battle with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg had served on the court since she was appointed by Bill Clinton in 1993. At the time of her appointment, she was only the second woman to have served on the court. Before that, she had been appointed by Jimmy Carter in 1980 to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. A majority of her legal career was spent advocating and arguing for gender equality and women’s rights. “When I found out that she [Ginsburg] died, I didn’t truly believe it,” Briana Sapini ’23 said. “My mom was the one who told me, and when she told me that RBG died, she acted like it was a death in the family. After I got over the initial shock that she was dead, my concern for our future increased.” “It’s clear that the death of Justice Ginsburg has resulted in both grief and fear for many students and community members,” said Maggie Micklo ’21. “I know I’ve been grieving both the loss of RBG as a symbol and trailblazer for the rights of many marginalized communities and the loss of a more left-leaning voice on the Supreme Court.” Ginsburg was given the famous nickname “The Notorious RBG” over Tumblr by Shana Knizhnik, who was a second-year law student at New York University at the time. The name was a play on the New York rapper Biggie Smalls who went by “The Notorious B.I.G.” Knizhnik gave the nickname after Ginsburg’s dissent in the case Shelby County v. Holder, which found Section 4b of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 unconstitutional, and in turn invalidated Section 5. Section 5 prohibited dis-
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tricts fitting the criteria from Section 4b from changing their election laws and procedures without first getting federal authorization. Section 4b said districts that had a voting test as of Nov. 1, 1964 and less than a 50 percent turnout rate for the presidential election that same year were eligible districts due to their history of voter discrimination. The nickname stuck with her, and, as she grew more popular with those interested in the legal happenings in the U.S., she also rose to the status of a popular cultural icon in more liberal circles. She stood up for not only women’s rights, but for the equality and rights of other groups discriminated against. On Sept. 20, shortly after Ginsburg passed, the Women’s College Coalition, which includes Mount Holyoke, put out a statement on their website. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg … was a leader whose words and actions changed the lives of women across generations. She changed our lives — and the lives of our alumnae, our students and our colleagues,” the statement read. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg in life — and now in death — reminds us of the incredible value of women’s education.” The WCC statement said that Ginsburg “claimed” rather than “received” an education. She advocated for the value of women in the workplace, especially in leadership or higher-up positions. The ACLU Women’s Rights Project, founded by Ginsburg in 1972, is known for taking the case of Reed v. Reed to the Supreme Court. The court ruled in favor of the ACLU on the grounds that administrators of estates cannot be based on sex or favor men over women. She is also recognized for her rulings in the cases of United States v. Virginia, which allowed women to attend the pre-
7 FEATURES: COVID-19 campus experience
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Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics Reviews of the Equestrian Center and PE program will be conducted during the 2020-2021 academic year.
BY CASEY ROEPKE ’21 NEWS EDITOR
In a Sept. 17 financial update, College President Sonya Stephens and Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer Shannon Gurek announced the discontinuation of the College’s varsity golf team and stated that the Equestrian Center and physical education program will be undergoing external reviews. Director of Athletics and Chair of Physical Education Lori Hendricks said these external reviews are a normal procedure for academic departments, centers and other offices on campus, and they are typically held once a decade. The reviews aim “to assess the operations of the area and alignments with broader organizational priorities, identify future opportunities and needs and think about the strategic investment of resources.” The review process typically begins with an internal review, or “self-study,” conducted by the area or department
8 GLOBAL: Quarantine & travel photo essay
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in question, according to Hendricks. “There is data collection to answer [key] questions,” Hendricks said. “The reviewers will use this information to inform their interviews with key stakeholders, e.g. students, alums, employees, institutional leadership. The reviewers will develop their own report to share with the department and College. Out of the review, a strategic plan is created or updated.” A 2018 external review of the Department of Physical Education and Athletics and subsequent 2019 strategic plan recommended that the physical education program and Equestrian Center undergo separate and specific external reviews. The physical education program was last reviewed in 2010. According to Hendricks, it is likely that peer institutions will serve as barometers for external reviewers. Hendricks said that the focus of this review would surround CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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12 ENVIRONMENTAL: Land practices
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EVENTS
October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
Mount Holyoke News Mount Holyoke News is an independent student newspaper written by and for Mount Holyoke College students since 1917. VISIT US: www.mountholyokenews.com www.facebook.com/themhnews www.twitter.com/mtholyokenews_
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Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Lily Reavis ’21 Managing Editor of Content Flannery Langton ’22 Managing Editor of Layout Rose Sheehan ’22
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Saman Bhat ’22 & Sophie Soloway ’23
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Audrey Hogan ’21, Molly Kleinman ’21, Audrey Shannon ’22, Margaret Connor ’23 Kenna Hurtuk ’23, Zoe Latham ’23, Lauren Leese ’23, Rhitom Mishra ’23 & Kay Brown ’24
Friday, Oct. 2
Learning from Application (LEAP) Symposium
From labs and law offices, embassies and businesses, archives, television studios, farms and rural communities around the world, students return from their summer experiences and reflect critically about what they have learned. At LEAP, this is translated into panel presentations for a student audience who see a model of what they can aspire to accomplish themselves. https://www.mtholyoke.edu/leap 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
An introduction to Afro-Latinidad
Editorial Board Casey Roepke ’21, Kate Turner ’21 & Liz Lewis ’22
Event Highlights
Maggie Donovan ’23 & Zoe Tang ’24
Web Assistants
Audrey Hogan ’21, Shloka Gidwani ’22, Georgia Fish ’23 & Aarushi Sharma ’23
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As part of Latinx Heritage Month, join Dr. Romina Pacheco, Social Justice and Equity Specialist at Collaborative for Educational Services, in a presentation about the challenges, contributions, and experiences of Afro-Latinx in the United States. Registration is required through Embark. 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 5
Athletes Connected
Are you missing teammates, sad over the loss of your season, reeling from the lack of structure practices provide, unmotivated with workouts, and struggling to develop new coping devices to ward off daily stress? This group may be able to help. Emphasis will be placed on goal setting, stress reduction, time management, alternative coping devices, among others. Zoom ID: 98979734301 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 6
Somatic Resourcing
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Learn ways you can use your body and/or body movement (as a resource) to stay in the present, when feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Facilitated by Elsie Parrilla, LICSW. Registration is required through Counseling Services. 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
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As part of Latinx Heritage Month, join Regina Hudson, Life Insurance Specialist and owner of Hudson Financial Strategies, in a workshop discussing tools to build generational wealth including budgeting, investing, and entrepreneurship. Registration is required through Embark. 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
October 1, 2020
NEWS
. Mount Holyoke News
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Supreme Court Justice’s death prompts reflection & controversy, cont’d CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
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viously all-male Virginia Military Institute, and Ledbetter v. Goodyear, which had to do with gender discrimination in regard to salary. However, Ginsburg’s voting record wasn’t always consistent with these liberal beliefs, specifically in cases and topics surrounding Indigenous rights and racial injustice. In her Reed v. Reed case, she credited her argument to African American civil rights attorney, Pauli Murray, in recognition of the influence of Murray’s legal strategies. However, in more recent times, she was not as outspoken on issues such as Black Lives Matter, and even criticized Colin Kaepernick on his protest of police violence by kneeling during the national anthem. Recently, she had voted in favor of most Indigenous cases in the Court, such as her opinion in the 2016 U.S. v. Bryant case, which was about using tribal court convictions in order to enhance federal sentencing for repeated domestic violence offenders. However, in the past, she had written many opinions that were not in the best interests of tribes. Her opinion written for the case City of Sherrill v. Oneida Indian Nation of New York was said to be “incredibly dismissive of tribal prerogatives,” according to The Marshall Project. “Some of the language in that opinion is considered some of the more overtly racist language in its challenge and skepticism of tribal interests.” Although she later apologized for these decisions, and has apologized for other statements or rulings she agreed with in the past, it is still evident that Ginsburg herself was not always reliably liberal in her rulings. Additionally, it shows that justices on the court can grow and change in some of their views over time. Ginsburg’s death has left yet another open seat in the court that President Donald Trump may be able to fill before Election Day. During his term in office, Trump has already appointed two Supreme Court justices. Now he may get the opportunity to appoint a third right before the election. The timing of this procedure has raised controversy and concern across the nation. The court was at a 5-4 ratio before Ginsburg’s death, with Republicans having the majority. However, since there was only one more Republican than Democrat justice, rulings could swing either way should a typically conservative justice decide to vote more liberal in a decision. If Trump elects an-
Graphic by Anjali Rao-Herel ’22
other nominee, he would tip the highest court into a 6-3 ratio. “With [Ginsburg] being dead now, instead of after the election, it has destroyed any hope I had, because Mitch McConnell has said that he would approve Trump’s nomination even if it was one day before the election,” Sapini said. “Now that [a] 6-3 Republican majority can become a reality, it makes me scared. With that majority, there is no hope that [a] decision that could help minorities, the LGBTQ community or women’s rights will happen.” With Amy Coney Barrett being Trump’s pick for the open seat, this decision, if finalized, would be the first time since Ginsburg herself was nominated for the Supreme Court seat that there would be a majority shift in the court. Barrett is a current judge in the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals known for her conservative views. As a graduate and former professor of the University of Notre Dame, she has expressed that she is a deeply religious Catholic; however, she has said that it does not affect her work as a judge. She is regarded as a conservative in her political views and has voiced conservative opinions on issues such as health care and abortion. However, Barrett has not always voted in the conservative favor. In Morales v. Barr, which was a deportation case in regard to immigration laws, she ruled against the Trump administration. Although Barrett has spoken about her opposition to abortion rights, she was quoted in CNN as saying she thought it was “very unlikely at this point that the court is going to overturn [Roe v. Wade],” adding that “the fundamental element, that the woman has a
right to choose abortion, will probably stand.” Barrett complimented Ginsburg’s success as a woman in her time at a White House ceremony. “Ginsburg began her career at a time when women were not welcome in the legal profession,’ yet ‘she not only broke glass ceilings, she smashed them,’” CNN reported. Nevertheless, Barrett has continued to rule in mostly conservative outcomes and is still positioned to overturn the Supreme Court majority to be conservative as a whole if voted in. “The fear is real and valid. The stakes are so high, and the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to replace Justice Ginsburg will result in decades of rightwing decision-making from the court,” said Micklo. “I fear for reproductive access, DACA recipients and the millions of people who benefit from the Affordable Care Act.” David Cole wrote in a Washington Post article, “With the exception of [Clarence] Thomas, all of the current justices replaced justices who roughly shared their ideological commitments. … In essence each appointment was one-for-one. If … a committed conservative replaces a committed liberal, the new justice will fundamentally alter the court’s ideological balance.” A controversy surrounds whether a president should get to fill a Supreme Court seat so close to Election Day. A similar situation occurred in 2016, before the previous presidential election, with President Barack Obama. Justice Antonin Scalia had passed away in February of that year. Obama had picked Merrick Garland to fill that spot before his time was up in office but was quickly
shot down by Mitch McConnell. Almost immediately after Scalia’s death was announced, McConnell was vocal about not letting the current president pick the justice. Since it was so close to the election, he voiced that it was the next president’s decision to make. Quoted in an NPR article, McConnell said, “Of course the American people should have a say in the court’s direction. It is a president’s constitutional right to nominate a Supreme Court justice, and it is the Senate’s constitutional right to act as a check on a president and withhold its consent.” According to a poll cited in a CNBC article, a majority of Americans in swing states think whoever is elected president in the upcoming election should get to fill the spot. “52 percent of voters in so-called swing states want the winner of the election to name the next high court justice. … And just 37 percent of voters nationally think Trump should be able to nominate a justice if he loses. … Fifty-seven percent said he should not be able to do so,” said the CNBC article. However, now that Trump is in the same position as Obama was in 2016, Republicans in the Senate, including McConnell, agree that Trump should get to pick a nominee for the open seat. Mitt Romney was quoted in the same CNBC article, confirming he would vote for Trump’s nominee. “The Constitution gives the President the power to nominate and the Senate the authority to provide advice and consent on Supreme Court nominees,” Romney said. “Accordingly, I intend to follow the Constitution and precedent in considering the President’s nominee. If the nominee reaches the Senate floor, I intend to vote based upon their qualifications,” he added. When asked about this issue, Micklo said, “I can only hope that voters will hold their Republican senators accountable for the hypocrisy of pushing through a nominee so close to an election after refusing to consider a nominee in the year leading up to the 2016 election.” There has been some discussion that if Joe Biden wins the election, Democrats will try to “pack” the court. Better known as “court packing,” this is when you add more seats to a court in order to sway it in favor of the current partisanship. Because the Constitution does not specify the number of seats on the high court, it is left up to the Senate CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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NEWS
October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
College named First-gen Forward Institution RBG reflecBY LELA GALLERY ’24 STAFF WRITER
The Center for First-generation Student Success recently named Mount Holyoke College a First-gen Forward Institution, a national honor recognizing the College’s commitment to advancing first-generation college student success. Sarah E. Whitley, senior director of the Center for First-generation Student Success, welcomed the College into the 2020-21 cohort of First-gen Forward Institutions. “Through the application process, it was evident that Mount Holyoke is not only taking steps to serve first-generation students but is prepared to make a longterm commitment and employ strategies for significant scaling and important advances in the future,” Whitley said. An initiative of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and The Suder Foundation, a program with the goal of increasing the graduation rate of first-generation college students, the Center for First-generation Student Success was launched in 2017 to improve how institutions deal with first-generation college student experiences and outcomes by focusing on innovation and advocacy. The Center’s First-gen Forward recognition program is the first in the United States to acknowledge the efforts of higher education institutions. Associate Dean of Students for Com-
munity and Inclusion Latrina L. Denson told Mount Holyoke that she was delighted that the College received acknowledgment for its focus on first-generation and low-income students. “Being part of a national network of higher education institutions who share our vision and drive will help further our impact on first-generation and low-income student success,” Denson said. As a part of this recognition, Mount Holyoke and 76 other higher education institutions received access to the center’s research and resources, as well as opportunities for professional development and community building. Select faculty and staff are also given various opportunities to engage with other institutions who are likewise creating environments that improve the experiences and outcomes of first-generation students. Members of these cohorts participate in monthly phone calls, virtual professional development, goal setting, annual reporting and more. To improve first-generation student experiences, the Division of Student Life organizes with Mount Holyoke’s campus wide programmatic initiatives, which are led by First-Generation College Student Network in collaboration with the student organization First-Generation and Low-Income Partnership (FLIP), and offers support for FLIP students. Students who are considered first-gen-
eration are those who will be the first in their immediate family to attend a fouryear university and attain a college degree, while low-income students are those who come from a household whose income is relatively low compared to other households in the same size of their home area or region. In their organization’s description, FLIP usually categorizes first-generation students as those “who don’t have common knowledge of or much assistance navigating the college experience.” However, they lack solidified definitions of either first-generation or low-income students, as “individual experiences can change the meaning for each of us.” Established in 2016, Members of the First-Generation College Student Network unite across campus to serve FLIP students. They are passionate about helping their fellow students overcome challenges in a higher education environment. The network also includes administrators, faculty and staff whose work influences the retention, persistence and matriculation of first-generation college students. FLIP strives to build community among students within an institution where other students might benefit from their parents attending college or having an easier time paying bills. By sponsoring events, FLIP aims to orient students in navigating the college experience and help raise awareness of both challenges and resources.
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student programming and physical education credit for club sports, among other questions. “Students have been interested in the opportunity to receive PE credit for their participation in club sports. We have investigated this possibility and piloted work with the teams and their coaches,” she said. “We are also curious about the courses that we offer. Do they meet the needs and interests of our diverse group of students? Are there other programming and instructional trends that we should be exploring? Are there additional ways in which PE can support the Be Well initiative?” The Equestrian Center has not been reviewed in Hendricks’ 14-year tenure. The College will bring in “a mix of professionals from higher education riding programs as well as industry leaders in equestrian,” according to Hendricks. Mount Holyoke’s Equestrian Center and riding program are a point of pride for the College. On the official website for the
center, the College writes: “Built in 1987, the Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center is considered to be one of the finest facilities for education and competitive riding available to students anywhere.” Hendricks echoed this sentiment when she said, “The Equestrian Center and our riding programs are areas of distinction for the College. … Not only have we been able to attract top riding talent, but these programs attract high quality students to the College.” The review of the Equestrian Center is aimed at continuing to maintain the standards of the program and its resources. “In order to continue to attract top talent and boast of a top collegiate riding facility and program,” Hendricks said, “it is critical that we assess our strengths, identify areas of weakness and needs, and develop a game plan that strategically invests to meet both needs and opportunities.” The specific focus areas for the Equestrian Center review also rely on student requests. “I suspect that we will hear from both the reviewers as well as students about select needs of the riding programs like heat in the indoor arenas, high qual-
Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics Focus areas for the Equestrian Center review rely on student requests in an effort to strengthen the program.
ity horses for top level competitors, and stall renovations. I also know that we have a passionate and committed group of alums who want to support our riding programs,” Hendricks said. “We need to identify our priorities and engage them to support our expectations for excellence.” The reviews of the physical education program and the Equestrian Center will be conducted in the 2020-2021 academic year.
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to decide. “I think it’s definitely something worth talking about. The size of the court is both set by law and tradition, but not constitutional law,” said Adam Hilton, a professor of politics at Mount Holyoke. “There have been times, especially in very tumultuous political times, like the Civil War and [the] Reconstruction [era], where the size of the court was manipulated. There were both expansions and contractions, to try and play to certain partisan advantages.” Hilton explained that, although other democratic countries have similar courts, appointees do not get to serve a lifetime term on them. The position is typically one term with a set amount of time, and once that term is up, the appointee must retire. “But if [Supreme Court justices] prove hostile to things that we need to do, like address climate change [or] address inequality, and the Democrats have significant majorities to do it, … I wouldn’t call it ‘packing,’ I would call it ‘Supreme Court reform,’ [and that] is probably worth talking about,” Hilton said. Supreme Court justices are not always predictable in their decisions. There have been many instances when a justice who votes in one manner decides to vote in a completely different outcome than usual, as seen with Ginsburg’s track record. Nevertheless, she was not one to back down from her personal views, and made great strides not only as a woman in her time, but for women everywhere to follow in her footsteps. “Justice Ginsburg revolutionized the way many people view the Supreme Court. Instead of an out-oftouch group of technocrats, the court became a subject of feminist popular culture, with imagery of ‘The Notorious RBG’ everywhere in liberal circles,” Micklo said. “I worry that this attention to the court will fade, particularly from the left.” Ginsburg was the first woman to be granted the honor of lying in repose at the U.S. Capitol and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Her last wish was not to be replaced “until a new president is installed.”
NEWS 5 Pandemic interferes with global climate research
October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
BY HELEN GLOEGE ’23 STAFF WRITER
During peak lockdown in early April of this year, carbon or CO2 emissions dropped worldwide by 17 percent as compared to 2019. Current CO2 emission levels are nearly equivalent to those measured in 2006, according to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. However, researchers emphasize that this decrease may not be sustained, as CO2 emissions will likely only drop by about 4-7 percent depending on the trajectory of the pandemic. In the wake of COVID-19 , some countries have already made decisions to move toward a greener future. The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, put forth a $572 billion economic recovery plan with the goal for the EU to be climate-neutral by 2050. South Korea has also introduced the Korean New Deal, which puts a $135 billion investment in green and digital technology. President Xi Jinping announced recently that China will aim for carbon neutrality by 2060 and plans to peak its carbon emissions by 2030. China is currently the world’s biggest emitter of carbon and the largest energy financier with the biggest market. These moves from China, the EU and others put pressure on other countries to follow. The pandemic has also forced some nations to focus on the effects of COVID-19 rather than environmental issues. Brazil,
a country heavily impacted by COVID-19, is focusing on the pandemic while illegal loggers and miners are taking advantage of the situation and cutting down trees. This cleared area will then be burned to allow for cattle grazing, which could increase the risk of wildfires. In the United States, the EPA announced that it will enable companies to monitor themselves, and the agency “does not expect to seek penalties” if companies are unable to comply with regulations. This allows energy production facilities, industrial waste landfills and others to delay their reporting of greenhouse gas emissions. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is also exercising discretion in the enforcement of regulations, which could cause more methane gas leaking from pipelines. The pandemic has also delayed international negotiations, including on climate change. The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference that was set to convene in November has been delayed for a year. Other international negotiations have also been delayed, such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress, which has been postponed to January of 2021. The U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, which would have launched new global rules to protect wildlife and plants, has also been postponed. A meeting to finalize the High Seas Treaty to establish agreements for conservation and sustainable development for ocean biodiversity
in international waters has been pushed to 2021. The High Seas Treaty has been in the negotiation stage since 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused new difficulties regarding scientific research. The World Meteorological Organization published a report which concluded that the pandemic will cause long-term damage to climate change monitoring. One of the significant impacts of the pandemic is on the global observing system, which will impact the quality of forecasts and other weather-, climate- and ocean-related services. Additionally, in March, nearly all oceanographic research vessels were recalled to their home ports. The full-depth ocean surveys of variables are completed only once every decade and they were unable to occur this year. Alternatives such as commercial ships, ocean buoys and other systems are unable to contribute to this. There was also an average of a 75-80 percent reduction in aircraft-based observations in March and April, and manually operated weather station observations have been disrupted. Finally, there also has yet to be a measurement of glaciers or the thickness of permafrost. This will lead to long-term impacts in scientific research as a result of incomplete data. This year, there has also been an inability to study the reduced CO2 emissions. Without this information, it is not possible to tell how these reductions have affected the earth. As we know, the pandemic has direct-
Graphic by Anjali Rao-Herel ’22
ly affected our STEM classes at school, as labs that would normally be in person have moved online to fit within the module system. Across the board, science classes have adapted to the online learning experience in many different ways. In BIOL-230 Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology, the class has altered the labs to focus on and learn about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Grace Wallsinger ’23 said in regard to the course, “I really do appreciate that they kind of embraced the change and decided to use this opportunity to focus on how biology relates to our lives right now and do something that is possible for us to do at home.”
Women of Belarus march against ‘Europe’s last dictator’ BY MADHAVI RAO ’24 STAFF WRITER
On Sept. 19, approximately 2,000 women marched through Minsk, the capital city of Belarus, as a part of more than six weeks of protests against the results of the recent presidential election, which has caused unrest across the country. Dissent has been targeted towards what is seen as the fraudulent reelection of long-standing president, Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko, who is also known as “Europe’s last dictator,” has ruled since 1994. The title was awarded to him following the dissolution of presidential term limits, years of voter fraud and his lead in arresting any challengers to his presidency. As reported by The Washington Post, these ploys have come to be seen as “the pitiful acts of a tyrant who has no legitimacy and clings desperately to power.”
In regard to the months of protests, Lukashenko’s government has responded with a brutal crackdown. Since the wave of unrest began in August, more than 10,000 peaceful protesters have been arrested, according to U.N. Special Rapporteur Anaïs Marin. Middle Eastern news network Al-Jazeera has reported that the detained protesters are subjected to torture and abuse in custody, resulting in the deaths of several protesters. This abusive treatment of protesters is a driving force for the Women’s March in Minsk. Irina K. Palyukovich, a protester at the march, told The New York Times, “Women can do a lot, they can fight against a dictator. Men cannot do that not because they are weak, but they are more vulnerable. They are being beaten more often.” Around 2,000 women marched around the capital city on Sept. 19, carrying red and white opposition flags and demand-
ing the removal of Lukashenko from his position. This was confronted with more state-sanctioned violence, as approximately 300 protesters were dragged into vans and forcibly detained. Step Vaessen, reporting for Al-Jazeera, stated that Lukashenko’s response to the protests was to “treat everyone as violently as possible,” crushing dissent by “making sure that people are so scared and intimidated that they will stop these protests.” In a statement released before the march, opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya advocated for the “brave women of Belarus.” Tikhanovskaya, a former teacher, ran for president in the place of her husband, Sergei Tikhanovskaya, who was jailed for being a vocal supporter of the opposition. Of the three female leaders of the opposition, two — Tikhanovskaya and Veronika Tsepkalo — have fled the country. The conditions of their departure to Lithuania closely following the election
results are said to have been under duress from the Belarusian government. The third leader of the opposition, Maria Kolesnikova, who previously ripped up her passport to avoid deportation to Ukraine, has been arrested for “actions aimed at undermining Belarusian national security,” according to NBC. Kolesnikova was last seen being pushed into a minibus by masked men in Minsk. Her current whereabouts are unknown. Lukashenko has faced little opposition during his rule, but the government’s mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with grievances about the economy, have led to a strong wave of dissent among the public. According to BBC News, Tikhanovskaya says that
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FEATURES
October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
Mount Holyoke prepares for virtual Mountain Day 2020
Photo by Flannery Langton ’22 On Sept. 30, the College announced Mountain Day 2020 would take place during the preexisting break in October between modules one and two.
BY MIMI HUCKINS ’21 FEATURES EDITOR
As Mount Holyoke traditions began to stray far from traditional, the suspicion of a reimagined remote Mountain Day arised. On Sept. 30, an “MHC This Week” update email was sent to students with a memo about Mountain Day 2020. Within the Mount Holyoke community, students had already begun making their own plans, creating Facebook events and listing their Mountain Day ideas in shared Google Sheets. Now, students are also able to share an official Mount Holyoke Mountain Day virtually with other students. Jane Kvederas ’22 is the chair of senate for the College’s Student Government Association and is now part of the Student Experience Emergency Response Team. As soon as there were whispers of making Mountain Day happen, Kvederas knew she had to be involved. Like many students, for Kvederas, Mountain Day is an important part of the Mount Holyoke College experience. “I volunteered because I just really wanted to be involved in it as much as possible and put in my input,” Kvederas said. Although this Mountain Day will be unlike any other, there are many ways Mount Holyoke is trying to get students engaged. On the College’s website, there is a Mountain Day submission form in which students can share Mountain Day photos and experiences. The Mountain Day 2020 page encourages students to eat ice cream, sport MHC apparel, make Mountain Day decorations, listen to ringing bells, take a hike, watch a hiking documentary and share photos. “We’re trying to make it work. We’re trying to make it as interactive and as engaging as possible with the remote setting,” Kvederas said. Kvederas also shared that the effort to make the day as interactive as possible may include “utilizing social media and maybe even uploading a video of someone actually doing a timelapse of going up the mountain.” “We’re really just spitballing any idea we can about how to make sure that students actually want to participate even though it will be remote,” Kvederas added.
So when will Mountain Day happen? The classic secrecy of Mountain Day is an element that will be retained, but this year to a lesser extent. In the Sept. 30 announcement, the College confirmed that Mountain Day would fall on one of the days in the intermission between Mod 1 and Mod 2, but did not specify an exact day. Kvederas hopes that the surprise is not the only aspect of Mountain Day that is kept the same. “There have been ideas going back and forth [about] whether or not we should get someone to actually chime the bells and put that up on the internet,” Kvederas said. “Everybody looks forward to that, and I know there are some people that, on days when Mountain Day might occur, get up … at 7 a.m. and wait to hear them chime. I’ve been one of those people.” Although not everything is set in stone, Kvederas offered a sneak peek at some Mountain Day festivities that may be taking place. “There are going to be engaging podcasts, sort of like trackers or something like that, that try to get individual groups of people or students to go and get out in nature themselves. So, go on a hike and log it on social media and things like that,” Kvederas said. Other loved aspects of Mountain Day may also make an appearance, such as temporary tattoos, which are designed by a Mount Holyoke alum. “They actually got in touch [with us] and are working on the possibility of that being uploaded on social media as a filter or something like that so that the tattoos will still be a part of Mountain Day,” Kvederas said. Students are already making individual plans for Mountain Day as well. Alex Fuselier ’22, although not on campus, is living in South Hadley this semester. “I plan to hike Mt. Holyoke or maybe a different nearby mountain,” Fuselier said. Rachel Aguirre ’22 has found herself in a similar situation, having recently moved to an apartment near campus, and is planning to hike Mt. Holyoke as well. “Maybe we will climb to the top and do a bit of painting at the overlook,” she said. “I have a lot of friends in the area so I will hopefully meet up with them and hike the mountain and enjoy the day off,” Aguirre added.
“If I was still back home, I would have probably gone to the beach or FaceTimed my friends from campus.” This is exactly what Kvederas hopes students will do. “It might not be all of us climbing the mountain together, but there will be avenues for students to, individually or in small groups, whatever they’re able to do, … get in touch with nature,” Kvederas said. “One of the vital, one of the key elements of Mountain Day, is you’re not in a classroom, you’re actually out and breathing fresh air and seeing green stuff.” Mount Holyoke traditions such as Mountain Day are an essential part of the Mount Holyoke College experience for many students. As in-person events are currently impossible, upholding traditions by reinventing them has seemed to generate a positive response. “I think it’s very important to uphold traditions or at least do our best to feel as close to campus as possible,” Aguirre said. “Although this is our new normal, following these traditions like Mountain Day, while during the pandemic, can help us feel like things are a bit more normal. Mountain Day is a really great tradition that Mount Holyoke College has and I love that it motivates students to go out, be active and experience the nature that we have so close to us.” Fuselier shared this sentiment. “I really feel that traditions can be pretty grounding in times like this,” Fuselier said. “It’s these shared ideas and shared excitement that really brings MoHo together, and I feel like that’s not something that can really be taken away by time differences and changes of scenery.” “We all still hold that love and excitement of MoHo and its traditions close to our hearts because in these times, we don’t always have something else to hold on to that brings so much warmth and unity,” Fuselier added. As for the few students who are on campus, a Mount Holyoke Mountain Day experience will also be provided, with wellness and nature-oriented activities. “We’re trying to balance social distancing and all the requirements that need to be fulfilled,” Kvederas said. “I think the majority of it is going to take place on the green and then, I believe, we tossed around the idea of yoga or hula hooping or something like that, something really mindless and physically oriented that would just be really chill and fun.” But there are still students all over the world who aren’t on campus or in the Pioneer Valley who deserve the Mountain Day experience. Aguirre noted that, although she has the privilege of being able to hike Mt. Holyoke for Mountain Day, many students will not. She believes it is important to celebrate no matter where students are geographically. “It would be great for students to make Mountain Day their own adventure wherever they are while being COVID safe,” Aguirre said. Kvederas hopes that the efforts going into planning Mountain Day will benefit all members of the Mount Holyoke community from all parts of the world. “It’s really unfortunate that we are not gonna be all climbing the mountain together,” Kvederas said. “We’re trying to create synchronous avenues for students to be a part of nature and also share that with the Mount Holyoke College community from wherever they might be in the world.”
FEATURES 7 Students share experiences of living on campus October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
BY REBECCA GAGNON ’23 STAFF WRITER
On Aug. 7, Mount Holyoke announced that it would not be allowing the vast majority of students to live on campus during the pandemic. The only students who were permitted to remain were those who had applied to live on campus under circumstances that could not be resolved. According to Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Marcella Runell Hall, as of Aug. 13, there were about 180 students on campus. “It’s really sad around here,” Samira Khan ’22, who currently lives on campus, said. “It just feels like you are living in a zombie land.” Khan, who is from Bangladesh, describes herself as a semi-domestic and international student. She spent part of the summer in Bangladesh and then applied to stay on campus for the school year. When she was approved, she went to spend a week with family near Mount Holyoke. “I was already in this county and I was staying with my relatives [on] just a temporary basis and then, just a week later, [Mount Holyoke administration] said we [were] going online,” Khan said. “I didn’t have a place because it was just a one-week [plan] and this was my only option.” This story resonated with others who are staying on campus. Parikshita Gya ’22 is another international student living on campus who was afraid to go home. Gya described not living in good studying conditions back home, a large reason for staying on campus. Additionally, Gya mentioned being “very afraid of [President Donald] Trump pulling one of his cards again and barring us entry.” Although there are some people who are still on campus on a regular basis, both faculty and students feel that there has been an unwelcome change this semester. “It’s just really isolating,” Emily Jones ’23, another student living on campus, stated. “I don’t know, I just think that everyone is trying to get through it.” “My impression from my horror movie background,” Professor of Biological Sciences Gary Gillis said, “is it just feels like a zombie apocalypse about to start and I am sad that so many people are missing out on this amazing opportunity in this cool space.” Gillis is an associate dean of faculty, the director of the Science Center and a professor in the biological sciences department who is currently working from home. As a member of the College’s administration, Gillis said, “It was kind of my job to convey to the faculty that this last spring and summer we were really trying to de-densify the campus. … The easiest thing for me in deciding to work from home was kind of just abiding by the philosophy I was telling everyone else.” Other professors decided to work from home as well, for the safety of co-workers and students. “The best part [of working from home],” Morena Svaldi, lecturer in Italian and the faculty director of the Language Assistant program, said, “is that I can switch my roles very quickly. The difficult part, I think, is that there is no separation between your personal life, personal space and professional space.” This is a difficulty faced by students who are still living on campus as well. “Normally I would go to classes,” Khan said. “But now it’s just like, wake up, go to your desk, study and then whenever your lunch or dinner time is, you go out for just that. It’s sad.”
The rules that are being enforced now are the same rules that all students who were previously planning to live on campus would have to abide by. The only difference is that it is now embedded in the community compact for Mount Holyoke to maintain safety on campus. “There are several restrictions and the community compact was [originally] so vague that you didn’t even know when you might breach it,” Gya recalled. At the beginning of the new year, there was a miscommunication between Dining Services and Residential Life that resulted in some students unintentionally breaking the community compact by sitting and eating in the Dining Commons. There had previously been no signs or notices about whether that was allowed or not. “Trying to have a good day and just having food and then out of the blue someone comes up to you and tells you, ‘Oh, you breached the law on campus, we need to take your name and report you,’ is, in itself, very scary,” Gya said. “Especially for us international students; we have nowhere else to go.” After this incident, the students did not get penalized for eating in the Dining Commons, since there was a miscommunication. Signs were put up soon after around the Dining Commons so students would know that they are not allowed to eat there. Students are only allowed to eat outside or in their rooms. Some dorm kitchenettes are open for students to cook their own food if they want to, which helps offset Dining Services’ limited hours. “Their lunch and breakfast times clash with most class times,” Bineeta Debnath ’23 said. “As the weather is on our side right now, it is better that we get to go outside and have dinner with our friends who are living in other dorms, but I don’t know what is going to happen during wintertime,” Khan said. “We will be staying in our rooms the whole time; even if we are getting our food, we are coming back to our rooms and we are eating in the same space, so it is going to get toxic.” check in with their students. “I really care a lot about how my students are processing this because I know that some students have different situations,” Svaldi said. “This has impacted the way that we learn and recharge ourselves, so my message is to be nice to ourselves and be supportive to those around us.” Although there are a lot of negative feelings, some students have been able to find the silver linings. “It’s hard,” Khan said. “Especially the two [COVID-19] tests per week, but it is helping to keep us on track, like ‘Okay I’m safe, my friends are safe, the people I’m sharing the bathroom with are safe.’ … [COVID-19]-wise, the campus is safe and they are taking good care of us in that way.” “I am really grateful for the people around me,” Gya said. “As in ResLife people, the professors, people in the Dining Services — I feel like they worked really, really hard. … They are amazing. They are doing so much for us, they don’t even know us and they are so nice. Although they are struggling, they are trying to make your day better. … I think we should all feel really special that they care about us that much. Other students such as Jones, Debnath and Gya shared this concern for the mental and physical health of the students living on campus. Students can cur-
Graphic by Trinity Kendrick ’21
rently spend time with friends from other dorms by going outside because they are not allowed to enter any dorm that is not their own. They may spend time together in Blanchard Hall, but it has to be socially distanced with masks on. “We don’t really have a social life,” Gya said. “It is just us in one room and I think [for] people struggling with mental illness, this is going to be really harsh on them.” According to students living on campus, Residential Life is holding some online events and putting on small get-togethers in dorms to help them feel less isolated. Along with this, according to the students interviewed, those permanently residing on campus are allowed to spend time with people who are in their dorm as well. Professors also shared this concern for students’ mental and physical health and are to check in with their students. “I really care a lot about how my students are processing this because I know that some students have different situations,” Svaldi said. “This has impacted the way that we learn and recharge ourselves, so my message is to be nice to ourselves and be supportive to those around us.” Although there are a lot of negative feelings, some students have been able to find the silver linings. “It’s hard,” Khan said. “Especially the two [COVID-19] tests per week, but it is helping to keep us on track, like ‘Okay I’m safe, my friends are safe, the people I’m sharing the bathroom with are safe.’ … [COVID-19]-wise, the campus is safe and they are taking good care of us in that way.” “I am really grateful for the people around me,” Gya said. “As in ResLife people, the professors, people in the Dining Services — I feel like they worked really, really hard. … They are amazing. They are doing so much for us, they don’t even know us and they are so nice. Although they are struggling, they are trying to make your day better. … I think we should all feel really special that they care about us that much.”
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GLOBAL
October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
Traveling to Beijing BY AMELIA LUO ’22 STAFF WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER
While waiting to print tickets and check in baggages, the crew tested us twice for temperature. Despite the 112 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius) heat in LA, the people waiting in lines all had on their protective gear.
During the boarding process, people were separated into several groups according to their seats numbers.
In the airplane. The crew all have their names written on their backs.
About a month ago, I finally bought my ticket back home. Getting a plane ticket directly back home was pure luck, even after months of waiting, especially when the plane actually took off the next day. I had a plan B, where I would be flying from L.A. to Seoul, then from there to Hangzhou, finally taking a train to Beijing after 14 days of quarantine. However, Korea updated their requirement for the COVID-19 testing report from seven days to three days after they had another recent outbreak. Getting the test result in a CVS without symptoms is nearly impossible, not to mention that the time constraint would require the testing report ideally due on either Saturday or Sunday, making it even harder. With that being said, I am lucky. Am I shocked when traveling seems so different? When we are asking to test for temperature again and again? Or when I see the flight attendants are covered from head to toe as if they work in the hospital? Honestly, I don’t feel that. As we have all been drowning in the pandemic news and surging political activities all over the world for the past eight months, I believe that nothing can surprise us anymore. As for me right now, it is only the little things in life that might surprise me, things such as friends, family or a good cup of coffee.
On the bridge, all plane crews are dressed in hazmat suits. We are tested for temperature once again.
Parents are taping up a space for their children so they can change their diapers.
October 1, 2020
GLOBAL
. Mount Holyoke News
9
Quarantine & traveling back home: A personal photo essay
After passing through the Chinese Customs, we waited in line for the testing results.
The airport crew brought our luggage outside. We picked out our own and brought them on the bus with us. Then, we headed toward the quarantine hotel.
The sheet.
My small reading corner during the quarantine.
Since we were not allowed to leave our rooms, the hotel provided us meals three times a day. They were put on stools right in front of our doors.
Three times a day, the hotel used an ultraviolet light to disinfect the corridor.
Right across the hall, one of my acquaintances was in quarantine the same time as I was. She left the night before I did. When I left, I saw they had already cleaned her room and put the necessities in place. The room was already waiting for a new person.
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GLOBAL
October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
Extrajudicial killing in Mozambique leads to mass controversy BY ADITI PARASHAR ’22 STAFF WRITER
Content Warning: This article describes graphic violence and firearm use. A recent video of a woman being shot at by men in military uniform sparked outrage in Mozambique after it was circulated widely on social media throughout the week of Sept. 14. The video shows a naked woman being beaten by sticks on a countryside road. She is then shot over 30 times. The video ends with one of the men making a victory sign and saying in Portuguese, “We’ve just killed Al-Shabaab,” which is the jihadi group operating in the region. The government of Mozambique condemned the act and claimed the violence was meted out by jihadi troops impersonating military personnel rather than the military itself. The insurgents in the region have done this in the past, according to the BBC. The government has promised to carry out an investigation of the “horrifying” video, reports Africanews. Interior Minister Amade Miquidade said, “The macabre acts that have been publicized are actions of subversion aimed at pitting the people against the forces that protect them. There is no relationship between those images with the defense and security forces.” However, Amnesty International noted that the men in the video were wearing Mozambique Armed
Defense Force uniforms, making them appear as if they were possible members of the FADM. They have also shed light on additional details. They claim the events in the video took place on Sept. 7 in the town of Awasse in the Cabo Delgado province. Amnesty International, while asking for a thorough investigation to be carried out, stated that the killing demonstrates “a repeated and unrelenting pattern of crimes being committed by the Mozambican armed forces.” These allegations come amid heightened scrutiny on the Mozambican army after Amnesty International published a report claiming that the army was carrying out human rights violations in the region, such as executing civilians and dumping bodies into mass graves. These allegations came after it received video footage and photographs from its sources in the country. David Matsinhe, the Lusophone regional researcher for Southern Africa at Amnesty International, told AllAfrica, “People on the ground have been sending us numerous complaints of such violations since 2017. It just hasn’t been in the spotlight.” Africanews reported that the military forces have been fighting to take back control in northern Cabo Delgado since the extremist insurgency began three years ago. This province is one of Africa’s biggest liquefied natural gas projects, which makes it essential to the region. The rising violence in the area poses a threat to the billion-dollar investments by international firms for the development of gas projects. AlShabaab has escalated the violence since the begin-
ning of the year, when a bid to establish an Islamist caliphate in the area was set forth. “Although the region is naturally rich in natural resources, the story is not the same for social markers such as employment and literacy rates, which remain incredibly low,” said Maha Ahmed ’21, an international relations major. “Additionally, foreign investments imply that the cheapest labor must be hired. This has a direct impact on the youth of the area who are then denied access to jobs that essentially exist to exploit the resources of their very land.” “I think you can see the frustrations of unemployed youth who have been denied opportunities in the ongoing conflict in the region,” Ahmed continued. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project estimates that since the militants have carried out continuous attacks on the region’s towns and villages, more than 1,500 people have been killed while 250,000 have been displaced. Additionally, the total number of fatalities on either side stands at 1,854. Human Rights Watch reports that no one has been held to account for any of these abuses. Professor of Africana Studies and Economics Lucas Wilson said, “There is no population more vulnerable, more dependent on respect for rights and dignity by those in authority than a population of incarcerated people. Based on the information I’ve read, the guards should face charges in Mozambique and in an international criminal court. I’m sorry this has happened and attention and care is needed to restore trust throughout society.”
Women of Belarus march to protest contested president, cont’d
Photo courtesy of WikiMedia Commons After President Lukashenko was sworn into office during a secret inauguration Sept. 23, protests broke out in Minsk, the capital city of Belarus.
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she won 60-70 percent of the vote in places it was counted properly. Lukashenko’s reelection, with an alleged 80 percent majority, caused outrage across the country. Assistant Professor of International Relations and Politics Christopher Mitchell commented on Lu-
kashenko’s regime. “What these events show is just how delicate a position Lukashenko finds himself in,” Mitchell said. “His dictatorship has largely survived because he’s enjoyed the support of Vladimir Putin. However, this has put Belarus in a position where it frequently bends to Russia’s will, inflaming resentment among a segment of the population.” Mitchell continued, “To manage this, Lukashenko has gently pushed back against Putin to look more as-
sertive, and Putin has been reluctant to get involved directly to support him.” Alejandra German Chavarin ’23, a history and politics double major, believes that the protests are a valid reaction to the electoral issues. “The ‘president’ Mr. Lukashenko hasn’t been considered a legitimate leader by many countries including the U.S,” Chavarin said. “This uproar deserves attention because it obviously points at wide dissatisfaction amongst the citizens, one that would make the alleged 80 percent of votes that Mr. Lukashenko received questionable.” A fresh wave of protests broke out after Lukashenko was sworn in at a secret inauguration on Sept. 23. The Moscow Times reported that unlike previous inaugurations, the ceremony was not shown on live TV. Instead, photographs of Lukashenko swearing in and a transcript of his inaugural address were published by the state-run news agency, BelTA. Ales Belyatsky, head of the human rights group Viasna, said to The Moscow Times, “If the inauguration had been announced in advance, 200,000 demonstrators would have gathered outside his palace.” In a statement, Tikhanovskaya called the ceremony “a farce.” The United States and several European countries such as Germany have refused to recognize Lukashenko’s presidency. Mitchell said concerning the inauguration, “Lukashenko’s best strategy is to wait out the opposition and hope that they lose intensity with time. Therefore, any large public display of asserting his authority runs the risk of reviving the opposition, and he can no longer count on Putin to support him.”
October 1, 2020
BOOKS
. Mount Holyoke News
11
Four Latinx authors you should know for Hispanic Heritage Month BY CAT BARBOUR ’24 STAFF WRITER
The need for a diverse authorship is great. According to a 2019 survey by Publisher’s Weekly, only 3 percent of authors identified as Hispanic. To honor their literary contributions for National Hispanic Heritage Month, which lasts from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, here are four books by Latinx authors published this year. “Cockfight” by María Fernanda Ampuero, translated version published May 1, 2020. Originally published in Spanish in 2018, “Cockfight” was named one of the 10 best fiction books of that year by The New York Times en Espanol. In 13 short stories, the debuting writer reflects in prose on women’s experiences of abuse, sexual assault and survival in an unnamed South American country. Not exactly a light read, “Cockfight” is a gripping feminist narrative that depicts dark realities within the home and family. The idea of a family is something Ampuero discussed in an interview in 2019 with the BBC. Ampuero said, “It seems to me that the relationship between parents and children contains something monstrous.” While not from the book, it certainly gives a good idea of the tone of her piece. Ampuero was born in Ecuador and currently resides in Spain, where she teaches journalism at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and contributes to the Spanish newspaper ABC in their short story section. “Cockfight” is the first of her books to be translated into English. “On Lighthouses” by Jazmina Barrera, translated version published May 12, 2020. “After spending sufficient time inside a lighthouse, who wouldn’t begin to hear a song in the sound of the
machinery, a voice in the wind or the waves?” Barrera asks in her book “On Lighthouses.” In her combination personal memoir and literary history, Barrera attempts to “collect” lighthouses from literary works and coastlines from Spain to Oregon. In her obsession, she describes them, never weighing down the reader with too much detail, waxing symbolic about the lighthouses and turning inward for a meta examination of writing itself. Born in Mexico City, Barrera was a Fulbright Scholar at NYU and won the Latin American Voices prize from Literal Publishing in 2013. She has published several essays both in print and online. Currently, she is the editor and co-founder of Ediciones Antilope, a Mexican publishing house. “The Book of Rosy” by Rosayra Pablo Cruz and Julie Schwietert Collazo, published June 2, 2020. Rosayra Pablo Cruz opens her novel with the line, “When said with love, my first name rolls off the tongue, the trilled r’s cascading over so many soft vowels, like Guatemala’s crystal clear Río Azul rippling over smooth stones.” The story follows Cruz’s experience fleeing Guatemala and reaching the Arizona border, where her two sons were ripped from her arms. Aided by Collazo, the founder of the Immigrant Families Together Foundation, Cruz tells her story, and the story of many others, of [inhumane treatment at the border. “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, published June 30, 2020. Moreno-Garcia’s newest novel springs into action when the protagonist receives a letter that “was therefore uncharacteristic in every way she could think of. It was handwritten, though Catalina preferred the typewriter; it was rambling, when Catalina was succinct on paper.” “Mexican Gothic” follows Noemí Taboada as she
Graphic by Trinity Kendrick ’21
travels to High Place, a house deep in the countryside of Mexico, to her newlywed cousin’s aid after receiving a disconcerting letter. The debutante does not know what to expect from the new area and her cousin’s English husband, but must call on her smarts and toughness to figure out what is going on. Her only ally is the Englishman’s young nephew, who may be hiding some of the family’s secrets. In what NPR called “an inspired mash-up of [Charlotte Bronte’s] ‘Jane Eyre,’ Ann Radcliffe’s ‘The Mysteries of Udolpho,’ [Bram Stoker’s] ‘Dracula,’ [Daphne du Maurier’s] ‘Rebecca’ and that 1958 classic sci-fi movie, ‘The Blob,’” Moreno-Garcia ties in subtle social commentary with criticism against racist politics and eugenics. Describing herself as “Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination,” Moreno-Garcia has had a successful literary career. Her debut “Signal to Noise” won a Copper Cylinder Award, and her novel “Certain Dark Things” was one of NPR’s best books of 2016. Another acclaimed novel, Moreno-Garcia’s “Gods of Jade and Shadow,” won the 2020 Sunburst Award for Adult Fiction, as well as the 2020 RUSA Books and Media award for fantasy.
Class of 2024 book club connects students through literature has resided in me since the beginning of the pandemic. For casual readers and bibliophiles alike, finding a place to interact with other literature enthusiasts has proven to be particularly hard. Without the opportunity to congregate in the campus library or to meet others in English classes, I felt like there was a significant loss to my freshman experience. In order to fill that gap, I decided to start an informal book club through the class of 2024 Facebook group, very appropriately titled The Mount Holyoke Book Club. What originally started out as a desire to meet a handful of students with a similar interest soon grew to be a club of around 30 members, all looking for a way to meaningfully connect with one another in the midst of the pandemic. Since we wanted to establish a routine of meeting at the end of every month, we only had about two weeks to pick and read a book. We all expressed interest in reading something that was short and discussed issues that we were interested in, such as women’s rights. Through different polls and opinions, we decided on the book “We Should All Be Feminists” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, an
BY ELIZABETH JACOB ’24 STAFF WRITER & COPY EDITOR
In the midst of COVID-19 and its accompanying social distancing guidelines, myself and other college students are dealing with the loss of a traditional college experience. Not only has this loss manifested in a suspension of in-person classes and physical socialization, but it has led to a decrease in our ability to interact with people in general, whether that be through clubs or on-campus activities. When envisioning what Mount Holyoke would be like in the fall, I never imagined it full of online assignments and meeting friends and professors through Zoom. Actually, I pictured waking up in my dorm for Mountain Day, excitedly anticipating elfing, walking around campus with new friends and feeling a growing sense of belonging. In light of all we’re missing, students have been working to create and join their own clubs and activities in the hope of simulating this on-campus experience. As a first-year and self-proclaimed bookworm, trying to socialize with other students and create a normal college experience has been a difficulty, one that
Photo courtesy of Flickr Author Adichie at Howard County Library System Miller Branch.
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ENVIRONMENTAL
October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
Indigenous land management practices are essential for land healing
Photo courtesy of WikiMedia Commons Colonizer land practices have caused many modern natural disasters.
BY CATELYN FITZGERALD ’23 STAFF WRITER
As wildfires raging across the West Coast have become increasingly common, some states have taken stock of wildfire management practices to determine how to address the threat of major fires. Recent struggles to properly prevent and manage wildfires come as no surprise to Indigenous peoples, whose land management practices were disrupted centuries ago by colonization. Native Americans living in what today is California used to uphold a tedious burning regimen where small, controlled fires would be lit to encourage the growth of specific plants. One such tribe is the Karuk Tribe of California, who use knowledge of weather patterns and the local climate to determine when and where to light fires while posing minimal risk to vulnerable habitats and species. Plants that benefit from regular burning are often important elements of Indigenous life and culture. The North Fork Mono Tribe, for example, uses sumac branches as basket weaving material, and the burning of these plants encourages the growth of straight, flexible branches which are ideal for the craft. Reduced vegetation also leads to
greater hunting success, as prey are able to move freely through the forest and are more visible to hunters. Not only do burns serve practical purposes for Indigenous life, they are also key to the preservation of healthy ecosystems. Regular fires improve soil quality and are a part of the life cycles of some plants for which fire is a key facilitator of reproduction processes such as spore distribution. Cultural burning represents an important part of Indigenous philosophy, which is that humans are a part of how an ecosystem functions and cycles. It follows that the human relationship with the environment should enhance the ecosystems that it benefits from, rather than simply extracting resources from the environment without replenishment. Cultural burning was a key part of the relationship between Indigenous peoples and their environment until colonizers arrived and brought with them an impression of fire as an evil entity and a regimen of fire suppression methods. In 1850, cultural burns were criminalized. When controlled burns no longer occurred at the same rate that they once had, flammable plant matter built up throughout forests in the West, causing fires to have the potential to grow quickly and cause extreme damage. Climate change adds to the favorable conditions for large fires as it worsens droughts and causes weather patterns that facilitate the spread of fires. Today, the use of fire suppression remains predominant in land management, but techniques used to fight wildfires, such as the digging of firelines or aerial dispersal of fire retardant, can pollute water resources and permanently alter physical environments. As wildfires have grown more intense in recent years, government officials have begun to listen to Indigenous leaders and give tribes increased authority and space to engage in controlled burning. California has recently set a goal to reduce excess vegetation in 500,000 acres of forest, and several tribes are partnering with the U.S. Forest Service and land managers to achieve this through controlled burning. However, there are still barriers to cultural burning practices, as the necessary permits for burning may still be denied on the basis of air quality and liability concerns.
Controlled burning also poses greater risks than it did when it was a common practice centuries ago, due to the buildup of plant matter during the practice’s cessation, which makes even small burns potentially harder to control. Similar efforts by Indigenous peoples to increase cultural burning are gaining traction in Australia. Australia’s 2019-2020 bushfire season began earlier and was more destructive than it had been in past years. By early 2020, 46 million acres had burned, and an estimated three billion animals were killed or displaced during the span of the fires, many of which were endangered species. Indigenous communities were also affected by the fires, facing the loss of homes, community buildings and extensive damage to local ecosystems. The history of Indigenous land management in Australia is similar to that of the U.S. Burning was commonplace among Indigenous people for thousands of years until it was slowly eradicated following Australia’s colonization in 1788. While controlled burning is practiced in Australia today, contemporary methods are considered to be ineffective and Indigenous leaders are urging the government to allow them to restore their burning practices and engage in full-time land management. Recently, the New South Wales government formally accepted a recommendation to increase the use of cultural burns in fire prevention and published a report explaining its benefits. As climate change is making extreme weather and natural disasters a reality around the world, national governments are beginning to listen to the urging of Indigenous leaders to incorporate cultural burns and other traditional practices into land management. A healed environment necessitates a reciprocal relationship between humans and the environment, and restoring land management practices is just one step towards the acknowledgment that resources must be cared for rather than exploited. Indigenous land management demands that we ask ourselves what we can do to support the plants, animals and ecosystems that support us.
Weekly Climate News October 1, 2020 Land grabbers in the Amazon’s Indigenous territories advanced after encouragement from Bolsonaro.
The Trump administration released a plan to open the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the largest U.S. national forest, to logging.
nuclear fusion reactor is “very likely to work.” This suggests that producing energy in the same way the sun does might be achievable.
Eight new projects have been funded by NASA that explore the connections between the environment and COVID-19.
Gavin Newsom (CA-D), California’s governor, issued a ban on all gasoline powered cars after 2035. Legal challenges are expected.
A digital clock in Manhattan now shows the time left for critical action to be taken before effects of global warming become irreversible.
Over one-third of food in the U.S. is either lost or wasted, which equates to about $161 billion annually, and this problem has been exacerbated by the global pandemic. Read this article about how to reduce food waste.
As summers in the Arctic are warming due to climate change, northernmost landscapes are changing, becoming greener with increased plant growth.
Under the COVID-19 lockdown, India experienced its longest recorded period of clean air. This came to an end in September resulting primarily from New Delhi, as the burning of crop waste by farmers caused a deterioration in air quality.
Recent research papers claim that a new compact
October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
ENVIRONMENTAL
13
Fossil fuel companies and police groups are monetarily linked BY SIONA AHUJA ’24 STAFF WRITER
A new wave of investigations by the watchdog network LittleSis has revealed that major fossil fuel corporations are responsible for funding police groups in several cities. Corporate giants like Chevron and Exelon are official sponsors for police foundations — entities that provide grants to local police departments and innovate policing through new technology. The funds provided add to the 20-45 percent of municipal discretionary funding that already exists, ranging from $160 million to $5 billion annually. Chevron is a corporate sponsor for the New Orleans Police Department and also has a position on the board of the Houston Police Foundation. The energy provider Exelon is a notable backer of police foundations in Baltimore, Chicago and Washington. Wall Street firms that are the top financiers of fossil fuels are also inextricably linked to police foundations. JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs have all collectively donated millions of dollars to the police. Since police foundations are nonprofit bodies and the money is raised through galas or benefits, the gargantuan donations they receive often avoid public scrutiny. Reports from the New York Police Founda-
tion state that it raised roughly $5.5 million from its 2019 annual benefit, the deep-pocketed donors including Goldman Sachs and Blackrock, among others. Companies which thrive only through extraction and exploitation are openly weaponizing the police and garnering their support in order to protect their interests in the face of community opposition and environmentalists. Oil and gas companies are disproportionately located in minority communities, which contributes to environmental racism. These areas are often overly policed with little surveillance, creating a dangerous intersection of environmental destruction and racism. Demographically, Black, brown and low income communities are disproportionately exposed to toxic wastes and pollutants released by petrochemical facilities, smelters, refineries and waste incinerators. Fatemeh Shafiei, director of Environmental Studies at Spelman College, has found evidence to confirm the adverse effects of living in proximity to such facilities. Joanne Kilgour, director of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Sierra Club, told Pittsburgh’s radio station WESA that drilling for oil is primarily done in low-income neighborhoods because residents cannot afford the legal counsel paramount to combating drilling plans. Kilgour also called these neighborhoods the “front lines” of environmental justice. For the smooth operation of their industries and
to eliminate opponents, oil and gas companies have joined hands in support of conservative legislation that seeks to criminalize pipeline protests. Since 2017, several bills have been put forward in at least 18 U.S. states. Texas, the largest oil producing state (4,637,000 barrels produced every day), recently passed a pipeline protest law that came into effect on Sept. 1, 2019. According to this, an activist having “intent to damage or destroy” a pipeline facility or even trespass a “critical infrastructure” can face a third-degree felony charge, equivalent to that of attempted murder. Similarly, any organization having similar intentions is liable to be fined up to $500,000. Enraged activists are pushing for action plans to stop this environmental racism as individuals and in groups. They believe that, to change this situation, a change in white supremacist ideals in both policing and pollution is required. “The road to solving the climate crisis includes addressing connected predatory systems,” Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, the North America director of the collective 350.org, told the Guardian. Stop The Money Pipeline, a collective of over 130 climate, Indigenous and social justice organizations was launched in January 2020. Their recent campaigns target Wall Street and the fossil fuel corporate giants backed by them, and their demands ring of only one message: to halt investment in climate destruction and racial injustice.
Recycling shortcomings: Shining a light on the plastic industry
Photo courtesy of Getty Images. Plastic recycling is often seen as an easy and environmentally-friendly action. In reality, most plastic is never recycled due to the difficult process.
BY ABBY WESTER ’22 STAFF WRITER
Plastic is both a central part of our society and a suffocating pollutant to the earth. Almost anything we buy comes wrapped in plastic, we bag our food in plastic and we wear variations of plastic. Not only does plastic end up littering our oceans and neighborhoods, but over 99 percent of it is made from chemicals derived from harmful fossil fuels. By 2015, over 8.3 billion tons of plastic had been produced, roughly equivalent to the weight of one billion elephants or 80 million blue whales. While this commodity has widespread use, there is little public knowledge about where our plastic goes when we toss it. We have all been taught the environmentalist slo-
gan “reduce, reuse, recycle.” This slogan is often accompanied by the calming implication that by throwing your plastic water bottle in a recycling bin, you are helping save Mother Earth. However, in 2014, at the peak of annual recycling in the U.S., only 9.5 percent of plastic was actually recycled. Recent investigations by NPR and the PBS series “Frontline” reported that America’s largest oil and gas companies have known all along that recycling plastic would never be a viable alternative to dumping it in landfills. NPR and “Frontline” detailed that, in a 1974 speech, an unnamed industry insider wrote, “There is serious doubt that [recycling plastic] can ever be made viable on an economic basis.” While big oil and gas executives learned of the improbability of recycling on a large scale, commercials still aired across the country that, according to
NPR, carried the message of “Plastic is special, and the consumer should recycle it.” These commercials were paid for by the same oil and gas companies that knew the industry was doomed to fail, such as Exxon, Chevron, Dow and DuPont. For a while, the U.S. was able to hide its growing plastic problem and ineffective recycling programs by dumping plastic waste in other countries, primarily China. But in 2017, China announced a national policy called National Sword to halt the import of recyclable waste from other countries. The U.S. was then forced to reckon with its own plastic addiction. According to The Intercept, after the implementation of National Sword, the U.S. started burning “six times the amount of plastic it’s recycling,” which, in turn, emits toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, including black carbon, which contributes to climate change. Other countries, such as Kenya, have implemented groundbreaking plastic bans, looking to limit the polluter. However, the U.S. oil and gas companies have tried to sully these efforts as well. According to a New York Times report, U.S. fossil fuel companies are attempting to lobby Kenya to reverse its plastic ban and continue importing foreign plastic waste. The battle is now between environmentalists in Kenya, the U.S. and abroad and the fossil fuel lobbyists who are backed by the hundred billion dollar industry. While it is important to limit personal plastic use and continue to recycle plastics when possible, the issue of plastics extends beyond that. The towering oil and gas industry has held environmentalism hostage for decades with the goal of producing plastic, profits and waste.
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OPINION/EDITORIAL
October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
The COVID-19 pandemic exposes the dark side of exam culture BY SHLOKA GIDWANI ’22 & LAUREN LEESE ’23 WEB EDITOR & COPY EDITOR
Graphic by Anjali Rao-Herel ’22
This semester, Shloka Gidwani ’22 is taking a microeconomics class which uses the mastery-based grading system to evaluate students’ performances. According to the Connecticut Department of Education, a mastery-based learning system helps to “produce grades that more accurately reflect a student’s learning progress and achievement, including situations in which students struggled early on in a semester or school year, but then put in the effort and hard work needed to meet expected standards.” Rather than judging a student’s performance based on letter grades obtained after exams, the mastery-based grading system does not penalize students for getting the answer wrong the first time, but allows them to under-
stand the gaps in their knowledge and aims to reinforce areas in which they might be struggling. As the world grapples with a pandemic, we are noticing more and more glaring flaws in our educational systems, many of which are related to exam culture. Even beyond the fact that traditional timed closedbook exams are difficult to proctor over the internet, they also exacerbate inequalities in education. “I tend to think that exams are not a very effective way to assess a student’s understanding, and especially not in a pandemic,” Mavis Murdock ’22 said. “I think that steady work and class participation is much more important than a single high-stress exam, which is more likely to promote cramming and introduces a lot of factors that have nothing to do with a student’s understanding of the material.” The exam-based system promotes unhealthy competition instead of collaborative learning. From an early age, students are pitted against each other in an attempt to get the highest grade. This defeats the primary purpose of education, which is to understand a concept rather than memorize material just to regurgitate it on an exam. Exam culture creates a fear of failure rather than a love of learning, which makes students more likely to cheat. A Fordham University poll found that students who cheat had GPAs an average of 0.56 points higher than their honest counterparts. The Open Education Database speculates that “many probably feel compelled to compromise their school’s ethics policies in their own self-interest — especially considering the significant number of academic rewards hinging on one’s GPA.” Students’ incentives to cheat only increase while taking exams remotely, since there are limited ways
to supervise test takers. While exams are showing loopholes in our educational system, they also prove ineffective when assessing a remote learner’s performance. Sal Khan, founder of the online education platform Khan Academy, is an influential proponent of the mastery-based grading system. “Instead of artificially constraining, fixing when and how long you work on something, pretty much ensuring that variable outcome, the A, B, C, D, F — do it the other way around,” Khan said in a 2015 TED Talk. Khan’s philosophy is more pertinent now than ever, as students across the world are learning remotely. We are now limited in our face-to-face interactions with professors: Office hours have been reduced or are at inconvenient times, making it difficult for professors to keep track of students’ progress. Adding exams into the mix makes for a stressful concoction. Lauren Leese ’23 has experience taking classes at large state schools where the teaching method is often based around reading a textbook, memorizing the study guide, regurgitating the information for a multiple choice exam, rinsing and repeating. Until mastery-based learning becomes a widespread educational philosophy, this method will be confined to privileged institutions with the right resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that our educational system needs radical reform — not only to adapt to online education, but to better serve students’ needs in general. The mastery-based grading system is a more equitable method that shifts the focus away from judging and often belittling students for their mistakes and toward instilling a passion for learning.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legacy should be honored, not overlooked BY KAVERI PILLAI ’23 STAFF WRITER
Sept. 18, 2020 seemed to cast a shadow on all those preparing themselves for the revival of American democracy. Sadness, confusion — probably the first few emotions that clouded my mind when I read about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing. However, my social media platforms managed to turn this grief into frustration and anger. My classmates’ posts from all over the world overcrowded my social media feed. The first few stories honored “The Notorious RBG’s” legacy and her contributions in the field of justice, but they didn’t seem to overpower the content that was fueled by irritation and sheer distaste in the 87-year-old associate justice’s work. It was surprising to see so many students my age flood Instagram with posts saying that “RBG could have done better.” These posts were created and shared by those who were focused on simply replacing her now vacant Supreme Court seat, preferably with a left-leaning candidate. I understand the importance of moving on and focusing on the future of how rights are addressed and how inclusive our legislation will be, yet this blatant neglect of Ginsburg’s contributions undermines her legacy. The 2020 presidential election is being viewed as the turning point for the United States. CNN con-
firmed President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett a few days after Ginsburg’s death. While one could have anticipated this strategic move from the Trump administration, it is worth seeing how Democratic voters have responded. Over the past few years, the Supreme Court has been divided into right- and left-wing groups, making the last standing apolitical branch political. With Barrett taking anti-abortion, ambivalent LGBTQ+ and pro-gun stances, she is being seen as the antithesis of what Ginsburg stood for. Her possible win could most certainly make it the most conservative Supreme Court since the 1930s. As much as I understand the dangers of a 6-3 highly polarized Supreme Court, I can’t seem to put aside my respect for RBG. Not just her role and position as a justice, but as a woman who fought for change. She is the reason why gender discrimination was addressed as a clear violation of the 15th Amendment that supposedly champions equal protection. Anybody can be a caregiver or a breadwinner, regardless of their gender, a point that took Ginsburg decades to popularize. Does it really hurt to celebrate the woman she was? And can we take a second away from the scheming and focus on altruistic gratefulness for her service? With the current political and social climate in the U.S. drawing attention to the noninclusive environment we have created for many marginalized groups, many young voters argue that Ginsburg didn’t do
enough. Her propagation of white feminism and her Supreme Court rulings catered to white women and disadvantaged women of color. American lawyer, activist and scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, in her argument for promoting intersectionality, spoke about the “double jeopardy” faced by Black women in which they appear to be fighting for their race and gender. This ideology has been seconded by all the posts that demand Ginsburg supporters own up to her mistakes. Can one person really fight for every cause under the sun in a just manner? Can real change only be made in small steps? As a young advocate for civil liberties in the 1970s, Ginsburg’s first step for achieving gender equality was to establish precedence that this gender discrimination existed. Califano v. Goldfarb and Moritz v. Commissioner echo her fight for the right to fair survival conditions for women. It makes this hatred look severely gendered. If it were a man who fought for a few monumental causes, he’d be praised. Are we more critical of the lack of holistic approach to law taken by Ginsburg because she is a woman? And is it truly fair to spend days that should be spent honoring her cherry-picking her achievements? Ginsburg was more than just an American justice; she shaped how we view women’s rights all over the world. By remembering the woman she was and the legacy she left behind, we will get the closure required to ensure that the administration and the Supreme Court we get post-November is just and fair to all.
October 1, 2020
. Mount Holyoke News
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
15
The 72nd Emmy Awards streams from home, highlights politics BY SABRYNA COPPOLA ’22 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
On Sept. 20, the 72nd Emmy Awards took place, celebrating all of the triumphs of television in the last year. The show aired as a primarily virtual event for the first time. It was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, who made his comedic monologue to an empty Staples Center. Because everyone had to stay safely in their homes, or at least away from the crowds, the virtual Emmy Awards were very different than in past years, but there were a few shining moments. The first section of the show was devoted to comedy, and Pop TV’s “Schitt’s Creek” swept the board. Winning every single award for a comedy series, the Canadian show took home seven wins. Crediting each member of the fictional Rose family with an Emmy, the Academy also awarded the show for its writing, directing and overall quality. As a fan of the show, I am delighted to see their hard work being recognized. But as someone who has watched a lot of television in the past six months, I have to say there were so many more shows that deserved a share in the glory. Other nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series included “Insecure,” “The Good Place” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” all of which I believe stood their ground compared to “Schitt’s Creek.” I think individuals who made incredible contributions to television this year, like Ramy Youssef and Issa Rae, deserved to be celebrated as well. Essentially, “Schitt’s Creek” earned its success, but taking home every sin-
gle award in the category seemed wrong Tyler Perry won the Governors considering all of its strong competitors. Award in recognition for “outstanding HBO’s “Succession” took home the achievement … either of a cumulative win for Outstanding Drama Series, beatnature or so extraordinary and univering “Ozark,” “Killing Eve” and others. sal in nature as to go beyond the scope Zendaya made history as the youngest of the Emmy Awards presented in the recipient of an Emmy for Outstanding categories and areas of the competition,” Lead Actress in a Drama Series at just 24. and delivered a touching speech about a Amid her surprise, she took a moment to quilt his grandmother gave him, which thank the other women in the category, he sees as a representation of America. as well as young activists all over the “I stand here tonight to say thank country. you to all of the people who are celebrat“To all my peers out there doing the ing and know the value of every patch work in the streets: I see you, I admire and every story and every color that you, I thank you,” Zendaya said, acceptmakes up this quilt that is our business, ing her Emmy. She was not alone in acthis quilt that is our lives, this quilt that knowledging politics that night. is America,” Perry said, honoring the Regina King, who won Best Actress Photo courtesy of Flickr representation of Black Americans in Schitt’s Creek won seven awards. in a Limited Series, accepted her award television, something that his grandfor playing Angela Abar in the adaptation of the comic mother didn’t have. “Watchmen” while wearing a shirt with Breonna TayThis year, the Emmys seemed oddly unfamiliar in lor’s face on it, accompanied by the words “Say Her that everyone accepted their awards from home. The Name.” “Watchmen” was bitingly relevant in the last show followed a lot of the formulas we have seen in few months, confronting the history of the Tulsa Race the wake of the pandemic: awkward jokes about social Massacre and police brutality. Her co-star, Yahya Ab- distancing and never leaving the house, commending dul-Mateen II, won the nomination for Best Supporting essential workers and desperately urging viewers to Actor in a Limited Series, and the show itself won Best vote. We saw some instances of true heartfelt acknowlLimited Series, taking home a total of four wins. Uzo edgment of discrimination in the television industry Aduba, who won Best Supporting Actress in a Limit- and certainly felt the shortcomings of the Academy, ed Series for her role in “Mrs. America,” also wore an including the failure to go further than nominating upoutfit honoring Taylor. and-coming creators of color for their work.
Netflix’s ‘Ratched’ feels like an addendum to ‘American Horror Story’ BY ROSE COHEN ’22 STAFF WRITER
Content Warning: This review describes graphic violence, homophobic scenes and homicide. The Netflix series “Ratched” promises to tell the origin story of Nurse Mildred Ratched, the notorious antagonist of Ken Kesey’s 1962 classic novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and Czech-born director Milos Forman’s book-to-film adaptation of the same name. The show, which premiered on Sept. 18, feels more like a combination of an Alfred Hitchcock psychological horror and FX’s dark series, “American Horror Story.” Jennifer Salt, Tim Minear, Alexis Martin Woodall and Ryan Murphy, the creators of “American Horror Story,” are the producers of the show. Sarah Paulson, who stars as Ratched, has acted in nearly every season of the anthology series. Hitchcock could have easily directed the first few minutes of the pilot of the eight-episode season. The eerie weather — complete darkness and a heavy thunderstorm — mirrors the beginning of the director’s 1959 thriller, “Psycho.” In the first scene of the show, it’s 1947 and a priest leaves a church sermon. The camera pans to Edmund Tolleson (Finn Wittrock), but shadows conceal his face. Tolleson begins to stalk the clergyman, following him home, where he lives with several other priests. Once the father’s housemates venture out to a movie theater to watch the Christmas classic “Miracle
on 34th Street,” Tolleson — whose face remains hidden — bangs on the door, claiming that his car broke down. He asks to use the telephone. Once he enters the home and we finally see his face, he stares at a knife on the dinner table, adding to his villainous vibe. When the rest of the priests return home, they find the sole priest left behind dead. Tolleson goes on a rampage through the house, attacking and killing all of the priests but one, all the while smiling. This is once again reminiscent of Norman Bates, the murderous mama’s boy in “Psycho.” Six months after Tolleson’s killing spree, we meet the young version of Ratched. She drives along California’s northern coast, in her mint green Ford Coupe, to Lucia, California, where she has orchestrated an unplanned interview at Lucia State Hospital, the facility in which the homicidal Tolleson is about to be held. The director of the hospital, Dr. Hanover (Jon Jon Briones), is diving into experimental treatments including hydrotherapy, hypnosis and lobotomies. An assortment of violent patients terrorizes the staff. But because of the focus on the storyline within the hospital, we still know very little by the end of the series about Ratched’s behavior in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” The bloody and brutal scenes in “Ratched” parallel the ones we see in “American Horror Story,” and beware: They’re just as gory. In one especially grisly episode, Ratched locks a man (Corey Stoll) in a hydrotherapy tub and attempts to boil him alive. We see him stagger from the tub, his gruesome burns making it nearly impossible not to turn away from the screen. Another horrific scene from an early episode shows
a grisly depiction of a boy (Brandon Flynn) removing his own arms. Producer Ryan Murphy may have set out to explore what turned Ratched into the tyrant that Kesey created, but we receive only a superficial version of the character. Scene after scene, “Ratched” showcases murder and torture, but fails to provide any source of dramatic tension. “Ratched” throws around a lot of heavy topics. There’s the sensationalized depiction of people with mental illnesses and the treatment of homosexuality. One patient suffers from dissociative identity disorder (which is derogatorily referred to in the show) and becomes violent when she takes on the role of Olympian Jesse Owens. A lesbian character recieves brutal conversion therapy. Both scenes are equally offensive, and they don’t drive the narrative forward in any way. Like the whole show, they just serve as an excuse for “American Horror Story”-style torture porn. At its best, “Ratched” could be another storyline in “American Horror Story,” presented in multiple episodes. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Murphy stated, “I feel like Nurse Ratched is sort of shorthand for barbarism.” He continued, “What was interesting was trying to create an emotional character from a reputation that’s very cold...trying to figure out every little detail about her childhood, her relationships, her sexuality.” He also admitted that he was scared to take on such an iconic character. If you’re looking for insight into Kesey’s Ratched, this isn’t the show for you. But if you’re an “American Horror Story” superfan, reserve a weekend to binge the show.
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SPORTS
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October 1, 2020 Mount Holyoke News
Game, set, match: How nine women Team of the and $1 contracts changed tennis week: Mount Holyoke Cross Country
Photo courtesy of Flickr The International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.
BY GIGI PICARD ’22 SPORTS EDITOR
On Sept. 23, 1970, female tennis players Rosie Casals, Nancy Richey, Billie Jean King, Valerie Ziegenfuss, Judy Tegart Dalton, Kerry Melville Reid, Jane Peaches Bartkowicz, Kristy Pigeon and Julie Heldman took a step forward in the fight for equal rights on the tennis courts. Two of them were Australian and seven were American. This year marks the 50th anniversary of when those nine women, called the “Original 9,” each signed a $1 contract under the guidance of World Tennis Magazine founder Gladys Heldman. King wrote about this event in The Players’ Tribune, where she said, “With one unified voice, each of us signed a ceremonial $1 contract with Gladys to play in the inaugural Virginia Slims of Houston.” “We drew a line in the sand and we put everything we had on that line,” King continued in The Tribune. “It was now up to us to create our own tour, to find a place to make a living and to breathe life into women’s professional tennis.” Around the 1960s and 1970s, men’s tennis became increasingly popular, which meant that female tennis players were given fewer opportunities for pay and play. What ignited the women’s contract decision was the fact that former tennis player and promoter Jack Kramer would not reduce a specific tournament’s 12:1 ratio of men’s to women’s prize money. The women almost played in the Pacific Southwest Open in Los Angeles, California; however, the men’s champion would receive $12,500, while the women’s champion would receive only $1,500. A boycott was started by King and Casals, but it failed. “We wanted to be paid equally and we wanted to be treated fairly,” King said in The Tribune. “Originally we had hoped to partner with the men’s tennis tour and have a unified voice in the sport on a global
basis. But the guys wanted no part of it. And not every women’s player wanted to join us.” The women then regrouped and formed the Virginia Slims circuit, and with it, women’s professional tennis. Later, Heldman encouraged the nine to hold what would become the first Virginia Slims tournament in Houston, Texas. The name of the tournament is due to their sponsor, Virginia Slims, a cigarette brand owned by Philip Morris that Heldman was able to obtain. “She knew how to get a sponsor, she had great connections,” Ziegenfuss said about Heldman in an interview with the Women’s Tennis Association. The U.S. Lawn Tennis Association was not in support of the women. Instead, officials threatened to suspend any tennis players who took part in the tournament. In March 2020, Julie Heldman sat down with Scott Flink from USOpen.org to discuss her mother and the Original 9. “At some level, the women who ended up being the Original 9 were brave, but at another level, there was not much to lose,” she said. “My favorite threat of theirs was that you can’t have two professional tournaments in the country at the same time, but that was not true. Their other threat was we could have a tournament, but it had to be amateur. Nobody wanted to do that. So my mother came up with the idea of everybody signing to become a contract pro. We went out and had that photo taken of all of us holding the $1 bills.” Casals was the first winner of the invitational with Dalton as the runner-up. The prize money awarded was $7,500. In an interview on Sept. 16, 2020 with Matt Fitzgerald from tennis.com, Casals expressed her gratitude for Virginia Slims, the sponsor which allowed women’s tennis to become a professional sport. As of today, all members of the Original 9 are retired. Gladys Heldman passed away in 2003. In 1972, King helped pass Title IX legislation that would ban sex discrimination in sports. The following year, King announced a boycott of the U.S. Open tournament unless men and women were granted equal pay. Her campaign was successful, and men and women received equal prize money in that tournament. Also in 1973, King founded the WTA, which would bring together all of the women’s professional tennis tournaments in a single tour. Virginia Slims stopped sponsoring women’s tennis in 1990 and General Foods took over as the new sponsor. This year the WTA announced that The International Tennis Hall of Fame also opened a new exhibit about the Original 9 called “We’ve Come a Long Way” in honor of the Original 9. While men and women receive equal prize money in tournaments, there is still a pay gap in tennis. According to CNBC, “At the 2015 Western & Southern Open in Ohio, Serena Williams was paid $495,000 for winning the women’s tournament title while Roger Federer was paid $731,000.” Further, CNBC added that even the top 100 female earners in tennis make 80 cents to the dollar of what the top 100 male earners make. The large pay disparity shows there is still a large inequality in some tennis tournaments.
BY GIGI PICARD ’22 SPORTS EDITOR
This week’s team of the week is Mount Holyoke Cross Country. Coach Chris Kibler gave insight as to what the team has accomplished over the summer. According to him, the team has “kept up regular communication with Zoom calls, phone calls, text and group messages.” Kibler also discussed fundraising for the Athletes Taking Action Challenge. “We were nominated by MHC Field Hockey, and were able to raise $1200 for two organizations that will continue to help move the Black Lives Matter movement in the right direction,” Kibler explained. “We were then able to nominate MHC Rowing and Bryn Mawr XC/T&F [Cross Country/Track and Field] to take on the challenge.” Kibler continued to talk about what MHCXC is up to this fall. After holding team tryouts, the Lyons had virtual synchronous and asynchronous practices. Cross country will also participate in virtual asynchronous competitions during the fall, stated Kibler. The team already competed in a 3,000 meter race against teams from all around the United States, in which the Lyons finished 4th. “I am so proud of the team for working hard for something bigger than themselves during a time of so much uncertainty. The adversity and experiences they face now are making them into the most incredible people in the world.” In our next publication, Mount Holyoke Field Hockey will be highlighted as team of the week.
Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics Madeline Rieders ’22 and Hannah Rieders ’22, both members of Mount Holyoke cross country, competing in a fall 2019 meet.
October 1, 2020
COMMUNITY
. Mount Holyoke News
17
First-year book club cont’d BY ANJALI RAO-HEREL ’22 STAFF CARTOONIST
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award-winning Nigerian author, to begin with. This book is a compressed essay adaptation of Adichie’s TEDx talk on what it means to be a feminist and how societal standards and the masculine identity have influenced how women are treated. While our Zoom book club discussion took place, we noticed a lot of parallels between Adichie’s experience as a woman and our collective experience. Both experiences are characterized by flagrant sexism and societal expectations that serve to pigeonhole women. In conversation, we expanded upon the rights — and the lack thereof — that women have in comparison to men, and how this has worked to actively prevent women from reaching for and achieving goals that men have historically had easier access to. As the meeting concluded, we touched upon our collective fear as women not only in the U.S., but internationally. In the midst of the current political climate, we noted that we fear that any rights we currently have could be taken away, especially as the outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential election may determine the fate of gender
equality and women’s rights. As everyone left the Zoom call, I walked away feeling happy and inspired. Not only did the connection with other people who were passionate about reading help me feel more involved in the Mount Holyoke community, but I felt I had learned something new about how feminism on a global scale is approached, thanks to our discussions that began with Adichie’s book. Through our different backgrounds, experiences and characteristics, everyone in the club had their own unique definition of feminism and what it means to be a feminist — definitions that transcend dictionary verbatim and societal standards, that they all brought individually to our meeting. I noticed that, while we may have had different experiences with feminism, or a lack thereof, we all agreed on one thing: Being a feminist is important and advocacy for women’s rights needs to be centered on both domestic and global scales. Through the creation of this informal book club, the novel-sized space in my mind that had been created by the pandemic began to heal itself. Meeting monthly, I finally feel like I am starting to become a part of MoHome while at home.
MoHome Sickness: A walk through the Community Center BY TISHYA KHANNA ’23 FEATURES EDITOR
It’s a fall afternoon. You’re wearing a light sweater, cool breeze blowing through your hair. Your classes have ended and now you have a day to yourself. You’re tired but you have time on your hands, so you lie on the Skinner Green for a while and read your favorite book. But it’s fall, and now it starts to get dark at 4:30 p.m., so you relish the short hour you had outside on the grass and decide to go to the Community Center. Let’s take a walk through Blanch together. You climb the brick stairs and enter the building from the main entrance — suddenly the cool breeze has disappeared and you’re engulfed with warmth and chatter of a Great Room event. You peek in from the second floor and head right back on your way.
There’s a new exhibition at the Art Gallery — new students showcasing their wonderful art. You recognize the names of the artists mentioned from classes you’ve taken and meetings you’ve attended and savor the sweet surprise of finding out their talents. You want to get some work done, so you decide to go upstairs to the third floor, home to the rooms of various student organizations and departments. There are people all over — some intently working on their assignments, some lying with their heads down on the table, some goofing off in the study rooms, some drawing and writing all kinds of things on the whiteboards. You bump into familiar faces and sit down for a light chat until everyone has to tend to their million deadlines. You find a comfortable spot and get to work. There’s a certain quietude around — the particular taste of the 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. hour at Blanch when the Dining Com-
mons is closed. At 4:50 p.m., there’s inevitably a long line to get dinner tables. Friends are gathering around, calling each other to come over, saving spots for one another. All the while, you’re on the third floor, immersed in an assignment that just won’t end. After a while, you decide to go downstairs to eat and call your friends to ask if they want to have dinner together. You go to the first floor, which is glimmering with lively chatter. There are people sitting around the Scrabble boards. One group is actually playing it! The other board has the tiles arranged in curse words — you can hear the giggles, see the mischievous smiles of the people passing by. The event in the Great Room has ended and a new one is being set up. You notice that the Cochary Pub & Kitchen is playing some good music and your friend is sitting in one of the booths, equally frustrated with assignments. The familiarity
dissolves the tension into easy smiles and warm, tight hugs. You spend some time in the cuddle puddle and both decide to finally grab some food together. You gather your things and walk into the Dining Commons. You grab a booth, browse through the hundreds of rotating menu options and then sit for a good meal to end the day over the usual banter. Arriving at Mount Holyoke is incomplete without visiting the beloved Community Center. The three floors hold the essence of the community — all kinds of people coming together to do all kinds of things. From random whiteboards where people leave lists of their favorite LGBTQ+ movies to the colorful couches that are good for naps no matter how loud it gets, Blanch is often what keeps all of us together — holding us on tired days, offering junk food and giving us a space to show all our wild colors.