Smashing Stereotypes With Pumpkins

Students and staff members alike had the opportunity to relieve some stress while also doing their part to take down stereotypes today at Pace.

Today on Miller lawn from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Hillel, POWER, MADP, and Residential Life joined together to put on “Smash Stereotypes”. For this, 100 small pumpkins were provided to participants who wrote stereotypes that they have experienced or felt needed to be taken down on them. From there, participants used all their strength with axes and sledgehammers to smash the stereotypes on the pumpkins. Some of the different stereotypes people included on them were “privileged because I’m white”, “art isn’t a career”, “feminists are b****es”, “being black means you’re ghetto", "all Jews are rich”, along with many others.

Participant smashing her chosen stereotype

The event sponsors also provided free sunglasses (for eye protection), t-shirts, donuts, and apple cider for participants. The whole point of this event was to bring attention to the fact that almost everyone has either been stereotyped, or feels that we need to address certain stereotypes. Through smashing these stereotypes, the student body and faculty were brought together to realize we need to do our part in taking them down as a campus community.

Missed the event but interested in doing something similar? Keep your eye out for similar activities put on by campus groups directed towards social justice!