April 26, 2019 Exclusive Edition

Race and Diversity on College Campuses

The Herald

Established 1879

By and for the Students of Hobart and William Smith Colleges

www.HWSHerald.com

Alex Kerai, Editor-in-Chief

Wren Andrews, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Albright Dwarka & Henry Duerr, Podcast Editors

Ani Freedman, Chief Photographer

Gianna Gonzalez & Audrey Platt, Social Media

Alex Kerai, Web Editor

Olivia Rowland, Copy Editor

Grace Ruble, News Editor

Contributors

Wren Andrews

Henry Duerr

Ani Freedman

Reed Herter

Alex Kerai

Yellie LaBare

Layout Alex Kerai Grace Ruble Henry Duerr

Russell Payne

Ani Freedman

Copy Editing Olivia Rowland Charlie Wilson Alex Kerai Henry Duerr

Tayah Payne

Russell Payne

Olivia Rowland Grace Ruble Ryan Skinner

Dear Readers of the Herald,

This is the final stretch: the final few weeks before graduation and the end of the year. This also marks my final issue as Editor-in-Chief of the Herald. I have been honored and exceptionally proud to steward this great campus paper through a lot of changes the last year and a half at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. We have an incredible staff of writers, photographers, designers, and editors that I have been thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside this year. I am ecstatic that we have so many first years joining the staff, and I hope they will continue to serve the Herald for years to come.

I want to quickly single out a few people whom I have worked closely alongside this past year. First our regular staff and contributors like Will Fuller, who dives into topics that are fascinating; Elise Donovan, who contributes meticulously researched articles; Niki Russell, whose opinion I value highly and whom I am always happy to see in our pages; Reed Herter, whose articles always tackle new and interesting subjects; and Ryan Skinner, whose commitment to research never wanes.

Our team at the Herald includes a truly incredible Board, without whom this publication would cease to exist. Abbey Frederick, who is abroad this semester, did incredible work in the fall writing fantastic articles and designing our first Arts Calendar and the first ever cover image for the October Coordinate System issue. Henry Duerr has been a great help with design the last few weeks and has continued work on the podcast as well as following leads for the fantastic Sodexo real food article in this issue. Ani Freedman has written great articles and, when complemented with her exceptional work as our Chief Photographer, who covered the Presidential announcement and whose work never ceases to amaze, it is truly an honor to see her dedication to the Herald – especially when she gets photo assignments with hours to go before publication.

Last year, Albright Dwarka came to me with an idea for a weekly news/ interview series, and I am proud to say that, twenty-four episodes in, The Seneca Scene is going strong under his leadership and dedication. Our incredible Copy Editor Olivia Rowland helps edit every article, along with writing her own fantastic pieces, and stays late during layout to read through the final edition with us to make sure the paper is legible. Arts & Entertainment Editor Wren Andrews has brought the section to new heights through her focus on the Geneva arts with a calendar of events and in-depth music pieces. Finally, Grace Ruble is our fantastic News Editor, consistently writing brilliantly researched pieces, and someone I rely on to craft an issue. She is my right-hand for the Herald; I value her opinion and am so glad she will be stewarding the Herald next year after returning from abroad. I cannot wait to see what she does next.

I cannot emphasize enough how incredible our team is this year; the Herald would not be possible without them.

Distribution

Alex Kerai Wren Andrews Grace Ruble Sarah Walters Audrey Platt Henry Duerr

I would not be here if not for the great editors before me as well: Danny Schonning and Taylor Murray, as well as our two senior editors from last year: Quinn Cullum and Dan Bristol. Working with the four of them has helped shaped the Herald into the campus newspaper you are reading today.

A big thank you also goes to our advisor and mentor Charlie Wilson who has helped students at this paper in the past years. He is a wealth of knowledge and a lot of our work would not have been if not for his advice and guidance.

At the Herald we have been committed to student voices, from our writers to the stories we cover. But with this issue we are doing something different with our main story. We wanted to hear more students’ voices and give them a platform to amplify their stories.

A special thank you to everyone who submitted a view point for this edition of the Herald. This discussion and edition would not be possible without your voices. We are deeply grateful. Thank you.

Submission Guidelines

The Herald is no longer accepting submissions for our upcoming issue. This is the final issue of the semester. Submissions will begin again in September with the start of the new academic year. The deadline is Monday at 5 p.m.

Must include the:

1. Name and Class Year

2. Individual phone number or e-mail E-mail submissions must be made via file attachment.

If criteria are not met , the Herald may not be able to print the submission.

The Herald also reserves the right not to print any submission that violates our journalism and ethical policies, as codified in the Fall 2018 document. For more information, please email herald@hws.edu

The impetus for the story in this edition on race and diversity came from discussions on campus and a recognition that, for things to get better, the conversations needed to be broadcast to the wider community and be engaged with by the whole campus. These pieces aim to begin a conversation at Hobart and William Smith Colleges on race, diversity, and equity.

In our full coverage of this topic, we have an article contextualizing race at colleges and universities, as well as interviews with faculty and staff that aim to explore race and diversity on a macro level at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. That article endeavors to set the scene for the viewpoints that explore race, diversity, and equity from an individual perspective. There is also an article on our research methods that explains and details how these articles and perspectives were collected. If anyone feels their voice was not heard within this special issue, please send a viewpoint to herald@hws.edu and we will publish it on our website.

This is an important time for the Colleges. It is also an exciting time. On July 1, Joyce Jacobsen will begin her tenure as President, and with it the Colleges will embark on a new chapter. The past year has been important in the development of our institution and ensuring a proper legacy for our time at Hobart and William Smith. However, it does not end with the appointment of President-elect Jacobsen. Instead, the work is just beginning.

My notes to you, our readers, this past year have been focused on apathy. They have been focused on student voices. They have been focused on conversations and change. That does not end here. In fact, now it is more important than ever before to ensure that your voice is heard and that you care about what goes on in the community you are part of.

Please remember: the most dangerous thing is an uninformed public. It is impossible to will change through thoughts or hushed conversations. But by sharing your story, by knowing what is going on, and by taking action you can change anything: a community, a campus, a world. Recognize that power, harness it, and use it for good.

The Herald has survived as, and exists to be, a place for viewpoints and a forum for discussion. We cannot tell you what to think or what to do – you must make those decisions for yourself – but we can inform you. That is our goal with this issue and every other issue that we publish.

We are hoping that you hear the voices.

The work does not end here. Just as I said last year, the great work has begun. It is as true now as it was then. We are still moving forward; there is still work to do.

Now it is up to you – I leave this in your hands. Please take care of it and this community, please work hard to sustain it and make it even better than when you first arrived. I wish you all the best of luck and hope that you continue to stay informed and listen to the voices of the people around us.

They are talking to you.

Sincerely, Alex Kerai

EMS Keeps Campus Safe

By Reed Herter ’22 Herald Staff

do all of this for free. Very few people who join are actually pre-med students. “Ryan, our chief, is a music major ... I think only about half of our students are science majors and I think only two are premed,” Liam Night said. “I think there’s a misconception that we’re all trying to be doctors and just put this on our resume, but that’s not true.”

Emergency Medical Services is an Advanced Life Support group on campus made up of trained medical professionals. They are all volunteers, trained to be able to do everything EMTs in ambulances can do. They act as first responders for any medical emergencies on campus no matter how small, helping anyone who is on campus and is injured.

As Chief Ryan Klimkewicz said, “We respond to everything, if you fall and cut yourself, the psychiatric stuff, the flu, if you have appendicitis. We’ve had heart attacks and strokes.” Although only 35 percent of the calls they get are related to drugs or alcohol, this is often understood as their main job on campus. In reality, EMS is so much more than that, whether

it be treating individuals themselves or making decisions about whether people should go to the hospital.

The Chief is Ryan Klimkewicz, but there are four other officers who also hold positions and act as supervisors: Captain of Operations Sara Lewycky, Lieutenant of Safety and Training Rock Spafford, Lieutenant of Personnel Charlie Morgan, and Liam Night, the Head of Recruitment and Public Relations. Each of these people has his or her own role and helps to run the operations while the chief stays in contact with Service Advisor Marty Corbett and the Medical Director, Dr. Jonathan Kushner. There are another 12 members who act as EMTs and will work shifts.

They are all extremely dedicated and

To become an EMS agent, students should go to the informational meetings and then must fill out an application during the fall semester. It will be reviewed and processed generally about halfway through the semester. If applicants are accepted, they will have some preliminary training before taking the certification course in the spring semester. It takes place twice a week at Finger Lakes Community College and is done alongside all of the other classes taken. Then there are ride-alongs the trainees must go on before gaining full certification. Many will become EMT-certified over the summer. After all of this they are able to become full members. This includes HIPAA and privacy training, which is something that is not taken lightly by any members and is heavily stressed by the organization, especially with our small campus. Patient confidentiality is not just a concern, but a necessity.

The experience is said to be one that is very rewarding and intensive. Not only is it time consuming, as these students will work long shifts to accomplish 24/7 coverage, but it provides them with the experience of working as trained medical professionals. The supervisors work 24hour shifts, and the other members will sign up and be on call for hours at a time, making sure that there is always someone available.

“EMS is one of those things you don’t know if you’re going to be good or bad at it,” Ryan said. Members of the close-knit group really do enjoy doing this work. They are able to use their abilities to train to be the best EMTs the campus can have.

A Statement from The Kappa Alpha Society

Submitted by the Kappa Alpha Society

Recently it has come to our attention that a question from one of our exams has been interpreted as being related to race. The question asks, “Are you free born?” While we intended for the question to be considered through a different lens, we understand how the question can be construed as being concerned with race. We were wrong for framing the question this way and we apologize for the interpretation that absolutely does not align with our values. We promise to change the language to ensure that this question reflects our philosophical background and is not in any way related to anything regarding race. This specific question, along with the entirety of the exam, concerns philosophical ideas and terms that include, but are not limited to, free will, predestination, and Rousseau’s social contract theory. This question does not represent our values as an organization on campus and we remain committed to contributing to a respectful and inclusive campus environment. In order to do this, we are looking forward to collaborating with a number of organizations on campus and hope to make positive impact.

The EMS Team Courtesy Photo

Real Food Challenged?

By Henry Duerr ’21 Herald Staff

Food. Something so simple, yet so vital to life. Here at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, food comes through the Sodexo corporation. Sodexo is a French food service and facility management company that operates on 13,000 sites in North America alone. Founded in 1966, Sodexo states that “wherever we work, our dedication to making every day a better day for people and organizations comes from one goal — to positively improve Quality of Life.”

Real Food Challenge (RFC) is an initiative that came to HWS in 2013. RFC dates back to 2007, when student activists and sustainability officials in higher education launched the challenge “as a means to amplify student voices and focus our collective efforts on real change in higher education and in the food industry.” As to their goal, “Real Food Challenge aims to shift $1 billion (20%) of existing university food budgets away from industrial farms and unhealthy food and towards local & community-based, fair, ecologically sound, and humane food sources— what we call Real Food—by 2020.”

The RFC determines what makes real food in a number of ways, but the guiding principle is health and sustainability for producers, earth, consumers, and communities. This means that in order to qualify, a food product must be local and community based, fair, ecologically sound, and humane. The RFC is continually adapting to the food industry and has released new food standards on several occasions, the most recent being in July of 2018.

The RFC puts food into one of three categories: Real Food A, Real Food B, and Conventional. Real Food A products meet two or more standards and best represent said standards. Real Food B products meet one or more standard but may not best represent those standards. Items that don’t meet any of these standards are put into the Conventional category. Some disqualifiers that would land a food item in the Conventional category: egregious human rights or labor violations, concentrated animal feeding operations, genetically modified organisms, and ultra-processed foods (foods containing controversial dyes, trans-fats etc.) In essence, Real Food A is devoid of these things and exemplifies the RFC standards. Real Food B meets one standard and hasn’t been disqualified. Conventional food fails to meet any of the RFC standards or may have been disqualified.

We spoke with a representative of the RFC here at HWS to see how we as a campus are measuring up to these standards. We received statistics from the academic years of 2013-2014 and 2015-2016. For the academic year of 2013-2014, the RFC report divided the food as 4% Real Food A, 6% Real Food B, and 91% Conventional. The next year, Real Food A was at 2%, Real Food B at 10%, and Conventional Food at 88%.

In interview, Russell Payne for the Herald spoke to Dave McCandless, the General Manager of Sodexo at HWS. McCandless emphasized that “Sodexo has a national relation with RFC. It’s something we believe in.” He also questioned the accuracy of the figures, citing vendors who have been disqualified for poor reasons. McCandless explained, for example, that “Byrne dairy doesn’t qualify. They are a fantastic family-owned company that grew too successful, and now

they don’t count. The only reason they were disqualified was for being too big.” On the inverse side, McCandless said that figures could be skewed by “small producers who can’t carry the certifications and insurance, and actually spend the money to achieve these categories.” He also mentioned the need to examine the actual input of the figures, saying that “we have already identified several of them and we will be working with sustainability and the RFC intern in order to plug some of those holes.”

Last academic year (2017-2018), Real Food A was reported at 0%, Real Food B was at 2%, and Conventional was at 98%. Examining the results of the Real Food Challenge report, we found that 1% of the food was local. 1% was deemed ecologically sound food. 1% of the food was fair trade. 0% of the food was humane.

The expenditures of the 20132014 academic year that were recorded and tabulated in the RFC calculator totaled $411,803. The subsequent year of 2015-2016, the recorded expenditures rose to $418,791. To put some of the statistics into spending, in 20132014 Sodexo spent $37,062 on Real Food, both A and B. In 2015-2016, Real Food A and B spending went up to $50,254. Going off of these numbers, if we project Sodexo’s expenditures for the academic year of 2017-2018 at $425,000 and apply the RFC data (0% Real Food A, 2% Real Food B, 98% Conventional), the total spending on items that weren’t disqualified from these expenditures was $8,500. That means that the total amount of confirmed spending for food that was ecologically sound, humanely sourced, fair trade, and locally produced in 2017-2018 was less than $9,000.

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education runs a self-reporting, transparent framework by which universities can measure their food performance. This network, the Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System, or STARS, is run by the office of Sustainability at HWS. Our overall STARS score, as of March 2018, is 61.98 out of 100. Additionally, on the same STARS report there is a section noting that “Sodexo, the HWS dining service provider, has committed to 20% local purchase by 2020 through the Better Tomorrow Plan.” The BTP is a corporate responsibility roadmap that Sodexo has laid out as “designed to keep us on track in relation to our aspirations as a responsible business.” Sodexo plans to fully implement the BTP into their business model by 2025, noting that the effort “increases our influence and helps us retain and grow services with existing clients.”

McCandless acknowledged that “Trying to balance the needs of everyone through one operation isn’t always easy and very rarely makes everyone happy.” There is certainly an agreement on that. The numbers would indicate that the student body must take it upon themselves if they want to make this change. If there is an established baseline of just how good our food is, we can measure our growth and create real change. We have another six years in our contract; let’s use them “to positively improve Quality of Life.”

Student Art Exhibit Begins

The Student Art and Architecture Exhibit begins on Friday, April 26th at Houghton House and around the Arts Campus.

The gallery celebrates the work of student artists on campus and includes “Visual invention in color and in black and white, in silkscreens and in photographs, in charcoal and in paint, in sculpture and digital media from students in studio classes,” according to the press release. Architectural studio students will also be showcasing projects that emphasize the design process and include “final models, multi-media studies, and rendered drawings.”

This is an annual exhibition that aims to display the work of students in all studio courses. Pieces were selected for representation by the faculty members of the Art and Architecture department to “represent the artistic vision and passion of the student art community.”

Senior studio art major Niki Russell ’19 told the Herald, “The best thing about the student show is that the goal is to get as much student art into the gallery as possible without it being too much. It’s not an exhibition of a few pieces and mostly white wall. It’s a show of madness, full of many different people and minds, all squeezed together into a beautiful space.

Sort of like the school itself.”

There is a reception on Friday, April 26th from 6 – 8 p.m. The gallery will be open until graduation on Sunday, May 19th

A piece created by Ethan Leon ‘19 Courtesy Photo

Race at HWS and Beyond

Viewpoint 1 Viewpoint 2

By Valerie Cuellar Class of 2020

Diversity is always a point of reference when having conversations about inclusivity. In HWS, it is all about appearance and image. This institution brings in groups like POSSE, HEOP, and other organizations that bring in that diversity they want to showcase. Once those students are on campus, any discrimination or oppression they face gets pushed onto the back burner because of course, building a bubble with donated money is much more important. Maybe we should have a fund for the oppressed on this campus to be taken much more seriously.

We have offices in place to deal with diversity issues. According to its mission statement, the Office of Inclusion and Diversity “fosters dignity and respect ensuring that all members of the HWS community have an equal opportunity to thrive.” This sounds great, but when I feel like I am not given an equal opportunity as my fellow students or that I am treated with respect, I am not able to talk about it because I’m being too “critical” or too “emotional.” I have trouble trusting the institution with diversity because they claim that they are ensuring that everyone feels included and has the opportunity to thrive, yet still adhering to the coordinate system, for example. A student that is aware of issues that affect minority students told me that, “Approximately 600 students are accepted in each class, at least in the 2020 class, and less than 100 are POC. Tell me how that’s diverse,” says Marissa ’20. Sometimes I don’t even feel part of this small community because I am lighter than many of my POC brothers and sisters. This campus then exploits the only students of color and the five out queer students to join in on conversations about diversity and inclusivity, but it becomes the same conversation us students have on our own. People who should be there and should listen to the concerns about this campus are never there. Then we, the students who are facing these issues, are forced to stand up for our communities. We not only have to become advocates for our communities, but also slaves to the institution and to its traditions. Having a diverse campus takes more than just having POC students. Having a queer community requires more than just having queer people on campus. Wake up HWS. We are not diverse. We are divided. We are on a campus that silences me when I say, “HWS claims to have a queer community but they don’t.” I am criticized for having views that go against traditions. That is not diversity. But I will remain in my positions. I will remain to be a POSSE scholar that deserves to be here, I will remain as an active member of the LGBTQ+ Communities, and I will remain a person of color that struggles but strives with my own volition. Diversity is a joke on this campus. People of color, Republicans, radicals, white feminists, that is not diversity, we are just a melting pot that is waiting to explode because we are not given the resources to work amongst one another. When that does happen, good luck HWS.

By Lin Yi Wei Class of 2020

The other day, I overheard something in passing in the library. Two students, one standing and the other seated, were having a casual conversation that went a little something like this: “Why didn’t you say hi to me the other day,” asked the female student. “What do you mean? I did say hi,” is his response. “No, you looked at me and gave me the finger.” “I don’t know … That’s how they say hello in China.”

At this point, I realize that neither of them realizes that I’m in front of them. I make a loud gesture and they look startled, as if my presence appears from thin-air. The girl looks at me and she has nothing to say while the other, a football player, makes some remark to sweep it under the rug. I hear nothing even remotely resembling a sorry so I tune him out. I lock eyes with the girl and feel my shoulders drooping beneath me. My eyes narrow and I can feel every muscle fiber in my body let go. It’s funny because she’s my friend and she can’t even spare the effort to say something.

It’s crazy because in my three short years here, I’ve heard more people say things like “why are you playing the race card” or “why do you gotta make it about race.” I hear various iterations of this for other marginalized communities on campus too. I’ve realized that the same people who say these types of things are also the type to be your friend. They’re amiable and most of the time, no one has anything bad to say about them. They could come from wealthy families, play sports, enjoy the nightlife scene of Geneva, or even have a black best friend. But behind closed doors, when there’s no one around but others who share the same pale complexion, they’ll just go on complaining that people talk too much about race, sexual discrimination, feminism, etc. These are also the same people who will look around when Drake drops the n-word in a song and repeat after him.

Repeat after me: HWS is not a socially-conscious or safe space. It takes what energy you have as an artist, an innovator, a dreamer, a realist, and a humanist and siphons it to fuel its already self-inflated ego.

A couple weeks later, I find myself in a bar downtown; the scene is no different from how it usually is. There’s a combination of beer and cocktails on the floor in the shape of footprints while everyone is sloshing past each other. As I try and make my way into the bar, I bump into the football player whom I overheard. We stare at each other for a moment, placing the other while everyone else slides by irritatingly. “Hey you’re that racist guy who said that China thing,” is the first thing I say. His brows furrow and the neutral expression he was wearing a moment ago becomes clouded with anger. I can

Context: Race and Diversity at HWS

By Alex Kerai ’19 Editor-in-Chief

On Monday morning, April 22, 2019, spray-painted words were discovered across campus. The words noted “Make America Great Again,” the campaign slogan of President Donald Trump, and included “Trump 22” and the campaign chant “Build the Wall.” This was only the most recent in a string of incidents in the last few weeks on the campus of Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Two weeks ago, a unit in O’Dell’s was egged. Campus Safety is said to be investigating the incident. The unit includes 3 international Chinese students and the eggs seemed to have been an isolated incident. (Nothing further has been reported since.) But surrounding units have been reported as using language that is negative towards minorities. The eggs and language have not been explicitly connected, but this incident made one resident feel like an outsider.

Finally, Director of Campus Safety Martin Corbett did confirm that someone ripped down a display for Black History Month in Durfee Hall recently. A separate incident happened as well where someone had drawn a confederate flag on another student’s white board. These incidents did not happen at the same time and are currently under investigation.

Those are three instances this semester. Unfortunately, this is not new to the campus.

There are many of instances in the past decade that reflect racist and abhorrent language that convey hatred, racism, and prejudice. October 2009 saw the men’s crew team dressed in blackface for a Halloween costume party, pretending to be slaves. Fall 2011 included two instances: mock business interviews where a black female student was told to make her dreadlocked hair look professional and Campus Safety checking IDs of black males because of reports of a “suspicious black male” on campus.

These were not just isolated incidents either. An article on race relations at Hobart and William Smith Colleges notes that “n-word and other racial epithets are not infrequently invoked in semi-anonymous forums, including yik-yak and other social media.” (This can be seen in Viewpoint #5.)

President Mark Gearan wrote an email to the campus community in February 2016

addressing the comments. A walk-out was organized in response and We the Unheard, a grassroots movement, began to collaborate with faculty and staff to discuss issues.

Another incident in September 2016 prompted an email from President Gearan where he wrote: “There have been moments during my tenure as president when the actions of a small few have challenged our values.” There was a photograph posted to Snapchat, and also reposted to the HWS Snaps account, that was “racist, anti-Semitic and that promotes a virulent form of xenophobia.” It was an important moment among the community, as it prompted campus-wide attention for the reach of the image and led to President Gearan writing: “We must not and do not tolerate hatred, bigotry and prejudice.”

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion began following the Strategic Diversity Plan of 2016. It led to the search of a Chief Diversity Officer – a position which was filled until last year and has been vacant pending a search and hire. There was a faculty group that was in place while the Chief Diversity Officer position has been empty, which endeavored to create change and power the office, according to professors who served on the committee. It fizzled out due to other time commitments and the fact that “volunteering did not seem worth it” when there was not an active search for a Chief Diversity Officer.

According to another faculty member, the budget for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion has been cut to fund only the Chief Diversity Officer. Additionally, not all avenues of the Strategic Diversity Plan have been funded.

There was also a student-led Race & Racism Coalition that talked about racism (race relations) with staff, faculty, and students. The group sponsored forums and dialogue groups on campus and was led by students of color. According to a member of the group, diversity was used as a way to coopt race dialogue and the talk about equity got coopted. The coalition stopped around 2014-2015.

At HWS, student groups, along with Intercultural Affairs and Alejandro Molina, became integral in discussing and responding to instances of hate on campus. The Office of Spiritual Engagement, particularly former Chaplain Maurice Charles and current Director of the Abbe

Center for Jewish Life Julianne Miller, have also engaged the campus community on discussions of hate and prejudice in campus and around the world.

In light of recent campus events, responses from the administration, faculty, and staff have become more important than ever in maintaining a semblance of community. As part of our full coverage on race and diversity on college campuses, the Herald has had interviews and discussions with faculty and members of senior staff to figure out how the administration responds to instances of hate.

In response to questions submitted by the Herald, Interim President Patrick McGuire wrote, “Hobart and William Smith Colleges are committed to fostering an educational, living and working environment in which all members of our community are welcomed and respected, and where diversity is celebrated.” In light of recent events, McGuire reiterated, “The Colleges have no tolerance for those who violate our community standards by participating in hate speech, and have in place an adjudication and hearing process to address transgressions.”

However, the notion of repercussions has always been a question, especially since incidents become publicized among the campus community but actions taken against individuals remain confidential. McGuire did elaborate and note that a Bias Incident Response Team was created in 2015 by the Division of Student Life and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. This team, Vice President for Student Life Robb Flowers explained, “includes faculty and staff from across areas and departments on campus in reviewing what we have, what’s being reported, what response should the colleges have, and to let people know that there’s a place for people to report this.” Flowers did note that “we have expelled students for acts – when we have been able to identify students that have committed acts of hate speech, harassment, true threats we have expelled students both through the Committee on Standards and the administration.”

When discussing funding, which is something many culture clubs and their leaders have discussed (as can be seen in Viewpoint #13), Flowers said that “we created the Diversity and Inclusion Fund so

Race at HWS and Beyond Viewpoint 3

This piece was written by an anonymous student who idetified as: “I am a woman of color, an athlete and a non-citizen.”

Before writing my piece, I would like to thank the Herald for giving us this opportunity to share my thoughts on diversity on this campus. At the same time, I wonder at the strategic timing of this article in its effort to change campus culture considering, that it is being published at the end of the academic year and which does not leave much time for further discussion or reaction. In this vein, I would like to challenge the Herald, as well as the school, to think of long-term strategies for having these conversations about diversity, - conversations that certainly need to happen if we are to make any progress on inclusiveness in our community. That said, there always needs to be a beginning, so I am thankful to be part of what I hope will become a meaningful initiative. I begin my piece below.

In my first couple years at the colleges, I felt much more hopeful about diversity. I started with the assumption that prejudice, - a socially constructed belief - can be changed. But through my experiences as well as my studies, I have learned that the issue of race is much more complicated than mere prejudice.

I’ll begin with my own experience. As a woman of color, as an athlete, and as a non-citizen, I have found that even the most “liberal” people on campus are unwilling to have the conversations any healthy campus should have about diversity. I understand that race is a sensitive topic, - and that people are afraid to say the wrong thing - to be labelled “prejudiced,” “conservative” on a liberal arts campus, “sexist,” or even “racist.” Engaging in these issues are necessarily risky, in challenging the status quo. But problems don’t fix themselves, and so tip-toeing on eggshells, and avoiding those elephants in the room that are “sensitive,” or controversial, just reinforces existing conditions. Yet that is exactly what most people, including liberals, do when the topic of diversity is raised. My negative experiences, however, move past conversation to the real consequences for people of color.

International exchange students from Germany who were writing their American studies thesis on this campus once described HWS as a microcosm of the US, with little Asia, the other students of color, and white Americans all occupying separate spaces on campus. To value diversity is to take the time to get to know others and understand different backgrounds, cultures, viewpoints and discussions. It is to take the time to appreciate our “differences,” so marketed to us by colleges, when in fact it is my belief that if we spent time together, we would discover we have much more in common. It should be noted that this emphasis upon “differences” that the colleges market is perhaps not the best strategy for helping us recognize our similarities or our personhood. Nevertheless, it is presumably with the noble aim of bridging so-called differences and of fostering new and diverse understandings so important in academia, self-discovery and the wider-world, that colleges such as ours often aim to bring together diverse groups of students, all to the same campus, the same classrooms, and the same social spheres. Yet, students at HWS remain divided, - just as in other academic institutions and in the US at large.

Viewpoint 5

By Shaamar Samuel Class of 2019

Fall, 2016 at Hobart and William Smith. Yik Yak. An anonymous mobile app.

I remember it being a Wednesday or Thursday night in the fall of my very first semester of my freshman year. I was sitting in the second floor common room of Sherill Hall scrolling on my phone and hearing lots of gossiping and loud chattering echoing from down the hall. For Sherill this was not surprising at all.

After ignoring the loud noises and continuing to scroll through my various social media profiles, I decided to check my Yik Yak app. After tapping on the green icon and opening my feed I remember being immediately drawn to the first message on my screen that read “Holy fuck I feel like there’s gonna be a race war on campus and it’s gonna be hilarious.” To this day I am still struggling to comprehend why a race war would be humorous, but that’s not the point of this piece …

After scrolling though the app some more I began seeing posts saying that “black people need to thankful for affirmative action because they would not be here without it” and others alluding to the fact that students of color at HWS should bleach themselves to solve their issues.

As a reminder this was one of my initial understandings of race relations at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. This was the dark energy that was put out into the campus atmosphere just months into my collegiate experience which I envisioned to start off on a more welcoming tone. Later gathering with friends in JPR, we began discussing these disturbing messages on the public app. After about (I kid you not) two minutes of conversation, our anger, sadness, embarrassment, and general feelings of being unwelcome at our own institution, turned into action. We knew that same night that we would have to take things publicly instead of stomping our feet in the confines of Jackson hall.

I question why the white girl who asks me a question on an assignment only talks to me for [her own] academic purposes.

Why is it that even my best friend, who is one of the most outgoing people I know, still won’t be invited places by her white friends. Why is it that, as she says, “It is only when I am walking next to a white guy that I become visible.”

With the help of many student leaders from all walks of campus life, school administrators, staff, and faculty, a campus-wide protest was swiftly organized for the Friday of that same week outside of Scandling Center. After numerous students walked out of classes on that rainy fall Friday in opposition to the racist remarks being circulated around campus what transpired next was a testament to the genuine character of student activism at HWS. As I approached Scandling the campus was quieter than I believe it has ever been in my four years here. Students silently formed a tight nit arm to arm human link chain and blocked off the entrance to our main student center Scandling. In one of the most humbling, candid, and unprecedented expressions of support I felt not so much welcomed by HWS, but rather I felt a sense of slight hope for my future at the colleges. I knew in that moment that regardless of the immense hatred and racism being spewed out by members of my community that there was active collectivism that was undeniable in that moment.

If I had the support of just a few out of the hundreds of students who braved the rain and cold on that fall Friday morning I knew that much work could and would be done to change our campus community.

I question why the white girl who asks me a question on an assignment only talks to me for (her own) academic purposes. Why is it that even my best friend, who is one of the most outgoing people I know, still won’t be invited places by her white friends. Why is it that, as she says, “It is only when I am walking next to a white guy that I become visible.” Why is it that the West-African student finds themselves distinguished from African Americans, or “those black people,” - as if there is some hierarchy going on around us that we don’t all of us quite understand and must learn about as we maneuver around American society. Why is it that college campuses are said to champion diversity, bringing together a diverse body of people, and yet the groups stay segregated, and the people of color are heard only by their fellow non-white students? My classes may offer some answers.

The history of racial construction in America is one of them. From systematic prejudice and exclusion in housing and real estate, to voting rights, citizenship, the prison industrial complex, police brutality, and even the expansion or addition of new racial categories both within and outside of the US, social “constructions” are necessary for conception of race. The social construction of race may seem illogical to those unfamiliar with the history and who take those categories for granted, but it is touched upon in college classes related to issues of race. Professors are good resources for students who still have questions on this.

In one of my classes, we discussed the civil rights movement. We learned that it was not only the “beliefs” of Southern whites that made them so reluctant to concede to the demands of the movement, but “economic interests” surrounding the repressive labor regime that the Southern white elite relied upon. We learned that just as with the apartheid counter-movement in South Africa, it was the sustained “economic” sanctions and repercussions from insurgency that eventually forced elites’ concessions. At the same time, we learned that Northern support for the civil rights movement did not only materialize due to support from sympathetic white allies. Instead, political support for the civil rights cause was based upon strategic, political advantages that were perceived in the newly-formed African voting blocks in the North and the mid-West. Moreover, shrewd business elites in the North recognized that societal disruptions from protests worked against business interests and pressured the South to change their policies if they wanted to attract the same industrial investments. In South Africa, business elites, who had few complaints when apartheid still benefitted them, took it upon themselves to pressure government for political change when worker unrest dented their profits. Most importantly, both movements were primarily driven not by business, nor by political elites, but from sustained disruption that originated from below.

In another one of our classes, one of the authors we read by the name of Pulido, presented

As a final semester senior who has about three weeks left in my undergraduate college experience I can now proudly say that my first encounters with race on HWS were not definitive nor completely representative of all race dynamics on campus. While there is endless work to be right here at the colleges to ameliorate the experiences of all students, these moments do not reflect the entire campus body.

What my freshmen year experiences exposed was an inherent responsibility for students like myself, faculty, staff, and our allies to collectively speak up on injustices and issues of great contention not only at HWS but also in a greater world as well. The HWS experience is one that I know is entirely varied for each student and is one that everyone will describe somewhat differently. I am hopeful for the future of the colleges and know that my encounters and sharing of this story will help to inspire more HWS students to actively engage with issues of conflict.

Viewpoint 4

This piece was written by an anonymous William Smith junior who is heavily involved on campus.

My experience as a POC on campus has been that I am not a POC on campus. Even though I am half Puerto Rican, I do not fit in with cultural clubs at HWS. I know that I have a very white lived experience – I do not speak Spanish, I don’t know all of the slang, and especially in Geneva winters, I am pretty pale. With all of this in mind, I cannot deny the Spanishness within my last name. I can’t deny that my father is Puerto Rican. I can’t deny that I have had experiences that are unique to me because I am Puerto Rican. And yet, no one here seems to care, and often deny me of my own experiences. In the classroom, many of my classmates have said that I don’t count as a POC and that the class is all white, despite my Latinx last name.

I know I am not alone in being biracial and not knowing what this means for me socially, but it always feels as though those people still find their place while keeping their non-white identity intact. With this said, I hope that others do not feel alone with their identity as I often do. When the comedian Ernie G came to Geneva, I finally felt like I was entitled to my identity. I do not speak Spanish, but I do know what it’s like for my grandma to hit me with her chankla, or the smell of her plantains filling the kitchen. At HWS, I know that the doors to LAO, the IC, or CSA are open to me, but I also know that I will not be enough for them, and unfortunately, I have had to become okay with that.

Race at HWS and Beyond

Viewpoint 7

This piece was written by a William Smith student.

Being a student of color at HWS feels like being a speck of dirt on a blank, white canvas: unwanted, undesirable, outcasted, the list goes on. It’s apparent that this institution, as well as many other collegiate environments, never intended to accommodate for students of color. The systematic disadvantages translate to the social dynamics surrounding diversity on campus. I don’t know why I had such high hopes for the outcome of my first year knowing this school is a PWI (predominantly white institution). Perhaps it was the core group of scholarship kids I was coming in with or the fact that we were going to have our first black president. It was like when Barack Obama won the Presidential Election. It was my sign of hope. Turned out he was actually a Ben Carson. But that was one of many calamities of my first year.

My first year was my most intense socially, but it taught me how to approach ignorance when directed toward me. There were many times when I’ve been on the other end of microaggressions, which in my opinion is just indirect racism, but it did shock me when it came from my own friend, my naivety getting the best of me. This particular friend is white and always made it a point to present herself as “woke.” But it was not until we made plans to go to her house that she showed her true colors. When my friends and I were walking back to our dorms, we were messing around and acting immaturely, mainly myself. My “woke” friend then turned to me and said “you better not act like that in front of my parents.” I told her that I obviously knew that. I usually act playfully and foolishly around my friends, but a lot of them know how strict my parents are, especially with how I present myself in public. Being Latina, I was raised with traditional Latinx values that emphasized respect for our elders along with the development of honorifics. So, it is likely that I would know how to behave around parents. My “friend” then continued and said, “But you don’t understand.

My parents are different. We were raised differently, you wouldn’t understand.” I asked her what she meant by that. “You know, like we come from two different upbringings. You have to be extra careful when approaching my parents and behave properly. You’ll learn.” Oh, I did learn. Especially when she yelled and cursed at her mom over the phone when she didn’t get her the right Harry Styles tickets in the section she wanted. Or when she talked back to her parents and never saying thank you after they restocked her food pantry. How about when she called her mom a bitch and then hung up? If I ever did that to my parents, I would have been punched in the mouth and disowned from my family. But don’t worry, I’m learning now.

I learned that she was what I dreaded most about this school. She already had these preconceived notions about me, so I had to be strategic about how I went about confronting her. When I approached her to discuss my hurt of her assumptions toward me, I treated her how I thought was appropriate when confronting a racist white woman: I was extra cautious and calculated with how I brought forward my concerns. We sat across from each other on individual couches and I leaned back as far as I could, so there was no way she could have said I touched her or was in her face. When I began to talk, I made sure my voice was calm, collected yet stern to bring forth my seriousness but not to the point where she would feel “threatened.” I tried my best not to give her any ways of incriminating me and flipping the script. I told her, “I think what you said was incredibly insensitive and ” I couldn’t finish my sentence without her bursting into tears. I asked her why she was crying. She said she didn’t know so I said, “Well then I’ll

finish.” I spoke to her as if I was calling customer service for a concern, I was professional yet direct. She then made excuses that had no correlation to her racist remarks and then said that lately she’s felt that I had been mean to her. As if that was an excuse to assume that Latinos don’t know how to behave properly. This was her attempt to antagonize me and depict me as the angry Latina who couldn’t control herself, but it failed. I chuckled and told her if we could get back to the topic at hand. Let’s just say that she ended up storming off yelling while I sat there calmly as she made a scene. We are no longer friends. If I’m being honest, I was scared of how much power she had. Even though she was in the wrong, she’s white, she had the upper hand, especially in confrontations with people of color. Black kids get shot in the streets because they are already depicted as criminals, god forbid a white woman cry wolf. It would be Emmett Till all over again.

That was one of my most intense moments as a student of color. Unfortunately, there has been several situations where people have displayed their ignorance, but I’ve just found the humor in some of them. When I went to Diwali night hosted by the South Asia Student Association, I was thanked by a white student for hosting such a nice event. I’m Latina. Once, when I was at FLX live, one of my classmates drunkenly came up to me and asked me if I was Native American. Another classmate of mine approached me in the library and calling me another Latina student’s name. I can probably write a whole dissertation long paper about experiences I have had similar to these, but these are just to name a few.

What is not humorous is what I woke up to today: the campus I reside in vandalized with hateful rhetoric that is aimed in excluding and harming myself as well as a huge demographic of people with the words “Build the Wall,” “Trump22” and MAGA spelled wrong (I guess that’s the representation of a Hobart education. Betsy Devos would be so proud). When taking pictures of these atrocities, a white student laughed at me and walked in front of my cameras. The fact that this is comical and easily brushed off by my white peers is a depiction of race relations on campus and it is exuded in the campus culture.

This institution has shown to do a poor job in collectively welcoming and including people of color in my experience and several of my white peers. In most of my classes, I’ve been one of the only people of color and given the unofficial position of token person of color when referenced as the spokesperson against racism. It’s even difficult to resonate with professors, especially those who teach classes on race, when they themselves do not experience the same struggles as those they are teaching. Even the resources provided for us are minimalistic. The Office of Diversity was locally known as a joke because of their lack of results and is, as of now, nonexistent. The Intercultural Affairs house is the main location on campus where students of color seek refuge, even though it is small and on the edge of campus. It also happens to be across Campus Security, which can easily be insinuated to be questionable reflecting on today’s political climate and battles of police brutality. There are attempts to make this institution more POC friendly, but it is rarely fully executed, or the effort is not where it should be. It is treated like a minor issue. It is tiring to always be concerned with race dynamics and it being implemented in every aspect of my life. It says a lot when my white peers are clueless to the sentiments of students of color because they do not experience the same issues as we do. It is a privilege to not have to worry racial politics, about your safety, or your existence being a spectacle when you are a white person. Lucky you.

By Hamdan Ahmed Class of 2020

3 years ago, when I came to HWS, I was the only international student from Pakistan along with a couple other Pakistani-Americans. In 17 years of my life, I was never discriminated against because of my color and, since it was just my second time in the States, I was very new to racism. I did not even know what a “person of color (POC)” meant. Even after joining HWS, it took me a whole semester to realize that I am a POC, since I did not understand why we needed a specific term for people who are not white. For me, everyone was the same; my white friends were not superior to my black or brown friends and my black or brown friends were not superior to my white friends and I thought it is the same for every person at HWS. However, that was not the case. What I did not know was that very few people are openly racist. It was not until the elections of 2016, when I saw most of my white friends celebrating the victory of Donald Trump. I couldn’t believe that the “friends” who I thought were like my family and who I use to spend more than 10-12 hours a day supported a person who wanted me out of the country. For a whole year, I could not understand how they could discriminate between whites and the people of color but still be friends with members of POC. However, after the first year, I started to see the differences in treatment they provided to their white friends and the friends who were people of color and it changed my whole perspective towards HWS.

In last three years, Hobart and William Smith Colleges has done a great job in increasing diversity on campus, however, it failed to cater the needs of the diverse student body. For example, every single year, they admit several Muslim students even when they know Hobart and William Smith lacks all the basic things that a Muslim needs in his/her/their daily life to practice their religion. The surprising part is that the administration is still not willing to put any effort in changing the campus to cater the needs of the Muslim body. Every single resource we have on campus for Muslim students is like a piece of decoration that the admissions can show to prospective Muslim students to admit them. Once the students are admitted, now it is their responsibility to work their asses off to bring resources to campus. 2 years ago, I worked with the Dining Services to bring Halal food to HWS for the first time, however, due to lack of consideration and education, they started cooking the food along with pork and non-Halal food which defeated the whole purpose. Similarly, we have a Muslim center on campus where Muslims can pray, however, the center is in the basement of a house which is 15 minutes’ walk away from the campus and that makes it infeasible for Muslims to offer prayers. However, on the admissions website, Hobart and William Smith Colleges observe Muslim holidays such as Eid, has Halal food in the main dining hall and has a Muslim center where Muslims can go pray anytime. It is nothing more than a lie!

We do have Intercultural Affairs office who is always willing to help people of color, but that is just one office. The HWS campus is filled with departments and offices who would not even think twice before saying no to an initiative to help people of color on campus. HWS recently gave a house to Queer People of Color (QPOC) after years of demand and, I believe, now we just have three houses for the whole people of color community. Not only that, it is not uncommon for professors to discriminate between students. In last three years, I’ve heard a lot of stories about professors discriminating between students or being micro aggressive, and last semester, I experienced it myself.

Even though Hobart and William Smith failed at many levels to cater the needs of people of color on campus, it still made me who I am today. If HWS already provided the resources that we needed, I would not have had an opportunity to grow as a leader and work for my community. Every single struggle and every single resource the campus lacked gave me a new motivation to take an initiative and make the campus better for the students who are going to come after me.

Race at HWS and Beyond Viewpoint 8 Viewpoint 9

By Donovan Hayden Class of 2019

This piece was conducted as an in-person interview with a single question asked: “What has been your experience at HWS as a person of color?” The student’s response was transcribed and approved by the interviewee prior to publication.

In terms of my experience as a black person on campus, it’s been through a lot of changes throughout my four years. In terms of when I first came to school, it was really a big sense of powerlessness that I wasn’t used to and also was just confusing and contradictory cause I was so involved on campus and I had so many connections and I was doing so well academically and on paper I was doing what I needed to do.

But yet, in my first year I was friends with mostly white students, but then as soon as we got outside the classroom, as soon as we actually got off the paper and in real life they had so many more privileges so much more access to this campus that I didn’t in terms of, just even in ways that they sat down in Saga. They didn’t worry about where they were sitting, well they didn’t as long as it was on the first tier, right? They moved through this campus in a way that… not looking over their shoulder like I was and every place on this campus to them whether they consciously thought about it or not was their home. And there were places I definitely felt at home here, but it was definitely not every place on campus. So that was, in my first year that was the big thing.

And then even in like my sophomore it was really thinking that “I’m going to challenge and change these systems” right? And just being totally discouraged by that and even in the fraternity I brought up issues of race, I brought up those issues, and they were addressed, but it’s like every single time I have to fix it and there’s no one else to fix it.

At first I was okay with that labor but at one point I was like “no” especially when I’m looking at this is actually only benefitting black men. This is not benefiting black people, black women, black queer people so I mean for me I think in terms of this experience on campus it is that contradiction of how many black students I know and how many students of color I know that are really doing good things on this campus and have their names everywhere and still those students don’t feel fully at home here, fully comfortable, have full agency over this space. And the people who literally just hang out – it’s their world and that’s the part that infuriates me and gets me so angry and gets me sad and makes me feel so discouraged.

And in terms of where I’m at now I guess...there is a growing apathy that is happening amongst students of color where it’s just this school will never listen, this school wasn’t meant for me and the only thing I can get out of this is a degree and some connections and maybe some people that are cool to talk to, but I don’t care to change this place and I’ve gotten some pushback myself that “Oh you still believe that we can make this place diverse and inclusive,” and I do, but I also understand how a lot of these students are just like, “I don’t care to do that like I’m here and I will suffer through these four years and I will get my degree and I will leave.” And the sad part, especially when I talk to underclassmen is what they don’t realize is a lot of those students they don’t come back. I knew so many students of color, especially queer students of color, especially women who just, they disappear, I mean they don’t disappear they transfer, they left or they dropped out right?

So it is easy to say I’ll struggle through it but once you get to that sophomore year or that junior year it’s a heavy toll and I think that’s the big thing I would say is that I do believe that this campus will always be white dominated, there will always be racist elements in it even in the institution, but for me it is important to call on the people who are supposed to be responsible to serve, people that are supposed to serve the student body because whether they like me or not they have signed on to do a job to keep the students here safe to keep the students here prosperous so if they’re not doing their job it’s important for us to call them out on it and acknowledge that those systems may still exist but I don’t have to walk around this place constantly feeling this cloud that is always following me and have buildings and places and people that I have to actively avoid where I go and I just don’t feel safe, that shouldn’t be a part of it.

Viewpoint 10

The following piece was submitting by a first generation woman of color at HWS.

Your commentary on how you think black people are inherently inferior, loud, and ghetto, and how black people should be nicer to the police if they don’t want to get shot all the time don’t really have a place in my college experience. Now, don’t get scared away too quickly. When I’m saying “your”, I’m not homogenizing an entire group of people, if you’re one of the people I am talking about, you know you are. Comments I hear in passing or even commentary that some of my white peers make that immediately lead to a nod and abrupt walking away isn’t me supporting or condoning your thought, it’s the literal refusal I have to deal with your nonsense. The small percentage of people of color attending the institution is magnified to me on a daily basis. The occasional pops of color in the seas of homogeneity that increases your visibility, vulnerability, and awareness of yourself and your space is something I felt from the moment I stepped on campus. The gorgeous lake and elite feel of academia from the quad and across campus are a constant reminder of the elite bubbles of academia, and white privilege. Yeah, I know, I go here too. This is supposed to be the level playing field right? I overcame so many obstacles to get here and this should be the deep breath right? I should overlook the accusations of affirmative action, the condescending looks and comments, the imposed feeling of inferiority and less than, and just believe that this is the eradication of racism and jumpstart to a future of equality? I am not saying this to ignore the privilege that comes from being here and obtaining a college degree. We learned human capital theory in my econ class, and I am definitely adding to mine while being here. However, it’s still at an institution on stolen native land, an institution with a KKK photo in its yearbook, and an institution that resides in a system of white supremacy that is the American state. Uh oh… too radical right?

A large part of the liberal agenda is preaching understanding and love. If a system quite literally has its boot on your neck, do you have to ask it how its day has been going? Someone yells at you and you respond with a poem of love? What is this level of understanding, compassion, and level headedness that people of color are expected to have when faced with hatred and disrespect? I am human. I get angry, I get annoyed, and I raise my voice. With that being said, there’s

Plural monoculturalism. Were it not for attempt at education in the field of comparative world politics, the phrase would be alien to myself as well. However, after my unseemly attempt, I have a simple understanding of the concept. Tagged by Amartya Sen, plural monoculturalism describes diverse communities that have no incentive or intention to interact with one another.

Within my first hours at HWS, a peer turns to me and says with the subtlety of 10-inch pencil heels: “You speak English really well.”

When questioned on her statement she continued with: “I’ve just never meet someone like you who can. When you were on the phone, I was worried you were a white girl.”

All kinds of alarm bells rang as her sentence played over in my head, a broken record player on repeat.

Someone like you Worried you were a white girl

None the less, as a person of color, I was secure in the knowledge that I would fit in with her and the “community of colored people” that she believed to be solely belonging to herself. It had not occurred to me to think of the consequences of her ideology or the ideology of others for that matter.

To this person, all others unlike her were the enemy, entities different to herself and alien to her social and environmental sphere. This extreme went unnoticed to me until the reoccurrence of similar behavior in non-POC communities on campus as well. With refusals to engage, disinterest and effort-driven attempts to avoid one another, HWS was rife with plural monoculturalism.

Why is this an issue? proponents of one side or the other alongside all those indifferent to the matter will question the need to address it.

“Race relations on campus are bad,” said the professor detailing an example of an understatement to their ENG 100 class.

Atrocious, horrid, terrible, ugly, divided, poorly handled, and such on are all more fitting terms to define race relations at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Rife with micro-aggressions, blatant racism, stereotyping and miscommunication, communities at our colleges fail to bridge the divides so clearly drawn out within the first moments we arrive.

It is in this way that conversations occurring during the initial five minutes that you encounter a new stranger include:

“Where are you from?” (insert generic and well known city within the United States) “Originally?” they always asking in some manner or another. “Yes.” I always reply.

“So where do you go during the summer, to home?”

(Once again, insert name of generic well known city within the United States)

Observe astonishment for two milliseconds before the person you are speaking to, their face and the dim lightbulb powering their body turns on once again.

“But where are you really from?”

And that seems to be the million-dollar question, as there is no correct answer to it. One day, when I do figure it out, I pray god himself gives me a million dollars before harshly ripping it out of my hands for stupidly wasting a small millisecond of time attempting to find the right answer.

If I were to turn back the clock to the aforenoted conversation: “Where are you from?” Asks the person I did not have the courtesy of receiving a name from. Points for the remarkable conversation starter. And this time, I thought to myself, I’ll reply with (insert country that is very-not the United States). That should do the job.

“Oh, where is that?” (Insert country)

“Oh, so like, the middle east?”

For all of you lovely readers, the “middle east and North Africa” consist of Algeria, Bahrain, the Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

A list of 22 countries, whereinIndia Sri Lanka Bangladesh Nepal Pakistan

Are. Not. A. Part. Of.

Yet despite having to provide a brief lesson in geography every time I decide to pursue the question in that manner, it is never enough.

“Are you sure?” they ask.

AM. I. SURE?

I hope you can hear the incredulity in my voice, because I can assure you the squads I was bitching about regarding this matter certainly did.

For some inane reason, I must be middle eastern, because god forbid a brown woman be anything other than “Arab” or “Indian,” the latter of which, by the way is not in the middle east if that is not clear enough.

Speaking of Arab or Indian features, I had not had the displeasure of encountering large amount of exoticism at once, until I arrived at this rosy campus.

Written by a student under the label of “good minority”, “minority”, “diversity factor to the power of 100”, “person called by the name of the two other people on campus that happen to be the same race” and/or a female student of William Smith college that entered her first year recently.

Race at HWS and Beyond

Viewpoint 9

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, the god of Knoweldge and all things knowable and correct, the Elon Musk of the internet, Wikipedia, states that it is a “trend in European art and design, whereby artists became fascinated with ideas and styles from distant regions, and drew inspiration from them.”

That is great and all, except, the overgrown children on this campus have taken that concept, and did what liberal arts colleges intend you to do, apply it to their own lives in a “productive manner.”

To be frank, this also leads to some interesting conversations.

“You know my professor said I should start being friends with more diverse people, so I guess we’re friends now,” Said a girl to a woman she had just met.

“Wow, I’ve never met someone like you!”

Which is great, until they start asking you awkwardly pointed questions about what godforsaken mystical foreign nation you were spat out of.

And this fascination with ideas and styles, rather features and traits from “distant” regions is entirely an issue of its own. Quite frankly, I would rather use the ten-foot stick stuck up the asses of these people as my method of defense for myself and other “exotic” people, as my professor had the courtesy to describe me as, then continue to be defined as just that and used for that purpose.

What is peculiar us that the lack of incentive to interact with one another only occurs at benefit to those unwilling to bridge the divides they reinforce. School wide apathy and disinterests is a wide topic of concern, but it is not something seen when concerning attendance at major events thrown by culture clubs.

You could say the idea of being unwilling to learn or interact with other cultures is thrown out of the window when attending a “cultural event”, yet what is bizarrely noticeable is often times, that is where the most significant examples of plural monoculturalism exist.

There, you have an expanse of hard wood floors and glimmering chandeliers, painting the dazzling sea of cool earth tones high on the ceiling with shimmering lights and twinkling star. Music of some sort is playing in the background, from a background familiar to many, and food of various kinds-from a background foreign to many, being devoured by the pound. These are all aspects of a successful social event-only-the purpose of the event-to bridge cultural gaps, express the diaspora of meaning within origin, relate to others and understand aspects of culture unfamiliar to yourself, is lost on several attending.

A sea of color intermingles, red, blue, orange, brown, yellow, green with an intensity of love and affection. In the background, another color looms, sticking to itself and the familiarity it has adjusted to.

There is no interaction between the two. No exchange of stores or hearty laughs, smiles or dances- just a divide between those of different shades and those of the same. Why is there not an incentive to mingle or interact? Why attend if you know you won’t really “attend”?

In fact, the only incentives to ever exist is when a person not belonging to your own culture, utilizes it as their own to express how “cultured” and accepting they are.

“I just really love cultural food so much, and I think more Americans

need to understand how good it is, I just wish I could eat more of it.”

So many questions, but first“What do you mean?” I would ask.

“Well I can’t eat gluten, and almost all Asian food has gluten in it.”

All Asian food has gluten. Said the culturally sensitive and learned individual. Her PHD in righteous was about to make an appearance somewhere along the way I was sure.

“Wait what do you mean by Asian, what kind?” I continued.

“Like Asian food, you know.”

Here I was, confused.

“Cultured”

“Very educated”

“travelled”

Are all terms this person, and all other beings of the “I am the culture, it is me” population of privileged upper-middle class men and women use to define themselves.

What did she mean by Asian?

I am sure many of you are thinking,” you know what she meant by ‘Asian’”.

I should have, but alas, naivete is a crime I am most experienced in. “Well, a lot of South Asian foods involve curries that are usually glutenfree, so there is that.”

Maybe she didn’t need my know-it-all-ness, as she would describe it, but I still wasn’t prepared for the inevitable“No, I mean like Asian food”

“No, I mean like Asian food”

“No, I mean like Asian food”

South Asia

Southern Asia Southern part of Asia Asia that happens to be in the south Asia Asia, the continent Asian Food is from the Asian continent South Asian food is definitely from the Asian continent

Unless I have forgotten how to do mathematical proofs, which I definitely have, the math checks out. So where did she go wrong?

This incentive to use culture takes “my culture is not your prom dress” to a whole new level. Think if your level one Pikachu evolved into a level 10000 shiny ho-oh, or think the twist in West World new kind of level, or Season 1 Daenerys to season 3 Daenerys new kind of level.

It’s destructive, great to look at for the moment, but in the long runmay get to your head and prove you to be awfully difficult to deal with and horrendously easy to label as racists or micro-aggressive.

May god provide you with blessings for not being ignorant, but it is not necessary to use your “cloak of cultural knowledge” to propagate an image of yourself that does not and should not exist. This seems to be a warning that is missing for many at this school. A yearning for a gateway into being “cultured” or more “cultured” than the next person you’re trying to “out-culture” exists, but when an opportunity to learn more by actually speaking to individuals from that culture appears, suddenly, that yearning disappears. Incentive to communicate with and interact with different communities on campus just disappear. How many people do you know act as the saviors for all “oppressed colored people”, but have no “colored” friends? I do. The ones that attempt to save me from my oppressive culture are always my favorite

Coming back to my initial point, these poorly connected thoughts relate thinly to the concept of plural monoculturalism, but I saw the connection, and went for it. I do hope that greater efforts to build bridges and initiate interactions occur more often in the future. Authentic and honest interactions, from and between students, staff and faculty alike.

Viewpoint 11

A student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

As a first year William Smith student of South Asian background, the sheer whiteness on campus was a shock to me. Think about your reaction of ordering a chocolate cake with rainbow icing and instead receiving a vanilla cake with vanilla icing. Exactly.

The truth is that if you are not an athlete or white on this campus, there is very little done to help you feel comfortable here. So many of my peers come here because of their generous financial aid packages and the projected diversity. It quickly became clear to me that the students of color here are photographed and put onto the website so that they can advertise themselves as “diverse”. The school vocalizes the idea that there is a problem with the lack of diversity here and yet do very little to actually act on it. There is such a small support system for the students of color or international students here. Being close to having a woman as the president of the colleges or a nonwhite administrator does not mean that this campus has maintained equality. Taking a history of anti-black sentiment on campus out of the yearbooks doesn’t erase it. How am I supposed to feel comfortable in a place that simultaneously ignores and tokenizes my very existence?

The only bright side to the lack of diversity on this campus was that it was made easier to bond with the students of color here. When there are so few of us, it becomes that much more important to have a space for students of color. The role of cultural clubs is made even more important. However, that is not to say that there isn’t work to be done within these clubs themselves. We are far from being a perfect representation of our culture and in educating people on it. As we ignore our very own privilege even as students of color, we are imperfect in our interactions with and treatment of other students of

color here.

It becomes alarmingly clear, that being a POC on this campus makes it so your culture is an attribute that you must continuously advertise rather than have it be. How many students reading this, who are non-POC are asked to share their “experiences from home”? Or speak on the behalf of thousands of people that look like them due to existing as the one brown person in the vicinity? I apologize, Stevenson, that I can’t speak for an entire ethnicity, nationality, or gender because you want clarity on what you stumbled upon in the NYT involving someone brown.

So many people in my classes have decided that they want to be so accepting and impartial that they simply do not have an opinion on genocide, mass murder, or ethnic cleansing. Apparently after watching a graphic movie or reading a graphic novel or just watching the news was not enough for them to form an opinionated view. I, personally, would rather not sit in religion or politics classes where there is an active denial of humanity to anyone who is not white, a man, or a very specific sect of Christianity. I respect differences in opinion but I do not respect an unwillingness to learn.

Before I came to school, my sister joked with me that I would become white washed in my four years here and sat me down to tell me what I shouldn’t do. I pretty much ignored all of that advice the second that I got here. I was not going to minimize myself so that I people who this campus was made for can feel more comfortable. Unfortunately for people on my floor that means hearing music in another language being blasted on the weekends.

Empty Classroom in Stern Ani Freedman

Race at HWS and Beyond

Continued from page 8

Viewpoint 10

getting upset or even condemning your actions and comments because all it does is waste my energy when you’re just a product of the larger problems of our society. You can’t teach love or even attempt to push people to unlearn hate. If I’m being honest, I don’t care if you don’t like me. Your racism and hatred is irrational, and if you apply the archetype of the angry black woman on me, all you’re doing is hurting yourself, showing the power the media and the state has in making you hate an entire group of people based on images in the media, stereotypes, and maybe even a handful of interactions. You can hate me all you want, but as soon as you serve as an obstacle to my life and goals, that’s where we have a problem. When I critique whiteness and white supremacy, I’m not always even critiquing white people. I have white friends, white professors I like and respect, and white people I know that make a genuine effort in understanding their privilege and positionality in the world without encroaching on spaces for people of color. Rather, I’m critiquing and challenging a system of dominance that has been built and sustained through generational oppression and subjugation of people of color. The coercion, manipulation, criminalization, and hundreds of other tactics to sustain the state and capitalism. Let me slow down, I feel like I’m getting too “radical” and using too many “isms” or the worst one- not appreciating all the hard work black people before me have done to make sure I can sit in the front of the bus. Sorry, that was too harsh. No disrespect, and I want to make it clear I respect every black revolutionary and activist that has made it possible for me to be here today, but seriously- stop throwing that in my face. Whenever saying anything that deviates from the co-opted viewpoint of what non-violent resistance looks like, it turns into a “what would MLK do” discussion, or you pin me as an unappreciative millennial and remind me that “things could be much worse”. Me critiquing the system isn’t me not appreciating activists before me, or being unappreciative to the privileges I know that I have. College is an immense privilege, one that is not awarded to everyone, and being able to attend an accredited liberal arts university with a generous financial aid package that relieves me from a lot of the economic burden is one that I am very grateful for. Opportunities to study abroad, intern, culture clubs on campus, amazing people that I’ve met and fostered phenomenal friendships with are all aspects to my experience that I acknowledge and appreciate. I do this in conjunction with the reality that is being a black woman on campus, in America, and in the world. When speaking of the obstacles faced due to my identity, it turns into an automatic attack on yours… why? Can I not critique a system or an institution? Can I not acknowledge challenges, acts of hatred, and violence enacted on the black body? Can I not get tired of asking for recognition and just be? Stop the squeamish reactions to conversations surrounding racism. You have to deal with a talk and we have to deal with constant demoralizing and dehumanizing comments and behavior. A walking target on our back, racial profiling, the psychological stress of always having to prove yourself, not fall into

a stereotype, and be as non-threatening as possible for survival are just some of the constant factors at play for many people of color. The lack of networks and nepotism and white privilege post-graduation is extremely daunting when thinking of entering the workforce, and even building one’s resume to apply to opportunities before graduating. This isn’t a piece to generate guilt, or even compassion really, it’s an encouragement to people of color to really center themselves in the now. Whatever your major is, dedicating time to understanding oneself and your personhood as human first, and not the labels of your race/gender/sexuality through readings of amazing writers like Audre Lorde, Frantz Fanon, Assata, and so much more transcends the creation that is “race”. As stated by Audre Lorde, The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. So instead of trying to forge a seat at the table built at my expense, I would rather make my own table, one that accepts all that I am and who I want to be.

That may have been a long ideological tangent, but everything I have said was informed by the classes and professors that I have taken here. The critiques I have of the institution and the country and systems are ones that I have come through by the challenging questions asked to me by my professors and readings assigned to me in my classes. Study abroad has influenced my ways of thinking and moving about the world. Leadership opportunities in clubs and organizations as well as my jobs on campus have taught me the importance in collaboration and activism. My appreciation doesn’t suppress my activism or critiques. Both can coexist. I love my friends, my professors, and am appreciative of my opportunities, but that won’t stop me from striving to make this world a better place. So when answering the question of my experience in race and diversity on campus, it’s one that’s indicative of society at large. I critique the institution because I critique the way the world works and need it to stop the subjugation of people of color. I appreciate my opportunities and love the experience I have but still feel out of place in certain spaces, and tokenized and unwelcome. When I critique Hobart and William Smith, I am critiquing America. I am appreciating the space it has given me to foster and develop my thoughts and come to consciousness, to mobilize and catalyze change. So to wrap up, my experience here with race and diversity emulates a lot of my experience with being a black woman in America. It is hard, has its challenges, but is one that has given me the perspective, power, and understanding of self in the face of adversity that inspires me to advocate for those who don’t have these opportunities or even a voice to speak out on the injustices occurring to them on a daily basis. Read, challenge your thoughts, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to say what’s on your mind… even if its racist (I know right!) after all, there’s more harm in suppressing how you truly feel for “political correctness” and have it manifest in larger ways that oppress people of color, than having conversations and understanding why we think the way we do and how we got here, and most importantly- how to change it.

Viewpoint 12

I stand at the lonely intersections of different worlds. I can never fully be a member of either one. I am a traveler, one with no home or community to return to. I do not know where to go so I keep moving forward and adapting to whatever place I find myself in. Fitting in means losing your individuality for the community, a sacrifice I am not willing to make. I am a person on campus, but I am treated better than other people of color because of my involvement in the school. I work hard and share my voice and am therefore tokenized. This makes the ones left behind see me as being different. Those who tokenize me do so for the growth of their own status and will never actually consider me one of their own. This results in isolation from both communities save for the part-time invitation into these communities when I can be of use to them. I am lonely and exhausted from code-switching but must continue being the person this has made me become because I can never reintegrate into any community. This is both a curse and a blessing. Because I am an outsider I am able to observe and interact with both the people of color and white community on campus. This has allowed me several privileges, for example, I am able to help increase awareness in the white community about how people of color feel. In addition, I have been able to dispel several myths about persons of color. On the flip side of that, I speak to POC and gather feedback and am able to help make changes to make their experience here at HWS better. I will continue doing what I can to address the ignorance and racism of HWS while supporting my fellow POC. I believe that all POC must support each other and help one another. To this end, I encourage everyone that reads this to be active in reaching out to other people of color so that none of us feels alone. Invite others to dinner or movie nights or parties or whatever is going on to continue to build a community where no one is isolated and if something happens to one of us we know that there are people that are there to support us. Life is tough and HWS can be a tough place for POC but there is no reason that you have to go through everything alone.

Empty Gearan Center Lobby. Ani Freedman

“I am an active person of color on campus.”

Race at HWS and Beyond Viewpoint 13

By Carolin Martinez Diaz Class of 2019

This piece was conducted as an in-person interview with a single question asked: “What has been your experience at HWS as a person of color and international student?” The student response was transcribed and approved by the interviewee prior to publication.

I think my experience as a Dominican Latina immigrant, those are my identities, the main ones, I think that I’ve had good experiences and I’ve also had bad experiences. I don’t think my experiences have been as extreme as other experience’s because I’ve heard horror stories of things that happen on campus to students of color. I guess I can say that I’ve been fortunate enough to not have those experiences even though I don’t know what that would mean. I’ve been thinking about it since I’m a senior and we’re coming down on our last 30 something days. Freshman year, I don’t think I had a culture shock. I went to a high school that was predominately white in New York City. I’m from East Harlem, but I went to a high school in Chelsea and that’s a more affluent neighborhood than my neighborhood, it was a battle to even get in to that school. The students from District 2 had priority over the students from District 4, so we had to appeal the process twice and I did not have a high school until the day of graduation from middle school. So that was kind of my first roadblock for institutions blocking me to be successful.

I’ve never had to put this into words. Being here at the Colleges, I’ve struggled sometimes with different identities because I live in NYC, I am Latina, I am a Dominican Republic immigrant and I speak with an accent. I’m a strong woman. I have strong values. I have strong beliefs and I am willing to have conversations, but there’s a limit to things,

especially in the classroom.

Being a student of color on a predominantly white college also means that you have to prove that you belong not only to others, but also to yourself. So I’ve always had to be cautious about the way that I behave in front of certain people and here’s what I mean.

I have several on campus jobs at the colleges; therefore I work in spaces that are predominantly white. I am vocal person, and I’ve expressed the need for more diversity not just within the student body but also for the faculty and staff of the colleges.

I spoke up about it saying, “You need to hire more diversity.” They were like “Yeah, yeah this is great. You’re making great points”. You know what they did? They gave me more hours and they gave me another title and I was like “Okay great thanks I guess” like I’ll take it. I need the hours. These offices are always asking, “Why can’t

A Note on the Issue:

This issue of the Herald contains 23 viewpoints written by current students at Hobart and William Smith Colleges who identify as people of color. This process began on April 8, 2019 when the Herald began reaching out to students. Emails were sent based on student involvement and recommendations by faculty, staff, and other students. (We recognize that these research methods do not include every student of color at HWS; therefore, we ask if any students would like to submit a perspective they should email us at herald@hws.edu we will publish it on our website.)

We would like to take a moment to quickly lay out our research methods for this issue. After students were emailed, a certain number responded saying they would write. We did not want students to complete a survey or follow a set list of questions. Instead, we asked them to write about their experience on campus. A general question we provided was: “What has been your experience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges as a student of color?” We asked that if any bold / general claims were made, that they be backed up by a source in some way as well. However, this piece was meant to be about their experience, and we wanted each student to be able to represent that experience as truthfully as possible.

We offered another process as well, for students who did not have time to write. As is noted with four of the published pieces here: pieces could be “conducted as an in-person interview with a single question asked: “What has been your experience at HWS as a person of color?” The student’s response was transcribed and approved by the interviewee prior to publication.” This allowed us to ensure that any student who wanted to write was provided the opportunity. We did not want any student to feel excluded from the process because they were busy or their schedule did not allow it and we made every effort to be ensure that our process could work for everyone.

We also offered anonymity to writers. Per “The Herald’s Journalism and Ethical Policies” we could do this as this issue met both conditions we require for anonymous sources: “1) The source’s information is important to the article and releasing would be integral to the article and/or 2) The safety or well-being of the source would be in jeopardy.”

We also followed the “Model Code of Ethics for Collegiate Journalists” which says under item 27 that “confidentiality [anonymity] should only be given if there is a real danger that physical, emotional or financial harm will come to the source if [their] name is revealed.” We assessed that all of these students could be in danger if their name was revealed and made the decision to offer anonymity. (For more information, please email the Herald and we can discuss our process further.)

we reach the POC population?” because we cannot identify with people. We need more people that are First Gen that know that sometimes it is hard to ask for help and first generation students might not be aware of all the resources that are available, and that can also talk through these processes and resources. I mean not to throw shade or anything but a Chief Diversity Officer would be great in that scenario.

Now there’s another experience I’ve had. I’ve met great professors here. Professors that actually always care about their students. From Professor Hussain who I had my HEOP summer, to Professor Conde who was one of my favorite Spanish professors here, the Professors in the Spanish department and Craig Talmage, he is amazing! So I love my professors, however, there’s one professor that I’ve kind of had issues with

what they say to me sometimes. I work a lot, obviously. I have to. I don’t necessarily have a choice and they are always asking, “Why do you have to work so much? Why do you do so much?” One day there was event going on and the professor asked if I could attend I said, “Oh I don’t have time because I have to work” and the professor said “But why do you have to work?” and I was like

“Because I have to pay my loans.” and the professor’s response was “Oh”. I don’t have the privilege to or the opportunity to not work; I don’t want to put a financial burden on my parents. I don’t know if the professor thought it was an expectation from my parents to send me money or if they thought it was an expectation for me not to work because all I’m supposed to do is academics when I don’t have that ability to just focus on my academics.

My parents have 3 kids and they also have to help our family from back home. So that’s something they have to do and I don’t want to add more to it. College, especially paying for

For these pieces, we also followed the same framework from the October 19, 2018 Coordinate System issue, where we solicited viewpoints from transgender, non-binary, and/or gender non-conforming identifying / questioning students or alums. Our pool of perspectives comes from students spanning across different socioeconomic, sexual, international, religious, and educational backgrounds. We did not discriminate on any basis and were accepting new names for viewpoints up until the print deadline.

All of the viewpoints are printed in a randomly numbered order and are numbered only for convenience, ease of reading and reference.

Empty Classroom in the Gearan Center Ani Freedman

“Being a student of color on a predominantly white college also means that you have to prove that you belong not only to others, but also to yourself.”

Race at HWS and Beyond

Viewpoint 15

This piece was written by a student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Recently, the first ever image of a black hole was released. Prior to this, scientists have been able to visualise stars, moons, planets, solar systems, galaxies, and more. This achievement marked a milestone in scientific advancement and general understanding of our universe. The imaged black hole was at the center of another galaxy, 53.49 million light-years from our own. With this image, we have come to grasp something so very distant from our realities.

We have the technology to render an image of a distant black hole, yet lack the capacity to understand those that are on these 170 acres. Why strive for the publicity of diversity when we are not equipped to foster the reality of it?

Am I fifty-five million light-years away? Does the shape of me resemble a distant galaxy rather than those you are accustomed to viewing? Have you tried to see what is at the core of me?

Black holes are a region of spacetime where the gravitational field is so strong that nothing, not even light, can break free. Event horizons are defined as the surface of a black hole and the boundary beyond which nothing is able to escape.

I wonder if light attempts to leave the confines of this horizon.

Let’s pretend my voice or my light, made so very small, could carry across an unseen threshold, between unmarked margins, and into visibility. I ask myself: How small do I have to make my voice in order to be heard? The irony is evident to me.

Then I recall, there is no sound in the vacuum of space. I could scream, even cry, and with no molecules to vibrate, my voice would be left unheard. No voice, no light. It is not that I lack either, but rather there are no adequate conditions in my environment for such to thrive.

Despite being called a “black hole,” they are not actually empty. In reality, an immense amount of matter is contained in a relatively undersized area.

So full, yet unseen until recently. I will make a home for myself in this place. Always occupy space.

Beyond this single image, researchers cannot directly observe black holes. Instead, scientists rely on the inferred evidence of their presence. For example, scientists study black holes by searching for their effect on nearby matter. If a black hole were to come in contact with interstellar matter, the black hole would draw the matter inward. As the matter is attracted towards the black hole, it accelerates and emits detectable x-rays.

I am here even if some are incapable of watching me. I pity those that ignore me. Hopefully, you can see the effect of me. I used to try and utilize my voice, but the sound did not reach, so now I hold onto it and display the power of my actions instead. Recognize the evidence.

Einstein was one of the early minds to have predicted the existence of black holes. His equations showed that if a dead star’s residual core had a mass three times greater than the mass of the Sun, the force of gravity would produce a black hole.

It feels as if your eyes skim over me because I do not share the appearance of your beloved stars.

To those that are like me and have to exist in this space: We are what is left when destruction has settled. We rose from it all. At every end, we establish a new dawn. I want them to call us “birth” or “beginning” instead of the typical phrases used to mark us. They could refuse, but between you and me, we can have our own language. In voiceless space, we can find a way to speak through the center of faraway galaxies.

When did it come naturally to us to hold everything in? Perhaps at one point, we tried to let light soak through our barriers, but have since forgotten how. Maybe it was a defensive response after they called us “holes” and named us after empty space, a zero. In secret, in darkness, in revolution, we contained and protected our light. Filled with things they refuse to see, for reasons they cannot understand, they label us empty. Little did they know that zeros are a continuous shape that designate every start, commonly used to signify nothingness yet feel like the manifestation of infinity.

From Einstein’s theorizing to recent technological advancements, the imagery of a black hole provides evidence of leaps in scientific understanding when sufficient efforts and resources are dedicated towards the goal of expanding our reality, rather than diminishing what we do not know.

This scientific achievement calls for the inclusion of unseen “others.” Resources need to be utilized in order to support the diversity this school advertises. Efforts have to made in order to care for the diversity we have recruited and publicized. Traditional institutions should be assessed critically in order to meet the demands of a modern space. While the world rightfully celebrated the accomplishment of expanding our current comprehension of outer space, there is still much work to be done in regards to our own space.

Viewpoint 16

By Pamela Icyeza Class of 2019

This piece was conducted as an in-person interview with a single question asked: “What has been your experience at HWS as a person of color and international student?” The student’s response was transcribed and approved by the interviewee prior to publication.

My experience as a student of color here has been overall positive. I have had the pleasure of being deeply integrated in both my departments- Political Science and Economics. I have also had the pleasure of spending majority of my undergraduate career engaging with the IC—a place I consider to be the perfect bridge between the social and academic. Through the IC I have had both guidance to help me integrate my departments, but have also been given the opportunity to help other students do the same. Be it through tutoring my peers who are in the same fields as me, or even in simply sharing my experience— I have found the IC to be a safe space that has truly enhanced mine and my peers experience here at HWS.

Viewpoint 14

This piece was written by a current student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Coming from a diverse place, much of what HWS has introduced to me is outside of the bubble that I called home. It never occurred to me of my position as a person of color on campus until my first few months at the colleges. When I first came to Hobart and William Smith, I wasn’t familiar with the term “PWI,” or also known as a predominantly white institution. Like the word itself, it describes colleges and university that have a majority white population in attendance. And at HWS, the demographics boil down to almost ¾ of the colleges having whiteidentified students. With the small population of students of color, you could imagine the distinguishability between the different ethnicities. I remember when the first time this happened to me, where a fellow white student approached me and acknowledged one of my Facebook posts. Then other similar instances started coming up, where even faculty would confuse me for another student. I remember going to the dining hall and swiping my OneCard and the staff member calling me by another name, that wasn’t mine. Being here for an extensive amount of time, this basically happens every time I decide to go to the dining hall. I’m not sure why people (students and faculty), can’t distinguish Asians from one another. Maybe it’s because they’re not accustomed to being surrounded by Asians, or they just can’t tell us apart from one another. Sadly, being a person of color at PWI means getting used to these everyday instances of racism and at some point, expecting it to happen at least a couple times a week.

Similarly, in the academic setting, the same stands true. Due to the lack of diversity, students of color are accustomed to being the only one of their race and ethnicity in a classroom full of white students. In many cases, students of color are the ones to mention the differences between the experiences of white students. Going back to previous semesters, I remember a discussion in my English class where our focus was the topic of race at HWS. I distinctly recall my professor asking questions about the different experiences that students of color have at a PWI like HWS. In response, a white student replied to the professor’s question with “Wait, students of color experience the colleges differently?” It was here where I realized the lack of knowledge that white students have when understanding the issues of race on a college campus. With this, I simply talked about my experience to the whole class ranging from my run-in with a Geneva community member who proudly displayed white supremacist paraphernalia to attending a retreat centered solely on the racial climate of the society we live in. But it seemed as though many of the white students were confused about all of these events happening on campus. Within this specific class, it became symbolic that many white students are unaware of the privileges they have while attending a predominantly white institution. Without the presence of students of color, it makes me question whether the discussions of race and diversity would be considered. Because in short, the diversity isn’t present and it seems that students of color are in the constant state of trying to figure out how to approach the concepts of race and diversity when those around them are ignorant to the effects of the institution.

him clench the cheap, clear plastic cup in his left hand, spilling liquid over to accommodate the pressure. His hazy look focuses onto me and I know that the next thing that he is going to say shouldn’t surprise me. It really shouldn’t. I’ve heard everything at this school, but somehow people still manage to surprise me. “What the fuck are you going to do about it? You wanna fight?” All I want is an apology. A sincere one telling me that you’ve owned up to your mistake and are willing to learn how to change. See, that’s the thing about HWS. When the institution or the individuals who comprise it fuck up, they pretend it never happened. More than that, they make it a problem that doesn’t involve them, as if the feelings and sensitivities of those marginalized are what make it a problem. For them, it’s a matter of being politically correct so that the colleges maintain that veneer that makes them so appealing to prospective students, parents, and alumni. I lied. I don’t just want an apology. I want to hear an apology and I want to see responsibility being taken. Anything less than that is worthless. I saw a distinction recently between guilt and responsibility written by Kyle Korver, a basketball player for the Utah Jazz. He says:

“As white people, are we guilty of the sins of our forefathers?

No, I don’t think so.

But are we responsible for them? Yes, I believe we are.”

Please do not feel attacked by this. This whole thing sounds pretty harsh and it is, but I don’t mean to attack people. I want you to do better for yourself and for those around you. Just keep in mind that even if you’re not directly part of the problem, you can still be problematic. Look at HWS and you’ll see that.

I’ve never really felt comfortable in this space. I used to think that it was my fault and that my trouble adapting to this environment is because I just don’t get it. Lately though I’ve realized that the problem isn’t me. The problem is that we live day-to-day on a campus that feeds and inflates the egos of students, faculty, administration because of the small inconsequential shit that they get recognized for. We have failed as a community to address the big problems. We look away and leave the mess for someone else to clean up. We can do better than that, but only if we realize that we are responsible for the shit we’re in.

Race at HWS and Beyond

Viewpoint 17

This piece is written from all of the conversations I’ve had on campus and speaking for some others who may not have the energy to speak up. As people of color on campus, we feel isolated and alone most of the time. We are an accessory to the white student’s experience, to supplement their education and provide the perspective of color on different issues. We are persecuted in the classroom for our dress and our tone and must adapt our behavior to that of the white standard. We must become “white” in every way but our skin in order to survive. We are never allowed to be our authentic self if we want to succeed here. However, this overwhelming feeling of exclusion is not only caused by the institution's policies and the culture the students create but also its professors. Educated professors at a liberal arts school still make jokes about a student of color wearing a hijab so much so that the student stopped doing so just to protect themselves. In the classroom, we are held to a different standard and must put in twice or three times the work as our white counterparts in order to earn the same grade. And while we are dealing with all of these feelings the counseling center is understaffed, there is no Chief Diversity officer yet, and there is a lack of faculty of color who could offer us advice, understanding, or friendship to help us through these times. So we internalize these feelings and continue to work hard. Then we have the white students who think they can save us, who think that somehow they know what our concern and needs are and are trying to have meetings to “help” us. We are already so tried and then we go to a meeting where nothing is done, no change is made and we don't go again. So these students blame us for not wanting to change. We are tired, we are working jobs to pay off our loans and tuition, we are studying to get our degrees, and we are just trying to survive. Ask any student of color if they would want to stay at HWS for another year and the answer you will get 97% of the time is NO, I just want to be done. The institution does a great job of providing students of color with opportunity. The only reason I am here is that I was given aide and earned scholarships. The issue lies in the culture that this institution has allowed continuing. For example, certain individuals spray-painted politically charged quotes on the side of the bookstore and on walkway there. Whatever your politics are it is a crime to vandalize school property. Yet the institution has yet to do anything, they did not even issue a statement as of the time I am writing this. Even if nothing can be done and the people responsible cannot be found, HWS has a responsibility to acknowledge that these acts have taken place and they will not be tolerated. I am tired of half-assed passive responses to issues that make students feel uncomfortable and unsafe. There is nothing that I or other students of color can do to change HWS alone. We need allies and we need an institution that is willing to leave behind archaic traits and step into the 21st century where society will not allow these kinds of behaviors to continue.

From, Someone looking for help

Viewpoint 18

This piece was written by a sophomore in Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Being a person of color on this campus makes me automatically stand out in comparison to my white peers, no doubt about that. But what makes my position even more unique is that I don’t fall under the racial binary of black or white. Falling into the middle spectrum, my own racial issues often get overlooked – especially in the social and academic world. There is underrepresentation of us, and many students don’t have an idea of what we face. Many South Asian women like me live a double life, a necessity for us to survive the extreme differences in culture.

Viewpoint 13

a private institution, that is expensive. This shit is expensive, for no reason.

Being a student at the Colleges I’ve also developed friendships with the staff of the colleges. Jackie Doyle, for example, she’s someone that I look up to and that I can talk to about anything and I had a conversation with her once where I was said “Listen Jackie, this is great and all, but I don’t want to be the token Latina” and at some point I felt like that was Career Services and I’m grateful to them because they have provided me the opportunity to meet people that have helped me, and I have been lucky enough to have interned in Silicon Valley twice. And I told her I don’t want to be this token person and she’s like “Listen, it’s something that like if you want to succeed you have to be in the spotlight of. The one that made it.” and I acknowledge that it’s necessary for other people. We want role models. We want to see these people, but I think it also takes an emotional toll when you have to constantly be doing something. And it goes into the Herald’s article about Culture of Exhaustion about how if you’re not doing something every single day you’re kind of failing socially which is so weird!

There was one day, it was last semester and I was having a really bad day. It was a rough week and I was wearing sweats, a big hoodie and a hat. I was basically trying to hide. A close friend comes up to me and he taps me on the shoulder and he’s like “You look sad” and I was like “Yeah, I am. I don’t want to do this anymore” this was the first moment that I realized that you have to put out this persona of keeping it together and I don’t know if it’s because this is the culture of the school or if it’s because I am a student of color and I am constantly on the spotlight, because I am a student who is very involved at HWS.

Oh! Let’s talk about my favorite thing on campus! Culture clubs and funding! I love it! Ok so I am currently Treasurer of LAO, I’ve been a part of LAO for the last 4 years. I remember being first introduced to LAO through my mentor from my HEOP summer prior to my first year at HWS. I attended the first meeting that semester; I remember that LAO meeting like I was yesterday. I remember meeting people, I remember talking to people and it was like a place of home and ever since then I’ve met my best friends.

When a culture club goes up to BAC, we present our event. This is what we’re trying to do. These are our costs. Now, I understand that there are limits to the budgets to be fair. That’s perfectly understandable. But however, there are times when it’s not necessarily all that fair. Now, I didn’t know this until recently that the money that was left over from BAC went to William Smith Congress and Hobart Student Government. I didn’t know that until when we did BAC. That would have been very helpful to know 3 years ago and I confronted people about it and they got very defensive with me. So I went up to this person like “No that is public information” and I was like “Really, the money that is left over goes to Congress and Government is public information. Can you look it up for me please?” They were not able to

find it. They were upset because they weren’t able to find it and then they were like “Oh well you should have just known that” How was I supposed to know that? This information is not accessible to me.

I think that with my academic achievements and internships I’ve accomplished my own goals. I’m proud of myself. So it’s kind of like I’ve always done things for me and I don’t necessarily look for credit cause the only people I’m trying to make proud are myself, my family basically, my mom, my dad and my 2 sisters. I am the oldest. I am the guinea pig. But also my parents they left everything in the Dominican Republic. My dad: a business; my mom: her entire degree when they didn’t know the language, they didn’t have family here. We still don’t have immediate family here we have 2nd cousins and aunts. So it’s like you left all these things and it’s for the betterment of your kids. I was 9 when I came to the United States and my sister was 5 and then my little sister was born here. So that’s why I do things. And I think that yes, there are a lot of systems in place that prevent us from, that have and could have prevented me from getting the things that I’ve gotten, but I also haven’t let it get to me. I think that in my stubbornness and I say stubborn in a positive way because to be successful you have to put in the work. Yes, it is a lot sometimes but hard work pays off, people see the hard work that people do. It’s noticeable. If you’re detail oriented, if you care about people. If you’re nice to people, people will be nice to you for the most part. But I think that that’s kind of what it is and I think that being a Latina and being an immigrant I shouldn’t have studied abroad, I probably shouldn’t be in college. I probably shouldn’t be at Hobart and William Smith with the scholarship that I have. I would not have interned twice in Silicon Valley. I think that’s one of the things I’m most proud, my internships. And then just you know being a Hai Timiai member, when this school was created I would have never been part of it here, like the first time, the first William Smith graduating class I would’ve never. In my childhood of being raised in the Dominican Republic I would’ve never thought that I would be here right now in whatever sense that is.

I think that it is through hard work and it is through dedication and being the person to do it for the first time, this does take a lot out of you too. I think that, going back to what I mentioned earlier about that person telling me that I was sad when I was having a rough day, because apparently I’m not allowed to have a rough day. It takes a lot, like you’re almost supposed to have this persona of I don’t even know what to call it because, what do you call it? You have to put up this front of “Yes, I have it all together” and sometimes I really don’t and what do you do with that when people ask you things, or when people come to you for advice, when you yourself need advice. I have found a support system here, but I think that we need to have that conversation more with people that “Yes, it is hard and it will be hard and I honestly don’t think it will ever stop being hard” but I am willing to work for the things that I know will make me happy.

“I am a person of color and a first-generation college student.”

Spray paint on the wall by Sherrill Photo Credit: Alex Kerai

Race at HWS and Beyond

Viewpoint 19

Written by a student under the label of “good minority”, “minority”, “diversity factor to the power of 100”, “person called by the name of the two other people on campus that happen to be the same race” and/ or a female student of William Smith college that entered her first year recently.

To me, the shifting skies were always a turncoat- for the purples and blues of grassy sunsets, the bright smiles to tiring eyes, the warmth of the sun to the cold of the night- a deepening discomfort from a previous elation.

Walking the Quad, I caught the eye of the moon, hallow and vivid, porcelain amongst a sea clay, a light to behold and to dismay- it hung upon me, forbearing and old. Next to it, the American flag we all held dear, as small children, unknowing and undefined by our differences (yet), waved back and forth, bidding me a goodbye and a hello back and forth- an echo of what I am told of my place here.

Power is significant. So much so that I often question its purpose. There is too much of it, too little, too noticeable, too insignificant, too immeasurable, too measurable too much of all things that I forget sometimes, what it feels like to be without power, but this campus makes it its prerogative to remind me, taunt me, haunt me, follow me around until I always never again forget, I have no power

“The Good Minority.” The first time I heard the term, I was astonished. Defined to me by a sister, it described my experience to a detail that I had not known existed.

“They listen to you because you’re the good minority” I had to let it sink in for a bit. Is that why they listen to me? Do my beliefs, viewpoints, opinions, life experiences, 13+ years of education, semester of college and countless hours of studying not account for any of it?

No, I thought to myself, they listen to me becauseAnd my mind played fickle once again, keeping that answer from me, hiding it beneath unforeseeable layers.

Of course, I had an answer, I reassured myself.

Did I?

What makes you stand out? Asks every interviewer, gray suit and glasses camouflaging into the dull drab of forgetfulness their interviewees will put them in as soon as the door shuts close behind them.

I believe my position as (insert irrelevant experience, job, or extracurricular here) has allowed me to gain a better understanding of (insert insignificant noun). In addition, I have a diversity of experiences that have allowed me to improve my communicative abilities and interpersonal skills.

I am black and none of you are, so hire me because I have a diversity of experiences.

I am brown and none of you are, so hire me because I have a diversity of experiences.

I am gay and none of you are, so hire me because I have a diversity of experiences.

Diversity of experiences. Diversity

There it is, our holy spirit-a signal of the good to come and the doors to be shut, a pigeon-holing, alienating, god-willing term- do we not all love it?

“I think diversity is so important” says the women wrinkling her nose at the predominantly Latinx ‘bad part of town.’ “Don’t go there” she advised to another person, confident and secure in her position as a good person.

“We need to improve diversity” says the man who dances around racism and sexism, as if his feet are on fire, ready to break all the egg shells he spread on the floor.

And what did the Bible Proverbs 19:2 say?

And what did the Quran 25:63 say? Asked the professors, three PHD’s and far too much wisdom.

Hands down, all white-there it is

The brown hand

The black hand

The gay hand

HUSH ALL, The minority is speaking, she who has no knowledge or history in religion.

The minority, the ultimate authority on all things minority.

God bless our diversity. Praise us for we have done well.

“It’s because you are the Good minority”

But what does that mean?

You are the exception. You don’t cause problems. It’s all the other ones that do.

Honey, you want to be black and smoke pot?

Criminal activity. Violation of student conduct. Breach of community standards.

All members of the audience, please rise. Let us have a moment of silence for the death of the “good minority”. Let us pray she survive upon her inevitable resurrection as the “problem student”, “drug dealer”, “all-around dangerous criminal.” Pray for her soul, bless her reputation, for it exits no longer, she was a good minority while she lasted.

Honey, you want to be white and smoke pot?

Not a problem. College kids are college kids.

We’re all college kids, what do you mean? The small voice in my head asked.

But they spoke again.

You do as they say. You’ve risen despite adversity- all the other minorities should look to you, the token success. You’re working within the system.

Within the system? The small voice asked again.

Am I not part of the system? Wait, why are we all separate from the

system? Do I only succeed because I am not part of the system or because I conformed to it? Am I conforming?

I walk across the quad and the American flag waves at me, back and forth, over and over again, it’s white stripes streaking color across the black sky.

Which color?

“Hobart and William Smith Colleges prides itself on pursuing diversity.”

Not my color or yours. Now it’s theirs.

Whose? The voice asked again.

The flag and all its fifty stars stare down at me, on a pole, on height I can never reach.

Am I just the good minority?

Am I successful?

Am I successful because I earned it or because it looks better?

Why do I have to be the one, singled out, a force within or against the system- can’t I just be?

The moon looks down on me, porcelain and gold, white and yellow, a sea of clay below it- unanswered and unafraid.

Viewpoint

whiteness as a “possessive investment.” In explanation, she said that even though being white is a privilege that is unchosen...something you are merely born with, that when that privilege is taken away, there is a reaction, - and it is not a happy one. Such a “possessive” investment fits with the discussion of economics in the previous historical examples of white supremacy and would suggest that simply “not knowing” or understanding people of color is not the only excuse for white apathy in the face of diversity issues. This also fits with my own experience where people briefly admit the problem of racism in the US before changing the topic, unwilling to listen or engage further, sometimes unwilling to even associate with students of color. This all occurs despite progressive claims and is something many students of color at HWS seemed to perceive before me.

In yet another one of our classes, we spoke about the concepts of “vincible” and “invincible” ignorance. To be sure there are people who do not know and did not have opportunities to learn about such issues. Nevertheless, the concept of “vincible” as opposed to “invincible” ignorance implies that there is some knowledge that could easily have been discovered. And it would seem that HWS does offer a multiplicity of resources for such a discovery, - one of the most obvious of which is getting to know and understand the huge body of students of color that have been encouraged to come here for precisely these reasons, hopes and expectations. I must admit that in a country as racially divided as the US, in such a racially charged political era, and with the vast number of resources online or otherwise that are available for people to educate themselves, there are times when I wonder whether people who are so uninformed about racial issues have just “chosen” to live their lives under a rock.

While it is a choice, sticking to your own groups because it’s what you know and are “accustomed to” does not seem to be a “natural” phenomenon when race has been nearly universally accepted in both the biological and social sciences as a socially constructed category that varies over time and place, with similar outcomes for the advantaged and disadvantaged groups. The argument that, “like attracts like,” does not hold up to speculation when there is a wide range of personalities within each race. It certainly does not seem to be the most logical pathway when curiosity is a natural human impulse that should lead us to want to know more about people who are apparently “so different,” from ourselves, and yet ultimately so similar in our hobbies, affinities, personalities, and common humanity. Division shouldn’t work this way, and it doesn’t work that way where I am from either. In fact, the segregation in the US was a very new phenomenon for me when I first arrived.

Much of the societal prejudice in the US seems to stem from the negative portrayals of people of color in comparison to our lighterskinned counterparts. For example, the tendency to overrepresent black “criminals” in the media, and especially in negative lights such as via mugshots versus those of white criminals in more positive lights…through yearbook photos, or with families and friends, does much emotional work for the audience that then get incorporated into social value systems. This discussion on value systems relates to the social construction of race mentioned earlier. The creation of race is part of a hierarchical societal structure that serves to “systematically” disadvantage people of color, which is carried out through media representations and thus social value systems, opportunities for employment, housing, healthcare, etc. Furthermore, societal institutions that reproduce racial inequality are often self-perpetuated by the trends they create, which then serve to reinforce noxious stereotypical beliefs.

For example, the societal beliefs that force people of color to pay higher interest rates on loans and mortgages than white people with the same income, perhaps because they are seen as less trustworthy, clearly disadvantages people of color economically speaking. The “white flight,” that occurs where white people evacuate the neighborhood as soon as black people move in, and the housing values that subsequently decline once the neighborhood is no longer considered a “good” neighborhood, also serve to reproduce racial inequality. In addition, and compounding these trends, the belief that American society is a meritocracy, - and that poor people are therefore responsible for their own plights, - is a major justification for the hierarchical system that disproportionately favors wealthy whites, despite detailed documentations of the “cycles of poverty,” combined with statistics that showcase how and why it is in fact extremely difficult to break away from poverty. In abstracting from the historical facts and statistics, and indeed the “generations” of economic and social repression of people of color in the US, the cumulative intergenerational effects of poverty for people of color get ignored. All the while, these associations of people of color as untrustworthy or lazy or unworthy seem to be reinforced by those trends perpetuated by “systematic” racism that operates on a large scale. Racial inequality can be seen by tracing the years of slavery through the violent Jim Crow period up to the new forms of oppression and repression that exist today. Negative “beliefs” about racial groups, that fuel the previous examples of racism seen in real estate and “white flight,” which are strengthened by myths of an American meritocracy, are therefore critical for choices. As students at an academic institution, however, we have a commitment to challenge our beliefs and actively pursue new perspectives, thereby informing ourselves so that we can make better decisions.

Race at HWS and Beyond

Viewpoint 20

By Daniel Pedemonte Class of 2020

Currently I’m a third year Economics major at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. When I first think of diversity at HWS I think of the illusion the colleges try to portray. As a Posse Scholar I had a vague idea of what I was coming to. Before stepping foot on campus Posse Scholars undergo a “Pre-Collegiate Training” program where they begin to create bonds with their own Posse mates as well as understanding what type of campus they will be entering. During our Pre-Collegiate training, we read an article from the Finger Lake Times regarding a protest organized by students of color against offensive posts made on the once popular app Yik-Yak. Reading about these events opened my eyes to the subtle ways people on this campus can come together as well as hurt each other. I came to this campus hoping that it will be like that, making strides to further change and make sure students of color on this campus feel safe. That didn’t seem to be the case as I went about my Hobart and William Smith experience.

The most significant experience from that year relating to the problems of diversity on this campus happened during my first HWS Posse Plus Retreat titled US Vs. Them. For those who were there and participated, the outcome of the retreat was more chaotic than productive. What painted the retreat as chaotic was the fact that towards the end of the second day, the program took a left turn when a group of senior HWS students began to voice their frustrations with the general state of diversity on our campus. Their frustrations came from the four years of work that people of color have to put in maneuvering their way around this campus. This was when I began to feel their frustrations, I began to see the ways that in the smallest ways administrators, professors, and my fellow peers take actions to combat safety for students of color on this campus.

An HWS administrator’s duty is to mitigate the harms done to the colleges. In that prioritization they lose focus to who they should actually be helping. Making their prime objective the brand of the colleges rather than those students who’re affected by very actions their administrators make. During my third Posse Plus Retreat titled State of the Union I saw first-hand the way that administrators think they’re helping students but in reality only think of themselves as a

part of the institution. During a small group discussion, I was with an HWS administrator who had gone and participated in the retreat. The discussion in the small group was meant to construct ways to try and bring the teachings of the retreat back to the campus. During this time the frustration I had from the weekend transformed itself into a rant. This rant was directed to the way that administrators tend to curb students of color as well as prepare them to take losses when they try to seek justice using the very systems this school preaches. I went further in explaining the idea that even if we were to try to bring ideas of change back to the campus, the administrators of the colleges will continue to keep their prioritization on the campus rather than its students. At the end of the rant, I was met with a defense from the administrator that was in our group. Not a defense of the institution or their particular office but of themselves, saying phrases like “oh I’m not like that” or “I care for all MY students.” During their defense they told me their life story, using their queerness as a factor of their own marginalization. I at the time didn’t understand why I was hearing this, it did not matter to the central focus of the conversation or even to my previous rant but yet a white person needed time to validate themselves to me. It wasn’t until the last thing this administrator said that truly caught my attention. They stated, once again using their queerness as proof of their marginalization, that “Our angers are the same, the only difference is the experience that lead to it.” This was the problem, if this administrator’s anger was the same as mine they wouldn’t need to justify themselves to me, they wouldn’t be taking my critique of their place of work as personal as this administrator did. Their attention wasn’t in furthering conversation to see how they as a person of power can take steps to help solve problems. It was towards them defending themselves as a non-problematic person. On a personal note, I hate it when white queers use their queerness to curb their white guilt.

I don’t feel as if this campus is diverse. I don’t see the actions of administrators to help students. I am Daniel Pedemonte in a school that is 29.6% non-white, this isn’t a diverse campus.

The Blackwell Room Ani Freedman

Despite these negative, with the sheer number of Americans who claim that the American society is more “progressive,” and who embrace the American societal narratives of “equality,” and the US “melting pot,” there seems to be more going on besides media and societal representations. It doesn’t seem to be mere societal prejudice, or outright ignorance of racially disadvantaging societal trends, but pure reluctance to change anything that characterizes this society, and this school. In returning to the discussion on economic benefits, privilege, or some relative (social or economic) advantages may shed some light on why that reluctance may exist.

Ultimately diversity and inclusion seem to be an in-group, out-group phenomenon. Of course, stereotypes, in defining what is unbecoming or deviant also describes what is moral. From immigration and national identity to issues like sexuality, gender and race, we see ongoing distinctions and separations of different groups of people in our society according to what is good, moral, and mainstream on the one hand and what is bad, unethical and deviant on the other. On college campuses, we see it in the exclusion of fraternities, we see it in the way that students from different countries are treated, we see it in who is friends with who and who gets invited to parties, and we see it in events hosted by student groups such as the LAO and SASA. These events are primarily supported by students of color, - regardless of their ethnic or cultural backgrounds, - while white students attend their formals and continue their lives without us.

It is important to recognize that economic advantages must be tied to social advantages, and vice versa, so long as the economic is often contingent upon and used to enhance the social. For example, if hard work and merit alone were necessary for employment or enrollment, networking and connections would not be so important, and the recent college admissions scandal would never have occurred. It is no wonder, then, why the civil rights movement in the United States, and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa ultimately failed to change the economic situations of the groups they represented; in spite of some social gains, they failed to initiate any long-lasting economic reforms that could transform the social power and influence of disadvantaged groups on policy. As a result, people of color remained comparatively disadvantaged.

As partly suggested by the in-group, out-group discussion above, another way in which social categories such as race work to advantage or disadvantage people is through social taste and behavior, - and thus through the degree to which people are considered deviant, including people of color already so regarded due to stereotypes. In fact, some people even regard whiteness as entailing a type of “behavior,” rather than just a color, - a code that both white people and people of color must observe if they are to derive the utmost benefits from race or conversely be penalized. One of my professors gave the example of a black college student that had to walk through a white neighborhood to go to college. White residents constantly called the police when they saw him walking by, until one day, the student began whistling Vivaldi, - and the residents finally stopped calling the police. Our professor explained that the student had essentially “bought” some whiteness by showing himself as a connoisseur of Baroque music. Whiteness, and thus non-whiteness, then, while ultimately inescapable due to the attachment of color, also becomes a way of walking, talking, dressing, and acting so that white and non-white people may buy or lose some amount of whiteness depending upon their associations. One issue with this, of course, is that cultural codes differ all around the world, - and so those who are most likely to behave “acceptably” are the ones who have already been socialized in these environments or similar ones, or the ones who already have the right color, - something which has significant implications for diversity. Of course, the brilliance and tenacity of race as one of the ultimate in-group, out-group categories is its cooptation of a visual category, which makes it much harder for people to pass between groups. Nevertheless, the point is that to some extent, people must choose what they want to be associated with - including the in-behaviors, or even the friends they sometimes choose for company, - if they are to obtain the most advantages that an in-group privilege has to offer.

In returning to the discussion on economic and social advantages, “privilege” (though perhaps only in theory) has sometimes been framed as a concept that should not impact other people. My “privilege” as a horse with wings does not impact another horse’s ability to run or trot or do anything else a horse should be able to do. In other words, my relative “advantage” should not “disadvantage” another horse. Nevertheless, as one of our professors discussed, when we put the word “white” in front of the term privilege to make a new term, “white privilege,” privilege cannot be understood as anything else except a relative advantage made at the “expense” of people of color; it is a system full of all kinds of economic and social benefits for one group. The context of living together in a society necessarily attaches consequences for those who are unprivileged, and benefits for those who are.

Race at HWS and Beyond

Viewpoint 21

“I am someone who values the opinions of others and believe in having a voice.”

This piece was conducted as an in-person interview with a single question asked: “What has been your experience at HWS as a person of color?” The student’s response was transcribed and approved by the interviewee prior to publication.

As an international student I feel like we don’t have enough support and we all try to find our own community which we do sometimes but sometimes we don’t. We do have our own bubble because we rely on that and there’s not much of an outlet to socialize with others. Also, I wish there was more support administratively for us because there’s David Gage [Director of International Student Affairs] who’s great but I just feel like we need more than just handling our visa. For just orientation we do have some cool stuff like being able to stay on campus throughout the year as long as we’re a student which is really nice. We don’t get kicked out. We don’t have to pay for housing which is really cool, but I just feel there’s no real support. And even when I was applying for my OPT visa I went to all the talks and stuff to make sure that I was up to date with all my visa applications to continue staying in the U.S., my student visa expires when I graduate, but there was just... maybe because I just didn’t understand what was going on most of the time and I feel like we are expected to understand things ahead of time and during the talk that he gave about this OPT application but I just feel like at the end of the day I didn’t really understand the timeline of it and I was so frustrated. And he was like “you’re supposed to know all this” so I don’t really understand what’s going on for a long time. And what’s been most helpful was older international students who mentor me, but not everyone has that privilege of having a mentor as an international student it’s interesting.

I feel like a lot of other people maybe have a more rich experience but every time I go to discussions – Nhung Nguyen she holds these really good discussions about what it means to be Asian in America because I come from Malaysia and at least for me in my background we don’t really see, like race wasn’t really a huge issue back home. When I came here like “wow” I had to be a bit more careful about the things I say and race is much more a bigger issue here and at first I didn’t really know how to approach it, but after going through all these discussions with Nhung, all those discussions, I feel like we have a lot to say as people of color, but no matter how many discussions we have it just doesn’t get anywhere. All the time it just doesn’t get anywhere and even when we invite people to hear about it, when we invite people who have power to hear about it and they say they’ll do something about it, but like what happens? They don’t follow through and I don’t understand why, I really don’t understand why. I don’t understand why we don’t have an office of diversity especially when Solomé [Rose, former Interim Chief Diversity Officer] was here and she wasn’t here anymore and everyone was like “Why don’t we have a replacement? Why is there no emphasis?” I thought that was interesting.

Viewpoint 22

“I am a rising junior at HWS. Although I was raised in a predominantly white state, I attended schools where a majority to all of my friends and colleagues were people of color. I am passionate about social change and believe in the power of allyship. I understand that it is impossible to entirely destroy the barriers constructed by socialization and experiences; however, I do believe that others should make an effort not to turn a blind eye or pity, but to acknowledge their privilege that is given through institutional and social systems, listen and learn.”

From its very foundation, Hobart & William Smith Colleges has always been a school of categories. With its gender binaries and separate schools, it comes as no surprise that there would also be a separation in race.

My first experience of the underrepresentation and lack of diversity was during the pre-orientation program (POAP) here at Hobart & William Smith Colleges. The rising first-years were assigned a summer reading titled “Citizen: An American Lyric,” which spoke about microaggressions, instances of individual and institutional racism and the impacts of these prejudiced actions. Upon reading this book, I was eager to speak with someone about the relatability and power of diverse representation in experiences. It was a quick learning curve and deeper isolation as I, the only person of color in the group, was unable to relate to the confusion, slight frustration and indifference that the rest of the members of my POAP group felt when the topic of the book was brought up.

This barrier is one that I have continually found difficult to break or climb over. As I began the school year with little to no support or friends of color to whom I could lean on, it was not until I attended a cultural club meeting that I felt I could breathe. For a brief moment, I felt as though that barrier had disappeared.

I wish I could say I attended more cultural club meetings afterwards, but truthfully, even in those cultural clubs I didn’t feel represented to the truest extent which left me at a loss of where I belonged on this campus. Thankfully, second semester was my first moment of normality when I was able to form bonds with students of color with whom I could freely talk to about issues involving race. Since then, I have been able to find the small pockets that people of color have carved out for themselves. I have also been able to work with others to carve a new pocket for myself and others who were in a similar predicament of certain underrepresentation. I now find myself feeling more comfortable on campus due to the friendships that I have been able to create, and I do believe that it has gotten significantly better with the new first-years that have arrived. However, I believe it can still be improved by changing certain systems and social environments in order to foster openness and allyship to melt the barriers that originate from different backgrounds and experiences. This first step would create monumental change for this institution that was built on categories and create the beginning of a more wholesome future.

Viewpoint 3

Interestingly, it is not all white people that benefit equally from this system. “Psychological” privileges, as one of our texts examined, might be one advantage that white people may all share in and indeed is one of the explanations that authors have given for persistent racial division and repression in the US that was in fact carried out by the poorest, most disadvantaged whites. The concept of psychological privileges is an explanation that makes sense in my experience as well, where people seem to think that those who have it all have somehow “earned” their way. The fact that poor whites during slavery and during the civil rights movement tended to enforce repression, clutching even more tightly to color division as the only thing separating them from the poorest group of people in society (i.e. poor black people), seems contradictory. The distinction between the white and black poor was in fact a strategic means of keeping the people who could benefit the most by coming together, apart, - so that even poor white Americans were ultimately disadvantaged by their repression of black Americans. Similarly, in South Africa, despite the policies that guaranteed higher wages for the white working class, it was clear that not everyone shared in the profits of the business elites and these policies were designed to prevent the common working-classes (black, white, and otherwise-colored) from uniting in their own interests.

In applying this economic, rather than just psychological perspective, to the growing inequality gap we presently face, it seems that in the long run even whites will lose, as poor whites are already losing and as they have been losing throughout history. The “divide and conquer” system upon which whiteness was founded for the economic gains of a few, in fact still manipulates us. Today, while whiteness seems to offer the same social, psychological and economic benefits, the gap between poor whites and people of color is becoming smaller and smaller. Growing inequality, coupled with the fact that we are living on a planet with finite resources means that endless consumption is not an option for the vast majority. Ironically, it is our division, and the way we have been manipulated by wealthy elites to work against our own interests, - that perpetuates the system which benefits so few at the expense of so many.

In combining the previous arguments, it is not only vincible social prejudice, but the “choices” that students consciously make that separate us, - despite claims of progressiveness and commitments of equality, and in spite of the fact that this division ultimately works against our common interests. In fact, it is perhaps “because” white students currently live their lives so separately, without our concerns or our constant reminders, that they can continue to live as they do, - just as the poor often suffer while the wealthy lavish in comfort, - though it may not be for much longer. The question, then, is whether this is the most healthy societal arrangement, or whether there is something else to be said for bridging our divides, including but not limited to economic gains. I personally think that both economically and socially speaking, it is more helpful to bridge the divides.

A recognition of common interest and common humanity requires empathy and understanding. Empathy, however, requires not merely “calling out” as liberals are sometimes happy to do of conservatives. It

requires not being nasty to people who fail to reach the same standard for political correctness, or who fail to immediately see another’s point of view, when they were socialized differently, or never had the opportunity to think of it. And so, such a view moves beyond race to other issues surrounding diversity, politics and other areas of controversy. The culture of “calling-out” is perpetuated because people believe it makes them look “bigger,” and more powerful. Yet, it has also been described as one of the most undiplomatic and unsophisticated ways of articulating a point in that it seeks to embarrass participants in a discussion rather than attempting to facilitate and to further academic dialogue. People only look “super bad” at the expense of shutting down meaningful conversations surrounding the important issues, - dialogues that need to happen on campus. The converse of these dialogues, and the main effect of the culture of calling out once again sucks us into a system of manipulation that ignores and obfuscates the real issues in society, of which diversity is just one of many. In destroying such conversations, we have been cheated of even the ability to think of a system that operates differently, and the ability to recognize what actually lies in our common interest, and what should have been recognized from the beginning.

For the minority, empathy would require answering the so-called “stupid” questions on the minds of hundreds of people and students who will never ask for fear of being labelled “sexist,” “racist,” or all other things politically incorrect and understanding for themselves that it is okay and perfectly normal for some other student not to know everything. In fact, it is surprising that this culture persists given that most academic institutions try to encourage questions. Indeed, as any critical-thinking class should teach you, it is sometimes what appears to be the simplest questions that are often the hardest. This is a shortcoming and criticism that I recognize minority students should own. Having a conversation ought not to be based upon attacks and should instead be centered on an ideal of common understanding.

Nevertheless, it also requires a responsibility on behalf of the majority, or other dissenting students, to recognize that there are two sides to the coin, and that the responsibility does not only solely belong to minority students, - especially where the differentials between relative capacities for bridging the divide are high. For example, in attending an elite institution such as this one, we all have greater responsibilities, as our mission statement tries to impress upon us in its stated commitment towards “lives of consequence.” Being a minority is always a risky situation, especially when we speak out about controversial issues and when we are often denounced or otherwise ridiculed for doing so. This is often done in efforts to thwart our credibility and re-legitimate the system. Thus, despite the “necessity” of having minorities speaking out and representing “themselves,” having allies who stand with us in solidarity, or defend us on the occasion when our voices are not heard or have been quelled or trampled upon, may prove critical for change,change that is beneficial to us all. This is the change, and the conversation that needs to happen at academic institutions like this, and to any serious commitment to a full liberal arts education.

I’m one of the

“I just feel there’s no real support.”

“I’m one of the students that thinks the system would be much more enriching without divisions.”

Race at HWS and Beyond

Viewpoint 23

Written on the behalf of a student on her lived experiences and shared perspectives.

Peeling yellow paint decorated the top half of the house, mismatching the ill-chosen brick brown paint of its bottom half. The hallow halls lined with cracking wall paper and lively insects gave way to ill-fit utilities and molding furniture.

The sounds of laughter and conversation are weighed down by the penetrating occurrences outside, wherein first years in JPR are enjoying their weekend nights.

We’re not in JPR’s Backyard- we are JPR’s backyard.

Cultural connections, 746 South Main st.

Broken ceiling plaster makes way for a flood of water inhabitants were unprepared for. Drip, drip it runs through floor boards and unto our soft used carpet.

“The mission of this theme is to promote a shared experience amongst students of various minority groups in America who face different forms of oppression and marginalization… Here, students will be granted a platform on which they can experience inclusivity amongst their peers and freely express their cultural diversity”

The shower head has broken through the ceiling-again. There is an ant hill in the middle of the kitchen.

And in the walls of my room.

And in the walls of his room

And his room.

And their room.

And the ants keep coming, growing larger and larger, the hill dividing them from the rest of their people, so obviously present but ignored until permanently squashed out from existence.

But HWS is a welcoming community

“We prioritize the rights of all, insects accepting, insect friendly-just not ants”

133. St. Clair DuBois House

Clothes strewn on the floor as a girl dresses, the door bursts open and the men in blue enter.

A pack of backwoods sat on a dresser across from her.

The man in blue picks it up, his face says “I know what you are” and asks “What do you use this for?

“To smoke, I’m nineteen.”

They find an empty glass jar and charge her with drug abuse.

“It looked like there were remnants of marijuana in there” they justify themselves.

The empty glass jar glistens as shadows pass through it.

Lights flash open, darkness fading away as the bright white bulb flickers once, twice, thrice.

“We need to search all rooms.”

Why?

The smoke detector was covered in one room.

One room.

Search of all of them he says. You all look the same-you must be the same.

The Brown men and women, they sit and watch the white men entering their home. Worn-lived in tears and comfortable creases welcome their exhausted bodies as they sag into the fabric of old and ancient, of promises made and promises forgotten, of the oppression and hardship their mothers and fathers, brothers and sister wear tirelessly every day, resigned to the same coat, always worn twice.

Fifteen minutes prior, the carpet sat still as the girls and boys conversed, they laughed, they giggled as they enjoyed the company of shared love and inclusion.

Heat entered the room at a sedate pace, unbothered by the brittle touch of winter and the echoes of swift winds, charged by the warmth of love and the comfort of home.

Now, soft carpet is hardened as the blue and white men tread though it, wearing down the comfort of the rug, the sanctity of their home-robbing them of a privilege that should be their right.

At Hobart and William Smith Colleges we strive to create a just and inclusive environment where all students, faculty and staff are valued and respected.

“We found more detectors covered!”

An unreasonable search and seizure is unconstitutional as it violates the Fourth Amendment…the Supreme Court held that exclusionary rule applies to evidence gained from an unreasonable search and seizure.”

Give the officer a round of applause. One clap only We’re all the same

A sound from one of us, is a sound from all of us clap clap, the sound of applause you don’t get to feel at home. thus the work of diversity at HWS seeks to account for those inequities by promoting college access and working to ensure that every member of the HWS community has an equal opportunity to thrive.

Cultural connections theme house. Culturally connected in our shared oppression. all connected in that manner. The grass is always greener on the other side, perhaps if we had grass, we could compare.

The officer and his marry group of blue and white exit the house, their footsteps imprinting on the walls of our rooms and the sanctity of our home.

Did you think you were safe here? They ask How foolish. They answer

Do a run through again:

“We found detectors covered in JPR, sir”

“Which room?”

“Rees 302”

The men pack their things, the students given an appointment for further social admonishment-and they all go home.

Search all of them? They all look the same. A small voice asks.

“Yes, but not like you do” they respond.

Campus safety is here. Why?

I don’t know-they’re just parked outside the house. “It’s probably for another reason” you say if your state of privilege and/ or denial has come far enough. “What reason?” the voice in the back of your head asks. “A parking lot is right behind us, why in front of our house?” the voice continues.

Campus safety

To provide safety, security, essential services, and other personalized assistance to the Hobart and William Smith

Race at HWS and Beyond

Viewpoint 23

… continued from page 17

Community in a manner that exceeds expectations.

Exceed expectations.

Blue and white, let’s eliminate the threat before it becomes one.

Watch the house, watch them run.

The places we cherish

What we view as our castles and our havens

The blue men and white boys glance at them

“How dingy and disturbing”

“Put it to the side, we’ll polish come Alumni week”

The Intercultural House

“creates an environment where students find support, challenges, and grounding for their personal growth, academic success and the development of their leadership skills…[and] promote crosscultural opportunities as well as that support students and other campus community members.

Where we live

Where we laugh

We dine

We cry

Our family

Our home

You want to renovate it?

Make more space for the 20% of the campus that are POC’s?

Yes, so we can cater to the needs of more.

We’ll do it says the white man

And we cheer, they’ll help us, we are a priority!

Three years down the line, it hadn’t even crossed their minds

Hobart and William Smith colleges has an active commitment to Inclusive Excellence

99 St. Clair street

“It’s our first year as a theme house, let’s throw a barbecue for all the incoming freshman!”

A collective of colored people, outside- laughing, conversing, eating, dancing in broad day light. The sound minimal and indistinguishable from all the other children doing the same in the protected backyards of their own homes.

How horrific.

The car is painted black and painted white.

The letters “GCPD” stand, a warning to all it encroaches upon.

Turn it down. Shut it down.

You’re not allowed to do this.

In the silences, the sounds from the nearest darty resonated, mocking us, playing us, our foolish hopes and dreams, how dare we believe in the acceptance we were so promised? How dare we believe in equity? In liberty.

It’s not for us to have, but for them to give, willingly, and when they please.

“The mission of this theme is to promote a shared experience amongst students of various minority groups in America who face different forms of oppression and marginalization.”

“Success.”

Viewpoint 3

… continued from page 16

students that thinks the system would be much more enriching without divisions. This has certainly been my own experience in getting to know people of different backgrounds, and in having the controversial, but eye-opening conversations most people prefer to avoid. However, given the trend to ignore controversial issues or to be misinformed about what’s in our best interest, I don’t think anything will change unless people reflect critically on the divisiveness and destructiveness that this produces. Committing to having these conversations will not just help us address current problems but is necessary to prevent the race “to the bottom” that degrades all groups, irrespective of how they are racially or socially defined. Ultimately, there is a lot of potential in overcoming these divides, as even the marginal gains from excluding are massively outweighed by the losses.

that folks can apply for funding it’s in addition to BAC – but it’s to ensure that our culture clubs and organizations have access to the funding they need for the important work they do on campus.”

Flowers did say that discussions relating to diversity and race are “happening nationally and it’s a conversation that I do not in any way think we have the solution. We have a process with which we’re looking to move forward, but it is a process that has to evolve as the conversation goes on – both on campus and beyond campus.”

In an effort to create equitable classrooms and a community, “the faculty passed a resolution titled ‘Guiding Principles of Speech and Expression at Hobart and William Smith Colleges,’ commonly referred to as the ‘Principles of Free Speech,’” according to Interim Provost DeWayne Lucas. The resolution “defines eight principles of speech and expression that should be embodied in campus and classroom discourse and stresses the value of inclusive speech.”

Looking to equitable classrooms, Provost Lucas noted that when discussing the number of faculty of color who have left in recent years, “There is, however, more that we can do to make certain that we are attracting and retaining exceptional scholars who represent a wide variety of backgrounds, viewpoints, and perspectives. Our commitment to this work has not wavered.” This was in response to numbers noting that three faculty of color had left in recent years and that the retention rate for faculty from 2000-2009 was 79% for white, non-Hispanic faculty and 48% for all other races/ethnicities, according to the Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice Committee.

There has also been an examination of admissions numbers from other colleges in the New York 6 Consortium to provide the most accurate understanding of diversity – from a purely numerical perspective – at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

According to institutional research data from fall 2018, the Colleges have 498 students of color who do not identify as white. That is just under a quarter (22.3%) of the student population. However, it is important to recognize progress in the last fifteen

years of data collection. In an interview with Dean of Admissions John Young, he noted that “When I started working here in 2005, 9% of the class were students of color.” With the current class of 2022, 25% of the student population – approximately 155 students is “multicultural” or students of color. Last year’s class was 19%. If the upward trend continues, in four years the student of color population would be approximately 28%, an additional increase of 6% over four years. These numbers are in line with what Young said in the interview: “We will always clamor for more diversity, and that’s not a bad thing – it’s a good thing. But we are making progress. Maybe not as much as we want in every single area, but the place is without a doubt more diverse than it was when I walked in the door [in 2005] and that’s due to a ton of different factors.”

When discussing admissions Young noted, “From a recruitment perspective: You diversify a class by recruiting a broad range of applicants rather than trying to tilt scales during selection … [Then] we review every applicant [for selection] within the context of their high school, neighborhood. Any community that they’re a part of plays a role in helping us learn more about the student … It’s not about counting the student in one column or another, it’s about getting to know students as best we can and then making the smartest admissions decision that we can based on that student’s application in front of us.”

Young noted that admissions has been working “to target more diverse socioeconomic backgrounds” for applicants. “I always am a proponent for a more diverse faculty and staff to attract a more diverse student body … But, at a place like this, we shouldn’t be bringing in students who aren’t excited about meeting people with different life experiences than their own. That’s a huge part of what college is about,” he concluded.

Although this contextual article, and the section of viewpoints, is focused on Hobart and William Smith Colleges, it is important to note that this is not just an HWS problem. This is a structural problem, existing across colleges and universities in the United States, leading to the mentality of “us versus them.” This can be seen in how students have functioned recently as a way to challenge the administration instead of working with them. In order to make progress, discussions are needed, action is required, and collaboration is a must.

Context

“We will always clamor for more diversity, and that’s not a bad thing – it’s a good thing. But we are making progress.”

- John Young, Dean of Admissions

Geneva Lamppost Ani Freedman

Arts & Entertainment End of Semester Arts Calendar

By Wren Andrews ‘21 Arts & Entertainment Editor

Over the past two semesters, the Herald’s Arts and Entertainment section has focused its efforts on local music, including both student and non-student efforts.

In interviews with Kelly Walker, Dylan Bennett and Brady Leo, and in calendars full of events and venues, the Herald has attempted to shed light on the Geneva music scene, in an effort to reinvigorate student involvement and create a general sense of presence and interest within the broader HWS and Geneva communities.

Throughout this micro-exploration of music on and off campus, it has become apparent that there are so many ways to engage: whether it’s listening to WHWS, attending events with local music, deciding to be a radio DJ, auditioning for a music group, or spearheading a movement, students interested in music decidedly occupy a space that

can be and has been carved into the dominant campus culture.

Given interest and energy, the Herald staff hopes to hear more from emerging musicians, interested listeners, and ardent documenters. In the words of Dylan Bennett, “there is a counterbalance at large between a majority of the population at the school, who I think has a general apathy towards music, and then there’s a third or so of the students who counter that with being really proactive.” Looking to expand the latter category, the Herald looks forward to a future full with potential for music.

Interested in writing for next year’s Geneva Music series, or something like it? Reach out to herald@hws.edu with ideas. We look forward to hearing from you!

Say No More at FLX Live from 8pm-12am

Natural Born Leaders at FLX Live from 8-11:55 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:30-4:30 pm

Smith Opera House Tours

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Smith Opera House Tours

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Smith Opera House Tours

Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Opening Recep tion for the Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 6-8 pm St. Clair at Kashong Creek from 10pm-12am

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

WhorlWood at Lake Drum 7:30 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 9:304:30 pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 1:304:30 pm

Night at FLX Live from 8-11:55pm

Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 1:304:30 pm Disorientated at FLX Live from 10pm-12am

Shackwater FLX Live 8:00-11:55 pm Mersey Beatles Abbey Road Concert at The Smith at 7:30 pm

LAST DAY: Student Art Show at Houghton House and Arts Campus: 1:30-4:30 pm

Compiled by Wren Andrews ’21 Arts & Entertainment Editor

News Muslim Prayer Space

By Tayah Payne ’22 Herald Staff

The Herald recently had a conversation with Sarim Karim ’22 about the current accommodations for Muslim prayer on campus. Sarim is a student from Pakistan hoping to study international relations and economics, and is also a member of both the South Asian Student Association (SASA) and the debate team. He and the South Asian Student Association are working together to find and establish a Muslim prayer room on campus, which has been a long-standing request from the Non-Christian students of HWS.

Finding a space has been on the minds of students, religious life, and administrators for many years. Vice President for Student Life, Robb Flowers, noted that he was part of the team that identified an original space in Stewardson House with a previous chaplain Lesley Adams. “But we recognize the desire for a newer space and we have had additional requests, so as we move forward we are going to be more flexible to create and move the Muslim prayer space on campus. We are hoping to identify that new space overt the summer while working with students and our new chaplain,” Flowers said. Karim is one of those students hoping to find a new space on campus for prayer.

The Herald: What is a prayer room?

Sarim Karim: It’s a room where people can participate in formal or traditional Muslim prayer. It’s usually a clean space where if someone wanted to sit or put their forehead to the ground, they would feel comfortable doing so. It can be used by one person or many. Certain aspects of its design are important, as well. For example, when we pray we face East – toward Mecca. Other spaces might not be able to accommodate for large groups of people facing one direction.

TH: Where would the proposed prayer room be?

SK: It is supposed to be in the back of the Bartlett Theater in Coxe Hall. It’s not particularly special but it is central to campus and open to everyone.

TH: Is there a prayer space already?

SK: Technically, any space could be prayer space. Muslims could pray anywhere they want. In terms of formal spaces, though, I’ve heard there’s one in Stewardson House. It is pretty far away and relatively inaccessible, though. There’s also congregational prayer on Fridays in Coxe Hall.

TH: What problems have you faced in your efforts?

SK: The first problem was finding a room that was big enough and accessible enough for everyone to use. Second, it took asking a lot of people and mobilizing a lot of moving parts to get the school to take notice. David Gage was particularly helpful and enthusiastic about

finding the room. The current issue is making the room accessible to disabled students.

I could also see there being issues with finding a place to do ablutions. Muslim prayer requires you to clean almost your entire body before praying. The only bathrooms are in the basement and while they’re fine, they’re not conducive to things like washing your feet.

TH: How successful have you been so far?

SK: We’re successful in that we found a suitable room and faculty members who are interested in making this a reality like David Gage, Dean Hussein, the SASA board and club, and many others.

TH: Why are you doing this?

SK: I think it’s important for everyone to be able to practice their religion in a place where they feel safe and included. We call it a Muslim prayer room but it’s really an all-inclusive prayer room. Personally, I used to pray at a mosque back home, so I like the like idea of having somewhere that I can walk to on campus to pray or to meditate. It can be important for students to have a place to find peace or stability in a constantly shifting environment like college. For many, religion is an important aspect of their identity, and they deserve a space express that.

Originally Designed by Abbey Frederick ’20 Design Editor

Updated by Alex Kerai ’19 & Russell Payne ‘21 Editor-in-Chief & Herald Staff

New Participatory Budgeting

By Olivia Rowland ’21 Copy Editor & Herald Staff

Have you ever wondered where exactly your tuition money goes, or wished that you had more control over how the school spends your money?

One group of students is addressing these concerns by working to increase students’ control over the Colleges’ budget.

Eva Catanzariti ’20, president of William Smith Congress; Nuzhat Wahid ’22, WSC vice president; and Robert Russell ‘22, Hobart Student Government vice president are currently leading an effort to implement participatory budgeting at HWS.

Participatory budgeting is “a democratic process in which community members decide how to spend the public budget,” explains Wahid. It starts with proposals for projects to better the community from anyone who has an idea. Experts help participants refine their ideas, and then participants present their ideas for a vote. The winning projects get guaranteed funding and are subsequently implemented.

“Think of The Pitch,” says Catanzariti, “but the projects proposed are for campus betterment and voted on by all students, proposed by students, facilitated and discussed by students,” with expert input in the form of assistance from faculty and staff.

Although this is a student governmentled project, it goes beyond student governments and into the administration. Catanzariti says it’s something the student governments are “asking the school to do” at the administrative level. The group has been in regular contact with President McGuire and other faculty members, who are on board with the project. The students’ goal is to secure funding for the initiative before working out the logistics.

If approved, participatory budgeting would change the way the Colleges decide how to spend the budget, ultimately giving students more say in how their money is spent. HWS would be the second college in the country to adopt this budgeting method, following Brooklyn College in New York City.

Examples of potential projects include providing boats and kayaks at the waterfront for everyone to use and making small improvements to the Intercultural Affairs Center, like replacing the water filter and providing more school supplies for students. Projects may also be similar to Wahid’s current free menstrual products initiative, which could have been proposed and voted on under a participatory budgeting system.

However, participatory budgeting isn’t just about the projects themselves. “It’s a process, not a project,” says Catanzariti. “It’s a community-building and democratizing exercise.”

Aside from giving students more control over the Colleges’ spending, two big goals of the project are education and community development. In order for the process to work, students will have to learn what participatory budgeting is and how it works. Wahid, Catanzariti, and Russell hope that this, along with the process itself, will help improve the sense of community on campus.

According to Russell, participatory budgeting will “get more people together who aren’t usually together, open new channels of dialogue to talk together.”

Catanzariti concurs. The process requires that “students work together and listen about each other’s biggest concerns. We currently don’t come together much on campus; there’s a lot of fragmentation. We have to talk between groups.”

Participatory budgeting will necessarily involve expanding student involvement in the government process. “We want as many people as possible coming from as many different areas of campus as possible,” says Russell. Participatory budgeting would allow more students to participate in student government, especially those who are currently unable to attend student government meetings and those who may not feel safe discussing their concerns in that space.

The goal is that the “outcomes reflect the student body, not just student government bodies,” Catanzariti explains. In the end, it all comes down to expanding democracy. Participatory budgeting is fundamentally “democracy at a local level,” as Wahid puts it.

Not everyone agrees, however. Some students are opposed to participatory budgeting and reject these arguments. Among them is Ryan Skinner ’19, who has three main objections to the idea.

Skinner believes that participatory budgeting “will be rife with lobbyism. It is likely that well-organized clubs and organizations, such as fraternities, could pack the room with their supporters and capture the rewards regardless of whether their idea was the best one.” According to Skinner, students not currently involved with student government are unlikely to be as informed and impartial as student government representatives, which will negatively affect the outcomes of the

process.

Another concern is that participatory budgeting would undermine “the purpose of student government while making us into more of a bank.” Because Skinner sees student government as the best place for students to discuss their concerns, he worries that participatory budgeting would rid campus of this necessary space.

Finally, Skinner argues that participatory budgeting would take away from money currently given to the Budget Allocation Committee, which disburses funds for student organizations. There is also the possibility that participatory budgeting could shift responsibility for some projects from the administration to the students. “I can easily imagine the administration trying to pass off its responsibility to pay for things like improved blue lights by asking PB to pay for it instead,” says Skinner.

Skinner rejects the idea that participatory budgeting will increase student participation on campus, citing research showing that it often fails to be inclusive. He also claims to have been attacked after bringing up his concerns about lobbyism in direct democracy, and he does not believe that the proposed solution, a committee to “block frivolous proposals,” will preserve democracy. He asks, “What is a frivolous proposal and how can PB be truly democratic if this mechanism exists to subvert the people’s will?”

In a way, this debate comes down to larger concerns about representative and direct democracy. Catanzariti, Russell, and Wahid stand by their belief that the project will increase democracy, strengthen community, and expand students’ participation in their government.

“Democracy is democracy,” says Catanzariti. “It’s always better for students to be able to voice what they want and how they want it. … We’re not concerned for the governments—it’s for the students.”

Wahid argues that “the majority concern ignores the fact that people have different identities and can think for themselves.”

“People love drama,” Catanzariti says. “We don’t think these concerns are valid.”

Any students with questions or input are always welcome to reach out to HSG or WSC.

New Student Center Proposed

By Ryan Skinner ’19 Herald Staff

Bartlett Theatre, built in 1900 as an integral part of Coxe Hall, may see new life next semester as Hobart Student Trustee Albright Dwarka makes plans to create a student center. Dwarka, who was elected in March on a platform that included a promise to create a new student center in Bartlett Theatre, confirmed that this initiative is underway. It may be complete as soon as next semester, as Dwarka explained, “Robb Flowers and Student Activities are working together to make it happen. We are looking into possible renovations to improve the space and hope to implement them over the summer pending feasibility.”

The details have not been finalized, but he is hoping for new furniture and recreational activities, including potentially a ping pong table. Dwarka believes Bartlett Theatre will be a more optimal social space because, unlike the library, it will be designed to facilitate recreational and social activities in addition to studying. He feels that a new student center could provide a number of benefits, including the promotion of socialization, recreation, and an interconnected campus. Dwarka argues that “Bartlett Theatre is centrally located and a great space that is underutilized. We saw an opportunity and pursued it. I want to help build a stronger HWS community and I believe that it all starts with social relations, and common space is a great way to encourage the building of those relationships.”

Furthermore, Dwarka believes that the existence of a robust student center

could increase the retention rate of the Colleges while providing a meaningful alternative to existing social scenes on campus that emphasize partying and drinking.

He appears to have substantial support from the administration as Robb Flowers, the Vice President for Campus Life, told the Herald that, “I am fully supportive of making Bartlett Theatre fully accessible for students. When we first opened the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts, President Gearan and I had intentionally asked for funds to make use of the space for student use with furniture. [Funds were provided by one of the trustees.] Over the last year, the space may not have been used in the same way, but Interim President McGuire and President-elect Jacobsen want to have the space and we are looking forward to having the space open and used as a social space, meeting space, and gathering space for students.”

If it is completed next semester, then this will become the first promise the new Hobart Student Trustee has fulfilled since his election in March. Dwarka also campaigned on keeping the pub open until midnight on weekdays and 2:00 a.m. on weekends, encouraging transparency from the administration, creating more affordable meal plans, and offering all day shuttles. These promises have the potential to reshape campus if implemented, so significant changes could be underway.

News

WSC Provides Menstrual Products

By Ani Freedman ’22 Cheif Photographer and Herald Staff

If you’ve used any of the bathrooms in the library, Scandling Center, Stern Hall, or many other buildings, then you’ve probably noticed the containers with a bold “Aunt Flo” label and array of menstrual products free to the public. Around midway through this semester, the menstrual product pilot project was implemented after William Smith’s first-year Class President Nuzhat Wahid’s efforts to push it forward through William Smith Congress and Hobart Student Government. The Herald discussed with Wahid the process of putting this project into effect as well as how it has been received by the student body.

According to Wahid, there was an attempt last semester to push for the availability of menstrual products, but the success came after her proposal following her election to WSC. “I do think that there has been a long, lasting need for them,” Wahid told the paper in regard to the necessity of the products on campus.

Her proposal saw little objection, with WSC and HSG working in tandem to figure out the best methods for dispersion and budgeting. Working with Kristen Tobey of Student Activities, Wahid looked at the NY6 colleges’ models for menstrual hygiene products, asking them about their method of dispersing the products throughout their campuses, and then reached out to the company Aunt Flo to obtain the products. “We then had to identify what were the most used buildings on campus, how much this would cost, how much product we need,” Wahid told the Herald. The success of this project came to be, according to Wahid, because of the coordination between WSC and HSG and those who contributed to the project. “Everyone was just automatically on board with the idea,” she said. “It’s about the concept of equity for students.”

Wahid described the availability of the products as a “biological need” that all students should have access to, though many do not. “By bringing them to campus, it opened a door for educating people as well as expanding the concepts of inequity and inequality when it comes to these things,” she said when discussing the conversations that surrounded this project. One of the approaches that Wahid took when creating the proposal was to address the inequitable implications behind menstrual products. “Minimum

wage in Geneva is $10.50,” Wahid told the Herald. She took this information and compared it to the costs of the five mostused tampon and pad brands, finding that “the least expensive was $7, the most expensive was $10.” Next to the minimum wage, Wahid claimed “that is a good hour

acceptive and inclusive,” Wahid stressed the idea of “working for students who identify with the gender binary and those who don’t.” The process saw little pushback, but there have been some seemingly reactionary actions after its implementation. “Someone had taken [the basket] and put it in the female bathroom,” Wahid said. She didn’t want to make assumptions about why it was moved, however.

Students have also seen reactions on social media, with a recent Instagram post from @barstoolhobart stirring discussion about the products being in all bathrooms. The post depicted a male student walking into the bathroom and gesturing toward the products, his caption only being “Oh.” The post sparked controversy and was later taken down. When asked about this post, Wahid told the Herald, “It really didn’t matter.” She then went on to say, “It being transphobic is a very big concern and is something that needs to be addressed more, but I think that person’s viewpoint … really didn’t matter.” Wahid focused on the students that benefit from the project instead, saying: “The people that are impacted positively and need this product are more important than the backlash that we will receive.”

of work right there.” She used this data to emphasize the inequity of this “biological need,” and was ultimately successful in pushing forth the pilot project, finding immense support from the school and student governments. Challenges only began to emerge when it came to the logistics of the project.

“I think the biggest barrier was figuring out both time and distribution,” Wahid said. A sense of urgency seemed important to get the products in bathrooms for students to use. She worked to calculate the exact amount needed in each building, how many products are taken, and how often to replace them. Both WSC and HSG have been working to ensure the availability to all students — this includes placing the products in both male and female bathrooms, as well as any all-gender bathrooms.

“It wasn’t even a question for us,” Wahid said about putting the products in all bathrooms, regardless of gender. “In order to pursue the concept of being

“This program … breaks that boundary and opens doors to pursue further conversation,” Wahid said. The future of this project is unclear, but it is clear that students think that Wahid and the student governments should work to expand the products’ availability. “One of the things that a student brought up to me … is expanding the product to the arts campus and the science buildings.” Funding is also a point of discussion, with Wahid hoping that “it transforms into something that is not a project, but something that the Colleges are required to undertake.” Since the project is only in its pilot form, there is not yet a “stable understanding” for how the money will be allocated in the future, as well as how extensive it can become in the future as a student-led project.

As a final point, Wahid wanted to ensure that students are aware of the open discussion available at student government meetings. “If any student has any concerns, WSC and HSG are there for you to present those concerns to,” she said. “We love to work on projects, we love to work on initiating change that students want.”

Remembering Rachel McKay ‘18

Army Sergeant Rachel Reve McKay ’18 passed away unexpectedly at the United States Army’s Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia on April 8. The death is under investigation and no immediate cause of death was provided. Rachel was twenty-three years old.

McKay graduated from Marblehead High School, in Marblehead, Massachusetts, prior to attending William Smith in the fall of 2014. She graduated from William Smith last year. She was a political science major who also played forward on the Herons ice hockey team and played for the William Smith golf team where she earned many accolades.

After graduation she enrolled in the Army’s Basic Combat Training and worked in the 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment. She had been on assignment in Fort Benning attending the United States Army’s Officer Candidate School.

McKay was described in her obituary as “a proud, fit, respected, and tireless soldier, and a sought-after ‘battle buddy’ by her fellow officer candidates in the highly selective program.” It continued: “She was a genuine and caring person with extra doses of empathy and admiration for the underdog, and was deeply rooted with a sense of fairness and selflessness. She will be missed more than words can express by the many people she touched during her far too short time with them.”

On Instagram, her father wrote: “We love you and miss you Rachel and will cherish our short time with you forever. May you find the peace in Heaven that you sought here on Earth.”

Flags were flown at half-staff on Thursday, April 18 at state buildings in Massachusetts and at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in memory of Rachel McKay, Class of 2018.

Photo Credit: Kevin Colton/Communications

Earth Week Wrap-Up

By Yellie LaBare ’19 Special to the Herald

Our annual Earth Week celebration is in full swing! Led by the EcoReps and Campus Greens, it is a weeklong celebration of our planet. This year, the week kicked off with Earth Day on Monday, April 22, which featured more Saga options for Meatless Monday as well as the planting of new grape vines in the campus garden.

On Tuesday, distribution started for the donation bins to collect reusable goods for the Community Sale. The bins are located in the lobby of most residence halls.

In the ATM lounge on Wednesday, students traded fashion tips at the clothing swap as they got ready for the spring weather.

Thursday lent itself to the presentation of the cap art installation in the first floor of Scandling, where the caps of disposable containers were hung on display and free tie-dye was available on the Scandling Center lawn. This was meant to encourage students to repurpose old clothing and fabrics.

On Friday the 26th, come check out the Farmers Market! Local vendors will be set up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Later in the day, come learn about HWS beehives and then stay for the Bee Movie screening!

Over the weekend is Saturday’s Girl Up Hunger Banquet to bring

awareness to the issue of global hunger and the Campus Greens’ dinner, which will take place on Sunday. Campus Greens has now hosted this event four times and it has always been a success with good local food at the HWS Farm and live music. Shuttles to and from the farm will begin at 4 p.m. in front of the bookstore.

Rounding out Earth Week, on Monday the 29th, HWS will receive a visit from the Turning Green Conscious College Road Tour! A seven-week cross country journey that stops at 14 college campuses across the U.S., the Lifestyle Expo will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature key lifestyle themes: food, body, zero waste, clean, balance and fashion. Each topic will have info boards, demo products, and ethical samples. Free dinner is available at our Town Hall meeting starting at 6 p.m. in the Gearan Performing Arts Center. After eating, students, faculty, staff, and community members will discuss and brainstorm ways that we can make change happen on a campus and community level.

Overall, the purpose of Earth Week is to create awareness and start an educated conversation about the current environmental issues that we are facing as a community and as a planet. With this in mind, hopefully this week will spark interest, conversation, and above all, action.

Crossword by Wren Andrews ’21 Photo by Ani Freedman ‘22 Arts & Entertainment Editor Chief Photographer

Ani Freedman ’22 Chief Photographer