Photo by Ella Shelton ‘26.
Students discovered anti-Black vandalism in Pearsons Hall on Nov. 22, leading the College to organize affinity spaces for Black students in response.
By Jada Jackson ʼ26 & Madhavi Rao ʼ24
Staff Writer | Features Editor
Content warning: This article discusses racism, racial slurs and white supremacy.
The discovery of anti-Black vandalism in a Mount Holyoke College residence hall at the beginning of the November Break period has prompted an investigation by the College.
Around midnight on Nov. 22, residents on the third floor of Pearsons Hall found a racist message scrawled across a community bulletin board. The hate message reading “no [N-word]s” expressed that Black students are not welcome at Mount Holyoke.
In the wake of this incident, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Marcella Runell sent an email to the Mount Holyoke community on Nov. 22. “The College takes this matter very seriously,” Runell stated. “Please know that this incident is being fully investigated, and the College is actively exploring all avenues to address this matter.”
“To the Black students [at the College], I am so sorry that this happened,” Student Government Association President Maille Romulus ʼ24, who is Black, said in an interview with the Mount Holyoke News. “And I am not sure what this means for [Black students] and our relationship to this institution. I hope we are able to find [the perpetrator] and hold them accountable for their actions. I wish peace for the Black alums, students, staff, faculty and future members of the community.”
The College has made several efforts to inform the community members about the incident in Pearsons. Another email from Runell stated, “Following the report, Public Safety and Service launched a full investigation. I alerted the campus community and the Secretary of the College, Bett Schumacher, alerted the Board of Trustees.”
“The anti-Black racist act of vandalism that occurred in Pearsons Hall was horrifying, unacceptable and has no place on the Mount Holyoke College campus,” the College wrote in an official statement to Mount Holyoke News. “The College, upon notification of the vandalism, immediately launched a full investigation. The investigation remains active and we urge anyone with any relevant information to contact Public Safety and Service immediately. Both the Division of Student Life and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are working together on a number of efforts for care and support of Black students, including: affinity spaces, making a Black-identified therapist available for students, Drop-in Talkin’ sessions and Be Well activities. We urge students to make use of any and all resources for their wellbeing and sense of safety and belonging on campus.”
Affinity spaces for students to process the incident, including one hosted by President Danielle R. Holley on Nov. 29 in the Beverly Daniel Tatum Unity Center, allowed Black students to voice their opinions and ideas. Cindy Ntembe ʼ27, another Black student and one of the few students remaining on campus over the break, attended several of these events. Ntembe told Mount Holyoke News in an interview that she would appreciate it if the school administration would “utilize our already existing organizations and even our SGA. That was really a surprise to me that they didn't try to contact them at all to have those conversations or those activities. It seems like the most direct way to reach students.”
Along with notifying Public Safety and Service of the vandalism, residents of Pearsons turned to social media to alert fellow students of the hate crime. In addition to sharing images of the vandalism on their Instagrams, students reposted an Instagram story message written by Romulus. “Don’t treat this as an isolated incident,” Romulus declared, along with a list of things for non-Black students to avoid doing in response to the incident. “This is not the first time something of this magnitude has happened, and it once again shows who MHC was built for.”
“I bet 1000000% that the person who wrote that would never actually say it to a Black person's face,” Jasmine Greene ’25 also expressed in an Instagram story post. “But if you're going to write stupid [bullshit] like that then stand on it[,] show who you are and face the proper consequences.”
Even before this most recent incident of anti-Blackness in Pearsons, there had been reports of anti-Black sentiments by Pearsons residents. In an interview with Mount Holyoke News, Sabina Miezah ’24, a Black student, shared her experiences while living at Pearsons in the Fall 2021 semester.
“I encountered instances of microaggressions such as walking past white students and being snickered at or getting constantly reported to the RA for doing things that I had seen white students do,” Miezah claimed. “One of my Black upperclassmen got [Public Safety] called on them by a white resident at Pearsons for filming a short clip [for a class project] in the area.” Following this, Miezah applied for housing outside of Pearsons.
“In times of communion being with other Black students on campus has massively helped my mental health where we can dance, laugh, and be joyous,” Greene told Mount Holyoke News. Describing the experience of being a Black student at the College, Greene said, “It is like being aware of constant racism but having to ignore it or else you won't be able to function and deliver as a student. If it weren't for the other POC and Black students on this campus and the few professors who make me feel seen and safe, I would not have stayed.”
“To the non-Black community, I want to say that just reposting what other Black students have said is not doing work towards an anti-racist community,” Greene said. “Always remember that actions speak louder than a repost … Racism isn't just a slur but can be seen in the ways you also interact with Black students on this campus.”
The incident on Nov. 22 occurred during President Danielle R. Holley’s first term as the first woman of color and first Black president of Mount Holyoke College. “[To] @daniellerholley as the first [B]lack president at mount holyoke,” Campbell Waters ‘24 posted on their Instagram story following the incident. “i implore you to speak for the 4% of [B]lack students on campus, you are our representative of higher education.”*
Chief of Staff and Strategic Communications and Senior Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Lauren Gaia works in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the College.
“The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is deeply committed to supporting Black students and fighting anti-Black racism and all other forms of oppression in our community,” Gaia commented in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “We have an open door policy. We are available to connect with students and will work diligently to address every incident of anti-Black racism that is reported to us.”
At the time of publication, the College’s investigation into the incident is ongoing.
*Editor’s note: the 4% referenced in this quote refers to the percentage of domestic students of color at Mount Holyoke College. It does not account for those students who identify as Black/African-American within the international student body population.