To: Wellesley College Community
From: President Paula A. Johnson
Re: Confronting a difficult time together
Date: September 30, 2022
I want to take a moment to address the many natural disasters and manmade conflicts facing our planet right now and the people—in our community, and around the world—who are suffering as a result.
Hurricane Ian impacted Cuba earlier this week and over the past 48 hours has devastated Florida, while across the globe Typhoon Noru tore through the Philippines and Vietnam. All of this is occurring just a week after Hurricane Fiona hit the island of Puerto Rico hard, and many people there are still without electricity. In addition to these powerful storms, wildfires are burning across the western United States and historic floods are ravaging Pakistan. Meanwhile, war and atrocities continue in Ukraine, and the “morality police” in Iran brutally beat Mahsa Amini, who died three days later.
This has felt like a long season of disaster. Yet while this is a time of great peril, it is also one of collective outcry and resistance. We see this in nationwide protests in Iran, and in Russia, where citizens are rising up against Vladimir Putin’s new conscription decree. In each country, women—and young people—are at the forefront of these movements. I am inspired by their courage, and fearful for the retribution many of them will face.
As a College, we are providing support and compassion to students and other members of our community whose families are feeling the impact of these disasters, and we will continue to do so.
At Wellesley, one of the best ways we can honor people’s efforts and hopes for a better future is by working with others who believe in that shared vision. Taking concrete action is a way to push through the sense of helplessness disaster can inspire, toward solidarity, justice, and hope. That action can take many forms—it may mean offering support to community members or contributing to organizations working far from campus.
We can strengthen our College community by deepening our bonds with each other, especially across difference, and by doing so serve as a powerful example and engine for change in the world. I urge all of us to continue our collective effort to address the root causes of and contributors to these disasters, and to do all we can to combat climate change, protect democracy in the U.S and abroad, and defend the rights of women and other marginalized people everywhere. No action is too small, and no positive difference is unwelcome.
Next week, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life invites you to a gathering for our community in Houghton Chapel on October 6, from 12:45 to 1:15 p.m., where we will join together in reflection and prayer for all those affected by recent natural disasters and world events.
