By  Valerie Cuellar ’20 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #1

By Lin Yi Wei ’20 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #2

This piece was written by an anonymous student who identified 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #3

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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #4

By  Shaamar Samuel ’19 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #5

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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #6

By Hamdan Ahmed ’20 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #7

By Donovan Hayden ’19 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #8

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. Plural monoculturalism. Were it not for attempt at education in the field of comparative … Continue reading Viewpoint #9

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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #10

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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #11

“I am an active person of color on campus.” 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #12

By Carolin Martinez Diaz ’19 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #13

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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #14

By Nhung Nguyen 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, … Continue reading Viewpoint #15

By  Pamela Icyeza ’19 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #16

“I am a person of color and a first-generation college student.” 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #17

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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #18

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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #19

By Daniel Pedemonte ’20 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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #20

“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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #21

“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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #22

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 … Continue reading Viewpoint #23

By Stacy A. Maceda ’19 In my perspective piece as a student of color I want to attach the email I sent out to administration when there was vandalism found on campus on April 22nd ,2019. This email is exemplary of what a student of color must face every time they don’t know where to turn for answers when an incident like this happens.   … Continue reading Viewpoint #24

This issue of the Herald contains 24 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 … Continue reading A Note on the Issue