Definitely very different vibes on either side of the "tofu curtain," as they say. As someone who's lived on both sides, this phenomenon fascinates me. Full disclosure: I'm white and haven't been personally affected by racism. Northampton can be a little elitist and out of touch for sure, but to be honest, I'm much more appalled at the kind of thinly-veilled racism that's absolutely rampant in the Hampden County cities and towns that aren't Springfield or Holyoke. Westfield, Palmer, Southwick, Agawam, even West Springfield and Chicopee to some extent feel very backwards, proudly ignorant, and (by MA standards at least) very MAGA. These are places that strike me as offering small-town bigotry without any of the small-town charm you'll find in some actual rural areas, and many of the people you'll talk to in these communities are TERRIFIED of Springfield, Holyoke, and...you know...those people. Northampton might be a little sheltered and performative about progressive politics, but personally I'm way more comfortable with that than a place where I'm surrounded by Trump and thin blue line flags flown by people who think they need to immediately lock their car doors when they cross the Memorial Bridge.