THE BEGINNING OF A YEAR is always the worst for me. The pressure of another 365 days feels almost punishing. I find myself worrying about what is to come, desperately attempting to mold my future into what I want it to be. Instead of focusing on the anxiety the future brings to myself and many of us, I have found emotional reconciliation in reflecting on the past.
I think the toll 2017 took on us can’t be put into words. We faced fear and hate on a scale that for many of us was completely unprecedented. Never in my own life had I felt that I lived in a world so divided. Day after day, it seemed like nationwide we were drifting apart from each other, losing sight of the humanity that defines us. We have been in a constant state of finger-pointing, blaming the “others” from across the divide.
It is our duty to fight this current climate. This issue we strove to examine, dissect and critique the world that surrounds us. The words across these next pages serve to ask questions in pursuit of not only knowledge, but also empathy. From understanding the role of women in the workplace, whether in a Fortune 500 company or a strip club, to the impact of quality education for young students in our state. Ultimately, empathy is what will drive us forward in 2018 — to understand the struggles and experiences of our fellow person.
