By Vicky Castillo

Contributing Writer

Firstly, I want to express how grateful I am to go to a school where certain individuals within administration are not only dedicated to fulfilling students’ needs and addressing our concerns, but who are also doing their best to organize events and implement structural changes within the college.

That being said, there is plenty of room for improvement since many of our students of color feel like not enough is being done to make them feel safe, valued, and welcomed on this campus.

One of my largest criticisms of the Day of Learning and Reflection, Feb. 18, 2020 is that seemed to be focused on educating white students about racism, which sort of alienated students of color who felt that this day was not for them and that they had nothing to learn from it; nor did it make a difference in celebrating diversity or addressing the concrete issues of racism that occur and have occurred on campus. One major improvement would be making sure students of color are extensively involved in the planning process of major events like these, and not just the few students of color who are on the Diversity & Inclusion Steering Committee, because they cannot speak for all of their peers.

Although it is not the responsibility of students of color to be on the front lines educating our white students and faculty about racism, we still must be open to working together against racism. Yet, I need to stress the importance of white students understanding the daily struggle of being a student of color on a campus in which 82% of the student body and 90% of faculty and staff are white, and the impact it would have on our entire campus culture if white students and faculty were cognizant of the racism that does exist on campus and were committed to not only working on their own biases and education, but were committed to standing up for one another when microaggressions and other subtle manifestations of racism occur.

You only have to be aware, kind, and courageous enough to speak up. I think that is something everyone is capable of.

Vicky Castillo ’20 is a member of the Civil Rights Alliance.

By Ashley DeLeon

Contributing Writer

On behalf of the Martin Luther King Jr. Society of Saint Michael’s College, we would like to publicize our outrage and disapproval of the use of a derogatory racial reference during the campus-wide Day of Reflection.

On Tuesday, February 18, during the second workshop hosted by the Center for Peace and Justice located in Burlington, Vermont, a staff member used a deeply offensive epithet to a crowd of hundreds gathered in the gym of the Ross Sports Center. This occurred minutes after facilitators outlined the parameters of acceptable and prohibited language for the duration of the workshop. When the staff member uttered the racist term, there was an underwhelming response.

Many students of color have been deeply and emotionally wounded by this incident. Moreover, the disappointing response and lack of intervention worsened its magnitude and manifested angry reactions from many organizations within the Center for
Multicultural Affairs & Services.

This action is antithetical to our mission of promoting racial equity and inclusion within our campus community. We recognize the gravity of this incident and are taking onward action to ensure that students of color are properly represented when the issue is addressed by the College administration. We do not promote, accept, or give credence to this act of racist behavior, and more broadly, any acts of
racism, hatred, and inequality. Furthermore, as students of color are continuously targeted for acts of hatred and racism on campus, we are using this incident as an opportunity to pressure administrative forces to prioritize our exigencies. Paired with the demands of the Student Government Association, we collaboratively strive for equity on this campus and will not cease our demanding pressures until definitive actions are taken to justify this incident.

As stated by the president of the MLK Jr. Society, Jaron Bernire ‘21, “One of MLK Jr. Society’s goals is to have students interact with problems discussing race alienation on our campus; to speak up for someone who doesn’t feel like their voice will be heard is what we enjoy doing the most, and to make every race feel equal on this campus. Bernire further emphasizes that ceasing efforts to work towards equality would represent a failure. However, the campus must worry not, as our efforts will never cease to exist. Vice President, Kayla Erb ‘22, recognizes the profundity of this incident and is actively guiding the response of the MLK Jr. Society, never settling for less than the rightful means of justification.

On behalf of the MLK Jr. society, we would like you to understand that we are emphatically responding to this issue and are taking forceful actions to justify this injustice. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Lightning makes no sound until it strikes.”

Ashley DeLeon ‘22 is a member of the MLK Society at St. Michael’s College.

Dear SMC,
I went into this event with high expectations. Unfortunately, they were too high. The whole day felt chaotic, unorganized, and rushed. People didn’t know where they were going, what they were doing, and why they even bothered to show up in the first place. I knew this event was going downhill when the first group left to go to Alliot…and when I say left I mean go to their townhouses or dorms.

I was expecting to talk about the acts of racism on our campus…to have a dialogue between the students and the administrative staff. There was no conversation, no mention of the stickers, posters, and racist slurs incidences on campus, and no reassurance of future actions the administrative plans on taking, which was a missed opportunity. Students of color are angry and fed up with this negative campus climate. What is it going to take for students and staff to directly address the needs of our students of color?

What I want to happen going forward:

• Required curriculum within all departments that deals with social justice and critical theories such as race theories and anti-oppressive practice

• Improving campus safety by updating security cameras around campus

• Increase efforts to recruit students from diverse areas around the U.S.

• Implement annual anti-racism training during student orientation

–Sarah Donahue ’20

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Dear SMC,
The day of learning and diversity brings with it some questions as well as answers!

I feel as though many minorities were missed that could easily have been included and also struggling with many of the same issues!

I also feel that we have grown complacent with the status quo to the point that there were many that left early or didn’t participate at all.

I am proud of Saint Michael’s college for returning to its roots, being a community leader in diversity and equality. We have been reminded that this battle for equality is never over.

I think some guilt should lie in those that we’re able to participate and chose not to.

I think we can do better! There are so many voices that need to be heard!

As a minority, I say thank you to the Saint Michael’s community for giving me a place where I feel safe (safer). Thank you for reminding me that I can do better!

A very special thank you to Mohammed Soriano-Bilal for inclusion!

-Kinsey Whitford, HVAC/R technician

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Dear SMC, I apologize To those who felt or feel hurt from the effect of the event on Tuesday, Jan. 18th; the day, which has gone by the names: Day of Reflection, The Day, Feb. 18th, and distastefully Diversity Day.

I, like ones similar to me, in terms of my presentation and what it affords me to, turned away from the undeniable systemic issue at hand–racism on our campus and within our systems.

What this day created was a splash in a pool that was still rippling. I said I would drop off, and not continue if administration decided there would be “a day.”

Instead, I felt unknowingly woven into an ugly bandage our administration keeps putting back on–repairing it, however each time it loses a bit of what made it function best before the damage. I apologize for the impact my work on the Steering Committee had on my friends, community members, campus, and beyond.

– Mallory Bauer ’22

By Leanne Hamilton

Executive Editor

After a busy day of check ins and answering the phone, I finally had time to sit at the desk and skim through emails. Most of the guests have gone out to dinner so the lobby is quiet, except for slight creaks the old inn makes every now and then. Being an innkeeper for my summer job, I was used to late and quiet nights. One guest wandered down the stairs from his room and into the kitchen. he looked puzzled at the coffee and tea station. ‘Is there anything I can help you with?” I ask him in my best hospitality voice. He looks at my male boss standing beside me and says, “Yes actually, could I get a beer?” My boss walked to the pub tucked in the back with the guest following behind him. This is not the first time guests have answered my questions by turning to my boss and asking him directly. Everyone knows that sexism exists. Even more so now that the media is a monumental outlet. For example, last fall, while I was thumbing through the article page on Snapchat, I chanced upon a Daily Mail story about a robbery at the home of Youtuber Felix Kjellberg, famously known as ‘PewDiePie’ and Marzia, is wife Daily Mail had titled the article “PewDiePie and wife robbed blind”effectively demoting Marzia as less significant than her famous significant other.

Another media post included diminishing soccer star Kealia Ohai. Kealia was traded from the Houston Dash team to the Chicago Red Stars recently when an ABC Network tweeted about the trade with the caption “Houston Dash trade J.J. Watt’s fiancee to Chicago.” She’s a major soccer star, but ABC decided her engagement to celebrity football star J.J. Watt overshadowed the accomplishments she made in her soccer career. J.J. Watt called out the decision by retweeting the headline and calling it “trash” for not recognizing Kealia for her own achievements. The network station apologized by commenting on Watt’s retweet, but not to Ohai directly.

“Sexism is prevalent in the media,” said Alicia Brunson, a professor at Georgia Southern University who recently spoke at St. Michael’s during Martin Luther King week. “Women are represented in very limited roles that reinforce patriarchal ideologies and traditional gender roles,” she told me, adding “ownership of media corporations is dominated by men. It should not be surprising to see images and hear messages that are not favorable to women.” Sexism has become normalized, so that only the abhorrent occurrences seem to warrant attention,” Brunson said. Groundbreaking news or a violent event covered will often catch the attention of readers more than a potentially sexist quote the best way women can reassert their presence in the media is by becoming media literate, Brunson said. “If you do not like a media product do not buy it.” Brunson said, emphasizing that we need to take notice of the businesses that profit off of sexist media. “By avoiding these industries that have a tendency to be sexist in their marketing, women can choose not to fund the corporations” advises Dr. Brunson. I will admit that I continue to use Snapchat, but I did report the Daily Mail’s article to Snapchat directly. I could have used my social media accounts and made a post calling out the article to get other people involved in the conversation. Women can fight the media by taking to the media ourselves and making our own platforms. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer an outlet that women can use to speak out against sexism towards women. “Become a creative,” Brunson advises. “There are several media platforms that can be used to distribute a counternarrative that empowers women.”

There needs to be more conversation about sexism. It happens to women every day in the media and outside of the media. I talked with writer and editor for USA Today, Amy Ayres, an alumnus from ‘98. “I’ve had several editors — both male and female — who have been supportive or advocated for me in different ways,” she told me. Still, there have been times where she suspected her salary was lower than some of her counterparts. Beyond that, “There have sometimes been assumptions about my
career interests or ambitions tied to the fact that I’m a woman and a mother.” If more women have positions in leadership they will have more say on the content that is published in the media. Having a woman to collaborate with on the decisions of content, could make the team aware of sexism before it goes to print. “It’s vitally important that more women are given more opportunities to be in leadership positions also they’re in the room when decisions about the organization or about news coverage are made,” says Ayres.

By the end of the summer when I was the only one at the front desk I let the guests know that I was in fact a figure of authority in the inn and could get them whatever they needed. Often times when my boss had sat down to dinner or checked some of the emails I took notice of a guest that would ask him to get them something and I would proceed to get it for them. Soon they were asking me directly