
4 minute read
Mount Holyoke becomes Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Center, plans to create racial healing opportunities
BY MELANIE DURONIO ’26 STAFF WRITER
Mount Holyoke was recently selected as a Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center due to its demonstrated commitment to anti-racist work and addressing systemic racism in the community. This will allow the DEI Committee to develop a long-term vision to create racial healing opportunities on campus, which includes restorative justice, collaborating with nearby communities and student feedback.
As a TRHT Center, Mount Holyoke is partnered with the American Association of Colleges & Universities, which created the organization. Its goal is to collaborate with higher education institutions that have shown a commitment to racial justice and aid them in becoming community-oriented centers.
“We are proud to have received this designation at the close of 2022 and humbled to continue working toward our anti-racist vision for the future alongside community and campus partners across the country,” Kijua Sanders-McMurty, vice president for Equity and Inclusion and chief diversity officer, wrote in a January statement.
Each TRHT Center is responsible for creating an action plan to increase equal opportunities and support for those in the community.
Mount Holyoke’s plan places emphasis on restorative justice, an approach that focuses on reparations and acknowledges the harm done to people and groups.
“Part of really working toward an anti-racist future is also shifting the ways that we are understanding how we perpetuate harm,” Lauren Gaia, chief of staff and strategic communications for the DEI office, said. “The vision is to start at the individual level … what is it like for a student, student of color, a first-gen student [or] a student of marginalized identity to exist at Mount Holyoke and what are the barriers that might not be seen at a staff or faculty
In addition, there was a specific group of students that Romulus was hoping to provide for. “We really wanted to center first-gen[eration] low-income students that wanted binders and wouldn’t have been able to get them otherwise because … they’re $40,” Romulus stated. “That’s an expense … and not everyone has $40 to spend, so we really wanted to center that group of people so they can have the care that they need.”
It has been Romulus’s goal throughout her presidency to create an environment where everyone on campus feels like they belong. Her approach has been to listen to all the needs of other students and assist them when able.
With this in mind, Romulus began searching for a company to partner with. Romulus asked around and received a unanimous recommendation from friends to use the website gc2b. gc2b’s mission statement states, “Over the past three years, we have sponsored 100+ LGBT organizations and donated over 6000+ chest binders to be distributed to people in need. We’ve attended numerous conferences and Pride events, and we’ve collaborated with local and global organizations committed to positive change. Our core mission has evolved: we’re not only a brand providing gender-affirming apparel, but an active part of a movement.”
However, at 8:00 a.m. on Jan. 27, nine hours before the form was supposed to open for people to order chest binders, another email was sent by Romulus. In this, she stated, “There are some concerns about the safety of GC2B binders, so we will be purchasing binder[s] from another company, FYTIST.”
“I got feedback from people telling me that [gc2b] is not the best, and here’s some other [companies] that we should work with,” Romulus stated. “Most of the research that I’ve seen shows that the quality has gotten worse over time and so I think last year … we didn’t get any complaints from it, but this year, people that have purchased binders from the company have complained about it, and so it … was safe last year, but this year, not so much.” wearing a binder, if one can exercise while binding and how to establish a plan for wearing one.
We really wanted to center first-gen[eration] low-income students that wanted binders and wouldn’t have been able to get them otherwise because … they’re $40. ...We really wanted to center that group of people so they can have the care that they need.
– Maille Romulus
“Some people already use [gc2b], and they said that the binders hurt,” Ellie Do ’25, the vice president of the SGA, added. “So we … switch[ed] to another binder company that they would recommend [because] … it’s better for you. I don’t know if there’s a difference in price, but [there] is definitely a difference in quality.”
The FYTIST website states that “Binding should not be categorized, it is an essential and fundamental need for some. However, we have learnt that this basic need is significantly undervalued.” Therefore, this company has been formed to provide this basic need to society. In addition, the website mentions concerns about safety, such as the risks and side effects of
Unfortunately, changing the company the SGA would order from on such short notice provided some challenges. Romulus explained that gc2b has all their products in stock, which would mean students would obtain the chest binders fairly quickly. However, many of the new company’s items were out of stock. Romulus swiftly concluded that she would rather wait longer to get more durable and safer binders than purchase ones that would bring discomfort and more risks. Although the company was out of stock, Romulus and the rest of the SGA E-Board members were determined to get the orders as quickly as possible. They continued with the drive as planned and monitored the website to see if the company restocked.
At 5 p.m. on Jan. 27, the SGA released the order form and students were allowed to order a chest binder from the website.
“After 30 minutes of opening the forms, I think we’re already at our limit,” Do stated. “That is why … they have to send an email out a day before to say ‘oh, this is happening. Here’s a form. This is a time that is happening. So you guys should be … prepare[ed] for it’ and once we open[ed] the form, only thirty minutes later it was out.”
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