Family ties
Stayman-London went to high school in Montclair, N.J., but after her parents divorced, she split her childhood between Montclair and New York City. For a long time, Stayman-London's home life consisted of just her and her mother, who is deaf. They became very close, and in Stayman-London's sophomore year of high school, her mother came out of the closet to her daughter, revealing that she was gay. When asked what her response was to such an announcement, she said her initial reaction was, "Why'd you bother to keep it a secret for so long?" Stayman-London also has a brand new baby sister named Norah Grace, who is now one year old. She carries a picture of Norah in her wallet and adds that being away from her perhaps has been the hardest part of her time at school.
At Amherst, Stayman-London's English thesis project was writing a play, entitled "Dias de la Gracia," which translates to "Days of Grace." The play is about the gay rights movement in Buenos Aires and how it intersected with Catholic influences. According to Stayman-London, classes with Assistant Professor of Political Science Javier Corrales originally piqued her interest in the subject of gay rights in Latin America. After beginning her research, she found that not many other people had written on the subject. Buenos Aires was the first city in Latin America to legalize same-sex civil unions, and she was interested in its interplay with the strong Catholic presence in Latin America.
In addition to her thesis, Stayman-London enjoyed a high profile on campus. In terms of political activities, she is a member of the College Democrats and was a vocal believer in Students for Kerry in the months leading up to the presidential election. She is also a Peer Advocate, a member of the Feminist Alliance and the Pride Alliance and was a member of the Mock Trial team until her junior year. Stayman-London is active in the theater and dance department at the College as well. She also captained an intramural softball team named the "Bob Sagets," and she has been a Resident Counselor (RC) for three years. Stayman-London was a first-year RC for two years before becoming the RC in Seelye Dormitory as a senior.
Another important activity for Stayman-London was her involvement in the "Vagina Monologues." She directed the "Monologues" in high school, so she met with Assistant Director of Health Education Gretchen Krull to discuss producing them here. Stayman-London directed the College's production for three years. "[She] always had the ability to incorporate every woman who wanted to be a part of this amazing experience. She made each of us feel like we had a unique gift to give," said Krull.
Heal the world
Stayman-London's passionate desire to change the world and make it a better place extends into all aspects of her life. "Kate thinks not only what she can do on a personal level," Krull said, "but what systems need to change to give people more choice, a voice and power."
Stayman-London hopefully will get her chance to change those systems that need tweaking after graduation. She is moving to Washington, D.C., in the hopes of spreading her impact to the city that houses our government and institutes our laws. She hopes to perhaps work on Capitol Hill, preferably in the non-profit sector. In her dream world, she said that she would love to work with "women's health issues, AIDS prevention and other international health issues."
Stayman-London elicits a high level of respect not just from faculty members but from her friends as well, not only for her activism but also for her personal qualities. "Everyone at Amherst College is lucky to have a person as dedicated and caring as Kate as a member of the student body," Patrice Rankine '06 said. "With the 'Vagina Monologues,' the Darfur Awareness Week and even her thesis, she's enriched the lives of all of us."
Leslie Curren '05 agreed with Rankine."It has been a privilege knowing Kate for my four years at Amherst," she said. "The effect she has had on Amherst, the changes she has brought about, the challenges she has embarked on-all speak of her character and competence." Curren also mentioned Stayman-London's selfless nature: "Kate has supported me unconditionally-when I didn't deserve it, when she didn't really have time and when her own concerns dwarfed mine-she never thought twice about dropping everything and giving what she could."
Toni Cook '05 has nothing but praise for Stayman-London. "The qualities that have made me most grateful to count her as a friend are her dedication and sense of humor," she said. "Obviously, she's one of the most involved people on campus, and I'm sure many people here, even those who don't know her well, could talk to you about her devotion to the political and social causes she believes in, but her devotion to her friends is just as impressive. She's incredibly selfless and giving." On a less serious note, Cook added that "there's no one at this school who can make and catch 'Seinfeld' references like Kate, and there's no one who's more fun to share a pizza party with at 2 a.m, ... and there's no one who I have greater faith in to go out and fight to make the world a better place."
Stayman-London's impact on the College is impossible to calculate. She has influenced the lives of many students through her tireless devotion to a myriad of causes. In her time here, she has established herself as a dedicated leader willing to champion a wide-ranging variety of causes. As Curren said, "If her impact on me and on Amherst is any indication of what her impact on the world will be, Commencement will not be the last time we hear her name read over a microphone."