With the beginning of a new year comes another chance to reevaluate Smith’s inclusion and diversity initiatives. However, before we discuss what is to come, we must revisit what came before. First, let me introduce myself: I’m Claudia. I wrote a piece about last year’s Inclusion in Action conference based on my experience on the planning committee. It seemed to me that the conference, in the end, all came down to data.
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On Friday, Sept. 20, various organizations local to Western Massachusetts hosted public events as part of a larger global movement to fight climate change. These events were largely inspired by the work of climate activist Greta Thunberg. Groups including Extinction Rebellion Western Mass., Sunrise Northampton, and Climate Action Now helped organize a march and rally at Northampton City Hall, as well as a Solidarity Strike at Pulaski Park, a Solidarity Vigil in Springfield, a dance benefit at the First Churches in Northampton, and several other events.
Cristina Rodríguez, the Leighton Homer Surbeck Professor of Law at Yale University, gave the first speech in the 2019-2020 Presidential Colloquium Series on Thursday, September 19, 2019. Her lecture, “The President, Immigration Law, and the Politics of Constitutional Structure,” sought to provide greater insight into US immigration law by looking at historic and current tensions between executive and legislative powers.
“I think people should learn a foreign language, period,” Professor Evgeny Dengub said when I ask him why students should study Russian at Smith. “Whether it’s Russian, French, Italian, Japanese or Arabic, it’s good for your brain. It’s good for your overall development and intellectual growth. It’s good for your soul.”
Spring has finally arrived in the 413. Coincidentally, it has also arrived in the 603 where my friend Ryan is at Dartmouth. She and I exchange letters every now and then, discussing weird elitist traditions of the east coast, physics, relationships and sex.
A few weeks ago, in Acting Studio 2 of the Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts, a one-night performance was staged for a small but attentive audience. Emma O’Neill-Dietel ’21 describes her show “What?” as a solo, memoir-based performance about her experience growing up with hearing loss.
We all know Smithies, and we agree we’re all wonderful people. We code apps, crank out theses and post about our angst on social media. We go on to be activists, artists and leaders, and yet, we’re clueless on how to maintain healthy social lives — especially romantic relationships.
On March 6, local educators and students filled the Carroll Room for a celebration dinner. They were celebrating the culmination of the Urban Ed Pathway, a program run by the Urban Education Initiative (UEI), part of the Jandon Center for Community Engagement, and Teach Western Mass, a nonprofit working to ensure that all students have access to an effective educator and a vibrant education.
On April 11, the organization Students for Social Justice and Institutional Change (SSJIC) held a massive protest outside of John M. Greene Hall that was attended by hundreds of, if not a thousand, students.
Disclaimer: I love all zodiac signs. Thank you.