This year, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Pride and despite the political climate of our nation, a united community of people walked together with their masks on, safely advocating for Black lives and Queer liberation. June has become a celebratory month for both LGBTQIA+ Pride and Caribbean-American Heritage. As many people across the nation continue to march for Black Lives, recently, a spectrum of identities within the LGBT+ Caribbean community have come into view, and it is important to acknowledge how these communities clash.
Read moreFemale Black Author Book Reviews
OPINION: The Lawn Jockey Cannot Stand as a Symbol of Racism at Skidmore
I wrote the following letter to Skidmore President Marc C. Conner on Monday, July 27th. The previous summer, some friends and I noticed the presence of the Skidmore lawn jockey on the lawn of the Lucy Scribner presidential residence. I had never seen one where I had grown up, but was familiar with “lawn jockey” as a pejorative phrase and wondered if the same racist history applied to the object itself.
Read more401 Years and Counting: The Story of Modern Slavery in America
The thirteenth amendment to the US constitution states that slavery and involuntary servitude be abolished, “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” This one phrase is what allows for slavery to legally continue in United States prisons, and is what makes it possible for people to continue to profit off of slavery today.
Read more"Not a Band-Aid Solution": Harlem Lacrosse and Skidmore Men’s Lacrosse Reflect on Controversial Instagram Campaign
The partnership between Harlem Lacrosse and Skidmore Men’s Lacrosse began long before Coach Joseph Martin became Head Coach in 2018. In 2014, Skidmore Lacrosse Alumni and All-American, Jacques Ward ’11, became a Program Director for Harlem Lacrosse, a non-profit organization that provides academic support, mentoring, and leadership training, and many more resources, to underprivileged youth.
Read moreBlack Residents’ Concerns about Systemic Racism Met by Disregard during Saratoga Springs Community Forum
A virtual community forum hosted on Wednesday evening by the Saratoga Springs Police Department and city Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton, has garnered deep frustration from the community members in attendance.
Read moreSkidmore Reviews Latest Reforms to National Title IX Regulations
On May 6th, 2020, the Department of Education led by Betsy DeVos, sent out their long awaited proposal for new changes to the Title IX regulations in schools. This marked the first time the policy has been changed since 1975, creating a historic shift for the set of regulations originally implemented to protect students’ wellbeing. While some notice that the changes are less broad than they have been, others are citing that they are less comprehensive and could bring more lee-way to sexual assault cases. Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Lorri Riggs, and Title IX Deputy Coordinator in Student Affairs, Gabriella Melillo, held virtual information sessions detailing the new policy changes and how Skidmore will act on them.
Read moreSkidmore's Complicity: "A Call For Change"?
Currently, as America fights against the COVID-19 pandemic that has taken the lives of many in our nation and across the world, another great fight is occurring: the demand for justice against several broken systems. The death of George Floyd has catalyzed a massive movement and as many communities join the fight for Black lives, students across the country continue to advocate for changes to our educational institutions in order to establish equity in our communities.
Read moreAmplifying BIPOC Voices
Skidmore is an overwhelmingly white college, and most of us have never experienced racism and never will. We are the ones that have taken part and benefitted from the deeply rooted racism in our country. The resources are already out there, and have been for a while. White folks need to take responsibility, listen and learn, and do the research to become anti-racist individuals. It is hard. it is uncomfortable. We must do it anyway.
Read moreOPINION: Good Fundraiser, Bad Timing
Over the past few weeks, our social media feeds have been flooded with powerful, shocking and motivational news from the Black Lives Matter movement. I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach, however, when I read about the Skidmore College Men’s Lacrosse team fundraiser for Harlem Lacrosse, on Instagram last week.
Read more#WhyDidDarrylDie: The Police Brutality Case that Strikes Close to Home
I first heard about the death of Darryl Mount Jr. in April of 2018. I remember the day clearly because I had come to the Saratoga Springs City Hall to interview Mayor Meg Kelly for a statement on the recent sightings of KKK flyers downtown. During our conversation, Mayor Kelly mentioned that she had been working closely with the local police department--particularly with the then-Police Chief Greg Veitch-- on preserving the town’s safety and ensuring that this would not happen again. It struck me during our interview that I needed to learn more about the city’s police department as our local authority of protection. After, I googled the Saratoga Springs Police Department and fell into the story of Darryl Mount Jr.
Read moreBlack Authored Books and Poetry: Reading List
Words have the power to inform the world, to honor the memory of those who have died, and most importantly, to destroy the silence. Reading novels and poems written by Black writers brings awareness about the experiences of Black people and educates us on the realities of discrimination and anti-Black racism. I have compiled a reading list of my favorite works that use the strength of language to write about social, racial, gender, and identity issues that depict experiences of being Black.
Read moreWeekly Haiku: The Sun
the warmth of the sun
its warmth like a hot shower
burns my back bright red
Dear Readers, A Letter from Skidmore News' Editor-in-Chief
Since the last issue of Skidmore News came out the week before Spring Break, a lot has changed (to say the least). The pandemic has totally disturbed lives and perhaps changed the meaning of “normal” forever.
Read moreOPINION: The Rites of Black History Month
Skidmore College’s black community worked hard to do justice to the month and to themselves — albeit alone. Many look to Skidmore’s clubs and members of the black diaspora, such as UJIMA, The African Heritage Awareness Club (AHA), and The West Indian Student Association Club (WISA), to make ample effort to empower their voices.
Read moreTo Zoom or Not to Zoom: How Students and Faculty Have Adapted to Online Learning
The sudden rush of remote learning is coming to an end as we enter our fourth week of online classes, and also the end of this spring semester. Although it seems as though things are going wrong, Zoom is here to give us some sense of normalcy while also not losing valuable class time.
Read moreSkidmore Seniors Express Concerns Surrounding Postponed Graduation
Skidmore College officially announced in a community-wide email on March 31 that while commencement will not be traditional in nature, something to celebrate the seniors and their respective accomplishments will occur. The vagueness of this update, accompanied by a rather unprecedented situation, has left many students wondering what a reimagined commencement will look like.
Read moreHinterlands in Humanity, A Poem
Instead of azaleas and cherry blossoms’ magical fraicheur,
And the societal balm of sport-
Greeted in the soft spring light by Pandemic’s frosted darkness
Skidmore Students Speak Out About the Coronavirus Pandemic
On March 9, students were notified through an email that classes were suspended until March 23. Three days later, students found out that the college would be moving to remote learning for the remainder of the semester. The same email announced that all students needed to move off campus by the end of that week.
Read moreHow Clubs Are Reacting to a Remote Learning Semester
Club Executive Boards (e-boards) are always faced with the challenge of keeping their communities united and engaged throughout the semester, but how are they supposed to keep up now that their members are scattered across the globe?
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