Mount Holyoke News – March 3, 2023

Mount Holyoke News

Association of Pan-African Unity hosts Black History Month Gala

BY NAOMY POOT IBARRA ’25 STAFF WRITER

On Sunday, Feb. 26, Mount Holyoke College’s Association of Pan-African Unity sponsored the annual Black History Month Gala at Chapin Auditorium with dinner, performances and a conversation with Interim President Beverly Daniel Tatum. This event was the culmination of the many events that took place as part of the College’s Black History Month programming, with each week highlighting the theme “_____ and Beauty.” APAU, Division of Student Life, Office of Community and Belonging, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and several other Mount Holyoke departments and groups worked together to plan the series of activities. This month’s themes were “History and Beauty,” “Intersectionality and Beauty,” “Black Voices and Beauty” and “Blackness and Beauty.”

A performance by the Five College West African Music Ensemble started the evening with two dance drumming works, “Gahu” and “Agbekor.” Gahu is a “recreational piece originally from Nigeria,” taught according to the methods introduced by Nani Agbeli, a Ghanaian drummer, dancer and ensemble leader who has performed and instructed at Tufts and Harvard universities. Agbekor is a kind of music that was historically performed as a war dance but is now mostly utilized for cultural presentations.

After the performance, there was a brief interlude during which the attendees dined on soul food. The dishes served featured macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, collard greens and cornbread. Soon after, Tatum was joined in dialogue by Sarah Bell ’25, APAU’s Five College Representative and the organization’s Black History Month Coordinator. Tatum discussed how she origi-

nally began her career in academia and ultimately ended up at Mount Holyoke. She described how the Mount Holyoke psychology department, where she served as the department chair after eight years, was dominated by white academics and how the College sought to diversify the faculty. She emphasized how she was the perfect candidate for the position of associate professor, as it aligned with her area of study, which was focused on psychology and education with a focus on “minority issues related to mental health.”

During “[Tatum’s] existence in academia as a Black woman, … in every part of her journey, it was kind of like there was a spot missing that she was filling … It’s not only inspiring as a Black woman in academia because you look around at your professors and you get discouraged, because it’s white men this and white men that, but then to know her journey, it’s like theres always a need for us as women of color in academia I think is what she was showing me,” Ruth Poku ’25, a double major in politics and economics, said in an interview with Mount Holyoke News.

“I know the position that I will have will be waiting for me in the same way her positions were waiting for her.”

Emphasizing the lack of representation of Black women within higher education, yet also acknowledging the growing opportunities, Poku added, “We also have to acknowledge that these opportunities are not just falling out of the sky, of course, these places are being created because of women like her and [President-Elect Holley]. More spaces are being created because they are paving the way for us.”

Finally, to wrap up the discussion, Bell questioned Tatum about her time as the president of Spelman College, a historically Black liberal arts college for women, and how

her time at Mount Holyoke had influenced her leadership style there. All in all, her time at Mount Holyoke prior to becoming Interim President had a lasting impact on her time at Spelman College. Tatum emphasized that she experienced several career-related events throughout her tenure at Mount Holyoke, such as when Oprah Winfrey featured a segment on Tatum’s book “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race.” Tatum highlighted how this feature occurred when she was still at Mount Holyoke, and that students were invited to watch, which Tatum described as a time of great excitement.

Editor’s note: Sarah Bell is a staff writer for the Global section of the Mount Holyoke News.

Biden administration moves to tighten border restrictions in May

enforcing stricter migration policies for asylum-seekers in early 2023, announcing on Jan. 5 a list of “new consequences for individuals who attempt to enter unlawfully.” These initiatives included an increased usage of expedited removal of individuals without legal basis to remain in the United States, as well as the possibility of a five-year ban on reentry for those individuals.

The same list also describes the expansion of the Biden Administration’s “parole process,” which was previously extended from Venezuelans to individuals of Nicaraguan, Haitian and Cuban nationality. The U.S. will allow 30,000 individuals per month to enter the country and receive work authorization if they have an eligible sponsor and pass vetting and background checks. Under this policy, individuals who irregularly cross the Panama, Mexico or U.S. borders will be subject to expulsion to Mexico, which has agreed to accept 30,000 individuals a month who “fail to use these new pathways.”

The administration claims that these consequences will disincentivize individuals from these four countries “from taking the dangerous journey to the southwest border of the United States and attempting to cross without authorization.”

fessor of Latina/o studies at Mount Holyoke, authored an op-ed for the Houston Chronicle in January detailing the Biden administration’s “carrot and stick” approach to immigration policy. In an interview with Mount Holyoke News, he described this phrase as indicating “a traditional political compromise on immigration policies between pro-immigrant forces and anti-immigrant forces.”

“In today’s discussion of comprehensive immigration reform, it’s usually a form of amnesty, or regularization of status for undocumented immigrants, in exchange for further militarizing the border,” Hernández said. “And so the carrot is the benefit and the stick is the punishment in this case. With Biden’s new policy, it’s a provision of legal avenues to claim asylum in exchange for a harsh exclusion policy.”

BY TARA MONASTESSE ’25 NEWS EDITOR

In a joint announcement on Feb. 21, the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security described a new policy proposal from the Biden administration that would deny asylum to those entering the country illegally, as well as those who do not attempt or are unable to seek asylum in the countries they pass through as they migrate to the United States.

In anticipation of the Title 42 public health order expiring on May 11, administration officials expect that the order will go into effect by May, according to The Texas Tri-

bune. Administration officials describe the new asylum restrictions as temporary, with the expectation that they will end after two years.

Title 42 consists of a series of immigration restrictions invoked within the past few years with the stated purpose of controlling the spread of COVID-19, according to PBS NewsHour. The Texas Tribune reports that Title 42 has technically been in place since the World War II era, initially enacted as a part of the Public Health Service Act of 1944. However, it saw extensive usage by the Trump administration beginning in March 2020 as a method of enforcing stricter immigration policy.

After initially defending the act,

the Biden administration attempted to terminate Title 42 in the spring of 2022 and failed, as reported by CBS News. Title 42 was then declared illegal by a federal judge in Washington, D.C., on the basis of an insufficient public health justification last November. From there, Republican-led states were able to block the policy’s termination on procedural grounds, resulting in the expiration date of this May. Since 2020, Title 42 has been used to expel over 2.6 million migrants, according to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

The Washington Post also reports that despite initially pledging to protect the asylum process, the Biden-Harris administration began

Critics of the Feb. 21 policy announcement note that it fails to account for the reality of the situations faced by many asylum seekers. In a PBS NewsHour report, Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, said that the new immigration policy favors those who can afford to find a financial sponsor and purchase a plane ticket to the U.S., while also excluding those who cannot wait in their home countries for humanitarian parole slots due to the risks they face.

While Vignarajah expressed approval of the pathways offered to migrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti, she questioned what options now exist for migrants hailing from outside of those countries.

David Hernández, associate pro-

Hernández mentioned that migrants seeking asylum must be able to afford plane tickets to the United States, oftentimes for entire family units, meaning that “only the people with the most means will be able to come.” Hernández also discussed how the current system’s incentivizing of legal pathways into the United States fails to account for the obstacles often faced by migrants. For example, the requirement to seek asylum in another country before being eligible for asylum in the United States is often impractical for Latin Americans fleeing violence.

“When you flee for your safety, you need to get out of there, fast. So then you have to stop and wait in the next country you pass through, or maybe the final country, which is Mexico, usually,” he said. “And it may even be dangerous to seek asylum at home. Let’s say you’re wanted by gang members or something like that. It’s not like you can just walk up to the embassy and they’re not going to wait for you or be at the next country over. Lots of things are possible … The plan in the ‘safer country’ agreement is neither safe nor an agreement because few countries in Latin America have strong asylum systems.”

Photo by Naomy Poot Ibarra ’25 President Tatum joined the APAU Black History Month Coordinator Sarah Bell ’25 in a discussion.

Photo courtesy of Amyyfory via Wikimedia Commons

The Biden administration’s recently proposed policy would prohibit multiple groups from migrating into the U.S. through the southern border if passed.

Photo by Naomy Poot Ibarra ’25 The Five College West African Music Ensemble, pictured above, performed works titled “Gahu” and “Agbekor” at this year’s Black History Month Gala.

Jonathan Michael Square discusses ‘democratizing higher education’

BY JESSE HAUSKNECHT-BROWN ’25 MANAGING EDITOR OF LAYOUT &

EDITOR

Content warning: This article mentions slavery.

Jonathan Michael Square, an assistant professor of Black visual culture at Parsons School of Design, believes in “democratizing higher education.” His avenue of doing so was to turn one of his classes, Fashioning the Self in Slavery and Freedom, into an ever-evolving social media-based project. He uses social media platforms — including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube — to share the work he has done around slavery and fashion, which he believes allows for more engagement than traditional styles of teaching. Square visited Professor Sandra Russell’s class Art, Public Space and Social Justice Activism via Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

As described on its website, “Fashioning the Self in Slavery and Freedom predominately explores the intersections between slavery and fashion. This digital humanities project is also an entry point for exploring larger questions of race, identity and equity.” During the talk, Square defined digital humanities as “the use of the internet or digital platforms as an educational tool,” although he stated that the kind of work he does is “a little more dynamic” than traditional digital humanities practices.

“Sometimes you have to use terms to make yourself legible to academics, so sometimes we find ourselves using the term digital humanities even though it’s more social media,” Square said.

Russell has wanted to have Square talk to one of her classes for some time, but the timing never worked out. She has been inspired by Square’s work for years and was grateful that he was able to visit.

“One of my goals in designing this course was to foreground artists, academics and activists’ utilization of public spaces — be they brick and mortar, digital or otherwise — to engage audiences’ political, social and historical imaginations,” Russell said. “Jonathan’s work across digital platforms, as well as his curatorial work, does exactly this, and I think this is a real way to build solidarity and resistance.”

In an interview with Mount Holyoke News, Square explained that he is usually asked to present research from his upcoming book and doesn’t often get to give a talk about his methodologies. “I love presenting my work to new audiences because

it forces me to clarify my thinking on my own practice,” Square said. “It was a real treat to be able to stand back and reflect on how I use social media as an educational tool.”

Square was also a 2021-2022 Curatorial fellow at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and formerly instructed at Harvard University, where he taught versions of the Fashioning the Self course.

“Fashioning the Self” also exists in the format of two zines, one of which can be viewed online. The other is available for purchase in print.

“I also have a bone to pick with academia. I think academic writing is a bit dry and sometimes inaccessible and many academics aren’t really interested in engaging with larger audiences,” Square said. “I wanted to create content that to me felt academically rigorous but was also interesting and readable and even fun.”

Madeline Greenberg ’26, a student in Russell’s class, enjoyed the content of Square’s talk and described his work as “incredible.”

“Square also has his course syllabi available on his website, so anyone is able to almost take the class themself,” Greenberg said. “This aspect of his work is incredibly interesting to me as it feels like we learn right alongside him and that his work is pushing against traditional and elitist ideas of higher education.”

uses the lens of fashion and material culture to trace the aesthetic, social and political reverberations of the Haitian Revolution as a world-historical moment.”

Meï first conceptualized “Rendering Revolution” and then shared her idea with Square when she invited him to give a talk at UMass. They then began to work together to create the project which launched in summer 2020.

In his interview with Mount Holyoke News, Square described “Rendering Revolution” and “Fashioning the Self” as “sister projects,” with three important differences. “‘Rendering Revolution’ is focused on Haiti and, to a certain degree, the wider Francophone world. Secondly, ‘Rendering Revolution’ is supported by a transnational team of scholars that includes Siobhan, me, and a number of other Haitian and Haitianist academics and translators.

Thirdly, ‘Rendering Revolution’ is a bilingual project. We publish all of our content in English and Haitian Kreyòl,” Square said.

During the talk, Square discussed the curatorial work he does, focusing specifically on an exhibit called “Slavery in the Hands of Harvard” which was housed in the Center for Government and International Studies at Harvard. Square talked about how using a non-traditional space forced people to engage with the work between activities or on their way to class.

based in Florida, asked Square about the trend of race-related scholarship being politically repressed. “The study of Black history is underfunded and under assault, which certainly makes my work feel more necessary,” Square said in his interview. Greenberg had an interest in fashion and social justice prior to the talk but hadn’t been sure how they could work together.

Russell’s only wish was for more time, given that not all the participant’s questions got answered. She was also grateful for the hybrid model which allows for people to visit a classroom space who may not otherwise be able to.

Once I started learning about Jonathan Michael Square I realized that there is a world of possibility for the combination of fashion and social justice.

– Madeline Greenberg

“The show used contemporary art to explore Harvard’s connection to slavery. … The exhibition was in the hallway of a public building on Harvard’s campus … so it had a wider reach than a show in a traditional gallery space,” Square said. Toward the end of the talk, students and participants joining on Zoom were invited to ask questions. One person on the Zoom call, who identified themself as a professor

“I had actually been discussing with my parents how on earth I plan to combine those interests. It seemed that I was trying to bridge an impossible gap but once I started learning about Jonathan Michael Square I realized that there is a world of possibility for the combination of fashion and social justice,” Greenberg said. “I am thrilled that the gender studies department hosted his visit and I look forward to following his work in the future through Instagram and Facebook.”

“I see Jonathan’s work as such a generous and hopeful way of reimagining and re-rendering ideas and histories. Part of the challenge of doing transformative intellectual work involves telling better, more accurate — and thus more liberatory — stories. This means finding ways to decenter hegemonic narratives and center the experiences of those who have been historically marginalized, silenced and erased.

Jonathan’s work does exactly this,” Russell said. “By bringing it to wider audiences, I see him creating and co-creating powerful spaces for community, liberation and worldmaking.”

Glascock contestant Thomas Bosworth discusses nature and poetry

BY MELANIE DURONIO ’26 FEATURES EDITOR

Thomas Bosworth, a senior at Dartmouth College, always knew that he wanted to be a writer. He never expected to become a poet, but after taking a creative writing class he “was bitten by the [poetry] bug and couldn’t stop” discovering new passions and interests through his craft. Now, his work has made him

Siobhan Meï ’11, a lecturer at Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, also visited the class during Square’s talk. She and Square co-founded a digital humanities project called “Rendering Revolution: Sartorial Approaches to Haitian History,” which is, as described on its website, “a queer, bilingual, feminist experiment in digital interdisciplinary scholarship that tion.

Mount Holyoke has hosted the Glascock Poetry Competition, which is recognized as the oldest continuously-running undergraduate poetry competition in the United States, since 1923. The competition was made an intercollegiate event in 1924, when other colleges were first allowed to participate. As stated in the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Quarterly, the event serves as “a chance for poets to gain recognition, and [is] an opportunity to have conversa-

tions about poetry and writing.”

Vievee Francis and Matthew Olzmann, professors from the Department of English and Creative Writing at Dartmouth College, selected Bosworth as their representative.

Bosworth has attended classes with both of them, and is currently working with Francis on his honors thesis, a manuscript of poems titled “Knotweed.” It covers topics including depression, medication, desire and ecology.

“The ecological side of things was sort of surprising. I did not consider myself a nature poet when I started at Dartmouth,” Bosworth said. “But being in New England, and specifically … in [the] state parks and mountains in New Hampshire has been a really life-changing and gorgeous experience.”

corporates into his poetry.

“As someone who has spent a lot of time being very lonely, being in nature has been something that has really eased that for me,” Bosworth said. “There’s a certain joy [in] seeing a mushroom that you’ve seen before and learning to not [just] identify but recognize [it]. … I think developing relationships with the non-human has also helped me to have a better relationship with myself.”

There’s this perception out there that studying English is a useless or non-productive thing to do with your time. And I think that’s actually a pretty naive idea. Language is something that we use all the time to speak to each other. But also … it’s how you speak to yourself, how you perceive the world, and I think paying attention to language is something that everyone can really concretely benefit from.

– Thomas Bosworth

Originally from the Texas suburbs, Bosworth’s move to Hanover, New Hampshire, has served as his “reconnection with the natural world.” In his spare time, he likes to explore the trails and growth forests in the area, observing their ecosystems and how they have developed and diversified. His time in nature has taught him to appreciate the “non-human” aspects of life, such as snails, fungi and plants, which he in-

Although Bosworth has written many standalone poems, his manuscript is his first attempt at connecting a series of poems together thematically.

“You spend a lot of your time thinking about how your poems are speaking to each other. What images you [have] returned to over and over again, what your obsessions are, what you’re paying attention to,” Bosworth said. “That was really rewarding and challenging in a way I hadn’t dealt with in my poetry adventures up until that point.”

Aside from nature, Bosworth finds inspiration in the every day, with his most recent interest being internet chess.

He believes that “the willing[ness] to waste [his] time,” paraphrasing poet John Ashberry, is

essential to the process of writing poetry.

Other favorite poets of Bosworth’s include Ocean Vuong, Danez Smith, Bernadette Mayer and Mary Ruefle. He also credits his professor, Matthew Olzman’s, work as being influential to his writing style.

“I actually came to Dartmouth specifically to study with Matthew Olzmann and Vievee Francis. Which is maybe not the best way to choose a college, but I’m certainly glad I did it that way,” Bosworth said.

As a major in English with a concentration in creative writing, Bosworth notes that there is a “false” divide between the two subjects. Although the approaches of both subjects are different, they share the same goal of paying close attention to language. In this sense, Bosworth believes literary scholarship and creative writing have similar values.

“There’s this perception out there that studying English is a useless or non-productive thing to do with your time. And I think that’s actually a pretty naive idea,” Bosworth said. “Language is something that we use all the time to speak to each other. But also … it’s how you speak to yourself, how you perceive the world, and I think paying attention to language is something that everyone can really concretely benefit from.”

As the contest approaches, Bosworth looks forward to meeting the other poets and hearing them read their work.

“Something that I didn’t realize how much I missed during COVID was being in person with other poets … and sharing my work in an embodied space, rather than on Zoom. So, I’m really excited to do that. And [to] be at Mount Holyoke and take it all in,” Bosworth said.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Michael Square Jonathan Michael Square, above, talked to Sandra Russell’s gender studies and art class on Zoom.

Photo courtesy of Shana Hansell Thomas Bosworth, above, will represent Dartmouth College in the 100th Glascock poetry contest.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Michael Square Jonathan Michael Square uses social media to make education more accessible, readable and fun.

Frances O’Connor’s ‘Emily’ is more romance than biography

BY EMMA WATKINS ’23 MANAGING EDITOR OF CONTENT

“Emily, how did you write ‘Wuthering Heights’?” This question, posed by actress Alexandra Dowling’s Charlotte Brontë to a dying Emily Brontë (Emma Mackey), launches the flashback where the bulk of writer and director Frances O’Connor’s “Emily” is situated.

O’Connor’s “Emily” is definitely more of a fictionalized, gothic romance than a biography. The movie captures the essence of Emily Brontë as an author — dark, gloomy and scandalous for her day — rather than taking pains to hold onto an accurate story of her life. There’s very little actually known about the mysterious middle-Brontë-sister. Emily died around a year after the publication of “Wuthering Heights,” and so the vast majority of her life’s story took place before the novel that became her legacy was written. This lack of concrete knowledge gave O’Connor plenty of room to fictionalize. Complete with tattoos, spying on neighbors and taking opium, O’Connor’s Emily is spirited and rebellious. But in this movie, the answer to Charlotte’s question of how Emily wrote the novel is mostly centered around her relationship with the new-to-town curate William Weightman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), who moved to Haworth to assist Emily’s father with parish matters. Although it adds romance and sex appeal to the film, this assertion takes away from Emily’s merit on her own as a writer.

In an article for British Vogue, Hayley Maitland interviewed Ann Dinsdale, principal curator of the Brontë Parsonage Museum, to dig into what was true to Emily’s life and what was fabricated for the film. “Weightman did exist — and he did flirt quite a lot,” Dinsdale said. “He was apparently very, very good looking.” But, she revealed that he may have had eyes for everyone except Emily. “Anne Brontë might have been in love with him because we

have an account of him making eyes at her in church. … [And] you can’t help thinking that Charlotte herself might have been attracted to him. … But where Emily is concerned, we just don’t have much information,” she explained. Especially knowing this, the choice to revolve so much of the film — and the credit to the inspiration of “Wuthering Heights — around him is questionable, overall enjoyment of the film aside.

Filmed throughout the Brontës’ home in Yorkshire, U.K., the movie offers plenty of sweeping visuals of the very hills and moors that inspired the setting of “Wuthering Heights.” The land is romantically windswept and wild, yet ultimately bleak, reflecting the film’s love plot between Emily and William: what at first seems to be a typical enemies-to-lovers type romantic trope devolves into William condemning Emily and her writing as “ungodly” — one of the many moments in which Emily is categorized as diverging from expected social norms.

Emily’s family is depicted as tight-knit yet full of conflict in the film. Charlotte is introduced as being caught between Emily’s wildness and the disciplined adulthood that is expected from her, but she is quickly established as a normalizing force in Emily’s life that tries to tame her spirit. Anne Brontë is given the same treatment in the movie as she received in life — limited screen time, coming in third to Charlotte and Emily — but Amelia Gething played the adoring-yet-timid youngest sister well.

A few moments throughout the movie reminded me of Pablo Larraín’s “Spencer” (2021), a biopic-as-psychological-thriller that leaves the audience guessing how much they can trust what they’re seeing onscreen. Marked by haunting orchestral and choral arrangements, O’Connor creates unease in the audience. Early on in the movie, the Brontë children and Weightman find a mask that belonged to the Brontë siblings’ deceased mother

and jokingly pretend to be prominent cultural figures. Instead of acting as someone famous like the other people playing the game, Emily speaks to her siblings as if she is their mother, prompting emotional and scared responses from everyone involved. Emily then buries the mask outside, leaving viewers to wonder if the dimly lit, nightmarish scene was a moment of Emily’s bizarre acting or something supernatural that she wanted to leave behind. This scene is not the only one that links Emily with the supernatural. Later on, she finds herself waking in the middle of the night to a figure of Weightman emerging from the darkness of her room. It is revealed the next morning that he died that same night, opening up the scene to be interpreted as more of a prophetic vision than a dream.

A constant refrain throughout the movie is Emily asking of, or proclaiming, her reputation to others, repeatedly asking questions like, “Don’t you know what they say about me?” Discussing this perception of Emily as ‘the odd one,’ Dinsdale explained, “In Elizabeth Gaskell’s biography, The Life of Charlotte Brontë, she … describes Charlotte and Anne as being shy and Emily as being reserved — making the distinction that shy people would please everyone if they could, whereas reserved people don’t really care about the impression they make on others.” Emily is definitely characterized as someone who doesn’t place much value in what other people think of her and her actions. In one scene, when her brother Branwell Brontë (Fionn Whitehead) asks for her opinion of his work, Emily passionately berates his story, essentially calling it a cheap rip-off of the work of better writers. Despite noting his sadness, she does not back down and instead simply leaves him to digest the critique. Other times, Emily is shown hiding from social situations or outright stating, “You know I don’t like to meet new people.” Regardless of how reclusive and temperamental

records can, or cannot, prove Emily to be, this characterization lends itself well to the gothic heroine persona the film seemed to work so hard to create.

WBUR found the fictionalized aspect of Emily’s life “thrillingly salacious” and more entertaining than negative, and this is evident. “Emily” is full of stereotypical — and many times blatantly inaccurate — moments that will make literature nerds chuckle and potentially roll their eyes, but overall it is a visually appealing and deliciously scandalous film about a beloved writer. In one cringe-yet-delightful moment, while walking the moors, Branwell waxes poetic about Percy Shelley before encouraging Emily to yell

“freedom in thought” — the same statement he has tattooed on him, which Emily later copies — with him across the sprawling landscape. In another heartfelt moment, “Wuthering Heights” is shown as immediately being published under Emily’s name instead of her pseudonym, Ellis Bell, as it was in real life, giving viewers the satisfaction of seeing Emily get to view her name in print. Without those stereotypical or simply inaccurate scenes, much of the charm and emotion that makes the movie enjoyable would be lost, so it makes sense to sacrifice a little bit of historical accuracy for a thrilling gothic love story — Emily, at least as portrayed by O’Connor, would likely approve.

Chinese Cultural Association hosts annual China Night event

BY JESSE HAUSKNECHT-BROWN ’25 MANAGING EDITOR OF LAYOUT & FEATURES EDITOR

The Chinese Cultural Association hosted the annual China Night celebration on Friday, Feb. 17. The event is a celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year. There were a variety of performances including dance groups from Mount Holyoke and the Five Colleges, singing, kung fu and guitar. The night concluded with a fashion show, which highlighted Chinese fashion throughout time. A catwalk stretched across the floor of Chapin Auditorium, where the event was held, for models to walk on. The Alumni Association created a video in which alums wished a happy Lunar New Year from around the globe.

Graphic by Gabby Gagnon ’24

The war between Russian and Ukraine enters its second year

think, as Russia did at the start. The intelligence reports were confirming that it’s just possible Ukraine wouldn’t resist, and they were sort of thinking of contingency plans,”

Cyrus Vance Visiting Professor in International Relations at Mount Holyoke College Natalie Sabandze said in a recent interview with Mount Holyoke News.

Photo courtesy of Ministry of Defense of Ukraine via Flickr

As of Feb. 24, Ukrainian military forces have held off against advancing Russian forces for a year.

BY ELIZABETH MURRAY ’26 STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article mentions mass death and sexual assault.

Feb. 24, 2023, marked the oneyear anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, an action that has been largely condemned by Ukraine and the West as an illegal act of aggression, according to PBS. Since the invasion began, the United Nations has confirmed that at least 8,000 noncombatants have been killed, 13,300 have been injured and 14 million people have been displaced. U.N. News also acknowledges that these estimates are likely lower than the true number.

As reported in The Associated Press, the war’s impacts can be felt all over the world. From energy shortages to the rising cost of food, people far away from the fighting can feel its effects.

In February 2022, the outlook on the war was much different. The New York Times reported that many experts believed Ukraine would fall quickly, as Russian forces attacked Kyiv in an attempt to overthrow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government. “I remember talking to many former colleagues. I was working in Brussels before and diplomats from the member states, they all thought it was almost an agreement that the war will be over in a few days just, I

However, after weeks of fighting, Ukrainian forces managed to push Russian forces back, The New York Times reported. Starting in March, Russia began attacking the south of Ukraine in an attempt to form a land connection with Crimea. According to NPR, in the summer and early fall of 2022, Ukrainian forces managed to retake parts of the South and East, including the city of Kherson. Since then, the fighting has continued, and while neither side has made substantial gains, heavy assaults and counter-offensives are expected in the coming spring, NPR reported.

The war has led to an ongoing humanitarian crisis due to refugees fleeing the conflict and the civilian casualties in Ukraine. The United Nations estimates that 18 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance as of February 2023. March 2022 was the deadliest month of the war for civilians, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights verified 3,326 deaths and 2,410 injuries occurred during that month alone.

According to Sabandze, refugees

from Ukraine have flocked in droves to nearby countries in Europe. “Europe came out of a very bad refugee crisis which was not so long ago. It is a very big issue, and yet they have been very welcoming to Ukrainian refugees, and there is a lot of effort put in place to somehow help them settle” Sabandze said. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Poland and Germany have received the most refugees as of September 2022, with amounts of about 1 million each. Most of these refugees have been women, children and the elderly, as men between the ages of 18 and 60 were barred from leaving the country.

The U.N. explained that living conditions in Ukraine have dramatically worsened, with 82 percent of children now living in poverty and 5.9 million people within the country currently displaced. In the long term, the U.N. estimates that 1.5 million children are now at risk for mental health issues like anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression as a result of the war. Disturbing accounts of abuse have also been reported by civilians, including torture and sexual assault.

As the war entered its second year, President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv to meet with President Zelensky on Monday, February 20, according to CNN. The visit was meant to be symbolic of Western support for Ukraine, which Biden reaffirmed later in Warsaw, Poland. “I

made it clear that the commitment of the U.S. is real and that a year later I would argue NATO is stronger than it’s ever been,” Biden said, as reported by CNN. “I can proudly say that our support for Ukraine remains unwavering,” he continued.

According to Vox, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization issued a statement echoing Biden’s declaration of support. The same article reported that France, Germany and the U.K. had drafted a limited security pact that will lead to peace talks. France and Germany, however, have been hesitant in fully backing Ukraine. Vox reported that Ukraine has applied for NATO membership, going against Russia’s terms of negotiation stipulating that Ukraine must remain neutral and never join NATO.

According to BBC News, as the war enters its second year, the fighting shows no signs of slowing down and is likely to continue into the spring and summer. Putin has suspended the nuclear arms treaty between the United States and Russia, CNBC reported, although it is unlikely things will escalate to the point of nuclear war.

“Nobody’s going to risk nuclear war, but there will be other types of retaliation,” Sabandze said. Despite expectations that the war will continue further into this year, Ukrainians remain hopeful, as CBS reports that 95 percent of the country is confident in a Kyiv victory.

United States debates withdrawing military resources from Nigeria

BY NORAH TAFURI ’25 STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article mentions sexual violence and human trafficking.

On Feb. 7, 2023, the National Human Rights Commission launched an investigation into Nigeria’s counterinsurgency efforts. The NHRC was compelled, in part, by the investigative efforts of Reuters. In a Dec. 7, 2022, article, Reuters noted that the war in Nigeria has come with enormous consequences to women because of instances of them being abducted and condemned to sexual slavery by the militant organization Boko Haram. The Nigerian military continues to perpetuate this harm on the survivors of assault by forcing abortions on the women who might carry the unborn children of Boko Haram soldiers.

Their investigation revealed an “illegal abortion programme in the country’s northeast, [ended] at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls.” While the NHRC panel itself can offer no punitive measures, those who are deemed responsible can be recommended for prosecution. According to the Council of Foreign Relations, the insurgency of Boko Haram in Nigeria began in

2011. CFR explained that the group was created in Maiduguri in 2002 by Mohamed Yusof, an Islamic cleric from the Borno state. The group aims to “establish a fundamentalist Islamic state with sharia criminal courts” and is an offshoot of the Salafi movement, a branch of Sunni Islam.

The creation of Boko Haram is suspected to be due to deep social divides between the Muslim-majority north and a Christian-majority south, a discord resulting from British imperialism. Chris Ngwodo, a political writer, explains in his blog, Revolution by Other Means, that “Boko Haram is the consequence incarnate of misrule by delinquent political elites. It is a creature of state failure demonstrating the decline of our institutions in all its unvarnished ugliness.” He continued: “Without the skills necessary to access opportunities in the current socio-economic equation, the people are left with nothing but their religion as their sole resource and are thus vulnerable to all the monstrous mutations of faith that are liable to manifest in a climate of ignorance, corruption and economic inequality.”

In a 2002 publication of Human Rights Quarterly, writer Obiora Chinedu Okafor explained that the Nigerian National Human Rights

Commission was created during the regime of General Sani Abacha. Okafor writes that an observer noted that “The [Nigerian] NHRC came amidst skepticism and cynicism that the Commission was a mere propaganda tool in the hands of a junta seeking international relevance.”

Despite this initial fear, the NHRC has the potential to become a powerful institution in Nigeria, Okafor stated.

Okafor writes that the NHRC has the ability to “promote and protect human rights, receive and investigate complaints, monitor the human rights situation in the country, provide policy and other advice to the government, conduct research and studies, mount seminars and other events and assist victims of violations.” However, the committee falls short on certain essential tools needed to reinforce its authority. As assessed by Okafor, the committee cannot compel individuals to attend hearings, produce relevant documents, sue regular courts to enforce its decisions, render binding decisions or visit prisons at any time. In spite of this, Okafur maintains that the NHRC still remains a mechanism to bring a sense of justice to the victims who were harmed.

Furthermore, in recognition of these allegations, the United States

Congress is considering halting the 1 billion dollar weapons deal that was arranged last April. Politics and International Relations Professor Andrew Reiter of Mount Holyoke College said that “military support for Nigeria has always been a challenge for the United States.

[The U.S.] is aware of the Nigerian military’s human rights abuses and sometimes delays funding packages or puts conditions on them, such as requiring training in international humanitarian law,” he explained. “At the same time, the U.S. feels that it needs to continue to combat the rise of Islamist extremists in the region

for its own national security and so will continue to provide some level of lethal aid, even if it has had a minimal effect so far,” he concluded.

In 2011, the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence Committee of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommended an “increase [of] U.S. Government Support for Nigerian Counterterrorism and Intelligence Programs” in a committee report, saying, “the U.S. Government should increase its support for programs that enhance the ability of Nigerian security forces to more effectively target Boko Haram and counter its evolution.”

China and Taiwan relations create tension between China and the US

BY KIERA MCLAUGHLIN ’26 STAFF WRITER

Last week, tensions rose in Taiwan when six Chinese delegates visited for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, The Guardian reported. This has prompted partisan disagreements in Taiwan due to Beijing’s recent restatement of its position against Taiwanese independence. According to The Guardian, pro-independence supporters protested the Chinese delegates’ arrival outside the airport, yelling “Taiwan and China, separate countries” and “Chinese people, get out.” This protest was contrasted by a group of demonstrators in support of the visit, waiting at the airport to welcome the delegates.

Taiwan’s independence has been based on a history that is controversial because of the differing Chinese and Taiwanese interpretations. The BBC News reported on this history, placing original Chinese control of Taiwan in the 17th Century under the Qing dynasty. Then after losing the first Sino-Japanese war in 1895, China handed the island over to Japan. Only fifty years later, China took Taiwan back after Japan lost World War Two in 1945, but this led to a civil war on mainland China between the nationalist government and the Communist Party, according to BBC News.

While China argues that this history supports their claim against Taiwan’s independence, the Taiwanese use the same historical evidence to argue that Taiwan was never a

part of modern China, which was originally formed in 1911 after the revolution, or the communist regime in 1949 that established the current People’s Republic of China, BBC News reported.

The Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council approved of the recent three-day visit as long as it was kept “low-key and without public political statements”, The Guardian reported. According to United Press International, the visiting delegation claimed that they wanted the visit to establish “healthy” conversation with each side and “increase goodwill and further mutual understanding.”

However, this sentiment was not shared by Democratic Progressive

Party representatives or the pro-independence public. In an interview with Reuters, Chilly Chen, the head of the pro-independence Taiwan Republic Office, said that “the Taiwanese people were very hospitable and welcomed visitors but were concerned [that the delegates] were coming to push Chinese policies on the democratic island.”

According to the Financial Times, the lack of communication between the two states originated when China cut all relations with Taiwan after President Tsai-IngWen, a member of the pro-independent Democratic Progressive Party, won office in 2016. Since then, China has threatened Taiwanese independence by promising to invade if

Taiwan does not eventually comply. The People’s Liberation Army, the Chinese military force, has since increased its presence around Taiwan. Taiwan’s own military identified 24 Chinese military aircrafts near the island on Feb. 18, which was the most they had detected since Feb. 1, according to the Financial Times.

According to The Guardian, on Feb. 18 China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, assured the audience at the Munich Security Conference that “Taiwan is part of Chinese territory” and that “it has never been a country and it will not be a country in the future.” Soon after, Taipei Times reported that The Mainland Affairs Council came out in opposition of Wang Yi’s claims about Taiwan’s dependence on China. The council, using Taiwan’s official name, stated that “the Republic of China is a sovereign nation that has never been and never will be a part of the People’s Republic of China.”

According to the Taipei Times, there are also complexities to the United States’ involvement in Taiwanese and Chinese relations. Taipei Times reported that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had an informal meeting with Wang Yi. Blinken restated that President Biden will defend the shared principles and interests of the U.S. and Taiwan, but does not want any disputes with China and encourages both countries to have “effective communication channels.”

Only a few days later, China criticized Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China Michael Chase

for visiting Taiwan. Spokesperson Zhu Fenglian said Beijing “resolutely opposes interaction and military collaboration” between the U.S. and Taiwan, PBS reported. According to The Hill, a Pentagon spokesperson said that the “U.S. commitment to Taiwan is ‘rock-solid’ and that it helps to maintain peace and stability in the region,” without directly addressing Chase’s visit to Taiwan.

In response, Wang Wenbin, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said “we urge the U.S. to […] stop any form of official U.S.-Taiwan contacts, stop meddling in the Taiwan issue and stop creating new factors of tension in the Taiwan Strait,” an article from The Hill reported.

Along with formally advising the U.S. on what to do regarding Taiwan, PBS reported that China has claimed to have a “no limits” relationship with Russia. China is continuing to blame the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for “provoking the Kremlin.” China has also disagreed with sanctions on Russia, which has led to Russia actively supporting China over Taiwan, PBS explained.

This situation has not only caused tense relations between China and Taiwan but between China and the United States, due to the vague promise by the U.S. to protect Taiwan due to their shared values. China has created an atmosphere around Taiwan’s independence that has forced the country into isolation. According to PBS, because of this, Taiwan has only 14 formal allies, yet many unofficial supporters.

Photo courtesy of AMISOM Public Information via Wikipedia Commons

The United States is considering withdrawing aid from Nigeria following an NHRC investigation.

Photo courtesy of CEphoto, Uwe Aranas via Wikimedia Commons Chinese delegates visited Taiwan causing disagreement from pro- and anti-independence groups.

Hampshire College announces carbon neutrality as of 2022

To calculate this goal of full carbon neutrality on and off campus, the College had set up an annual Greenhouse Gas Analysis. Draper reported that in the past few years, due to COVID-19 and previous financial instability, the College was unable to calculate their carbon emissions. “It was really like a check-in to see, we set the groundwork a long time ago, how are we now doing?” Draper said.

She also explained that since carbon neutrality as well as some of Hampshire’s other climate and sustainability goals were originally set to be achieved by 2032, the result of this year’s Greenhouse Gas Analysis was surprising. According to the Hampshire College Carbon Neutrality Brief provided by the College in their announcement, in 2022, the College emitted 4,712.8 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents.

Draper explained that these remaining emissions that the College could not limit in 2022 are entirely balanced by various carbon offset programs that the College participates in.

To balance the metric tons omitted by the College in various aspects, this year Hampshire purchased offsets from a refrigerant reclamation program, Draper explained. “You recycle a refrigerator, and at the end of its life it has this amount of refrigerant in it, that something needs to be done with,” Draper explained, “Otherwise it will escape into the atmosphere and contribute to the climate change issue.”

where the market forces for certain kinds of refrigerants weren’t really there to make this cost-effective,” Draper said, “If we can incentivize it as this carbon offset project, it starts to make more financial sense.”

Draper believes that GHG analysis and carbon offset initiatives will continue to be an annual part of Hampshire’s priorities. “What are our values, what are the kinds of projects we want to support?” Draper asked, referring to keeping an annual offset budget and investment.

“I would also really look forward to having conversations with our other Five College folks about potentially creating our own, local offset projects,” she said.

As of 2023, Hampshire College is the only college of the Five College Consortium that has achieved carbon neutrality, according to the other colleges’ and university websites.

It was one of the first colleges in the country to divest from fossil fuels in 2011, according to Hampshire’s carbon neutrality announcement.

BY LILY BENN ’24 STAFF WRITER

Hampshire College officially announced on Feb. 15 that the institution had reached full carbon neutrality. According to the College’s website, this goal was set for 2032, but was able to be achieved by 2022, as has been calculated for a full year.

According to an article from the European Union News, carbon neutrality is defined as achieving net, or a total of, zero carbon emissions, usually by balancing the emissions of an individual, institution or com-

munity with the amount of carbon being recycled or removed from the atmosphere through Earth’s carbon sinks. The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change promotes this idea, and suggests that achieving carbon neutrality by the mid-21st century is essential.

Hampshire College, located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and one of the five colleges included in the Five College Consortium, created its plan to achieve carbon neutrality as an institution in 2012, according to Sara Draper, the College’s sustainability manager.

Part of Draper’s work with Hampshire College includes connecting students to the various sustainability programs that are on campus so that the projects can be a part of their educational experience. These include Hampshire’s many Living Buildings, their community farm and their campus and community solar fields. She works with an environmental committee that involves students and other staff, with the goal of working towards and maintaining this carbon neutrality achievement and other sustainability goals.

Grassroots activists lead the fight against plastics in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Valley’

Ecoenclose.

Hampshire College is able to recapture and recycle these refrigerants, known as HFCs, or hydrofluorocarbons, and reuse them in new products, according to Draper. If this material is not recycled, it can be destroyed, she explained, but by purifying and recycling it, it can be put back into the industry and reused, eliminating the carbon emissions created when manufacturing new refrigerants.

Draper explained that she believes this program has real impacts in reference to carbon emissions and climate change. “This is something

“For me, at the end of the day, is this part of having a positive impact on our world, on our peer institutions, on our local area?” Draper said in reflection. “And I think the answer to something like this is ‘yeah!’” Draper advised other sustainability departments and colleges such as Mount Holyoke that every institution is different and has different assets available to achieve their sustainability goals. Still, colleges can look at what their strengths are, and look at what is easiest for them to leverage in terms of reducing carbon emissions, Draper explained.

Mount Holyoke College has not actively divested from fossil fuels, despite past pressure from organizations and student groups on campus, according to a Mount Holyoke News article from 2021.

Draper expressed that she is excited to see other colleges moving in on carbon emission reduction and other sustainability programs as institutions, and is glad to feel this sense of momentum in a larger community, even as a smaller college such as Hampshire.

BY DIKSHA BATRA ’26 STAFF WRITER

From 2009 to 2016, there was a decrease in air pollution in the U.S., but “the annual carbon dioxide emission rate in the St. James parish [of Louisiana], where St. Gabriel is located, equaled that produced by approximately 113 countries” according to BlackPast. St. Gabriel, Louisiana, is home to what residents call “Cancer Alley,” due to the “plastic plants, oil refineries and petrochemical facilities” that make it one of the most toxic areas in the nation, BlackPast wrote.

Despite the region’s reputation of high pollution rates, the plastic industry continues to grow. “Industrial expansion continues especially in areas with high percentages of poor and Black residents,” BlackPast reported. One example of this expansion was when the St. James Parish Council approved the “Sunshine Project,” which would build a large plastic plant in the area.

According to the British Plastics Federation, there are four major steps in plastic production. First, the extraction of raw materials including “largely crude oil and natural gas, but also coal.” Second, the refining process “transforms crude oil into different petroleum products” which happens when “crude oil is heated in a furnace,” and then sent to a “distillation unit, where heavy crude oil separates.” The next step is polymerisation, a process “in the petroleum industry where light olefin gases (gasoline) such as ethylene, propylene, butylene (i.e., monomers) are converted into higher molecular weight hydrocarbons (polymers),”

according to the British Plastics Foundation. The final step is compounding and processing, during which materials are melted and mixed together to form plastics.

The process of making plastics creates byproducts that can pollute the atmosphere and soil, and can cause serious health problems like cancer, according to EcoEnclose. Phthalates, one of the materials needed for plastic, can affect “fertility, endocrine glands and birth defects.” In water, plastic waste can further break down into microplastics. According to EcoEnclose, “the biggest harm associated with microplastics is that they exist not only in the waterways but also the potable water and seafood we eat.” These harmful effects of plastic pollution are felt the most by those living near areas with high levels of plastic manufacturing activity.

EcoEnclose named “Cancer Alley” as one of the areas most impacted by pollutants in the U.S., and cited environmental racism as a driving reason for that. Greenaction defines environmental racism as “the institutional rules, regulations, policies or government and/or corporate decisions that deliberately target certain communities for locally undesirable land uses and lax enforcement of zoning and environmental laws, resulting in communities being disproportionately exposed to toxic and hazardous waste based upon race.” In this part of Louisiana, the majority of the population is Black, and because of the 150 plants and refineries, the “residents are 50 times more likely to get cancer as a result of the polluted air compared to the average American,” according to

To put an end to plastic pollution and its health consequences, many residents of “Cancer Alley’’ have organized themselves to protest against the injustice. “RISE St. James, a grassroots organization founded in 2018, organized its first protest in response to the St. James Parish County Council approving the ‘Sunshine Project,’ which would build another large plastic plant in the area,” according to BlackPast. RISE St. James has been working to stop industries from increasing pollution levels in Louisiana, according to Inside Climate News. This group was founded by Sharon Lavigne, “a retired special education teacher and grandmother of 12,” She said that her work “was a calling from God,” because she found inspiration from the church where she was baptized. RISE St. James’ victories against the plastic industry include stopping Formosa Plastics from constructing a “$9.4 billion manufacturing complex on 2,400 acres in Welcome, Louisiana, less than two miles from Lavigne’s home,” according to Inside Climate News. Some of Lavigne’s other work includes organizing protests, serving as a plaintiff in lawsuits against the plastic industry and working with local governments as well as nationwide environmental groups. Even though Lavigne gives credit to attorneys and others who have been part of the alliance, she believes her cause gained the upper hand because she “put God first.”

Many other people have been inspired by their religion to fight against the factories. An example is Florence Robinson, a biology professor who lived in the East Baton Rouge Parish, according to Inside Climate News. In 1999, she received an award for her role in shutting down a waste incineration plant, in what was called a “virtual one-woman war against toxic waste,” Inside Climate News reported. In a 2005 article, she told The Advocate that her belief in her actions stemmed from “the Judeo-Christian concept of helping others.” For many of the activists in “Cancer Alley,” faith is what inspired them to fight against the plastic industry.

All about STIs: Common STIs

BY CATELYN FITZGERALD ’23 SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT EDITOR

Sexually transmitted infections are infections passed from one person to another during sexual activity, according to Planned Parenthood. STIs are common and often occur without symptoms, but can cause serious health problems if left untreated. For each STI, corresponding symptoms, testing and treatment vary. Some common STIs include:

Chlamydia: Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs and most people who contract it show no symptoms. According to Planned Parenthood, “Chlamydia can infect the penis, vagina, cervix, anus, urethra, eyes and throat.” When symptoms do occur, they may take several weeks to appear following the start of the infection. Symptoms include pain while urinating or during sex, abnormal discharge and spotting between periods, Planned Parenthood explained. If left untreated, chlamydia can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes and eventually cause pelvic inflammatory disease.

Human Papillomavirus: HPV is a very common STI and can often go away on its own. Planned Parenthood reports that “most people who have sex get HPV at some point in their lives.” While often harmless, certain types of HPV can create serious health problems, such as cervical cancer, if left untreated. HPV can infect the genitals, mouth and throat. “High-risk” types of HPV have no symptoms, making regu-

lar testing important, according to Planned Parenthood.

Syphilis: Syphilis is an STI that occurs in four stages if left untreated, an article from the Center for Disease Control stated. Symptoms of the primary stage include sores on the genitals or mouth. During the secondary stage, rashes around the genitals and mouth may appear during or following the healing process of the initial sores, the article said. After the secondary stage, the infection remains in the body with no symptoms. According to the CDC, most people do not experience the final, or tertiary, stage of syphilis, which occurs anywhere from 10 to 30 years following the time of infection and can lead to serious health problems.

Gonorrhea: Gonorrhea is a common STI among people between the ages of 15 and 24, the CDC reported. The infection can affect the genitals, rectum and throat. Gonorrhea usually does not have symptoms, and when people do experience symptoms they tend to be mild and easy to mistake for other infections, the CDC said. Gonorrhea can be treated with medication once diagnosed, but if left untreated can lead to the development of pelvic inflammatory disease among other complications, according to the CDC.

Getting tested regularly is crucial for spotting STIs before they develop into serious conditions, the CDC said. According to the Mount Holyoke College website, testing is available for students at the Health Center.

Photo courtesy of Sven Manguard via Wikimedia Commons Five College Consortium member Hampshire College has announced that carbon offset programs allowed the institution to reach carbon neutrality.

Current climate of transphobia poses deadly consequences

BY MAX RHOADS ’25 STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article discusses transphobia, transphobic violence, murder, suicide and suicidality and mentions sexual assault.

On Feb. 11, Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old transgender girl, was murdered in Warrington, England, by two of her peers. Her death and its subsequent coverage sparked outrage across the globe. Transgender communities all over the world organized vigils in her honor and spoke out against the climate of transphobia that contributed to her murder. Additionally, many in the U.K. requested that her birth certificate be amended to reflect her gender identity. In contrast, British news outlets such as The Times and the Daily Mail went out of their way to find and use her deadname in their articles and removed any references to Brianna being a girl upon finding out that she was transgender. Her dead name was removed after people called them out, but that does not change the lack of respect they had for this girl and her identity. Even at vigils meant to honor her, anti-trans protestors would routinely show up and shout slurs at the attendees. Hate groups posted the locations of the vigils online and encouraged their members and other transphobes to disrupt them or even commit acts of violence against the attendees. Even in death, Brianna was not respected as the person she was. Additionally, until recently, Warrington police were hesitant to classify her case as a hate crime. Sadly, her case is only the latest in this most recent wave of transphobic violence. Transphobic hate crimes

in Britain have tripled over the last five years, according to Vice. Brianna wasn’t even allowed to exist in peace.

Brianna’s case and the media’s reaction to it reflects a broader trend of how transgender individuals are treated in society today.

While the last decade has seen an increase in visibility for the trans community, the past few years have also seen a rise in transphobic hate, often rationalized by panic or concern for cisgender women and children. The most frequently cited concern is that trans people, usually trans women, might sexually assault cisgender women and girls even though the reality is that trans women are more likely to be victims of sexual assault than they are to be perpetrators of it. Trans people as a whole are four times more likely to experience sexual assault than the general population, according to a report from the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles. Most recently, there has been a rise in moral panic surrounding transgender women using women’s bathrooms. Because of this, even cisgender women have been accused of being transgender simply because they did not appear to conform to their assigned gender. No one benefits from this fearmongering. It only exists to spread hate.

Another target of this moral panic is the art form of drag. Some people who are against drag cite their concern as being that drag queens are preying on children. While there have been no recent documented instances of trans women or drag queens abusing children, there has been an increase in conservatives targeting trans women and drag events and committing violence

based on this belief. A conservative Twitter account, Libs of TikTok, frequently posts locations of drag shows, compromising the safety of the performers and attendees, purportedly out of concern. All of this signals a desire to enforce a strict, defined gender binary that few will fit into.

These opinions are not just being expressed by fringe hate groups, either. The American press is guilty of transphobia as well. The New York Times, a prominent news outlet, recently came under fire for repeatedly allowing opinion pieces that spread this rhetoric to be published, whether it’s debating the ethics of providing gender-affirming care to minors or allowing them to socially transition without parental knowledge. In an open letter from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to the organization, the contributors, including some prominent journalists and other NYT contributors, expressed concern that The New York Times is following in the lead of far-right hate groups in “presenting gender diversity as a new controversy.” Putting a group of people’s existence up for debate actively encourages the spread of hate and misinformation. Of course, all this hatred has consequences. In a report by the FBI from 2019, hate crimes against transgender individuals increased by 587 percent between 2013 and 2019. The number might be even higher due to underreporting. The LGBTQ+ community and law enforcement have historically had a contentious relationship, and as with Brianna Ghey, both law enforcement and news outlets are often hesitant to classify crimes against trans people as hate crimes. Perhaps this is because gen-

der diversity is frequently seen as a choice and something to be punished or suppressed rather than an innate characteristic. Anti-trans hate has been shown to have a detrimental effect on transgender youth. In a study published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 56 percent of transgender youth reported a previous suicide attempt and 86 percent reported having suicidal thoughts. Those who experienced abuse and social rejection were at the highest risk. On the other hand, multiple studies have shown that being supported by one’s community and being allowed access to gender-affirming care greatly reduces the risk of mental health problems and suicide for trans youth. Additionally, increased social acceptance and understanding reduces the murder rate of transgen-

der individuals. Deaths like Brianna Ghey’s are entirely preventable. Unfortunately, there is a concerning amount of people that would rather transgender people not exist. If all of the hatred towards trans people were really out of concern for the general public, then the solution is clear: give trans youth the support they need to thrive as individuals and stop spreading rhetoric that gets trans people killed. Treat trans people as the human beings that they are. Otherwise, the epidemic of violence and suicide will continue. Despite the facts, that basic need is being denied solely out of hatred for diverse gender expression and transgender people. Brianna was only sixteen. She should be alive and well right now. Someone’s existence is not something you can agree or disagree with.

Stringent regulations could have prevented Ohio train derailment

disaster it is responsible for and oversee restoration efforts, which will include the clean-up of local homes and businesses. While this represents substantive action on the part of the EPA, it is also important to consider ways in which they have been negligent in their management of this crisis, particularly in relation to their testing procedures.

BY SILAS GEMMA ’26 OPINION EDITOR

The catastrophic Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, has led to concern, uncertainty and rage as a host of highly toxic chemicals were released from the combustion of the cars. Residents and outside observers alike have voiced their preoccupations about the immediate and unknown long-term health effects of exposure to these substances. Many cite a lack of coordinated and accurate measures by government and environmental agencies to test for levels of the compounds in the air, water and soil. The wider online conversation between organizations, experts and citizens has incited calls for structural changes in the railroad industry and its government oversight. Ultimately, resistance against business regulation can be implicated in this disaster, as fewer safety measures were mandated and less oversight was provided to ensure the proper functioning of the train.

An article by The Washington Post explains that a train belonging to the railroad company Norfolk Southern derailed at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Feb. 3 in the Pennsylvania-Ohio border town of East Palestine, igniting a massive fire that engulfed the remainder of its cars, generating massive plumes of chemical-laden smoke. The same article explains that a security camera captured sparks underneath one of the cars 20 miles west of the derailment site, a foreboding sign of what would ultimately occur. Weeks after the derailment, residents, scientists and government officials are still trying to ascertain what happened, what chemicals were released and whether the residents have been, or are still being, exposed to toxic sub-

A Feb. 21 Stat News article by Jill Neimark explains that much of the immediate aftermath of the derailment, particularly the citizens’ possible exposure to concentrated levels of toxic substances, remains unknown. Although an Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Michael Regan, gave a statement on Feb. 16 trying to placate the residents’ fears and assure them of the safety of the surrounding environment, many remain concerned. Neimark draws from statements by American University chemist Matt Hartings to remark that “air monitoring right now doesn’t answer questions about acute exposure that first night after the train derailment and the following day,” adding that the low temperature could be attributed to keeping the toxins lower to the ground throughout the first evening.

These concerns are supported by Harting’s comments that vinyl chloride, one of the primary substances of concern, has a short halflife. In other words, the concentration of vinyl chloride in the air likely plummeted as time went by, but the initial concentration of it before tests were undertaken may never be known. This complicates the ability of scientists to forecast exactly what long-term effects residents may experience.

One of the primary efforts undertaken in the aftermath of this catastrophe has been to determine and record the substances generated and emitted not only immediately after the derailment, but also during the process of diffusion. Vinyl chloride has been a widespread concern because, as Neimark explains in the same article, it can decompose into other substances that pose health risks, such as hydrogen chloride

and phosgene. The Washington Post article adds that two days after the disaster, there was a “controlled release of vinyl chloride,” coupled with a mandatory evacuation, due to concerns about a possible explosion. Neimark cites the National Cancer Institute to state that long-term exposure to vinyl chloride is associated with various forms of cancer, including leukemia and neurological cancers. The correlation between exposure to these substances and such chronic, sometimes lethal ailments necessitates a more thorough analysis of the initial and continuing environmental conditions.

The continuing uncertainty as to the chemical composition of the air and soil raises concerns as to whether the residents are still being exposed to substances that may have chronic health implications. Neimark cites an Ideastream Public Media article to point to the EPA’s claims that there is a lack of evidence that toxins are present in dangerous amounts in the area. This article, published two weeks after the derailment, confirms the EPA’s statements that throughout the testing of 480 houses in the area, neither the presence of hydrogen chloride nor vinyl chloride has been indicated. The same article cites additional comments by the EPA that tests of the water have not detected hazardous substances, although the Ohio Department of Health still advised residents to drink bottled water at the time of the article’s publication on Feb. 17. An EPA article demarcating the timeline of its response to the disaster confirms that, as of Feb. 20, over 550 homes had been tested “with no exceedances for residential air quality standards.” An update to this timeline on Feb. 21 announced that the EPA ordered Norfolk Southern to bear all of the costs of the

Although government agencies have tried to assuage local residents’ fears, some continue to present symptoms indicating a continued presence of toxins. Despite the EPA’s claims, there is evidence that their testing has not been thorough or comprehensive. A Vox article by Jariel Arvin states that much of the equipment they are using is not sensitive enough to detect low levels of these substances that could still possibly have grave long-term impacts. Neimark lists other chemicals that the train was carrying, such as butyl acrylate, ethylene glycol, isobutylene, ethylhexyl acrylate and benzene, that could lead to symptoms including nausea, dizziness, vomiting and skin irritation.

A major concern, however, is the possible existence of dioxins, compounds emitted when polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, which was present on the train, combusts. Neimark highlights these dioxins because the EPA has not yet tested for them, and a train derailment in Germany in 2000 involving PVC yielded high concentrations of these highly carcinogenic compounds. Additional concerns have been raised about PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl substances, because of their resistance to natural decomposition. Evidently, the testing being conducted cannot ensure the absence of all possible dangerous chemicals in the air, water or soil. The reassuring statements by government agencies are based on limited testing and may not truly reflect the safety of the environment, creating a need for more granular and targeted testing.

Immediate panic has spawned growing outrage at the lack of regulation enjoyed by Norfolk Southern and the railroad industry as a whole. This debate about railroad regulation, associated legislation and lobbying groups has translated into a partisan debate, with Republicans and Democrats placing reciprocal blame. Arvin explains that Democrats, particularly the Biden Administration’s Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, look to the Trump Administration’s rollback of Obama-era policies that mandated more effective braking systems for trains transporting hazardous substances. In particular, Electronically Controlled Pneumatic, or ECP brakes

have been proposed as effective preventative technology for disasters such as this one, as they can drastically reduce braking times. The Stat News article adds that the hydraulic brakes currently used may amplify the danger of derailments, as the derailment of one car can incite a domino effect, veering the entire train off the track. Meanwhile, as the Guardian article mentions, Republicans such as Ted Cruz (TX-R) have suggested the lack of expeditious action by people such as Buttigieg as evidence of the shortcomings of Democrats in the response. The political norm of deflecting and placing blame on opposing parties continues even in the midst of a potentially life-threatening event, reflecting the precedence political agency is given over the health of constituents.

Other underlying structural issues in the railroad industry, or more specifically Norfolk Southern, can be attributed to the risk factors of this incident. As per a Guardian article, Senator Sherrod Brown (D) of Ohio has been particularly vehement in calling out the culpability of Norfolk Southern in this disaster, citing its recent widespread lay-off of workers to reduce costs. An article by The Independent elaborates upon this, pointing out the elevated risk of the precision scheduled railroading approach used by Norfolk Southern. According to this article, this strategy entails increasing the number of cars on each train, with the weight of the cargo often disproportionately distributed. It may also include less monitoring by employees. The railroad industry is willing to risk grave environmental disasters that put the lives of people and animals at risk for the prospect of ever-increasing revenues, representing a danger that often comes with monopolistic firms’ placement of profits over safety.

Over three weeks after the disastrous train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, residents and politicians are still seeking answers as to the potential chronic health and environmental impacts of the chemicals emitted, as well as the causes of the crash. Underlying issues of corporate lobbying groups and anti-regulation policies have politicized an issue that is truly about serving and ensuring the safety of communities.

In the aftermath of this disaster, we must consider the role of monopolistic business practices both in the endangerment of citizens and communities, as well as the accumulation of wealth for corporate figures. We must resist the lack of corporate regulation that allows businesses to amass revenue by circumventing practices essential for safety.

Photo courtesy of Linda Thomas via Public Domain Pictures

The 2023 train derailment that took place in East Palestine, Ohio, nods to how lack of federal regulation in railroad industries impacts communities. stances.

Photo courtesy of Ted Eytan via Right to Education Initiative Rhoads discusses how Brianna Ghey’s murder calls for more protections for transgender people.

Major renovations approved for varsity weight room

BY EMILY TARINELLI ’25 SPORTS EDITOR

Kendall Sports and Dance Complex is ready to boost its game. After months of student-driven planning and advocacy, the Mount Holyoke Board of Trustees has approved a renovation of the building’s varsity weight room.

The renovations will begin in late May or early June and are slated to be ready for occupancy on Aug. 15, 2023, when fall sports athletes return to campus for their pre-seasons.

The idea to upgrade the varsity weight room, affectionately nicknamed the Lyons’ Den by student-athletes, has been around for years, Mount Holyoke Strength and Conditioning Coach Jay Mendoza said. Months ago, members of the Mount Holyoke Student-Athlete Advisory Committee drafted a letter to the College’s Interim President Beverly Daniel Tatum proposing the renovations.

the current Lyons’ Den is a great space to train, it nonetheless has its shortcomings that keep athletes from training at their best.

“The low ceilings are definitely a big problem, especially when we’re doing more power movements with our athletes — like different vertical jumps and stuff like that.

It could definitely be a hazard for some of our taller friends, in volleyball or wherever, who are kind of limited with how high they can jump,” he said. “And then there’s some other small things like the lack of wall space.

– Jay Mendoza

On every wall, there’s a mirror, there’s pipes … and for us, we do a lot of mobility drills. We would like to [be able to] throw [medicine] balls against the walls for our power development.” That can’t happen with obstructed walls, he added.

While concept designs for the Lyons’ Den renovation have yet to be generated, Mendoza emphasized that “the plan is to be as open and upfront about this project as we can be.”

This month, four SAAC members with key roles in putting together the proposal — Chair Emily Mock ’24 of the basketball team, Vice Chair Shannon Breen ’24 of the soccer team, and Treasurer Lucie Berclaz ’25 of the volleyball team and Rachel Katzenberg ’25 of the field hockey team — then presented the letter to Tatum during her office hours. The Board of Trustees accepted it soon after.

Mendoza explained that while

The Lyons’ Den, which is currently located on the basement floor of Kendall, is set to be moved up by the fieldhouse on the main level, right next to the indoor track. At present, there is a smaller, makeshift varsity weight room housed in one of the racquetball courts, which sit directly across from the track. After knocking out the middle wall, the new Lyons’ Den will take up the area of these racquetball courts and

absorb the smaller weight room.

Mendoza said that with a new Lyons’ Den, the Athletic and Physical Education department will be able to provide student-athletes with “a much more well-rounded program,” especially for sports whose training requires speed, agility, running and plyometrics.

“I’m definitely excited to be upstairs by the fieldhouse because I’d love to be able to incorporate more sprints and cardio into my workouts,” Katzenberg said. “It’s easy to lift weights when you’re rested, but it’s a lot harder when your legs are tired and you’ve just done a sprint, and that’s when the real improvement happens.”

Mendoza also added that the new facilities would help bolster re-

cruitment efforts, enabling Mount Holyoke to compete with the other teams in its conference and attract more prospective student-athletes.

“We are very excited for this project. The change of location will allow for greater flexibility in training programs,” Director of Athletics Dr. Jodi Canfield said. “The overall student-athlete experience will become more pleasant in general. Working out in a basement is kind of a downer; and a lighter, brighter space with a user-friendly ceiling and better flooring is what is desired. Moving this space is the first step in the overall locker room project, which will benefit the entire community who uses Kendall.”

Katzenberg spoke about the significance of having an improved

weight room, emphasizing the student-athletes’ involvement in the process.

“It’s important to show student-athletes that our voices do matter and that our voices can fully make a difference. So when the renovations got approved, it really solidified that we, as student-athletes, can make a difference in our lives right now,” she said. “Secondly, we want to compete with the best right now. And by having a new, renovated Lyons’ Den, we can push our bodies to our limits and really get stronger physically and mentally.”

“This was driven by student-athletes. It was their voice that really made the change,” Mendoza said. “Without them, it wouldn’t have happened.”

Club Corner: Fencing team competes in NEIFC championships

BY LAUREN LEESE ’23 STAFF WRITER

Mount Holyoke Fencing competed in the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference Championship hosted by Wellesley College on Saturday, Feb. 25. The team competed in all three weapons, including épée, sabre and foil.

“This was the first competition of this semester, and it was definitely a great way to start our spring season,” Co-Captain and Sabre Weapon Head Eli Gerbi ’25 said. “I know I was able to execute skills that I couldn’t last year and beat people I wouldn’t have been able to even a semester ago. I also saw some definite improvements in other members of my squad, and many of the errors that we had worked so hard to correct were minimal or nonexistent. Everyone was ‘fencing smart,’ and that alone is a huge thing that says so much about this ability to adapt, learn and stay confident on [the] strip.”

Gerbi spoke about the admirable performance of many team members who only learned to fence this year.

“We have a very young team right now. Around half of them only started fencing in the fall of 2022 or later, and have put in so much effort, time and work to get where they are today,” Gerbi said. “For some of them, this was their first tournament, and for most of them, it was

only their second or third. The environment of a tournament can be hard to get used to, but they all did such a great job staying calm, adapting to other fencers and referees and supporting each other.”

Competing in the Senior Team Women’s Foil event, Mount Holyoke was represented by Halina Smolen ’26, Lauren Macias Severino ’25 and Catalina Dippel ’25. In the initial pool round, the foilists had 17 victories and 114 touches scored. Their performance led them to place 15th, beating the University of Rhode Island and the University of Massachusetts.

Mount Holyoke’s fencers competing in the Senior Team Women’s Épée event were Maya Frey ’23, Ruth Pelligrino ’24 and Rebecca Moberg

’26. The épéeists won 11 bouts and scored 109 touches in the pool round and went on to place 15th, winning against Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Boston University.

The Senior Team Women’s Sabre event was completed by Gerbi, Danyah Shaikh ’25 and Qiao Se Ong ’25. In pools, the sabreists won 20 bouts and scored 146 touches. They then placed 10th out of 17 teams, above Smith College and trailing Stony Brook University.

“As a whole, both my squad and the team put up some really good performances and everyone came home with at least one bout they were proud of,” Gerbi said. “I am so proud of my team and my squad for what they did and have done this year.”

Tennis opens spring season, beats American International College

BY LAUREN LEESE ’23 STAFF WRITER sphere

Mount Holyoke Tennis launched its spring season with a match against American International College on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Lyons defeated the Yellow Jackets 6-3, obtaining three of their points by default. A second game against Eastern Nazarene College was originally scheduled for the same day but was postponed.

In the No. 1 doubles match, AIC bested Annika Chai ’25 and Jaskirat Kaur ’26 with a score of 8-3. The No. 2 doubles match saw Shweta Kiran Cavale ’23 and Cal Smith ’26 score an 8-3 victory over the Yellow Jackets. The No. 3 match defaulted to the Lyons. Kiran Cavale and Smith both won their singles matches, with Kiran Cavale scoring 7-5 and 6-1, and Smith scoring 6-1 and 6-2. Chai’s and Kaur’s singles matches went to a third round, where their AIC opponents secured victory. Smith spoke about the atmo-

of the competition, and how even the Lyons who couldn’t play due to a lack of opponents brought team spirit to the game.

“Tennis is often regarded as a quiet sport, but there is nothing like the feeling of your team cheering you on after a good point,” Smith said. “Kate Vavra [’26], whose match was unfortunately forfeited by AIC, really led the team in energy, bringing pom poms and her always impressive team spirit. The whole team brought an amazing energy that I was proud to be a part of.”

Kiran Cavale expressed optimism about the competitions ahead.

“Initially, I was quite nervous to come back after the off-season to play a match but I think it went much better than I anticipated,” she said. “The team has been working very hard during the practice and I believe that everyone is very committed to helping us have an amazing season.”

Mount Holyoke Tennis will compete

next

This was driven by studentathletes. It was their voice that really made the change ... Without them, it wouldn’t have happened.

Photo by Emily Tarinelli ’25 The varsity weight room in Kendall Sports and Dance Complex, above, will undergo major renovations in summer 2023 and will be done by Aug. 15.

in their

match at Bates College on March 15.

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics Shweta Kiran Cavale ’23 defeated her

Photo courtesy of Qiao Se Ong ’25 Mount Holyoke Fencing competed in the NEIFC championships on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Wellesley.

Photo courtesy of Qiao Se Ong ’25 Sabreist Danyah Shaikh ’25, above, scored against Boston University at the NEIFC championship.

Mount Holyoke News Crossword: March 3

Across 2. Something one would do in a meadow

5. Evil villain’s home base

9. Austen novel heartthrob

11. MHC space where you can admire a Chihuly or grab a cup of coffee

13. Nostalgic drink with flavors including “pacific cooler”

14. Clothing article or spot for a golf ball

16. February sweetheart

18. “Always like a squirrel, looking for a nut” singer

19. Word game with a fruity name

21. You can read Charlotte or Emily

23. Hermana de tu madre

24. Congressional outputs

25. One of the “three Rs” of sustainability

28. System for checking out a customer

29. Fertile soil descriptor

31. Katy Perry hit that sounds like something you may hear on a safari

32. Onions, hair and people can all have them

35. Knitting medium

36. Too Hot To _______

37. 2023 Song of the Year artist Bonnie

38. Ornamental feather

39. Like a mind or a knife

40. “Ethan Frome” author ____ Wharton

41. First word of a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song about intergenerational understanding

42. Building sustainability certification

Down

1. Kesha tune or video sharing app

2. Type of evergreen tree

3. Okay? _____. (TFIOS)

4. Shy or reserved

6. Controversial clogs

7. Pleasant-sounding French city

8. Rihanna’s choice of rain gear

9. _____ Madness

10. New film about a mammal under the influence

12. Rosie the Riveter slogan

15. Colloquial name for the day the snakes were chased out of Ireland

17. Almost

20. Newly popular Hydroflask competitor

21. Shelton of The Voice

22. Carly Rae ____

26. Gets rid of all your mistakes

27. Foreshadowing

30. “10 Things I Hate About You” star Ledger

31. “That wasn’t on my ______”

33. -matic, -mated, -fill

34. A gullible person

43. River that flows through Eastern NY

44. Finless fish

45. Get rid of

46. “oh she ____!”

Mount Holyoke News

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

Editor-in-Chief Sophie Soloway ’23

Managing Editor of Content Emma Watkins ’23

Managing Editor of Layout Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25

Copy Chief Lydia Eno ’26

News Tara Monastesse ’25 & Bryn Healy ’24

Arts & Entertainment Eliška Jacob ’24 & Lucy Oster ’23

Opinion Jahnavi Pradeep ’23 & Silas Gemma ’26

Books Olivia Wilson ’24

Global Shira Sadeh ’25 & Jendayi Leben-Martin ’24

Sports Emily Tarinelli ’25

Executive Board

Publisher Ali Meizels ’23

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

Business Manager Katie Goss ’23

Human Resources Hannah Raykher ’23

Editorial Board

Features Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25 & Melanie Duronio ’26

Science & Environmental Catelyn Fitzgerald ’23

Photos Rosemary Geib ’23 & Ali Meizels ’23

Graphics Gabriella Gagnon ’24 & Sunny Wei ’23

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

Publication Guidelines

f HOROSCOPES f

PISCES

Feb. 19 – March 20

You’re one crazy mother trucker!

Honk your horn proudly. It’s easy for you to become timid in times of stress. Run away from it and you’ll gain some confidence.

Do: Balance | Don’t: Omit

ARIES

March 21 – April 19

There is truly nothing you can’t do. Or is there? Might as well try it to find out. Just make sure your risks don’t have the potential to hurt others.

Do: Fries | Don’t: Tea

TAURUS

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

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

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

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

Advertising in MHN

Interest in advertising in MHN can be directed to mhnews@mtholyoke.edu for pricing and deadlines. MHN reserves the right to refuse submissions on the basis of, but not limited to, advertisements considered to be libelous, obscene, defamatory or discriminatory.

Subscriptions

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

Letters Policy

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

EMAIL US: mhnews@mtholyoke.edu

March 21 – April 19

Our bodies often confuse excitement

Try not to stare in the mirror for too long. You might see horrors. Some things are meant to be secrets. Wear your best pair of shoes.

Do: Gray | Don’t: Express GEMINI

May 21 – June 20

You’re really good at that. Everyone is rooting for you. Don’t go too far and forget where you come from.

Rest easy on Wednesday.

Do: Persist | Don’t: Lather CANCER

June 21 – July 22

Everyone wants what we have. Are you going to allow them to have it? The choice is yours, and each will result in a path-paving consequence. No matter what you decide, you are about to face great change.

Do: Figures | Don’t: Remember

LEO

July 23 – Aug. 22

Do you believe in life after love? I’m actually not sure you know what you believe. Do you know? Try to put more trust in this week.

Do: Repeat | Don’t: Shiver

VIRGO

Aug. 23 – Sept. 22

I don’t know much, but one thing I do know is you’re ready. Don’t hold yourself back anymore. It’s gonna be sweet. Trust someone you usually wouldn’t this week.

Do: Tape | Don’t: Screw

LIBRA

Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

Why?

SCORPIO

Oct. 23 – Nov. 21

You deserve a break. This week is time to hole up in your bed. Get cozy and stay inside. Count sheep and hit the hay.

Do: Try | Don’t: Mustard

Do: … | Don’t: Blink SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

I am beyond repair. This is not your sign to fix me. Allow this person to leave your life. It’s hard to split ties but necessary for sure. What’s next for you?

Do: Plump | Don’t: Linger

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

Do you know how connections are made? Of course you do; you’re a Capricorn. Get cozy with your pillows this week, and your relationships. Comfort is key.

Do: Recoil | Don’t: Pander

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

It is so exciting when you speak. You choose your words wisely, and that does not go unnoticed. Keep choosing and speaking. The right words always find you.

Do: Mount | Don’t: Scrape

Tahsin Rahman ’25