Editor's Note

Dear Reader, One of our favorite parts of working for a student publication is the idealism of young journalists. It is observable in the standards we teach those joining the organization, in the conversations we have between writers and editors, and especially, in the dreams we carry for the future of our work. This week marked the beginning of a flurry of activity inside The Crimson: the Turkey Shoot. Each year, we ask reporters interested in leadership positions to take part in discussions and written statements where they imagine what the organization can become. It’s a time for outgoing leaders to share wisdom and insights about the job, sure, but more centrally, it’s a time for incoming leaders to refine their vision for how they will lead the publication through the coming year. The idealism we all inherited when we fell in love with this work, idealism we sometimes lose sight of but never wholly abandon, surfaces again in these visions and discussions. Witnessing the preparations for the Turkey Shoot has already been exciting. “Shooters” and outgoing leaders are all beginning to surface above the sludge of daily reporting and editing to take a bird’s eye view of this building we call home. What matters most about the positions we are preparing to replace? What purpose does the publication really serve — both to its readers and its members? Have we fulfilled that purpose in the past year? And if not, how can the newspaper do better for its readers, and for the incredibly hardworking people who fill its pages? Of course, even as Turkey Shoot gets underway, the daily grind continues. Turkey Shoot corresponds with an exciting time for the content of The Crimson and its magazine: welcoming compers to the Crimson. In their first month at The Crimson, they’ve learned many foundational skills of reporting, like how to track down sources, record interviews, and ask the right questions to the right people. More importantly, they’ve learned much of the moral foundation of journalism: unbiased fairness to all parties, a care for the human experience, and above all, a dogged pursuit of the truth. This week, compers began sourcing and drafting stories, putting those standards into practice. You’ll get to read a bunch of their work soon! We’re proud to welcome FM’s newest writers to our publication, and to the impossible — but ever necessary — pursuit of its ideals. In this issue: Megha Khemka writes a beautiful cover story about a little garden and the big, big hurdles to community environmentalism. Wyatt J. Meyer calls his brother; Micaela S. Arenas goes dancing; Jona P. Liu catches the shuttle; Megan L. Blonigen gets rained on; Hitishaa Goyal and Christine Yoo consider marriage and kids, respectively; Aneline C.M. Gulie works out; and Raphael Z. Niu does his laundry. Keep the old sheet flying. KJK + AJBS