Graphic by Summer Sit ‘25
By Isabel Dunn ʼ27 and Sophie Frank ʼ26
Books Editors
Amid a controversial election season and several ongoing global conflicts, it has been a contentious year for college campuses in the United States. In an attempt to navigate these challenges, author Mónica Guzmán and President Danielle R. Holley delved into some of the issues that divide college students and American culture at large during the 2024 Common Read Talk on Nov. 19, focusing on political partisanship.
Mónica Guzmán is the author of this year’s Common Read, entitled “I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.” Mount Holyoke selects the annual Common Read to give students new to the College an introduction to intellectual dialogue through reading and discussing a shared text.
The self-described “proud liberal daughter of conservative parents,” Guzmán began to ruminate on the book’s themes over two decades ago. She recounts stories about her Mexican immigrant parents and their support for the Bush administration, which Guzmán found difficult to understand. Though she remembers emotional fights between her and her family members, by 2016, she had begun to change how she viewed the situation. “Somehow, we were able to keep it at a simmer, so we were cooking, not burning, and communicating,” she said.
The event was attended by both students and community members. Alicia Erwin, the assistant vice president for student life and strategic operations, and Jennifer Jacoby, an associate professor of psychology and education and the director of the Teaching and Learning Initiative, introduced the event. The two served as co-chairs of the Common Read selection committee, which also includes a panel of students.
Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Marcella Runell emphasized how important the book came to be for the selection committee over the many months they worked on putting together the Common Read programming. “This book has been incredibly meaningful to so many of us,” Runell told the audience in Gamble Auditorium.
Holley asked questions that related the book to the current political climate. Guzmán’s central argument is that people have continually been “siloing” themselves, or forcing themselves into tight categories and refusing to see the other side. “Whoever is underrepresented in your life will be overrepresented in your imagination,” she said.
Guzmán’s book pilots something she calls the “curious conversation model,” which means entering difficult conversations with an open mind, and asking questions to genuinely understand the other person. “We talk about the freedom of expression, [but] we never talk about the freedom of reception,” she said, discussing the importance of what is often referred to as active listening.
However, Holley admitted feeling initial resistance to this stance. She spoke about how growing up in Texas and South Carolina meant that she was often the “minority voice” in the room due to her race and political beliefs. This feeling was echoed during the Q&A, with students pondering the futility of arguing with people whose worldviews are diametrically opposed to theirs.
Tying the conversation back to recent events, Holley asked about the most important thing Guzmán had learned from a curious conversation since the election. Guzmán said that she had been speaking to people from all sides.
In one conversation, she talked to a friend named Travis, who voted for Trump. Travis was meant to speak on Guzmán’s podcast, “A Braver Way,” in a post-election discussion featuring a diverse group of panelists. Travis had hesitations about recording the episode because he was excited about the election results, and tired of defending his happiness. What Guzmán learned was how joyous the past few weeks had been for Trump supporters.
After an hour of discussion, Holley opened the floor to questions, where several points of contention emerged. One person questioned the emotional labor taken on by people of marginalized identities who continue to put themselves out there politically, only to experience hate and even physical violence.
Holley also questioned whether terms like “dialogue” have become buzzwords that suppress peoples’ voices, a critique she has heard from students. For people who are angry, the expectation to engage in dialogue can feel stifling. Again, Guzmán emphasized the importance of respectful communication.
The biggest point of debate was how to handle conversations where there is an imbalance between two people, or groups. Holley raised the famous quote from writer and activist James Baldwin: “We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.”
Guzmán said that simply existing is a form of resistance. To those who deny one’s existence, “They’re resisting what is. You believe I shouldn't exist, here I am existing. Is there a point to giving someone else that power?” Several students objected to this, speaking again to how difficult it is to continue putting oneself out there when others consistently push back.
After the event, students left discussing amongst themselves. As the Mount Holyoke community continues to contemplate this current cultural moment, spaces for reflection and discourse will remain an important part of campus life.
Abigail McKeon ’26 contributed fact-checking.