Organized by students Ahyoung An ‘09 and Camila Curtis-Contreras ‘09, the first Hortense Parker celebration was in 2009. It was inspired by Smith’s Otelia Cromwell day. This event celebrates past and present students of color and honors Parker’s legacy. “We hope to [share] the history of women of color and their achievements at Mount Holyoke, to hear from current students of color, and discuss the work that can be done in the future,” said An. Initially, An and Curtis-Contreras had included the commemoration of the first woman of color at Mount Holyoke in their list of demands presented in the documentary they produced, Experienced Diversity, that detailed the disconnect between the diversity advertised and the diversity experienced on campus. However, when the administration failed to initiate the planning and organizing event, An and Curtis-Contreras took on the challenge. It has been held annually since.
