Student Projects
As the central component of the "Behind the Veil: Simmons Black Oral History Project" course, students learn best practices in oral history methods and conduct interviews with Black alumnae/i. Afterwards, they identify key themes and topics of interest to help make meaning of the oral histories and to serve as the focus of their final papers and projects. Topics included the Simmons Black Student Organization, the Simmons curriculum, social and residential life, navigating college during times of national or international turmoil, and Black librarianship and archivists, among others.
This section introduces the student-interviewers involved in the project and showcases their presentations exploring and interpreting some of the themes revealed in the oral history interviews.
The student-interviewers and their projects are listed in chronological order by graduation date.
Toben Traver, M.A./M.S. ‘22: “‘My Own Personal Key’: An Exploration of Black Librarianship.”
Toben Traver (he/him) is from Taftsville, VT. He graduated in 2022 with an MS in Library Science and an MA in History.
Anna Boyles ‘22: “3 Blog Posts Inspired by Interview with Laurel Guild Yancey ‘75.”
Anna Boyles (she/her) is from Ridgeland, Mississippi. She graduated in 2022 with a B.A. in History.
Sarah Granoff ‘23: “Student Activism and Its Impacts in the Early 1970s.”
Sarah Granoff (she/her) is from Framingham, MA. She graduated in 2023 with a B.A. in History specializing in Public History and a double minor in Arts Administration and Women's & Gender Studies.
Kas Hunt ‘23: “The Life and Travels of Ms. Gerri Williams.”
Kas Hunt (he/they) is from West Hartford, CT but is New York born. He graduated in 2023 with a B.A. in Women's and Gender Studies.
Sara Slager ‘23: “Carry the Baton: How Teachers Become Activists”
Sara Slager (she/her) is from Halifax, MA. She graduated in 2023 with a B.A. in Women's and Gender Studies and a minor in History, and then again in 2024 with her M.A.T. in Elementary and Special Education.
Karla Alba M.A. '23: Black Power Movement and the Black Identity
Karla Alba (she/her) is from Providence, Rhode Island. She graduated in 2023 with a M.A. in Gender and Cultural Studies.
Kaycee Jackson '23: Everyone Brings a Story
Kaycee Jackson (she/her) is from Canton, Mississippi. She graduated in 2023 with a B.A. in Africana Studies and Political Science.
Sunei Clarke ‘24: “A Survival Guide Video: ‘What Does Simmons Mean to Us’”
Sunei Clarke (she/her) is from Brooklyn, NY. She graduated in 2024 with a B.A. in Public Health and a minor in Chemistry.
Laura-Luiza Cabral Gouvea ‘24: "Break Every Chain" - Two-Part Mixed-Media Collage
Laura-Luiza Cabral Gouvea (she/her) is from Somerville, MA by way of Brazil. She graduated in 2024 with a B.A. in Africana Studies, History, and Sociology.
Reham Zeroual '24: Examining the Past to Present Black Experience
Reham Zeroual (she/her) is from Cambridge, MA. She graduated in 2023 with a B.A. in Africana Studies and Political Science and a minor in Philosophy.
Maria Elisa Martinez Anzola '23, M.A. '24: Constructing Identity - Narratives of Biracial Individuals
María Elisa Martínez Anzola (she/her) is from São Paulo, Brazil. She graduated in 2023 with a B.A. in Sociology and Public Policy and then in 2024 with an M.A. in Public Policy.
Masumi Sasaki Kagaya M.A. '25: Rediscovering Oneself - Black and Jewish Solidarity in Boston
Masumi Sasaki Kagaya (she/her) is from Japan. She will graduate in 2025 with a M.A. in Gender and Cultural Studies.
Alexandra Huaman '26: The Significance of Black Role Models
Alexandra Huamán (she/they) is from Center Valley, PA. She will graduate in 2026 with a B.A. in Africana Studies and International Relations with a minor in Spanish Language.