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Inviting you to Cromwell Day on November 4, 2021

Presidential Letters 21-22

Published September 22, 2021

Dear students, staff and faculty,

All of you are enthusiastically invited to Cromwell Day, which will be held on November 4, 2021. This year's theme is "Collective Imagining of Antiracist Democracies: Fighting for Racial Justice," which calls us to come together in order to design a better, more inclusive and equitable world. In addition, it enables us to build on the college's Year on Democracies with a focus on our ongoing work, Toward Racial Justice.

We are delighted to announce that our keynote speaker will be LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter. She will address the role of women, young people and people of color in reimagining American democracy.

Classes will be cancelled that day so that students, staff and faculty can listen to her speech during the plenary session at 1:30, as well as attend workshops and other activities devoted to celebrating the legacies of Otelia Cromwell (Class of 1900), Smith's first Black graduate, and Adelaide Cromwell (Class of 1940), Smith's first Black faculty member. 

Special opportunities this year include the communal creation of a quilt representing our collective imagining of antiracist democracies and a dance performance and participatory workshop by Shakia Barron.

Those participating in the asymptomatic testing program can attend the plenary in-person in John M. Greene Hall. Members of the public will be able to view it via Facebook Live.

Come imagine with us!

Sincerely yours,

Kathleen McCartney, President
Floyd Cheung, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion