• About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
The Wellesley News -
  • News and Features
    • Professor Phillip Levine Discusses “A Problem of Fit”
      Professor Phillip Levine Discusses “A Problem of Fit”
    • CS Department shifts CS 111 course structure
      CS Department shifts CS 111 course structure
    • WAMI and WRJ host discussion on criminalization of abortion
      WAMI and WRJ host discussion on criminalization of abortion
    • News
      • News in Brief
      • Nation & World
      • President’s Corner
      • Senate Report
    • Features
      • Alumnae Spotlight
      • Eye on Science
      • Faculty Focus
      • LGBTQIA+ Column
  • Opinions
    • Why Art Basel is partially responsible for Miami’s gentrification
      Why Art Basel is partially responsible for Miami’s gentrification
    • It’s time to put traditional grading to the test
      It’s time to put traditional grading to the test
    • What can the fall of Z-library teach us about textbook accessibility?
      What can the fall of Z-library teach us about textbook accessibility?
    • Staff Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
    • The Elephant in the Room
  • Arts
    • No image
      Pentimento’s Open Mic is Like an Old Patchwork Quilt–Worn, Yet Cozy
    • No image
      Kanye’s Antisemitism Steps on his Shoe Brand
    • Lousy Realities: Luca Guadagnino (2015)
      Lousy Realities: Luca Guadagnino (2015)
    • Arts In The News
    • Reviews
    • Music Peek
    • Books Before Boys
  • Sports and Wellness
    • Student-Athlete of October
      Student-Athlete of October
    • Athletics Update Oct. 19, 2022
      Athletics Update Oct. 19, 2022
    • The Case for Body Neutrality
      The Case for Body Neutrality
    • Athlete of the Week
    • Boston Sports Update
    • The Vegan Digest
    • The SHE Corner
  • The Wellesley Snooze
    • Top 10 Girlbosses who aren’t alumnae, but I would totally believe you if you told me they were
      Top 10 Girlbosses who aren’t alumnae, but I would totally believe you if you told me they were
    • Wendy Wellesley’s Thanksgiving Menu
      Wendy Wellesley’s Thanksgiving Menu
    • The Snooze Awards for the Best Tanners of 2022
      The Snooze Awards for the Best Tanners of 2022
  • Miscellanea
    • President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
      President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
    • Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
      Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
    • 50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
      50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
    • The Dose
    • The Olive Branch
    • Multimedia
      • Galleries
      • Infographics
      • Videos
By Sydney Stewart Multicultural Column, News, News and FeaturesNovember 17, 2016

Multicultural Column: 11/16

Graphic by Jee Lee '19, Assistant Digital Editor

Siblings,

This past week has been rife with pain and anguish for an overwhelming majority of our community in light of our alumna’s, Hillary Rodham Clinton ’69, having lost the presidential election. President Elect Donald J. Trump’s win has left many feeling hopeless as a result of the rhetoric utilized throughout his campaign, which promoted racism, sexism, ableism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and a variety of other issues. This rhetoric does not at all align with the values that I, as your Multicultural Affairs Coordinator (MAC), have been tasked with promoting, including multicultural understanding, diversity and inclusion.

Trump’s win, for many, has increased their sense of fear and distrust of the American people. I have heard my peers speak about their fear that their family members and close friends would be deported due to their undocumented status. I have heard them speak about their concerns regarding their sense of place as women in science, technology, finance and other fields that have historically been dominated by men. I have heard my siblings of African descent express their fears of walking alone after nightfall due to last week’s events and devise a buddy system plan in order to protect themselves from those who may come to our campus with malice.

These fears are real fears and they are justified.

Since last Tuesday’s election, I have seen the Wellesley community come together to grieve and heal. Last Wednesday, the Dean of Students and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life held an open forum for community members to discuss their hopes and fears as a result of the election and recenter. On Thursday, College Government (CG) Cabinet organized an event for students to join in a safe space to share their concerns and hopes. CG has created a poster for students to share these concerns with the larger Wellesley community, which can be found in the campus center. On Friday, President Paula Johnson organized a Peace Walk for students to reclaim our space, which was violated last week when two students from Babson College attempted to instill a sense of fear in our community acting in a manner that does not meet the community standards of our community or that of Babson College.

In closing, I would like to provide you all with my own hopes for our community. I hope that our campus, at this time, will endeavor to better understand people whose opinions may not be the same as their own. I hope that we will uphold the three values set forth in our Honor Code of honesty, integrity and respect. I hope that we will not retaliate against those who are different from us, but that we will find a means by which we could articulate, through the knowledge and education Wellesley has provided us in the classroom and outside, why their actions are harmful. I hope that we will not allow this election to get the best of us and that we will work harder to see to it that our personal beliefs are reflected in our society. I, most importantly, hope that we will remember to support one another. That support means being there for our siblings when they can’t be there for themselves. It means showing up for them when they hold events pertaining to their respective cultures. It means speaking up for love and progress in our classrooms, our organizational meetings, in conversations with our loved ones, our workplaces, and all other arenas.

I send strength to those of you who, like me, are still grappling with the aftermath of the election results and hope that you all are taking care.

Sincerely,
Sydney Stewart

Share on

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google +
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Previous articleHillary Clinton’s loss to Donald Trump shakes Wellesley community and election events
Next articleNews in Brief: 11/16

You may also like

Professor Phillip Levine Discusses “A Problem of Fit”

CS Department shifts CS 111 course structure

WAMI and WRJ host discussion on criminalization of abortion

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

Top Articles

Sorry. No data so far.

Recent Tweets

Tweets by @Wellesley_News

The independent student newspaper of Wellesley College since 1901.

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

  • About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
COPYRIGHT © 2023 THE WELLESLEY NEWS
Back to top