Maya Casilda Acevedo

My name is Maya Casilda Acevedo and I was born in Nyack, New York, right down the river from here. I'm an American Cultures major, focusing on Native American Studies and Environmental Studies. I have been at Vassar since fall of 2006, having taken time off for two nonconsecutive semesters (which was the best decision I made while at school, by the way). My campus involvement this year included being the Vassar Student Association (VSA) representative for town students, the president for the Grassroots Alliance for Alternative Politics (GAAP), and the academic intern for the American Cultures Department. I have also been a nanny locally for all five years. I have grown to love Vassar dearly. So many incredible professors and great classes. The cheerful flowers in the spring and colorful leaves in the fall.

One place that I've never really gotten the opportunity to recognize and thank fully is the Women's Center. In fact, I want to dedicate this senior retrospective to the great women I have encountered on those second floor offices of Baldwin. In particular Marlene, Mary, and Dr. B hold a very special place in my heart. I have been in the Center many times over the years and have really seen first hand the important role that it plays for Vassar. And I know I am not alone in these sentiments, for many girlfriends of mine have also been deeply appreciative of the care that is shown in those offices. I remember one of the first things that struck me upon entering the Women's Center was how much effort was made to keep things confidential. Although at first I was struck in an odd way by the incredible care that was taken to be discreet– from phone conversations to detailing charts– it immediately and unknowingly made me feel very safe. It was upon reflection years later that I realized that it was the attention given to those details that made me willing to go there as many times as I have. From freaking out over the natural lumpyness of my breasts to the regular pap smears, I have never hesitated to go to the Women's Center to help me out. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you Mary, Marlene and Dr. B.

However, I cannot just write this retrospective as though things have just been so nice and peachy here. There are many things which trouble me deeply about this school. In particular, something that has been bothering me in these past years is the relationship that this college has with its employees. Particularly with service employees– whether it be the custodial staff who just in recent years has been given an absolutely insane work schedules starting at 5 a.m., to the dining staff who are no longer hired over the summer – although the strenuous relationship extends into other departments as well. I was here when the lay-offs happened and through the rallies and hunger strikes I have seen first hand how disrespectful things can get. Furthermore, just this year I was told by someone higher up in the levels of operation of this school that if a person is working class they don't come to Vassar, they go to SUNY New Paltz. I was very upset about these comments and yet I felt unsurprised by them. And I cannot sit here and act as though it all comes from "up above"; a lot of my upset over the years has come from fellow students who have convinced me through their actions that they were mostly raised with maids and chefs.

If Vassar is to be the kind of institution that I am proud of having gone to, it must aim to be a place that respects its own employees and remembers that community starts with how we treat our family and our neighbors.

—Maya Acevedo is the outgoing Town Students president and president of the Grassroots Alliance for Alternative Politics.