Mount Holyoke News — Mar. 25, 2022

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FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2022

Mount Holyoke community prepares to celebrate Ramadan

Photo by Ali Meizels ’23 This year, Ramadan will take place entirely during the school year. The holiday begins on April 1.

BY KATIE GOSS ’23 BUSINESS MANAGER & NEWS EDITOR

The full length of Ramadan will be celebrated during the academic school year this spring for the first time in many years. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and use this time to focus on and explore themselves both within and outside their religion for 30 days. “[Ramadan] is the practice of abstaining from food and drink, but it’s also the practice of concentrating on your spiritual being, on your relationship with the creator and on your journey as a Muslim,” Liza Lozovaya, Chaplain to the College and Advisor to the Muslim Community, said.

“Muslims follow the Lunar calendar, so that’s why Ramadan does not have a fixed date. It’s moving every year,” Lozovaya said. This year, Ramadan will begin on April 2 and end on May 1.

According to Lozovaya, during Ramadan, Muslims will not engage in activities that are disrespectful or that may cause anger. They will focus on activities that are related to additional worship, prayer and charity.

Additionally, Muslim students’ classes and extracurricular activities may be affected. These students may decide not to engage in activities that involve food, may decide not to go to some events or activities in order to break their fast on time and may take time when they are in their classes to perform their prayers.

“It’s a learning experience for campus on the whole because we know that being solely immersed in your spiritual activity … is quite demanding, physically and spiritually,” Lozovaya said. “It really requires a lot of understanding from those around you.”

Lozovaya also noted that, as students are fasting for a period of time everyday for 30 days, the community should practice awareness and understanding of these students’ circumstances.

“Students who don’t celebrate [Ramadan] should be more patient with their Muslim counterparts because of how tiresome fasting can get, especially since we are all in different stages in our path of faith,” Mariama Diallo ’25 said.

With this year being the first time in a few decades that Ramadan will be celebrated on campus in its entirety, students may experience differences to what they do when at

home.

“To many students, it will be [a] time they will definitely miss their families and friends because it’s very important, that social aspect of Ramdan, where you are not alone or isolated, but you are in the community,” Lozovaya said.

Diallo expressed that, although she will be away from home for the first time during this holiday, she feels that this year she can connect to God on her own.

“This is one of the first times I feel like I am experiencing true adulthood because I have to hold myself accountable for everything and not rely on someone in my family to hold me down in some way,” Diallo said. “This year I feel like I can connect to God in my own way; in the sense that since I was born into Islam and a Muslim family, I always felt like this part of my identity was forced on to me rather than me choosing it for myself. But this year I am walking into Ramadan with the idea that Islam and Muslim womanhood [were] not given to me in vain but to be my backbone.”

The Ramadan Committee at the College has been working with Dining Services in order to support students before and after their fasting time, as well as provide certain foods that will help nourish students throughout the month. A special refrigerator and to-go containers will be set up in the dining hall during this time in order to aid students celebrating Ramadan. Additionally, the dining hours for this section will be extended slightly in order to allow students to get their food on time, according to Lozovaya.

“The selection of food is very important,” Lozovaya said. “Dining [Services] has helped the Muslim community for quite a while because there were some parts of Ramadan that did happen during the official academic year [in the past].”

There are spaces on campus that will be designated for Muslim students to gather together to pray or break their fast. Lozovaya emphasized that “everything is for Muslim students to feel that [Ramadan] is a significant [and] fulfilling experience while they are away from home and in their last month of the school year.”

‘Never is Now’ film discussion centers intersection of antiBlackness and antisemitism to identify when someone may be personally perpetuating harmful narratives or stereotypes and how to On the evening of March 7, stu- address those situations. dents convened in Blanchard Hall’s As the film was wrapping up, Great Room to watch, learn from the panelists gave their final words and discuss the Anti-Defamation and students transitioned to the disLeague’s Never Is Now 2021 panel cussion portion of the event. Guided titled “Confronting Anti-Black Rac- by a series of questions, students ism to Fight Antisemitism.” The broke out into small table groups to discussion was led by Associate discuss any thoughts and reactions Dean of Students for Community relating to the film. and Inclusion Latrina Denson and Questions included “What Chaplain to the themes did College and Adyou hear?” and visor to the Jewchal“For me, honestly, it’s natu- “What ish Community lenged you?” ral … The only way we can Amelia Ender.

When asked to navigate white supremacy After a land acshare their findk n owl e d g m e n t ings with the is by thinking about anby MoZone Peer group, tisemitism and anti-Black- wider Advisor Emi Wilseveral students ness. It was already a thing agreed that the son ’23, the second event in this in my head before the term first step they series centering wanted to take [anti-racism] started to anti-Black racwas to educate become popular.” ism in solidarity themselves more with religious on this topic. By communities beengaging in dis– Latrina Denson gan. cussion, students The hourwere able to conlong film focused on a panel of Black nect with others and share ideas on activists and community leaders ways to combat anti-Blackness and who are engaged in confronting antisemitism. anti-Black racism to fight antisemiThe idea for the film and distism. cussion didn’t come out of thin air.

The three featured panelists in- Regarding the inspiration for the cluded Chava Shervington, co-found- event, Ender shared, “[It was] a very er of Kamochah and board member organic process, and I think that of the Jewish Multiracial Network; makes it kinda rich.”

Eric Ward, the executive director of Both Denson and Ender agreed Western States Center and Yolanda that the idea for exploring and disSavage-Narva, Director of Racial Eq- cussing the presence of anti-Black uity, Diversity and Inclusion for the racism in conjunction with fighting Union for Reform Judaism. antisemitism was a thought that had Panelists discussed topics rang- been brewing for years before the ing from the origins of deep-rooted event occurred. historical trauma to building coali“For me, honestly, it’s natural … tions between communities. A ma- The only way we can navigate white jor focus of the discussion was that supremacy is by thinking about anBlack and Jewish communities de- tisemitism and anti-Blackness. It termine what is and isn’t anti-Black was already a thing in my head beracism or antisemitism, respective- fore the term [anti-racism] started to ly. Shervington stressed that differ- become popular,” Denson said. ent groups experience oppression The ADL panel featured at differently, and figuring out how to the event is available on YouTube. come together to have conversations In addition, according to Denson, is key. To Shervington, a major part the next event and discussion is of these conversations is focusing on planned to take place in person on impact versus intent.

Friday, March 25, and will focus on The panel also discussed how Black-Muslim community solidarity.

BY SAMMI CRAIG ’23 STAFF WRITER

At March meetings, Senate reviews Dining Services, bear sighting and BOOM!

Photo by Artemis Chen ’25 At the March 22 senate meeting, Student Government E-Board and senators discussed the upcoming BOOM! Conference, taking place on March 29.

BY GILLIAN PETRARCA ’23 STAFF WRITER

March 8

After a land acknowledgment by Chair of Senate Shula Mathew ’22, the March 8 senate meeting began.

The meeting agenda for the night included E-Board updates and open floor concerns and announcements, as well as a debrief of the previous Town Hall.

This week’s E-Board updates included a reminder from Sophia Jung

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’22 for senators to make their constituents aware of two forms. The first was the Accessibility Barrier Report form, which allows students to report accessibility concerns around campus. The second was a dining ideas form, which will be shared with Dining Services in order to create more menu options that students would like to see.

Chair of Halls EJ Jankovic ’23 updated senate on a different dining form, a dining feedback form, which can be accessed by a QR

FEATURES: Orchestra holds fundraiser

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code near the cash registers in the Dining Commons. This form can be used to report any food concerns, such as raw meat or undercooked vegetables, to Dining Services. Jankovic also made an announcement regarding the Lavender Committee, which is having a binder drive. The last E-Board update was from Vice President of SGA Ananya Singh ’22, who announced that the Student Conference Committee survey is live. This survey will collect data on students’ experiences at the College

and will be shared with administration. Singh asked senators to take the survey and to remind their constituents to take it as well.

Next, senators had the opportunity to voice concerns from their constituents.

The German Club senator, Talia Pott ’25, asked when the sushi and sandwich station will be opened in the Dining Commons. Jankovic responded that they have spoken with Director of Auxiliary Services Rich Perna, and he wants to open this station soon. However, dining is very short-staffed at the moment and he therefore does not know when that will be a possibility.

The North Creighton senator, Autumn Larsen ’25, brought forward two concerns from constituents. One constituent asked if napkins can be provided at M&C’s, which Jankovic will look into. The other concern was that Creighton has been missing brooms for weeks, to which Singh responded that the College does not provide cleaning supplies for students.

The meeting concluded with senators going into their commissions to debrief on the Town Hall with AccessAbility Services.

March 22

The March 22 senate meeting began after a land acknowledgment from SGA Public Relations Officer Viveca Holman ’22. The agenda included E-Board updates, open floor concerns and announcements and commission work.

Jung began the E-Board announcements by reminding senators that the Student Conference

A&E: Lucy Dacus brings tour to Holyoke, MA

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Committee Survey and the exam volunteer form have gone live. Vice President of SGA Ananya Singh ’22 encouraged senators to invite their constituents to the SGA leadership retreat from April 1-2.

The floor was then opened for senators to make announcements.

The senator from the Neuroscience student forum, Xi Stoddart ’24, invited everyone to the organization’s study session on March 27 from 7 - 8 p.m. and emphasized that Insomnia Cookies will be provided.

The senator from the dressage team, Marlene Healy ’25, invited everyone to the home show on March 27 starting at 9 a.m.

Senators then had the opportunity to voice concerns from their constituents.

The senator from the Animal Welfare Organization, Sonia Ramanathan ’25, asked for clarification regarding the BOOM! Conference.

Assistant Vice President for Student Life and Strategic Operations Alicia Erwin responded that BOOM! stands for “Building On Our Momentum” and is a day on, not a day off, where we come together as a community to think about diversity, equity and inclusion. Events for BOOM! can be found on Embark.

A resident from Dickinson House raised concerns about a bear that has been behind the residence hall, and that many students have been approaching it. Jankovic responded that they will bring this up to Residential Life.

Senate concluded with senators joining their commissions to discuss the petitions that they have been working on over the semester.

S&E: UMass to offer medicated abortions

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FEATURES

March 25, 2022

. Mount Holyoke News

Mount Holyoke Symphony Orchestra fundraises for Ukraine to organize things like that on relatively short notice with the printing department. So, it got a little more From the first note to the last, complicated, but it ended up workthe music that floats through the air ing quite well.”

Day and Myren both laughed during a concert has the ability to transform an audience of individual as they recalled how they returned people into a collective group. This to their dorms late after the board transformation occurred on Friday, meeting and sent out numerous March 4, 2022, in Abbey Chapel, emails to begin spreading the word. during the Mount Holyoke Sympho- They reached out to many academic ny Orchestra’s annual Mary Lyon departments to notify them about Concert, which was reconstruct- the changes with the hope that they ed this year into a fundraiser for would let other people know as well.

This task resulted in both Day and Ukraine.

“The Mary Lyon [concert], I Myren staying up until one or two in created in 2012 or 2013, to honor the the morning. “[It] changed entirely our pubworks of women,” Tianhui Ng, associate professor of music, chair of the licity approach,” Day stated. “It’s one music department and director of or- thing to say, ‘Hey, come to our conchestral studies, stated. “It was pur- cert, we’re going to be playing these posefully vague that way because lovely pieces. It’s a great opportunity it’s evolved into different things … to come listen to women composers,’ [the] concerts have always tried to and [another] to say, ‘We need you say something about the current sit- to be here because we’re trying to uation.” In this way, the concert is a do something different.’ So then, of prime opportunity for members of course, we’re … posting around the the orchestra to make a statement campus in a way we don’t usually do about current events around the and being pretty aggressive about [it], saying, ‘Hey, you really should world.

“I think it was sort of a simul- come to our concert this time,’ to taneous decision,” Sarah Day ’22, friends, family and professors.”

The orchestra decided that, inpresident of MHSO, recalled as they stead of collectthought about ing the money the orchestra “We have all these emothemselves, they board’s decision tions that we can’t quite would simply to shift the annual concert to a express, but those of us who provide a QR to the aufundraiser. “[Ng] can, we are shouting out in code dience which was the one who protest.” would allow brought it up inithem to make dotially, but I think nations directly it had been float– Tianhui Ng to the organizaing around in evtions. eryone’s minds “We decided not to be a midbecause of how quickly everyone was like, ‘Oh, yes, absolutely. That’s dleman for the whole fundraising purpose,” Ng explained. “We didn’t what we’ve been wanting to do.’”

From the time of the board’s collect money and then transfer bedecision to alter the concert into a cause … we’re not set up for that. fundraiser on Tuesday and the per- We are [a] student org.” Instead, Ng formance itself on Friday, the or- continued, “We assemble[d] a list of chestra had only three days to solve trustworthy agencies that are working on the ground in the Ukraine, any logistical questions.

“It was a little hectic [because] and these were the ones that were we had a few extra responsibilities recommended by the State Departthat we had to do,” Isabel Myren ment, and by reputable news sourc’24, co-stage manager and orchestra es like the Philadelphia Inquirer, The member, said. “We had to print out New York Times and so on.”

Ng continued that doing the QR codes for the fundraising so that you could scan the QR code and get fundraiser in this way allowed montaken to a donation page, and we had ey to go directly to where it was

BY REBECCA GAGNON ’23 FEATURES EDITOR

Photo by Yuyang Wang ’24 The Mount Holyoke Symphony Orchestra transformed their annual Mary Lyon concert into a fundraising event to raise money for Ukrainian refugees.

needed with efficiency. If they had collected the money themselves, it would have been required to go through Mount Holyoke, the College would have to write a check, and then, finally, the money would be sent to the organizations. Instead, through this direct approach, the money could go straight to those in need.

Day added that, since they didn’t have a large amount of time to organize this change, other Mount Holyoke organizations such as the International Student Organization helped by providing resources for other reputable foundations to donate to. With this assistance, the board quickly chose one specific organization — Razom for Ukraine — to represent their concert while using the QR code to provide additional places to donate.

“I think we picked [Razom for Ukraine] within 10 minutes because we didn’t have time to do any more deliberation,” Day said.

“It was maybe the night before [the concert] when we finally settled on what we’re going to do, because,

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this is during midterms, so we were told that things are looking pretty running around. We had instru- bad out there. I’ve spent the past ment issues, things were breaking, few days uploading all of the data and we’re trying to put forward a from the project that we worked on concert that’s going to actually do together onto Google Drive. Here, something.” Razom for Ukraine is you have it. I’m not sure whether an organization centered around the you’ll hear from me again.’ And that idea of “unlock[ing] the potential of is how close to home is all this, you Ukraine,” according to their website. know? … It’s very humbling to live At 8 p.m. on Friday, the orches- in the privilege of peace here and to tra took to Abbey Chapel with their see your colleague suffering and the guest player and began their concert very, very real life and death questo a large crowd. To initiate their set, tions that they’re facing every day.” they played Nkeiru Okoye’s symphoAfter Ng’s speech, the orchestra ny “Voices Shouting Out.” began Emilie Mayer’s “Symphony “I think for No.1 in C Minor.” many of us, we This was “[Tianhui Ng] was asking [were] all caught Day’s favorus and asking the audience ite up in emotions, moment and if you want throughout the to send our minds outwards, us to say in one entire concert. “I and I thought that that was think it was movsentence exactly powerful.” what we feel, we ing that [Ng] was [struggle] to do trying to ask us so, but we can all to think about – Sarah Day ’22 kind of express someone that he it through the knew,” Day said. complexity of a musical piece,” Ng “[He] was asking us and asking the said, discussing the Okoye piece. audience to send our minds out“[Okoye] was asked to respond to wards, and I thought that that was 9/11, and she didn’t want [it] to just powerful. Then to turn around and be a mournful piece. She wanted to play the Mayer’s symphony was like, not focus [on] the atrocity, but to ‘Well, this is awesome — We’re dofocus on the people who rose up de- ing something.’” spite that, and triumph over adverThe two pieces performed and sity, and those were the voices that the speech given by Ng were not were shouting out. I think … that re- only moving for the members of the ally speaks to the moment right now, orchestra, but for people in the audibecause, in a way, the whole world is ence as well, as Ng learned after the trying to figure out what to do with concert finished. this. We have all these emotions that “I don’t know how many we can’t quite express, but those of Ukrainian students we have on camus who can, we are shouting out in pus right now, but one of them came protest.” up to me, and her eyes — we didn’t Once they finished the Okoye have to say very much, let’s just put symphony and before they moved it that way. Our eyes were brimming, on to their next piece, Emilie May- and she just said, ‘Thank you. It just er’s “Symphony No.1 in C Minor,” Ng means a lot to me,’ and then that was turned to the audience, and a silence about as much as she could manage, settled in Abbey Chapel. and about as much as I could manNg addressed the room, speak- age,” Ng said, his eyes welling once ing on how, coincidentally, he has more. “[I’m] kind of near tears [just] been working on Ukrainian mu- thinking about it, and then she left, sic since 2017 through the work of and I thought to myself, ‘You know Thomas de Hartmann, who was a … this is perfectly an example of Russian composer born in Ukraine how music brings people together.’” to a family of Russian aristocrats Although they were unaware of in the late 19th century. Hartmann how much money they truly raised, spent a great deal of his time in Ng, Day and Myren believed the conUkraine composing, until he was cert was a success. They were also forced to flee to the United States proud of the efforts of the whole ordue to the Russian Revolution. In chestra to assist those in need. the past few years, Hartmann has “I was quite happy that we were been established as a rediscovered helping make the world a little bit Ukrainian master, and is now used better and helping the Ukrainian as a milestone to understanding people through this tough time,” lesser known sides of Ukrainian cul- Myren said. “Honestly, I’m quite ture. Ng was scheduled to perform honored that I could help in such a Hartmann’s piano concerto, com- way.” missioned by the Boston Symphony, Ng, Day and Myren all emphain April 2020. The performance was sized how proud and grateful they canceled due to COVID-19. were for not just the board of the “So fast forward through orchestra who made this significant COVID[-19], I ended up recording change, but to the organization as this music in Lviv in Ukraine in Sep- a whole — those who volunteered tember this year, and I was just there their time to help this idea become a with a whole orchestra of musicians reality and the audience who arrived — so let’s just say 80, plus the entire to show their support. team, the conductors, the producers, “[The concert] could be a rethe recording engineer and every- minder [of] the value of coming tobody who was nothing but kind to gether to do something,” Ng said. “I us,” Ng said. think that that could be helpful for A sorrowful look fell upon his some people, especially people who face as he recalled everyone he met are feeling particularly lost right during that time, and one in particu- now, that the College’s community lar who he recently received a devas- is here — and that if they feel alone, tating message from. … there’s always someone in the mu“The day before the concert,” sic department, in religious life, and Ng recalled, “I got an email from student services and student activimy recording engineer, who had ties that will respond and reach out, been hiding in the subways of Kyiv, [because] you’re not alone and that’s and he said, ‘You know, we’ve been important for us to say.”

GLOBAL 3 Mount Holyoke students and professors reflect on racial discrimination faced by Africans at the Ukrainian border March 25, 2022

. Mount Holyoke News

Photo courtesy of WikiMedia Commons As Ukrainian residents flee the country amid the current Russian invasion, African students trying to leave Ukraine have faced racial bias. Some Mount Holyoke students have drawn attention to the racism of some media portrayals of refugees of color.

BY CYNTHIA AKANAGA ’25 STAFF WRITER

In the wake of Russian military forces invading Ukraine on February 24, Mount Holyoke’s McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives organized “War in Ukraine: Why? What Next?” This event was held virtually on March 8. The event, moderated

by Professor of Politics and Chair of International Relations Sohail Hashmi, featured Professor of Russian Studies Stephen Jones, Assistant Professor of International Relations and Politics Christopher Mitchell and Cyrus Vance Visiting Professor in International Relations Natalie Sabanadze, who shared an in-depth discussion regarding the invasion.

One of the main topics of discussion was the differences between how this war is portrayed by the media as opposed to conflicts in the Global South. Additionally, the speakers discussed the racism being faced by African and Black refugees fleeing Ukraine.

Jones outlined reasons why he believed the Ukraine invasion was a rare occurrence. “It’s particularly surprising given [that] it’s happening in Europe … given the fact that for 70 years or so, there’s been peace in Europe,” Jones said. “Europe, in some sense, represented this liberal international order that had promoted political stability and peace. So, in that sense, I guess it comes as a great surprise.”

Many journalists, such as Lucy Watson, an ITV news correspondent reporting from Poland, expressed how this event was almost incomprehensible to them. According to NBC News, Watson discussed the Ukrainians’ crisis, saying on-air, “Now the unthinkable has happened to them.

And this is not a developing, Third World nation. This is Europe.” The British pundit Daniel Hannan wrote in The Telegraph, “War is no longer something visited upon impoverished and remote populations.” In an interview for Al Jazeera on the refugee crisis, journalist Peter Dobbie remarked, “What’s compelling is looking at them, the way they are dressed. These are prosperous, mid-

dle class people. These are not obviously refugees trying to get away from the Middle East … [or] areas in North Africa. They look like any European family that you would live next door to.”

Diamond Abiakalam-Chinagorom ’25, a student from Nigeria, stated, “Many in the world believe that war only occurs in certain countries that are in the Global South. So, that’s [why] I feel like everybody’s acting surprised.”

Jones also noted that Western countries have had an “extraordinary reaction” to the invasion. “Germany has done a complete vault fast in its foreign policy,” Jones stated.

“Who would have thought the United States would’ve banned Russian oil unilaterally.”

The EU and Western countries like the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada promptly imposed financial sanctions on Russia.

Six days after the invasion, the U.N. called for an emergency special session to come up with a resolution for the situation in Ukraine. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, noted that “it was the first time in nearly 40 years that the council had referred a crisis to an emergency special session,” as paraphrased by Foreign Policy.

Tia Mbabazi ’25, a student from Uganda, said, “It kind of comes down to the fact that if it wasn’t someone who is white or someone who is in these certain countries that were considered to be more privileged or more civilized than other countries, their reaction wouldn’t be the same.

[This is] mainly because people look at people from … African countries as inhumane, like they’re not [people]. … This is the kind of thing that they go through every single day and night.”

At “War in Ukraine: Why? What Next?,” Sabanadze touched on how differently countries are treating Ukrainian European refugees from previous migrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East.

“The welcoming of the Ukrainian European migrants has certainly been different from the kind of mi-

gration crisis we have seen before — men second, then everybody else for example, refugees coming from afterward if there was any space Syria or Afghanistan,” she said. left.” While the Ukrainian nation“Countries that are most welcoming als are welcomed, many Africans in to Ukrainian refugees, such as Po- Ukraine have reported being treated land and Hungary … have been most unfairly by Ukrainian authorities. resistant [in the past].” Sabanadze “Chineye Mbagwu, a doctor from continued, “In some ways, it is nor- Nigeria … spent more than two days mal and understandable that you stranded at the Poland-Ukraine borfeel greater empathy to the neigh- der crossing in the town of Medyka, boring country. And also, there is a as the guards let Ukrainians cross shared history for Hungary. … There but blocked foreigners,” The New are a lot of Hungarians living across York Times reported. the border on the Ukrainian side. So, Emmanuel Nwulu, a Nigerian all these elements [come into] play.” student, was told by Ukrainian seAccording to Ebony News, the curity that “Blacks could not board Polish interior minister Mariusz Ka- the train,” The New York Times reminski told reporters that “anyone ported. fleeing from bombs, from Russian riThere have also been reported fles, can count on the support of the cases of violence. Saakshi Ijantkar, Polish state … We will accept anyone a fourth-year medical student from who needs it. The Ukrainian society India, told CNN, “I saw an Egyptian gets more afraid and stressed. We man standing at the front with his are ready to accept tens, hundreds hands on the rails, and because of of thousands of Ukrainian refu- that one guard pushed him with so gees.” When referring to Ukrainian much force and the man hit the fence, European refwhich is covered ugees during a in spikes, and he “It’s very unsettling ... news conference, lost consciousbecause [African refugees] ness … We took the Hungarian Prime Minister have no influence on what’s him outside to Viktor Orban give him CPR. happening to them.” said, “We’re letThey just didn’t ting everyone care and they in,” NBC News were beating the – Tia Mbabazi ’25 reported. students, they The Bulgardidn’t give two ian Prime Minister, Kiril Petkov, hoots about us, only the Ukrainicleared up any confusion about ans.” why doors closed for refugees from Historian Kimberly St. Julian Africa and the Middle East were Varnon described how students from suddenly flung open for Ukrainian Africa who have successfully made European refugees. “These are not it out of Ukraine into Hungary “are the refugees we are used to … these now considered third-country napeople are Europeans,” he said, ac- tionals and have been told they must cording to NBC. “These people are move to another country or go back intelligent, they are educated people home within 30 days,” as reported by … This is not the refugee wave we CBS News. have been used to, people we were In response to the racism expenot sure about their identity, people rienced by these African students, with unclear pasts, who could have Mbabazi said, “It’s very unsettling been even terrorists.” that this is happening because they Sabanadze acknowledged that have no influence on what’s happenthere is a degree of “hidden racism” ing to them. They’re literally out to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. there just to study and make a living According to Instick Media, for for themselves.” those trying to escape war-stricken In response to the widespread Ukraine, priority is given to “White racial bias, many African countries women and children first, white have stepped up to help their citi-

zens. The African Union released a statement highlighting that it was against international law to restrict safe and timely border passage during war times, University World News reported. According to Ghana’s foreign minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, at least 500 nationals have been evacuated from Ukraine, DW reported. Nigeria, which has the highest number out of all African countries of students in Ukraine, has resulted in airlifting the students out of Ukraine due to the racial bias at the Poland, Hungary and Romania borders, University World News said.

In response to the evacuation techniques implemented by individual African countries, Nafeesah Ahmed-Adedoja ’23, an international student from the United Kingdom and Nigeria, said, “African unity is most needed in situations like this.

I think that instead of it being like, ‘You’re from Nigeria’ or ‘You’re from Ghana,’ it should have been a collective ‘let’s bring all of our African students home safely to one place in Africa.’ From there, countries can use their own charter flights to get them back to their respective countries and places.”

To encourage more culturally sensitive reporting, Mbabazi said, “We need to understand how people get to pick and choose their struggles. Many minorities don’t get to pick and choose when to worry about their race. It’s our reality in a sense, so it’s upsetting. We need to talk about these topics as being more intertwined and not separate [issues].”

She added too that shining light on the racial discrimination doesn’t discredit the real suffering of other Ukrainians. “Two things can be true at the same time. You don’t have to choose which side to defend,” Mbabazi said. “There are Ukrainians who are suffering from the plights of war. But there are also Black [and] African people who are facing the plights of war plus racial bias in Ukraine. They’re facing two struggles at once, and we should empathize instead of making it an issue that’s too delicate to talk about.”

Several Japanese prefectures hit by 7.4 magnitude earthquake

Photo courtesy of Tokyo Electric Power Co., TEPCO In 2011, an earthquake caused a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, shown above.

BY HANNAH RAYKHER ’23 STAFF WRITER

On Wednesday, March 16, a large earthquake hit the eastern coast of Japan. The quake killed at least four people and injured over one hundred, according to CNN. Initially, the earthquake was rated a 7.3 on the Richter scale but was later updated

to a 7.4, as reported by CNN. The quake hit the Fukushima prefecture, a large prefecture on Japan’s eastern coast, facing the Pacific ocean. In 2011, the Fukushima prefecture was the site of a destructive earthquake and tsunami, causing a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, according to the BBC. The recent earthquake was felt

in the Fukushima prefecture as well as in the Iwate, Akita, Yamagata, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Saitama, Miyagi, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Chiba and Niigata prefectures, Kyodo News reported. After the initial hit, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning which they later lifted upon deeming that a tsunami was not a threat, according to CNN. Over two million homes lost power, but it was fully restored on Thursday morning, BBC reported.

The earthquake was so strong that people were reportedly unable to stand up, and the shocks were felt as far as Tokyo, about 170 miles away from Fukushima, as reported by Reuters.

As a result of the earthquake, a high-speed train was derailed between Fukushima and Shiroishi stations, according to Kyodo News.

Bullet train service is set to return in a few weeks after the tracks are repaired. 78 people were stuck in the train for over four hours but no one was hurt, according to BBC. Carrie Lewis ’23 is from Los An-

geles, a region that frequently expe- felt like a big truck going down the riences earthquakes. “I remember street or something like that. In genearthquakes always happening in eral, in school, we always had earththe summer even though we would quake drills, but I know that at least have countless drills at school,” in the Northwest, a lot of buildings Lewis said. “They’re very scary, but are not earthquake safe,” Parsons also constant so the smaller ones are said. “In my town, some schools easy to handle. The craziest one I’ve have been rebuilt in order to make experienced was in the summer of them more earthquake safe. There’s 2008. I can picture the house shaking a lot of social discussion [and] politand my mom yelling for us all to hud- ical discourse … around the Cascadle with her. Evdia Earthquake, eryone gathered which would be a in the middle of big earthThe quake hit the Fukushi- really the house and it quake in Oregon ma prefecture, a large pre- and Washington ended in about three minutes. that could hapfecture on Japan’s eastern Luckily, everypen in the next coast, facing the Pacific one was okay.” couple of years, ocean.

West Coast so I feel like that native and geis something that ography major has impacted my Sarah Parsons ’24 has also had their upbringing a bit.” own experiences with earthquakes As expressed by these students, and feels that the natural phenome- while earthquakes can upend physnon has impacted their sense of self. ical landscapes, they can also have “One earthquake I was in was a profound effect on the minds and a small one on the Fourth of July emotions of those who experience [of roughly] magnitude 4.5. It just them.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Lucy Dacus brings ‘couch tour’ to Gateway City Arts March 25, 2022

Mount Holyoke News

Photos courtesy of Ali Meizels On March 1 at Gateway City Arts in Holyoke, MA, American singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus performed nearly an entire set while reclined on a couch due to two herniated discs. Dacus stood up from the couch for three songs throughout the night’s set.

BY DECLAN LANGTON ’22 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dressed in a jean jacket and bright red jumpsuit, singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus took to the Gateway City Arts stage on March 1 as a part of her spring “couch tour.”

Rather than postpone the last portion of her North American tour due to two herniated discs, Dacus came up with a solution — bring a couch on stage and lay down while singing.

At Gateway City Arts, Dacus continued the tour for her third album “Home Video” (2021).

The show’s setup took place in front of a stream of home videos from Dacus’s own collection. On a screen behind the stage, clips played of her being held by her mother, performing in a school choir and showing off a scenic view in a rocky desert.

Before the drums and mics were set up, two members of the stage crew carried out Dacus’s couch. As they placed it at the center of the stage, the crew was met by applause — and some chuckling — from members of the crowd.

The room grew hot as the audience filed in during the opener, which featured addy, a musing folk rock band led by Adam Watkins, who, like Dacus, got their start in the Richmond, Virginia music scene.

Laying on her couch bordered with a fake ivy vine, Dacus opened the show with “Triple Dog Dare,”

the nearly eight minute album closer from “Home Video.” The song tells the dramatized story of a childhood friendship that borders on something more. “Triple Dog Dare” ends hauntingly, with the two girls running away together and later becoming missing “milk carton kids — ” their faces plastered on the side of the beverage’s container. During this song, and the others she sang from the couch, Dacus’s voice seemingly emerged from nowhere. Her body was invisible to the majority of the crowd, blocked by those standing in the first few rows. Despite this, her sonic presence was dominating.

Zoe Fieldman ’22, who attended the show, commented on this arrangement.

“At first, I felt frustrated at not being able to see her. I had known she was injured, and expected the couch performance, but thought they would loft the sofa so that the audience might have a better view.

This was not the case,” Fieldman explained. “However, I was incredibly impressed by their use of animation to supplement not being able to see the performer.”

Projected on the wall behind Dacus and her band were animations created specifically for each song.

As she performed her song “Cartwheel” — about a childhood friendturned-crush — the graphic featured children on a swing set, fireflies, a crescent moon and dark trees, mirroring the nostalgia of both the song

and all of “Home Video.”

“The animations were captivating and beautiful in addition to giving my eyes something to focus on without it distracting too much from the music itself. They also really captured the recurring themes of childhood, growing up,” Fieldman observed.

At first, Dacus’s concealment seemingly caused a disconnect in the show. Two completely separate experiences were present in the room: one for those in the front row — nearly face to face with Dacus — and the rest of the room, who became reliant on the reactions of those sitting in the first row.

Lucy James-Olson ’22, who attended the show alongside Fieldman, appreciated the setup, even if it was initially strange to adapt to.

“It actually was kind of fun to not be able to see [Dacus] for the majority of the time — it encouraged me … to get immersed in the music and close my eyes and really listen, which was cool,” James-Olson said.

Dacus’s lyrics are crafted, nostalgic storytelling, featuring vivid characters from friends to lovers to fathers. In her elegant voice, she flirts with inherent sadness and solitude, even when performing in front of a crowd humming and singing her words back toward the stage.

Her song “Thumbs,” which Dacus released in two versions, is one of these songs built around characters. In the lyrics, Dacus tells the

story of a dinner which she attends alongside her friend and her friend’s absent father. The twist: Dacus hates the father so violently that she spends a verse discussing how she would like to press her thumbs into his eyes “until they burst,” she sings. On March 1, she performed an alternate version of this song called “Thumbs Again” which came out a few months after the original version on “Home Video.” “Thumbs Again” replaces the droning synths of “Thumbs” with a pulsing, darker beat, adding layers to the frightening song, seemingly giving strength to the narrator.

Despite limited visibility from the couch, Dacus continually addressed the members of the crowd she couldn’t see.

“Hello, people I can’t see from my couch,” she said, the first time she sat up. Later, referencing the standing room only venue layout, she said, “I feel like I should stand more.”

Stand more she did.

Dacus’ March 1 performance was the first time she stood for three songs since injuring her back in early February. One of those songs was “Going Going Gone,” which she structured like a sing-along for the crowd. “Going gone, going going gone,” she sang along with members of the audience.

Dacus’s setlist also featured well-known songs from her previous albums. From the 2016 album “No

Burden,” Dacus delivered her song “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore.”

“I wrote that when I was a teen,” Dacus told the crowd, smirking.

From her second album, “Historian,” Dacus played “Yours & Mine” and “Addictions.” For “Addictions,” Dacus grabbed a guitar, playing it while continuing to lay on the couch — something you may expect to see in a living room kickback but was an exciting surprise at Gateway City Arts.

“Yours & Mine” stunned Fieldman when Dacus performed it at the show.

“I have not been able to stop listening to Yours & Mine since hearing it live. The performance was amazing and now it is one of my favorite songs,” Fieldman said.

“Night Shift,” the “Historian” opening track and one of Dacus’ most well-known songs, served as the show’s closer. The breakup ballad turned rock anthem is by far her most streamed song, amassing over 42 million streams on Spotify.

With “Night Shift,” the energy at Gateway City Arts seemed to adjust. Members of the crowd moved closer to the stage and threw their hands into the air, dancing. Voices of those singing along started to become more clear, but Dacus’ powerful swell was never eclipsed as she led the room to the end of the night.

Before leaving the stage, Dacus said, “This is a cool job, thank you for letting me have it.”

‘The Batman’ puts the superhero’s powers of deduction front and center

Graphic by Sunny Wei ’23

BY ROWAN BERNSTEIN ’22 STAFF WRITER

If you, like me, have grown tired of watching the same kind of superhero movies in recent years, Warner Bros.’ most recent DC film, “The Batman,” might be the breath of fresh air you need. “The Batman” takes a different direction from previous DC and Batman films, functioning primarily as a noir-style mystery that showcases the caped crusader’s detective skills alongside his physical prowess.

Though it is a reboot of sorts, “The Batman” is not an origin story.

Instead, director Matt Reeves relies on audiences already being familiar with the character of Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, Batman, thanks to numerous retellings on film and television throughout the years. Though Bruce’s iconic backstory — witnessing the murder of his wealthy par-

ents at a very young age — is often referenced and plays a role in the film’s story, it is not fully rehashed.

This decision pays off. In its three hour runtime, the film rarely drags, in part thanks to the omission of this already familiar information. We are introduced to a version of Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) already in his second year as a masked vigilante, investigating a serial killer known as the Riddler (Paul Dano).

Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne, too, is still learning what it means to be his city’s protector.

This interpretation of Bruce Wayne is considerably different from the playboy type seen in films like the earlier “The Dark Knight” trilogy. Rather than putting on a sociable public facing persona and brooding in private, this version of the character struggles to hide his angst, only making public appearances in his fictional home of Gotham City

when absolutely necessary, such as a funeral for the mayor. As Batman, he is skilled in combat as well as deduction, directly assisting the police in investigating crime scenes. Robert Pattinson is a perfect fit for the role, nailing Bruce Wayne’s frenzied drive to solve the case at hand and stop the Riddler, even at the expense of his own health.

Batman may be a skilled detective, but Dano’s Riddler is always two steps ahead of him. As he systematically takes out corrupt police officers and politicians, he leaves greeting cards addressed to Batman, filled with clues to deeper mystery surrounding his victims, which Batman must solve before he can get to the Riddler. A far cry from earlier, more cartoonish portrayals, like Jim Carrey in “Batman Forever,” this version of the character draws inspiration from the Zodiac Killer and his use of ciphers to communicate with

the police. As he lurks in the shadows and stalks his prey, The Riddler makes for a terrifying and formidable foe.

Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), is another key player in the film. Bruce first encounters her while following a clue from the Riddler, investigating a young woman who works at a nightclub where Selina is also employed. This young woman turns out to be Selina’s roommate and partner, who soon goes missing.

Thanks to her job in the club — and her skills as a burglar — Catwoman is able to assist Batman in his investigation, as well as seek out her own revenge. While there is a spark of attraction between her and Bruce, Selina’s personal motivations and role in the story are well fleshed out and always take precedence over romance.

Each of these characters, along with supporting figures like police commissioner James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), has a believable and vital connection to the plot, and every individual piece weaves together to tell a complex and engaging story supplemented by exciting action sequences.

For instance, there’s a mid-movie car chase that showcases the Batmobile’s high tech capabilities and an exciting sequence illuminated by strobing nightclub lights. The fight choreography throughout the film is impressive and exciting to watch, with up close and brutal combat visually reminiscent of video game fights.

“The Batman” also has the one thing I find most important in a superhero film: a clear love for the comics and interest in the characters as people. You don’t need to be a comic fan to enjoy the movie — I haven’t read many Batman comics myself yet — but it’s obvious that Reeves

wanted to tell a story that could have come straight off of the page. This shows in the film’s sense of sincerity.

Rather than wink and nod about the silliness of costumed vigilantes, the film treats its characters and their stories as worth taking seriously.

There is plenty of comedy, but it never overshadows the story’s earnestness, and that is why it works.

Artists define home in monthlong APE exhibit

BY ROSE COHEN ’22 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Art to see in the area this week The art exhibition “Crossing Cultures: Family, Memory and Displacement,” will take place at the A.P.E. Arts Gallery in Northampton until April 1.

The show, which had its premiere on March 9, revolves around themes of family, memory, displacement and identity.

The six visual artists whose work make up the exhibition — Nilou Moochhala ’94, Astrid Reischwitz, Claudia Ruiz Gustafson, Vivian Poey, Shabnam Jannesari and Nicolas Hyacinthe — use vintage family photographs and paintings, among other mediums, to examine what the idea of “home” means when many people are currently migrating from country to country.

March 25, 2022

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

. Mount Holyoke News

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Medicated abortions account for over half of all terminated pregnancies rent generic form of mifepristone in the 200 milligrams form along with a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Medicated abortions now ac- Strategy. This means that the pills count for over half of all abortions in must be “ordered, prescribed and the United States, according to a Feb. dispensed by or under the supervi24 policy analysis by the Guttmacher sion of a healthcare provider who Institute. Preliminary findings indi- prescribes and who meets certain cate that the combination of the pills qualifications,” according to the mifepristone and misoprostol, which FDA. Before issuing the pills, this work together to induce an abortion, provider must complete a Prescriber accounted for 54 percent of abor- Agreement Form, which must be distions in the United States in 2020, a pensed in clinics, medical offices and significant jump from 39 percent in hospitals supervised by a certified 2017. Although data collection for provider. In 2021 the FDA added that 2022 has not been completed, usage mifepristone must be prescribed is predicted to remain above the 50 only after counseling in addition to percent mark. Various factors con- the Patient Agreement Form and tribute to the increase of use, includ- that pharmacies dispensing mifepriing the COVID-19 pandemic which stone must be certified to do so.

The New encouraged reYork Times remote access to “Anti-choice activists are ported in Dec. healthcare and always ready to deploy new 2021 that the FDA increased access approved medito medication instrategies to deny access cated abortions stead of in-clinic to abortion and criminalize to be available abortions. the practice.” through mail As explained in all 50 states.

by Planned Parannounceenthood, medi– Cora Fernández Anderson This ment came at a cated abortion critical turning works in two steps. The first dose of mifepristone point for abortion accessibility. As is taken in pill form. According to the Supreme Court moves to possithe FDA, the patient must take 800 bly overturn Roe v. Wade through a micrograms of misoprostol immedi- Mississippi law banning abortions at ately or within 48 hours of this dos- 15 weeks of pregnancy, abortion by age. Patients are encouraged to fol- mail could provide a solution. Anlow up with the medical professional ti-abortion advocates recognize that who issued the prescription between medicated abortion presents a more 7 and 14 days later to ensure no se- accessible way of receiving an aborrious side effects occur. Planned tion and have worked to place reParenthood maintains that the pill strictions on it, especially since the used for medicated abortions is con- FDA’s policy change in 2021. For exsidered extremely safe and has been ample, according to the Guttmacher in circulation for 20 years with few Institute, 32 states require that the individual administering the abornegative results.

According to the FDA, mifepris- tion be a physician, disregarding tone was first approved in 2000. The FDA approval of medical professiontwo pills used together are current- als with other titles.

The Guttmacher Institute went ly approved for up to 70 days after gestation — 70 days or less since the on to report that as of Feb. 22, 2022, first day of the last menstrual cycle. 16 states moved to introduce restricIn 2019, the FDA approved the cur- tions on medicated abortion, includBY SHIRA SADEH ’25 STAFF WRITER

Graphic by Gabby Gagnon ’24

ing complete bans in seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming.

Assistant Professor of Politics Cora Fernández Anderson summarized this anti-choice legislation.

“Anti-choice activists are always ready to deploy new strategies to deny access to abortion and criminalize the practice,” Anderson said.

Anderson went on to raise an additional concern regarding restrictions on medicated abortions.

“In a restrictive context where the pill is not legally available and is thus sold in the black market, there will always be those that will take advantage of this and sell either expired, ineffective or dangerous medications instead of the actual drug.

And correct information might not always be available to everybody,” Anderson said. “Feminist networks will always monitor and suggest the safe places to get them and the correct way of doing it, but we cannot ensure everybody will be able to get this information and people can order anything in the internet when

desperate.”

The cost of accessing abortion medication is a challenge many people face. Planned Parenthood reported that because 60 percent of their patients are covered by programs like Medicaid, the Hyde Amendment prohibits them from accessing federal funds to help cover the costs. KFF reported that due to the Hyde Amendment passed in 1977, Medicaid does not currently cover any abortion expenses, except in the case of incest, rape or endangerment to the pregnant person’s life.

In 2014 the average cost for a medicated abortion up to 10 weeks was $535. While the manufacturers of the mifepristone do not report the cost of the pill publicly, providers stated that it cost them approximately $90 per Mifeprex pill, according to KFF. On a local level, the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently announced that the university health center would begin offering medicated abortions on campus starting in Fall ’22, according to WWLP. While in the past, the institution has offered referral services to connect

students with regional abortion providers, student demand has pushed the university to simplify the process.

Anderson stated that although she has not heard of any similar policy on the Mount Holyoke campus, she feels that the momentum created by UMass Amherst students could help Mount Holyoke students push the school in new directions.

This was seconded by JoJo Zeitlin ’22, co-chair of the Mount Holyoke chapter Planned Parenthood Generation Action group. She spoke to her experiences talking with other students and indicated that medicated abortions are becoming more popular among young people. “I believe this is because it is less invasive, more accessible, and can be taken in the comfort of your own home where you can receive support from friends and family,” Zeitlin said.

Regarding UMass Amherst’s decision to provide on-campus abortions, Zeitlin stated that she believes the Mount Holyoke Health Center should follow suit.

Climate Activist Spotlight: Sônia Guajajara Reusable takeout containers debut in Dining Commons

BY CAYLEY DELANCEY ’22 STAFF WRITER

At the beginning of the 2021 fall semester, Dining Services announced an upcoming partnership with USEFULL, a company run by a Mount Holyoke alumna, Alison Rogers ’12. USEFULL works to reduce waste and positively impact consumption patterns by providing a sustainable, reusable alternative to single-use takeout products. USEFULL claims that switching to their reusable containers can save colleges an estimated 50 - 84 percent on the cost of single-use to-go packaging.

While the USEFULL containers were originally scheduled to debut in Blanchard Hall in early October 2021, as announced in a Dining Updates email sent on Aug. 18, 2021, the program did not begin until just before the start of spring break. The program’s implementation was delayed due to supply chain and manufacturing issues, according to Rich Perna, director of Dining Services at Mount Holyoke.

Reusable insulated cups are available for students to borrow behind the entrance station at the Dining Commons. Perna stated that the rest of the containers would be introduced in stages based on the availability of dining staff to wash containers after each use. Perna said

that while it’s difficult to provide an accurate number of disposable containers used per day due to constant fluctuation, the school plans to transition to 100 percent reusable containers and phase out compostable containers entirely.

Some students have reacted positively to the new system. Lillian Stone ’25 said that she likes the new containers. “[They’re] super useful when needed,” Stone said. “Getting a takeout box would be super good too.”

Students must download the USEFULL app to check out reusable containers and have a camera that can scan QR codes to go through the checkout process. Containers must be returned, emptied and with the lid on, placed into a bin at the dining swipe-in island. While returning the containers, students must scan the QR code on the Blanchard iPads before dropping them in the deposit bin.

The program is free for students to participate in, but containers must be returned to the dining hall within 48 hours to avoid incurring a charge. Late returns will be charged $1.00 per day.

Perna said that while silverware will not be provided through USEFULL, students will be able to borrow Blanchard silverware, which can be returned with the USEFULL containers.

Graphic by Sofía Savid ’24

BY HELEN GLOEGE ’23 STAFF WRITER

Sônia Guajajara is a 48-year-old Indigenous activist, environmentalist and politician from Brazil.

Guajajara is known as the coordinator for Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil or the Association for Indigenous People of Brazil, according to Believe Earth. Guajajara also participates in larger world forums like the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. Climate Negotiations to share experiences of Indigenous people in Brazil to a global audience, according to Indigenous Rights International. In an op-ed for The New York Times, Guajajara pointed to how climate change and

the destruction of resources like the Amazon rainforest have begun “threatening our way of life” and culture.

Informed by this pressure, her activism has taken place across many different stages, including a music festival called “Rock in Rio” where, in 2017, singer Alicia Keys invited Guajajara to “take the stage and speak to the thousands watching there, and the millions watching from home,” Global Alliance reported. While onstage, Guajajara said, “There is a war in the Amazon, [where] Indigenous people and the environment are being brutally attacked.” From this platform, she also called for senators to block the Renca Project proposal. The Renca

Project would have opened “a huge Amazon reserve to commercial mining,” according to Al-Jazeera, but federal courts have since suspended the project.

Guajajara has also had a political career, participating in the Brazilian national elections of 2018. According to photographer Pablo Albarenga, who has worked with Guajajara, she became “the first Indigenous woman to compete for the vice presidency of the country,” campaigning with Guilherme Boulos.

Guajajara recently spoke on climate change at COP26. There, according to Greenpeace, she said, “without the participation of Indigenous Peoples, there will be no solution.”

Photo by Ali Meizels ’23 This week, MHC Dining Services replaced compostable paper cups with reusable USEFULL cups.

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OPINION

March 25, 2022

. Mount Holyoke News

History education is integral to liberal arts colleges Ages to the present. There was no time to fully analyze all the events we were studying because there was simply too much to cover.

As of late, the Save Our DepartThe same was true for my Modments movement, a student group ern and Contemporary Europe class of the same name advocating for the last semester, where we covered preservation of the Mount Holyoke roughly the same amount of, if not arts, languages and social sciences less, material than we were able to departments, has garnered attention cover in my AP European history across campus. As the College merg- course because we only had two es departments and cuts programs, class sessions a week. Instead, we some students are increasingly wor- focused on certain topics with greatried about what budget cuts will er depth. In this course and others, mean for their areas of study. As a professors are in control of selectprospective history major, I have a ing which topics receive the most lot to lose from potential budget cuts attention. These choices can push and the downsizing of departments. students away from their own areas College students are already of interest to match those of the prolimited in their class choices based fessors. on the specializations of their proFor example, to learn explicitly fessors. This is especially true with about British history, I would need history, a department where stu- to take a course from Professor Desdents often have particular areas mond Fitz-Gibbon, who specializes or periods of interest that cannot in British land and property polibe fully covered tics and market in single coursculture. If I was es due to the Having a full understanding fascinated with amount of mateanother specific of the historical rial required to facet of British development of intellectual history, I would cover a wide time span. This reducsystems is vital in all areas have to search es class options for a Five College of study. even more and class that fits can actively deny within my interstudents a chance to explore their in- est area. terests. For example, a Mount HolyHistory is extremely difficult to oke student can’t learn about the study in this way because in order intricacies of the Weimar Republic to fully understand the intricacies or the economic failures which led of historical events, one must also to the rise of Hitler in a world poli- pay attention to details surrounding tics class that covers the 1900s to the social movements, power dynamics present. and all compounding factors.

The purpose of higher education Despite taking AP United States is to allow and encourage students to history, my learning was cut off further their scholastic inquiry more by the onset of the pandemic. This than was possible in high school, but meant that throughout K-12, I never that is often not the reality. formally learned about U.S. history In high school, I took Advanced after World War II other than the Placement European history and Civil Rights Movement. Even then, Advanced Placement United States I never learned about anything behistory, among other history cours- yond major events and figures. es. Despite taking academically rigThis semester, I am taking Unitorous courses which were meant to ed States history Since WWII. I prepare me for my college workload, chose to take the course because I I only gained a broad understanding find topics like Watergate, the Vietof the topics I studied. Both AP Eu- nam War and Ronald Reagan’s presropean history and AP United States idency to be particularly appealing. history covered centuries in only two We tend to spend only one or two semesters, with AP European histo- class sessions on each of these topry discussing the historic trends of ics because of the course material’s an entire continent from the Middle wide time span, despite each of those

BY ZORA LOTTON-BARKER ’25 STAFF WRITER, RADIO CONTENT CREATOR & COPY EDITOR

Photo by Xinran Li ’23 Above, the history department lounge, located in Skinner Hall. The department has eight current faculty members, according to the College website.

areas being complex enough to take up a semester-long course entirely on their own.

Mount Holyoke College seems to value being a platform for future changemakers. Yet, we cannot create tangible change if we are not equipped with the tools to understand historical patterns that teach us to recognize the signs of modern day oppression.

Having a full understanding of the historical development of intellectual systems is vital in all areas of study. For example, a nuanced understanding of historical patterns is essential to STEM fields such as climate activism. Even though climate change could be studied exclusively through a scientific lens, the social sciences lend important context to the issue. For example, environmental activists are disserviced in their advocacy if they fail to recognize the disproportionate effect that climate change has had on Indigenous, Black and Brown communities.

While the Princeton Review’s 2016 edition of “Colleges That Pay You Back,” ranks Mount Holyoke 18 in a list of the top 25 schools in the country for making an impact, Mount Holyoke continues to make departmental cuts which limit students from gaining liberal arts skills.

The priority of scholarship cannot merely include avenues consid-

ered most profitable. Best Colleges writer Anne Dennon noted the detrimental effects of eliminating liberal arts degrees, especially as a cost-cutting measure in the wake of COVID-19.

“Colleges, reeling financially from closed campuses and reduced enrollment, must offer programs that attract students,” she said. “But many fail to realize that the liberal arts hones crucial soft skills, such as critical thinking, that are often vital to professional success.”

The American Historical Society staff published an open letter emphasizing the importance of teaching history at the college level, especially at liberal arts institutions.

“Wise decision-making by leaders in higher education … must be informed by historical perspective,” the AHS wrote. “The negative consequences of closing a history department would not take long to observe but would take years to reverse.”

Reshmi Dutt-Ballerstadt, a distinguished professor of English at Linfield University, argued that in the business of higher education, there are winners and losers.

“The biggest losers are a generation of students who are being robbed of critically engaging with disciplines and materials within the arts,” she said. “These disciplines have proven to contribute deeply to

enhancing one’s malleable intelligence, a sense of civic duty and social responsibility, and engagement in critical citizenship.”

It is even more important to protect the history department from potential budget cuts because the field is already limited by its nature of specialization. History cannot afford to be pared down more than it already is.

As someone whose strengths lie in the social sciences, I don’t have the same mobility between disciplines as other students might. I am scared of the impact that defunding may have on my studies, but I feel as though I have no choice but to continue. I came to Mount Holyoke because it was sold to me as a school that championed critical thinking, analysis and liberal arts — all of which I am very passionate about.

Without the funding needed to effectively educate students in all areas of history, it is impossible to live up to the message of well-rounded learning that was marketed to me and students like me. If Mount Holyoke is going to continue to defund areas of studies within the humanities, then the College needs to re-examine its own marketing. Mount Holyoke is not a liberal arts school if students are not being given an actual liberal arts education.

FEATURES: French students travel to the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Photo courtesy of Francesca Marie ’21 On Saturday, Feb. 26, French students traveled to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for the Jacques Louis David exhibit. According to Professor Catherine Le Gouis, this was the largest turnout she’s seen on a French department outing.

BY JESSE HAUSKNECHT-BROWN ’25 FEATURES EDITOR

With the Metropolitan Museum of Art on their minds, 48 Mount Holyoke French students piled onto a bus to head to New York City. The trip took place on Saturday, Feb. 26, with the group leaving around 8 a.m. and returning to campus later that evening.

“The trip was really nice. I’d never been to the Met before, so it was really nice to see the museum. Luckily, I had a couple friends that also went on the trip, so it was nice to go through the Museum in a group,” Anna McGrath ’24 said. “It was really educational as well.”

Catherine Le Gouis, Reverend Joseph James Hilary Paradis Professor of French and chair of the French department, explained that this group was the largest number of students she had ever taken on an outing of this type.

“I thought the trip went extreme-

ly well. … It was a very large group of students … [and] they were very interested in what we were doing,” Le Gouis said. “We all appreciate the opportunity, because, of course, they’ve been pretty few and far between because of the pandemic.”

Noemi Vega ’25, a prospective French major, had visited the Met when she was very young and enjoyed being able to go back again. “[The] value of this trip is that it’s a change of scenery from campus, [and] you see artifacts from across the globe, and exposure [to things] you might not ever get to see in your lifetime,” Vega said.

Three alumni were involved in the trip: one rode with the group to the Met, while two others joined the group at the museum. “Alums are very generous; I’m immensely grateful to our alums,” Le Gouis said. “It’s also a very nice opportunity to see alums, former students, some [of whom] have become close friends.”

Le Gouis is always looking for

museum exhibits with a French or francophone theme. This time, the Met had an exhibit on Jacques Louis David, an 18th and 19-century French painter. The exhibit is on display from Feb. 17 to May 15, 2022.

“The first exhibit I went to was the David exhibit — he was a painter in the French Revolution era. That was really cool because they had a bunch of his sketches before he painted, and you [could] see the evolution of his works,” McGrath said.

She also enjoyed being able to see paintings done by her favorite painter, Claude Monet.

McGrath is a French and Environmental Studies double major who has been taking French since eighth grade and aims to achieve fluency in the language.

“I think [learning another language] opens up so many other perspectives in the world that you wouldn’t necessarily get if you didn’t study another language. The view of the world from other cultures — you

kind of get that when you study other languages, because you’re not just studying the language, you’re [also] studying how they speak, why they speak that way [and] the culture as well,” McGrath said. “It also opens up so many more opportunities, because you can communicate with so many more people.”

Le Gouis echoed this sentiment, and explained that when people learn different languages, they have “that many more sets of eyes.”

“I think it’s something that is an important part of the College’s mission, for us to be helping students to become global citizens,” Le Gouis said. “I think it’s just very important for us to be responsible, global citizens [who are] informed and able to have this extra perspective and able to function in other cultures.”

McGrath believes that it is important to offer students a wide variety of language-learning opportunities. She felt limited in high school, where her school system only of-

fered Spanish, French and German.

“The merging and the cutting of languages is kind of disheartening,” McGrath said. “At least the French department hasn’t had too many cuts that I’ve noticed, so there’s still a variety of classes I can take on a variety of subjects in French, but … I have many friends in other language departments that are having trouble finding engaging classes at Mount Holyoke in those languages, which is just disheartening.”

Le Gouis, who believes strongly in learning by immersion, wants students to have a well-rounded education in not only the French language but the other cultural components as well.

“I think [trips like this] add to the multidimensional [aspect]” Le Gouis said. “Immersion is not just language; it’s culture and seeing art and visiting museums and being with the objects. The culture really helps add to that multi-dimensional experience.”

March 25, 2022

SPORTS & PHOTOS

. Mount Holyoke News

7

Basketball star Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir talks Islam and sport at ‘A Dunk in Faith,’ hosted by the Muslim Student Association

Photo courtesy of Haute Hijab Muslim former NCAA basketball star Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir spoke to students at “A Dunk in Faith.”

BY EMILY TARINELLI ’25 SPORTS EDITOR

Despite the chilly evening air, students from Mount Holyoke and Smith Colleges bustled with warmth and excitement in the New York Room of Mary Woolley Hall on March 3. Dinnertime chatter cascaded from table to table. Moments later, the event of the night, “A Dunk in Faith,” commenced.

The Mount Holyoke Muslim Student Association, in partnership with the Association of Pan-African Unity, the Mount Holyoke African and Carribean Student Association, the Mount Holyoke Athlete Empowerment Coalition and the Smith College Al-Iman, welcomed Muslim former NCAA basketball star Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, who paved the way for religious equity in the sport.

The event opened with a screening of the trailer for Abdul-Qaadir’s documentary film, “Life Without Basketball,” which was released in 2018 and is available on streaming services. Abdul-Qaadir then spoke to students about her struggle to find solace in her religion while playing basketball, and how she succeeded in finding peace in her faith after

many years. Lastly, she answered questions from the attendees.

According to Book a Muslim, an organization of Muslim speakers and artists, Abdul-Qaadir shone in both academics and sports growing up. As a high school student, she attended New Leadership Charter School in Springfield, Massachusetts and graduated as the valedictorian. She shattered both the boys’ and girls’ state records, scoring 3,070 points over the course of her high school career.

Abdul-Qaadir went on to receive a full scholarship from the University of Memphis, where she played Division I basketball from 2009 to 2013.

During this time, she was the first woman to wear a hijab in a NCAA Division I basketball game, CNN reported. Her achievements granted her awards and recognition from various people and organizations, such as former President Barack Obama and the United States Basketball Writers Association, according to Book a Muslim.

Abdul-Qaadir aspired to play professionally, but due to a policy set by the International Basketball Federation that banned the use of head coverings in play, her dream was all

but shattered, CNN reported.

“They told me the league wanted to keep the game of basketball religiously neutral,” Abdul-Qaadir told CNN. “When we asked them why athletes who have religious tattoos, like crosses or biblical scriptures, were allowed to play, they then turned it into how hijab[s] weren’t allowed because it was a safety hazard.”

Abdul-Qaadir fought FIBA and filed a petition against its policy in 2014, as reported by CNN. Because of her advocacy, FIBA lifted its ban on headscarves in 2017, effectively allowing religious headscarves such as the hijab, the turban and the kippot to be worn in play, according to VICE Sports.

While the elimination of the ban allowed Abdul-Qaadir to pursue a career in professional basketball, she ultimately chose not to take that path. At “A Dunk in Faith,” she explained why she made this decision.

“People always ask me, ‘Why didn’t you play?’” she said. “And I’m like, ‘Because I feel like I have more impact by sharing my struggles and … speaking to young women or girls or people in general about what I went through, because we need it.’”

At the event, Abdul-Qaadir also spoke about her journey in reconciling Islam with basketball, sharing moments of joy, struggle and love for both her faith and her sport.

“Honestly … I feel like right now, [basketball and faith] are one,” she said. “I was able to figure out what basketball brought to my faith and what faith brought to my basketball.”

Mount Holyoke MSA board member Nafeesah Ahmed-Adedoja ’23 was touched by her words.

“I felt like I learned how to feel empowered through my faith,” Ahmed-Adedoja said. “Throughout the entire speech I was kind of tearing up just because there are so many things that I think that many of us here can relate to … like being in hard times, and also just struggling.”

“For me, as I am a Muslim …

and someone who does wear hijabs, I think that it’s so important for people who also wear hijabs to share their struggles, because I think that everyone has been through them,” Ahmed-Adedoja continued. “Even if you don’t wear a hijab or you don’t have a faith, I think that she made it so clear that you always need that anchor. And so, for me, I think it’s kind of renewed my link and my passion for my faith.”

Abdul-Qaadir spoke about her

motivation to share her story.

“Even though I’m standing up here in front of a podium, I think of it as the mic being my basketball, the podium being my court, and in a way, my words being the point scored,” Abdul-Qaadir said. “So, I still teach basketball. I still can play. The fact that I’m proud to teach young Muslim girls how to play and to build that confidence on and off the court through sport is what revives why I do what I do, day in and day out.”

9 die in Texas car crash involving University of the Southwest golf team

BY GIGI PICARD ’22 SPORTS EDITOR

On March 15, the University of the Southwest men’s and women’s golf team van suffered a fatal head-on collision with a pick-up truck that killed nine people on a Texas road. CBS 7 reported that two of the nine deceased include a 13-year-old boy who was behind the wheel of the truck and his 38-year-old father, Henrich Siemens, who was in the passenger seat. ABC News reported that the other seven deaths include the golf team’s head coach, Tyler James, and student-athletes Maurico Sanchez, Travis Garcia, Jackson Zinn, Karisa Raines, Laci Stone and Tiago Sousa.

There were two survivors of the crash: Dayton Price and Hayden Underhill, both of whom were on the university’s golf team.

Initially in critical condition, Price and Underhill were taken to a hospital in Texas after the crash. CBS 7 stated the two were stabilized as of March 16.

As reported by CNN, the National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Bruce

Landsberg said the early investigation revealed “the left front tire of the pickup was a spare that failed, causing the vehicle to pull hard to the left into oncoming traffic of a two-lane roadway.” Landsberg said it was likely that both the truck and the van were driving close to the speed limit of 75 miles per hour.

According to the Texas Department of State’s website, minors can start “the classroom phase of a driver education course at 14 years of age, but you cannot apply for a learner license until you are at least 15 years of age.”

The Associated Press reported that golfers near the University of the Southwest campus put together a memorial at the team’s practice course. According to this source, “Groundskeepers placed flowers, golf balls and a handmade sign with a Christian cross and the initials USW.” Ben Kirkes, the Rockwind Community Links Manager, said to the Associated Press, “We have a memorial. It’s the very least we could [do] for the players and of course coach James. It’s a tough time.”

Botanic Garden ‘Brighter Days’ Flower Show highlights spring colors

BY ALI MEIZELS ’23 PUBLISHER & PHOTOS EDITOR

This month, the Mount Holyoke Botanic Garden presented its 50th Annual Spring Flower Show. This year’s show marked the first time in two years that the Talcott Greenhouse was open for visitors. Current students, faculty and staff were able to visit the greenhouse and view the flower show from March 7-11 and March 14-18. Mount Holyoke News staff photographers took to the greenhouse and captured the flower show’s bright colors and blooms.

[2]

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Rosemary Geib ’23: 1, 4, 5; Ali Meizels ’23: 6, 7, 9, 12; Naomi Jiang ’25: 2, 3, 8, 10, 11

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COMMUNITY

March 25, 2022

. Mount Holyoke News

^ HOROSCOPES ^

BY LIZ LEWIS ’22 & MAGGIE DONOVAN ’23 MANAGING EDITOR OF CONTENT | HOROSCOPE WRITER

July 23 – Aug. 22

March 21 – April 19

Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

2010 Toyota RAV4. As it is your season, you’re very in demand on the market right now, especially among adventure-seeking types. Plus, you look great in red.

Jeep Wrangler. You talk a big talk. You take up space and you’re proud of it. But no one can deny that you’re captivating, with a touch of danger to boot.

April 20 – May 20

Hyundai Elantra. Sleek and compact, you always drive on the cutting edge. But you’re down to earth, too — maybe because you look a little like a beetle.

May 21 – June 20

Subaru Forester. You’re social and adventurous, always ready for a classic road trip. On the outside, you’re tough and outdoorsy, ready for some offroading any time of day. On the inside, there’s room enough for all your closest friends.

Volkswagen Jetta. If there’s one thing you are, it’s independent. Self-reliant enough to thrive in any climate, you can cruise through the city, the country or anywhere in between.

Oct. 23 – Nov. 21

Ice Blue MINI Cooper. Funky and fresh, you catch people’s eyes everywhere you go. What you lack in size you make up for in originality and pizzaz.

Aug. 23 – Sept. 22

Toyota Tacoma. Hard working. Classic. You don’t have the bells and whistles of the Super Duty F-250, but you don’t need all that anyway.

Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

Scion “Cube.” You turn heads. Sometimes in admiration. Sometimes in horror. Always in awe.

June 21 – July 22

White 2001 Volvo station wagon. You’re reliable.

You’re warm and homey. Above all, you’re a family man. Maybe there’s a plastic bag taped over your back window. Maybe you can hear it flapping in the wind as you drive.

2005 Honda CR-V. People underestimate you, but you’re up for anything — adventurous enough to drive across the country, and reliable enough to avoid a break down in the process.

Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

Chevy Malibu. Sleek, professional and put-together, you’re all about polish. Even when you’re zooming full-speed down an open road, you won’t have a hair out of place.

Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

Feb. 19 – March 20

2007 Chevy Tahoe. You’ve got a sturdy reputation, and you aren’t afraid to take up a lane by yourself. Your formidable frame might demand a lot of fuel, but you contain multitudes.

Event Highlights

Fred and Moose

BY SILVIE SCHLEIN ’23 STAFF CARTOONIST

Saturday, March 26 Havdalah Bonfire

Start the week off right with a Havdalah bonfire! Hosted by the Jewish Student Union and Religious and Spiritual Life.

Private Location. 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Peace Cranes for Ukraine

Folding Peace Cranes in response to the current events in Ukraine.

Private Location. 7 - 8 p.m.

Sunday, March 27

Spring Arts and Crafts Fair

Back by popular demand, the Mount Holyoke Art Society, in collaboration with the Studio Art Department is hosting our second Arts & Crafts Fair. All students are welcome to come by and look at our community members’ handmade crafts ranging from artworks to beautiful goods. Students will have the chance to purchase and promote our artists’ creations.

The Great Room. 12 - 3 p.m.

Watch Party: Oscars

Join your friends in watching this year’s Oscars award night. Snacks and mocktails will be provided. This event is a “Be Well Break” program, sponsored by the Office of Student Involvement.

The Great Room. 8 - 10 p.m.

Tuesday, March 29

Sovereignty and Self-Determination in Indian Country

A collaborative panel of local Tribal Leaders, storytellers and educators will explore concepts of self-determination and tribal sovereignty. This candid dialogue will discuss modern day struggles, strengths and successes in Native New England.

Virtual Event. 9 - 10:15 a.m.

Crafternoon: Zine Workshop

Melina Baron-Deutsch ’16 will lead a workshop on how to create zines. Melina will share the history of zines, particularly about how they are used for information, resource and experience sharing among marginalized communities and with non-community members. As an alum, Melina will also provide insight as to how zines are a part of Mount Holyoke’s own history. Kits with supplies for making zines during the workshop will be available for pickup at the Office of Student Involvement.

Virtual Event. 1 - 2 p.m.

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JOIN CAAT! The Community Aid and Advocacy Team is a new group working on community care and mutual aid at MHC.

Find us here: • Instagram @caatmhc • linktr.ee/MHCCAAT • Blanch 227, Sundays 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Passionate about showing up for your community? Fill out the skill share form in our linktree to become a part of the CAAT network.

Thursday, March 31

Trans Day of Visibility: Meet the TGNC Working Group

Join the members of the Affirming Practices for Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People Working Group for a get-to-know-you meal.

Meet the students, staff, and faculty who are a part of the Working Group, and share your thoughts on how MHC can be more gender-inclusive. Lunch will be provided.

Community Center. 12:45 - 1:45 p.m.

JShow

Junior Show, one of the College’s most creative and student-driven traditions, has been a source of entertainment and general merriment on campus for more than a century. It features an original play heavy on humor and parody. Costumes, dance numbers, songs, inside jokes and a smattering of stereotypical representations of both Mount Holyoke and the other members of the Five Colleges? Yes, yes, yes!

Mary Wooley Hall. 7 - 8 p.m.