BOOM! Right up my alley

I have been at Mount Holyoke College for eight months so far. Within this time, I have learned to be comfortable in my skin, communicate my needs and be a leader in my community. Since I came to Mount Holyoke, my passion for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has grown exponentially. When I learned about the Building on our Momentum (BOOM!) Learning Symposium I was very excited. A whole day just to learn from each other and build a stronger community? Sounds right up my alley. I was nervous that, as a first year, I would not be able to contribute much to the planning and facilitating of BOOM! I was wrong. I have been given a voice in my community to highlight the issues I am passionate about and help others present their issues as well.

Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by a robust Jewish community, and I am grateful for that every day. When coming to Mount Holyoke, I knew that there was a smaller Jewish community on the campus and decided I was okay with that. As a Jewish person in America these days, going to college was a bit daunting. Seeing what my friends had experienced on their campuses made me nervous to come to mine. I am very lucky to have had a safe and caring community around me here at Mount Holyoke, though that does not mean everything is perfect. Through BOOM!, I am hoping to raise awareness about antisemitism around the world and ways to fight against it. No one should feel scared to be themselves and represent their culture proudly and loudly.

BOOM! is not just about diversity and inclusion but also community. We are there to feel seen, but we are also there to learn from others. I am ready to help the Mount Holyoke community learn how to fight back against antisemitism, and I am also ready to hear about all the issues and celebrations of other cultures. I am not just there for me; I am there to build a safe space for everyone to feel seen and heard.

Working on BOOM! has been very rewarding. Going to DEI meetings and discussing how to best give everyone a seat at the table is why I’m there. I am here not just for myself but for my whole Mount Holyoke community. I have been given a voice to help give others a voice. BOOM! is just one week away, and I am very excited. Having the opportunity to hear from speakers such as Angela Davis, Chase Strangio and franny silverman is quite a privilege. BOOM! 2025 will be one for the books, and I cannot wait to help with more BOOM! events during my time at Mount Holyoke College.