Anti-Ableist Amherst: I’m So OCD

Managing Opinion Editor Emeritus Willow Delp ’26 argues that the colloquial usage of the term OCD mischaracterizes and diminishes the often debilitating and terrifying experiences of those who actually suffer from the condition.

Anti-Ableist Amherst: Remembering Accessibility in New Policy

In light of recent housing policy changes that harm and exclude students with disabilities, Managing Opinion Editor Emeritus Willow Delp ’26 urges the college to provide more resources for students to have their accessibility needs met and feel a greater sense of belonging within the community.

In Defense of DEI

Managing Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 responds to a previous article criticizing DEI by arguing that DEI is necessary for achieving racial equity.

The Indicator x The Student: “Notes from Nothing”

Originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of “The Indicator,” Managing Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 explores the objectification of a person within a relationship in their poem.

Serving the Community, Amherst and Beyond — Alumni Profile, Deborah Cook Kaliel ’00

Working for USAID, Deborah Cook Kaliel ’00 is building sustainable HIV programs across the world.

Anti-Ableist Amherst: The Limits of Mental Health Awareness

Managing Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 urges readers to go beyond awareness when discussing mental health.

Anti-Ableist Amherst: Rejecting Normalcy

Managing Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 argues that our conceptions of “normal” and “abnormal” are inherently ableist and pushes for us to reject these societally constructed categories.

“We’re All Victims This Morning”: A History of Anti-Haitian Racism

Managing Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 connects the prejudice they’ve faced as a Jamaican-American with the history of American racism against Haitians.

Jordan Trice: “As I Make My Journey Through”

Known for being a “stellar intellectual” and an “extraordinary writer,” Trice has made an indelible mark on the Amherst College literary community.

Anti-Ableist Amherst: Sexual Victimization and Disability

Managing Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 calls attention to the outsized sexual violence faced by disabled people.

“Where do we go from here?”: Khalidi Concludes Palestine Lecture Series

Khalidi finished his three-part lecture series by discussing potential futures in the Israel-Palestine conflict. He emphasized the need for a ceasefire and analyzed what he calls the “one-state reality” in the region.

Khalidi Continues Palestine/Israel Series, Asks “Why Do We Care?”

In the second part of his three-part lecture series, Dr. Ahmad Samih Khalidi analyzed the forces that have kept the Palestine-Israel conflict in the news cycle for decades, including Jerusalem’s status as a holy land for three world religions and the region as a geopolitical crossroads.

Former Palestinian Negotiator Traces Historical Roots of Israel-Palestine Conflict

In the first of a three-lecture series, Dr. Ahmad Samih Khalidi, a Palestinian diplomat, analyzed the history of the conflict, from the birth of the Zionist movement to the 1993 Oslo Accords.

Remembering Nex Benedict: Reflecting on Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate

Willow Delp ’26 reflects on Nex Benedict’s death and the recent rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate across the United States.

On Not Voting for Joe Biden

Though Managing Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 plans to vote for Joe Biden in the upcoming election, they empathize with those who choose not to vote for him because of his support for Israel’s military campaign.

Editor’s Note: Clarifying Nov. 15 Statement on Israel-Palestine Op-Eds

The opinion section editors and editor-in-chief retract their decision to implement a new policy regarding Israel-Palestine op-eds but reiterate their commitment to use their power to prevent the further mass death of Palestinians.

It’s Time To Pay It Forward

Assistant Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 and the undersigned students call for the college to support the Massachusetts Endowment Tax Act as evidence of its commitment to equity.

Anti-Ableist Amherst: Beyond Accommodations

In this edition of “Anti-Ableist Amherst,” Assistant Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 argues that accommodations, though important, are not enough to bring about disability justice at the college.

Derecka Purnell Kicks Off “Freedom Talks” With Lecture on Abolition, Organizing

Derecka Purnell, a human rights lawyer and author, spoke at the first installation of the “Freedom Talks” lecture series. She discussed police abolition, her personal experiences with police officers, and the role of relationships in organizing.

Anti-Ableist Amherst: Mark Your Words

Assistant Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 inspects how ableism, both silent and verbal, plagues Amherst’s campus.

Anti-Ableist Amherst: Disabled Students Deserve a Resource Center

In the debut of their column “Anti-Ableist Amherst,” Assistant Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 advocates for a disabled/neurodivergent resource center on campus.

The Last Mask Standing

Assistant Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 speaks about their experience as one of the campus’ last mask-wearers and calls for more structural Covid-19 protections.

Fulton County Jail is Nothing To Celebrate

While the internet sensationalizes Donald Trump’s arrest, Assistant Opinion Editor Willow Delp ’26 warns against the delusion of equity within the criminal justice system.

The Indicator x The Student: “Island of Reverence”

Willow Delp ’26 draws inspiration from the myth of Calypso and Odysseus in a lyrical prose piece originally published in the Spring 2023 edition of “The Indicator.”

Thoughts on Theses: Jacqueline Kim ’23

Jacqueline Kim ’23 is an English major who wrote a novella titled “A Swift Boat, A Wide Sea” for her creative-writing thesis. Her thesis advisor is Assistant Professor of English Thirii M. Myint.

Me, My Cane, and I: Using a Cane at Amherst College

Staff Writer Willow Delp ’26 narrates the joy that their cane has brought them while they live with chronic pain.

When Financial Aid Fails

Staff Writer Willow Delp ’26 shares the story of Zoe Callan ’25 and criticizes the college’s failure to live up to its reputation of generous financial aid policies.

Thoughts on Theses: Susannah Auderset ’23

Susannah Auderset ’23 is an architectural studies major writing a thesis on affordable housing in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Her thesis advisor is Chair of Architectural Studies Professor Gabriel A. Arboleda.

The Lilac x The Student: “Rainforest Gothic”

“Rainforest Gothic,” a poem by Willow Delp ʼ26, is featured in this week’s edition of The Lilac x The Student.

Thoughts on Theses: Melanie Schwimmer

Melanie Schwimmer is an American studies major who is writing a thesis on fatness and fatphobia throughout history. Her thesis advisor is L. Stanton Williams 1941 Professor of American Studies and English Karen J. Sánchez-Eppeler.

Experiencing Ableism in Amherst’s Infrastructure

Willow Delp ’26 explores the difficulty of movement around campus, detailing experiences of disabled students as they face an institution characterized by physical and rhetorical hostility toward accessibility.

Try Not To Commit Infidelity Challenge

“The Try Guys” cheating scandal, which revealed that Ned Fulmer cheated on his wife with a coworker, recently went viral. Willow Delp ’26 critiques the “wife guy” archetype, a man who uses his wife to endear himself to others.