Editor's Note

Dear reader, Here we are: new volume, new guard, new stories. Yes, we are two days late, but honestly, we find it hard to be disappointed about that when we have so much to be grateful for. In truth, we have been preparing for this very moment from the beginning of last semester, Zooming for multiple hours a day, writing emails, and brainstorming ideas for our little mag in an attempt to figure out how we could possibly fill in the shoes of MVE and SSL. And yet, in many ways, it’s been easier than we would’ve thought to lead this amazing group of writers and editors because, in truth, they lead themselves. For this issue’s cover story, YAK and KLM dive into the history of COGLI, one of Harvard Law School’s oldest LGBTQ+ student advocacy groups, which, founded in 1978, operated at a time when the military started explicitly banning gay and lesbian people from enlisting, the AIDS epidemic was reaching new heights, and anti-sodomy laws were active. This scrutiny investigates questions such as what does it mean to be studying law as someone who is targeted by the law? How does a law student contribute to the system they’re entering? And how do they defy that system at the same time? At a time when discriminatory legislation, violent crimes and violent rhetoric against LGBTQ+ people are rising, this piece reminds us of how groups like COGLI, now named Lambda, shape and inform our past, present, and future. MTB visits an art exhibit at the Business School curated by Kabl Wilkerson which interrogates and displays the persisting cultural stereotypes about Native Americans shown visually in historical artifacts, from trade cards to currency. CRR visits University Stationery Co., a cornerstone of Central Square at almost 100 years old. Since its founding, it has become an archive of sorts, containing stories within, from its pencil-shaped doorknob to the slide rule that adorns its back wall. SSL (of no relation to the former chair), goes behind the scenes at Lowell Tea, diving into its history, and documenting the sights, sounds, and (most importantly) the smells of the rising ciabatta and baking snickerdoodle cookies (as well as reporting on the swarm of students that flock). THK, on the other hand, reports on the quieter tradition of building honryōsen, a Japanese flat-bottomed river skiff, reporting on how this winter, Harvard students learned the art of silence and woodworking. In this week’s levity, JKW tells us the real reason Harvard Medical School left U.S. World and News Report’s rankings: he was no good for her. We have not one, but three 15 Questions for you to enjoy: learn about the art of art museum curation with Harvard Art Museum’s chief curator Soyoung Lee (interviewed by MGB), the problem of the acculturation plot with the head of the English Department, Glenda Carpio (interviewed by JL), and about urban indigeneity with historian, poet and dancer, Morgan Ridgway (interviewed by BWF). In her endpaper, JL shares her journey with self-forgiveness, beginning with Sunday School, catalyzed through Instagram Reels, and ending with herself. And, though we published this long before this issue, please don’t forget to read RCU’s endpaper, both beautiful and heartbreaking. Our love goes out to her. We also want to thank our lovely Multi and Design editors, SET, SS, JJG, JH, MQ, MHS for sticking with us through thick and thin and, of course, the beautiful and talented MX and ever-positive BLK for making this happen. Without further ado, here it is. We hope you enjoy it. FM Love, AHL and IYG