Jonathan Michael Square discusses ‘democratizing higher education’

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

By Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25

Managing Editor of Layout & Features 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.”

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 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. 

“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 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. “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.”

“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 '26

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.

“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 Jordan Trice discusses his writing career and inspirations

Amherst junior Jordan Trice will compete in the 100th annual Glascock poetry contest. Photo courtesy of Shana Hansell.

By Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25

Managing Editor of Layout & Features Editor

Jordan Trice, a junior at Amherst College, can’t remember a time when he “didn’t do lots of bad writing.” Since starting the practice in childhood, he has worked on his craft more and more, recently gaining a spot as a contestant in the 100th Glascock poetry contest.

As described on the website, the “Kathryn Irene Glascock Intercollegiate Poetry Contest is the oldest continuously-running poetry contest for undergraduate students in the United States.” Mount Holyoke College hosts the contest every year, and since the second year of the competition, the Glascock committee has invited other colleges to join.

This year, Amherst College is one of the invited schools with Trice chosen as their representative. A creative writing professor that Trice had taken a class with during his first semester at college emailed him and asked if he would like to do it. “I was like, ‘Yes, of course.’ And then they put me in contact with y’alls people,” Trice said. “And here we are.”

Trice described later researching the contest and seeing that Robert Frost had been a judge and Slyvia Plath had won; this was when he started to become both excited and nervous about the competition.

One moment in particular stood out to Trice in regard to his interest in writing. When he was in sixth grade, a class required everyone to create a presentation about what job they wanted to have when they were older. “I put, kind of as a cop-out because I didn’t really prepare, [that] I wanted to be a writer,” Trice said. “They want[ed] you to have how much money you’d make, so I said ‘it varies’ and then had a picture of books.”

Trice, a double major in English and sexuality, women’s and gender studies, tends to write shorter poems and submitted a number of poems within the time limit. The first two are inspired by his first summer at Amherst when he had a research fellowship looking at “reimaginings of the stories of the women of the Odyssey in contemporary literature.” He was “obsessed” with Penelope, Odysseus’ wife who remains faithful to her husband while he is away on his 20-year-long journey, and was inspired to write.

“I ended up writing a couple of poems, Penelope-inspired poems, I call them my Penelope poems, but those are the opening ones,” Trice said.

In general, Trice draws inspiration from art, whether it be literature, paintings or music. He describes small moments of inspiration and credits Toni Morrison for “[bringing] out a lot of those moments.” 

Additionally, he has a habit of writing poetry on planes. His family lives in Tampa Bay, Florida, and every time he gets on a plane to fly home, he ends up writing. “I’ve been trying to tease out why that is but I think it’s partly because I’m listening to music and I have nothing else to do to distract me, no [cell] service or anything,” Trice said. “It’s just whatever music I’ve downloaded on my phone and then I’ll be listening to something and then it’ll just come.”

 Trice explained that some of his favorite writers are Toni Morrison, Allen Ginsberg, Maya Phillips — whose poetry collection “Erou,” Trice described as “possibly my favorite poetry collection at the moment” — and Evie Shockley, who is one of the 2023 Glascock judges and who Trice saw read at Amherst during the fall of 2022. 

“I’ve been moving in between excited and nervous,” Trice said. “But I think right now I’m feeling excited for [the contest]. I’m excited to meet the other people [and] to meet Evie Shockley again. It seems like a great time and it’s the 100-year anniversary so it sounds like it’s gonna be a very, very fun time.”

Mixed Identity Student Collective plans for the semester

The MISC board members, pictured above, pose for a photo. MISC creates community for mixed-race students while advocating for representation. Photo courtesy of Amanda Adams ‘25.

By Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25

Managing Editor of Layout & Features Editor

When Kat Sloop ’26 arrived at Mount Holyoke College this year, they were thrilled to find that there was a student organization dedicated to students who identify as multiracial or multiethnic. Coming from a predominantly white neighborhood and high school, Sloop, who identifies as half white and half Vietnamese, had struggled to find a place to explore her Vietnamese heritage or connect with other mixed-identity people. At Mount Holyoke, the Mixed Identity Student Collective provided her with that space.

“There were Asian associations and stuff, but being a mixed person going into those spaces is very nerve-wracking because … at least for me, I was like, ‘I’m not fully Asian.’ And so when I found out MISC was a thing here, I really wanted to jump at the opportunity,” Sloop said.

MISC aims to foster community between mixed students, increase visibility and representation for mixed people and work toward advocacy projects on campus. MISC was co-founded at the beginning of the 2022 spring semester by Amanda Adams ’25 and Chloe Berry ’24, who met and became friends at a mixer for mixed students put on by the Asian American Students in Action group.

“That was a really groundbreaking moment because it was the first time we felt recognized for our identities and we wanted to increase that space outside of just Asian American students,” Adams said.

Adams, similarly to Sloop, described feeling out of place in other identity-based student organizations, which was part of what led her to create MISC. It was important to Adams that there be a space for students who “often go unrecognized for their identities” to feel seen and heard. MISC’s first-ever event was a mixed mixer similar to the one where Adams and Berry met.

“[The first event] went really well. [Interim] President Tatum came and we had a lot of good feedback on what we were doing because many people, especially coming from their hometowns or their old schools, had never experienced an organization like ours,” Adams said. “Because outside of Mount Holyoke … these affinity spaces don’t really exist at all.”

Adams and Sloop both feel like MISC is a close-knit community and enjoy being able to be in a space with other students with similar shared experiences. At discussion-based meetings, members have the opportunity to introduce themselves and share something about their ethnic background before diving into question prompts.

“We touch on not necessarily unique experiences, but we try to hone in on the shared experiences … We talk about those differences, but … that communal experience is what we mainly try to emphasize,” Sloop said.

As the senator for MISC, Sloop goes to senate meetings every Tuesday to announce upcoming events and bring up concerns or issues if need be. Sloop’s favorite part of MISC is getting to talk and connect with other mixed students.

“There’s always that discussion aspect and we’re getting really deep into identity and what it means to be a mixed individual, and that’s my favorite thing,” Sloop said. “It’s so nice to sit down with people and even if they don’t come from a similar background as me, having those basic things to relate on. It’s really good knowing there’s other people out there.”

Looking into the future, Adams wants to continue to do advocacy work with MISC to increase visibility for mixed students at the College. Adams is currently planning on possibly doing a BOOM! panel later in the spring. Before then, MISC, which holds monthly events, is having a boba and painting event in March, and a screening of And/Or, a senior thesis film by AJ Johnson ’23 that explores the intersection of mixed-race identity and sexuality, in April.

“We’ve been looking into factors of ways in which we can not only increase representation but also have conversations with our community members on what more we can do for individuals with multiracial identities to feel … seen and heard,” Adams said.

Students attend the College's annual PossePlus Retreat

Students, faculty, and staff at the PossePlus Retreat explored the theme ‘Truth or Consequences?’ and got the change to meet and talk to new people. Photo by Emma Quirk ‘26.

By Emma Quirk ’26 

Staff Writer

On Feb. 3, 2023, Mount Holyoke students and staff braved the cold weather to board buses for the first in-person PossePlus Retreat in three years. The one-night trip was held at the Hotel UMass at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, consisting of Posse Miami Scholars, faculty and staff, as well as other invited students from the College. The theme of the retreat was “Truth or Consequences?”

The Posse Foundation, according to their website, “identifies, recruits and trains individuals with extraordinary leadership potential,” and a PPR is meant to be a place to “explore an important social issue identified by Scholars.” For Scholars and mentors at the College, this program is far more than that. 

Posse provides its Scholars with full-tuition scholarships to attend partner colleges and universities. The College works with Posse Miami, and about eight to ten Scholars who live in Miami, Florida, are welcomed to the College each year. 

“Posse means everything to me, it’s what allowed me to go to college, it’s an organization that believed in me and saw my potential and gave me such a huge encouragement to follow that potential to the fullest,” Manuela Ribas ’26 said. 

Gabriella Cordero ’26 stated that Posse is “life-changing” for Scholars. “I never thought I would be able to attend school outside of the state I live in, however, Posse gave me that opportunity.” 

Students and mentors agreed that the PPR experience is not only a place to build community, but a place to be bold. PossePlus means that, in addition to Scholars and mentors being present, students and staff who are not directly connected to Posse are invited to join. These added voices are referred to as “plussers.” 

“This retreat means an opportunity to come together and to have our voices, as students, be heard. It is also a chance for the wider Mount Holyoke College community to experience some of the benefits of Posse and get to know each other better,” Catherine Di Mare ’24 said. 

While on campus, Scholars meet regularly with their mentor, a faculty or staff member who helps the students adjust and manage campus life. Each Posse cohort has their own assigned mentor. Mentors are trusted advisors who work to support their Posse. 

Some of the faculty and staff who make up the PPR attendees are current Posse mentors. “This retreat is something magical, it reminds the scholars that they are part of [something. They are] one piece of a larger puzzle. They have a greater community not only within Mount Holyoke, but also through the network that is built by other Posse scholars around the country,” Jonencia Wood, a Posse mentor and assistant vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion  said. “Additionally, this retreat gives the community a space to have difficult conversations in a brave space, without fear or hesitation.”

PPR is a place to gather to have honest conversations about what is occurring on the College’s campus as well as in the broader community. “It feels like one big family reunion where several extended families and family friends come together to have courageous conversations … What’s more, it is a space where students, staff and faculty can be their authentic selves without shame or judgment,” Roshonda Degraffenreid, a Posse mentor and senior associate director of external relations, explained.  

An overarching theme of bravery and little moments of connection are what made this weekend special. “These students are powerful and on more than one occasion, I felt that if we all just listened to what was being said that they could change the world, starting at Mount Holyoke,” Wood said. 

Cheryl Flynn, Medical Director of the College’s Health Services, said that she was “both touched and honored” to listen to “the authenticity of the experiences, stories and perspectives students shared.” She was invited as a “plus” to PPR and felt the retreat allowed her to connect with students in a different way than she normally does. 

The space invited a unique blend of people that would not necessarily interact with each other on a regular basis to converse and share their ideas. On both Friday night and all day Saturday, the activities and discussions prompted attendees to seek out those who they did not previously know. 

“I really enjoyed seeing so many staff, students and faculty, who may not have interacted if it were not for the retreat, conversing with each other. I love seeing people step outside of their comfort zone to volunteer and engage in the space. … And most of all, I loved building memorable moments with my Posse,” Degraffenreid, who is the mentor for Posse 12, said. 

As students were given the opportunity to share their on-campus experiences, they brought up issues regarding the treatment of students with marginalized identities. In particular, the treatment of students living in the Shirley Chisholm and Mi Gente LLCs in the North Rockies was discussed. “Hearing the perspectives of students who live in the Black LLC in the Rockies really opened my eyes to some of the discrimination and mistreatment that students are actively experiencing,” Di Mare stated. 

“[I learned that] the POC floors are getting unfair treatment and I think Mount Holyoke needs to address this problem at hand,” Cordero said. Now that this particular problem is on the radar of more students and staff, there could be a change in the action taken to fix any future issues. 

Another topic that was discussed was healthcare and access to healthcare. “Many students, especially those with various marginalized identities … have had negative, sometimes traumatizing experiences with the U.S. healthcare system. Those truths result in many negative consequences … to individuals and community wellness. I want us to build a better system, to foster trust and build relationships that help heal past trauma and support health and well-being. What I’m bringing back to [the] MHC campus is renewed energy for this goal, inspired by students’ stories, fruitful dialogue and awesome voice of advocacy,” Flynn said. 

Despite the deep and serious topics discussed at the retreat, attendees felt revitalized and motivated, and want to bring this energy back to campus. Participants felt that the goal of connectivity was certainly achieved. 

Throughout the retreat, participants could write each other “Warm and Fuzzies,” which are small sticky notes that participants could leave anonymously, or sign, praising their peer’s ideas, applauding their bravery or even complimenting their outfit. Cordero said that she appreciates them because “in today’s society we are so caught up in the future that we never appreciate the present.” Warm and Fuzzies are a way to reach out and connect in a stress-free way. 

The retreat concluded with a fan favorite, the “no-talent-talent show.” It was the last event before the buses returned attendees to the College, and the audience was largely PPR students. Everyone was encouraged to sign up, whether they had a specific talent or not. Performers sang, danced, shared their multilingual talents and more. 

“We had so many incredible discussions throughout the weekend that I am so grateful for, but being able to laugh together at the end and just be happy with my fellow classmates was really sweet,” Di Mare said.  

On reflection, this retreat was a reminder of the importance of coming together as a campus. “After this retreat, I feel like my energies have been recharged. Connecting with other Scholars and the MHC community at large helped me see that no matter what I’m going through, I have a whole network of people wanting to support me,” Ribas said. 

For faculty and staff, it was also a reminder about the power and intellect of students. “It’s an indescribable experience that connects us with students in a way that you can’t through day-to-day interactions or passing through the halls. I would encourage everyone to come learn about Posse, but more so [to] listen to and really hear what the students are saying,” Wood said.

SGA holds a chest binder drive for the student community

Graphic by Sunny Wei ‘23.

By Rebecca Gagnon ’23

Staff Writer

As its second major move in the 2022-23 academic year, the first being free menstrual products in the bathrooms around campus, the Student Government Association has introduced a chest binder drive for the students of Mount Holyoke.

On Jan. 26, the SGA president, Maille Romulus ’24, sent an email announcing the binder drive that would take place the following day. 

The email stated, “Tomorrow at 5 p.m., SGA will be releasing a pre-order form for chest binders which will be first come first serve, because we have a limited amount of spots.”

With this message, a link to the website gc2b was attached where students could browse the variety of sizes and colors available to prepare to place an order for a binder when the form opened. 

Historically, chest binders have been used by transmasculine and nonbinary individuals to make their physical body reflect their gender identity. In addition, binders were used for fashion, cultural dress and even religious purposes. The concept of binders has been around for centuries, starting with tight corsets used to accomplish a desired figure. They also have taken the form of simple fabric strips wound around the chest to flatten one’s breasts. 

Today, instead of fabric strips, there are many companies that produce chest binders for purchase. However, they are not always affordable. This is the problem the SGA at Mount Holyoke wanted to tackle to meet the needs of the College community.

“[SGA] wanted to get binders to people that wanted them on campus,” Romulus explained. “The Lavender Committee was in charge of doing it last year and this year they were not able to and so we wanted to keep the tradition going … we just had to find the funding for it and get people chest binders.”

The Lavender Committee is a division within the SGA with the mission “to celebrate and support the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans/Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Aromantic and other identities community on the Mount Holyoke Campus.” However, because the committee isn’t as prominent on campus this year and is unable to hold the chest binder drive, Romulus concluded that the general SGA would present it since she had previously had students reach out and request it. 

In addition, there was a specific group of students that Romulus was hoping to provide for. “We really wanted to center first-gen[eration] low-income students that wanted binders and wouldn’t have been able to get them otherwise because … they’re $40,” Romulus stated. “That’s an expense … and not everyone has $40 to spend, so we really wanted to center that group of people so they can have the care that they need.”

It has been Romulus’s goal throughout her presidency to create an environment where everyone on campus feels like they belong. Her approach has been to listen to all the needs of other students and assist them when able.

With this in mind, Romulus began searching for a company to partner with. Romulus asked around and received a unanimous recommendation from friends to use the website gc2b.

“We really wanted to center first-gen[eration] low-income students that wanted binders and wouldn’t have been able to get them otherwise because … they’re $40. …We really wanted to center that group of people so they can have the care that they need.”

— Maille Romulus

gc2b’s mission statement states, “Over the past three years, we have sponsored 100+ LGBT organizations and donated over 6000+ chest binders to be distributed to people in need. We’ve attended numerous conferences and Pride events, and we’ve collaborated with local and global organizations committed to positive change. Our core mission has evolved: we’re not only a brand providing gender-affirming apparel, but an active part of a movement.”

However, at 8:00 a.m. on Jan. 27, nine hours before the form was supposed to open for people to order chest binders, another email was sent by Romulus. In this, she stated, “There are some concerns about the safety of GC2B binders, so we will be purchasing binder[s] from another company, FYTIST.”

“I got feedback from people telling me that [gc2b] is not the best, and here’s some other [companies] that we should work with,” Romulus stated. “Most of the research that I’ve seen shows that the quality has gotten worse over time and so I think last year … we didn’t get any complaints from it, but this year, people that have purchased binders from the company have complained about it, and so it … was safe last year, but this year, not so much.”

“Some people already use [gc2b], and they said that the binders hurt,” Ellie Do ’25, the vice president of the SGA, added. “So we … switch[ed] to another binder company that they would recommend [because] … it’s better for you. I don’t know if there’s a difference in price, but [there] is definitely a difference in quality.”

The FYTIST website states that “Binding should not be categorized, it is an essential and fundamental need for some. However, we have learnt that this basic need is significantly undervalued.” 

Therefore, this company has been formed to provide this basic need to society. In addition, the website mentions concerns about safety, such as the risks and side effects of wearing a binder, if one can exercise while binding and how to establish a plan for wearing one.

Unfortunately, changing the company the SGA would order from on such short notice provided some challenges. Romulus explained that gc2b has all their products in stock, which would mean students would obtain the chest binders fairly quickly. However, many of the new company’s items were out of stock. Romulus swiftly concluded that she would rather wait longer to get more durable and safer binders than purchase ones that would bring discomfort and more risks. Although the company was out of stock, Romulus and the rest of the SGA E-Board members were determined to get the orders as quickly as possible. They continued with the drive as planned and monitored the website to see if the company restocked.

At 5 p.m. on Jan. 27, the SGA released the order form and students were allowed to order a chest binder from the website.

“After 30 minutes of opening the forms, I think we’re already at our limit,” Do stated. “That is why … they have to send an email out a day before to say ‘oh, this is happening. Here’s a form. This is a time that is happening. So you guys should be … prepare[ed] for it’ and once we open[ed] the form, only thirty minutes later it was out.”

Romulus immediately closed the form when they hit their maximum number of 70 orders so the SGA would not have to tell students “no.” In the following few days, she and the other board members continued to monitor the FYTIST website. 

“Tahin Osborne [‘23], the DEI officer, created a spreadsheet and … went on the website to see what was in stock and what wasn’t in stock,” Romulus explained. “So with 70 orders, they have this color-coded [spreadsheet] of ‘okay, this is in stock and this is added to the cart.’”

Through this method, the SGA was able to purchase 30 binders in the first batch which will be arriving around Feb. 15. The following 40 orders were purchased shortly after when they noticed the company had restocked. 

“We [Romulus and Osborne] were in [a] seminar and we had a 10-minute break and during the 10-minute break … I was like, ‘Oh, I wonder if … the binders are in stock,’” Romulus recalled. When she went on the website, Romulus saw that almost all the products were restocked and up for purchase. 

“And so [Osborne] stepped out [and] they called the company,” Romulus continued. “They spent the whole 10 minutes of the break from our three-hour seminar ordering the last 40-something binders.”

The new batch of binders will be arriving toward the end of February, with a hope of distribution sometime next month. Although it depends on the following SGA presidents, Romulus foresees the chest binder drive being held annually. 

“A binder [is] such a special thing,” Romulus finished. She stated how, in her friends who wear chest binders, she noticed a major difference once they started using them. “[It’s] just a confidence. How they think about things and something that … cisgender people have the privilege of not thinking about. Trans people, or just people that wear binders and nonbinary individuals, just are always thinking about [these feelings] and so I can just see how essential … a binder is.”

Deconstructing and Decolonizing Wellness Fair shows cultural and religious practices

Photo courtesy of Nafeesah Ahmed-Adedoja '23. The Muslim Student Association's booth, pictured above, featured dates, a prayer mat, and more.

By Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25

Managing Editor of Layout & Features Editor

Numerous colorful flags from countries around the world hung from the balconies in the Great Room in the Blanchard Community Center on Sunday, Nov. 13, during Mount Holyoke’s first-ever Deconstructing and Decolonizing Wellness Fair. Mount Holyoke Peer Health Educators hosted the fair in collaboration with some of the campus’ cultural and religious organizations. Peer Health Educator and Wellness Chair Nafeesah Ahmed-Adedoja ’23 led the event planning along with the other two members of the Wellness Team, Raven Joseph ’25 and Sean Fabrega ’23, as well as Be Well Area Coordinator Sarah Garijo-Garde.

Ahmed-Adedoja explained that Joseph had read an article about decolonizing wellness and shared the idea with the team. From there, they came up with the idea for the fair. “We felt it was important to highlight practices that may not appear in the mainstream and bring awareness to [them] in our community,” Ahmed-Adedoja said.

The team had been working on planning this event since September. They wanted to make sure that they were presenting authentic cultural traditions and wellness practices. In early October, they reached out to the following groups and organizations: Mount Holyoke African and Caribbean Student Association, La Unidad, Jewish Student Union, Muslim Student Association, Origami Club, Students of Hinduism Reaching Inwards, Asian Center for Empowerment, Counseling Service, Health Services, Daughters of Zion and FAMILIA.

“Firstly, we wanted to ensure that we were accurately representing cultures and spiritual [and] religious practices from around the world and decided to get organizations on campus involved to reach our goals,” Ahmed-Adedoja said. “We also had to do a lot of research on food, drinks and other items to make our event come to life.” Seven restaurants catered the event: Priya Indian Cuisine, Jamaica Spice Paradise, El Comalito, Oriental Flavor, IYA Sushi and Noodle Kitchen South Hadley, Bernardino’s Bakery and LimeRed Teahouse.

The Wellness Team wanted to publicize the event early on and tabled in Blanch for two weeks prior to the fair. They raised money for the Crisis Text Line and The Trevor Project by selling “flowers and tea” goodie bags. The team anticipated a 40-person turn out and were happily surprised to see over 100 people attend the fair and, as Ahmed-Adedoja stated, “learn about cultural and religious wellness traditions, make stress balls, spin the wheel and get a bite to eat.”

Joseph was also surprised to see how many people showed up and was “relieved” to see that students were having a good time and engaging with the booths. “This event was necessary because it acknowledged the disconnect we have with the origins of wellness practices seen in mainstream media today,” Joseph said. “Notably, the portrayal of wellness often reflects how it has been stripped of its history to become inaccessible and more profitable.”

Ahmed-Adedoja hopes that the Peer Health Educators host more wellness fairs in the future, especially because the team received positive feedback from students regarding the fair. “During and after the event people were hoping it would become a long-standing tradition which excited [Fabrega], [Joseph] and I,” Ahmed-Adedoja said.

Ahmed-Adedoja serves as the secretary and Five College representative for the Muslim Student Association board and enjoyed running the MSA’s booth at the fair. “Our booth included dates, prayer beads, sweets, quran, henna, prayer mat and zam zam water. As Muslims, we have many ways which we connect to Wellness through our faith and items that are of huge significance in Islamic history and our everyday lives,” Ahmed-Adedoja said. “We hoped to share and enlighten others of what some of these practices were and also provide other Muslims with a sense of empowerment and recognition.”

Joseph enjoyed getting to work with other student organizations on campus. “I’m glad we collaborated with them because we couldn’t have done this without their hard work,” Joseph said.

Ahmed-Adedoja enjoyed getting to work with Joseph and Fabrega and is excited to plan similar events with them in the future. “Working with [Fabrega] and [Joseph] has honestly been the highlight of my semester and I am excited to see what we do next semester as we work toward part two of the Deconstructing and Decolonizing Wellness Fair, [which will include] a speaker and more.”