Activists need to be mindful of their language
BY SARAH WASHINGTON '19
On Thursday Feb. 16 and Friday Feb. 17, I had the privilege of seeing the activist and author of “Bad Feminist” Roxane Gay, give a lecture and lead a writing workshop. Although she had many lessons to teach us, what struck me the most was her view on the careless ways in which we treat language as activists.
The experience for first-generation students at Mount Holyoke College needs to be a priority
BY CHLOE JENSEN '20
“Mount Holyoke prides itself on diversity and really needs to do a better job being accessible to first-generation and low-income students,” said Andrea Corbett ’20, a first-generation college student from the Bronx in New York. For students who are the first to attend college in their family, the experience of confronting classism is unique.
Letter to the Editor
Labeling people as “armchair activists” is ableist
The violence committed against Native Americans at Standing Rock is part of a long history of genocide
Disabled students face challenges seeking work study jobs
Lack of opportunities in MHC’s student work study program causes financial strain
Classism at MHC exists, but it does not have to stay
A statement from the Climate Justice Coalition: We have the power to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline
BY AICHA BELABBES ’19 & RAVEN GEIGER ’17
Under the new Trump administration the fight against the Dakota Access Pipe Line has become a grueling uphill battle. Even though the Army Corps of Engineers refrained from building the pipeline under former president, Barack Obama, President Trump wants to go full-steam ahead.
From the Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life: A Reflection on Trump's Immigration Ban
What Jews can — and should — do for Muslims
BY HANNAH ROACH '17
"Anne Frank could have been an 83 year old writer living in Boston." Countless signs with similar messages have appeared since Trump's Immigration Ban was signed on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Frank, like many other Jews, Romani and disabled individuals, was denied a visa and subsequent entrance into the United States. She, like many others, was a refugee.
Like questioning people of color at the airport, President Trump’s immigration ban is racist
BY SIDDHI SHAH ’19
With my life, identity and family split across two countries, I grew up a frequent flyer. I know every rule of flying etiquette like the back of my hand. How to pack my entire life into a tiny suitcase, avoid queues, deal with jet lag, and most importantly, tell my ride from the airport that my flight lands an hour after it actually does to make time for that racial profiling I am going to be subjected to.
Mount Holyoke must acknowledge its classism
BY CHLOE JENSEN '20
Despite its history of wealthy students, Mount Holyoke – like many elite colleges and universities in the United States – claims to be great for low and low-middle income students and families with their stellar financial aid packages. I would challenge that notion and say that we are in dire need of a conversation about class and classism.
Withholding aid from refugees is not a Christian value
BY KATIE PRINCE '19
Shame. Shame is the only word that continually comes to my mind when I think about the recent executive orders issued by Donald Trump regarding the ban of any immigration from seven Middle Eastern countries. It's not only this national shame that comes to my mind, it is the shame shared by my fellow Americans who are not personally affected by this move and their apathy and literal disregard for those who are being deeply affected by this turmoil.
A life measured in swastikas
BY HANNAH ROACH '17
I don’t quite remember seeing my first swastika, but I do remember first realizing what it meant. Like many Jews, I felt the Holocaust sit on my consciousness and take a space in my identity. I remember listening to my mother talk about the reasons why my family would have been taken away — my two brothers were autistic, we were Jewish. My twin brother and I would be anomalies to whom someone whose name I could never remember would do something that I could never forget.
On celebrating the death of Fidel Castro
BY ANDREA HERNANDEZ ’19
In the early hours of August 23, 1994, 23 Cubans packed themselves into a 24 foot boat on the island’s coast near Matanzas. Among them were my loving parents and then 2-year-old brother. Unfortunately, as they prepared to embark, their trip was delayed by a mechanical failure. The group scrambled and was able to find a local mechanic who agreed to fix the boat. The next day, joined by the mechanic, they crossed through the Rio Yumuri to Florida.
2020 Vision: A first-year anticipates finals
BY CHLOE JENSEN '20
As the semester winds down and due dates that seemed months away start to near, I’ve noticed my stress levels skyrocket. As someone who generally cares about her academic performance, I have become aware of the huge emphasis on finals at college. Often, the emphasis on finals I tend to observe is the stress that surrounds it. In many ways, I feel as though the stress culture at Mount Holyoke — the constant discussion of grades, assignments, and lack of self care — has impacted my mental andemotional healthand caused anxiety surrounding finals, especially having never experienced them at Mount Holyoke.
Dolls should represent all children
BY KATIE PRINCE '19
Malibu Barbie better move over because there’s a new girl — and guy — in town. Mattel, the makers of the Barbie doll, released a new line of Barbies called “Fashionistas” that come in tall, petite, curvy and “original” body types. The new line also includes seven different skin tones, 22 eye colors and 24 different types of hair. Ken got a part in the new look as well. All of these changes are in an effort to create a more diversified look for Barbie.
Trump must address the health issues left out of his campaign
BY HALEY LUCIAN '17
As the results of the Nov. 8 presidential election settle in, we begin to look ahead at days to come. Often the most productive period for an American president is their first 100 days in office. Using the momentum of the election, a newly elected president will often pass several initiatives rapidly and lay a general foundation for later policies. But from what we know, president-elect Donald Trump’s policies are severely lacking in detail.