I think the thing I see most visibly is how race and class shape one’s ability to decide whether take a gap year because of of COVID-19 for the 2020-2021 school year. A lot of people I know who would love to take a gap year for mental health reasons, or because they know that they would not having access to Yale books for instance. They would have to find jobs, and know that because they can’t find jobs they have to go to school in difficult circumstances. People who have on-campus jobs will also be losing their on-campus jobs. For example, I just found out that I’m losing my job. Yale has to respond by eliminating the SIC and increasing real access to mental healthcare.

Irene Vázquez, BK ’21