EDITORIAL “Catastrophe reveals character.”

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2022-2023 editors-iN-chieF Maia BarantsevitCh ellie yanG

MarketiNg director

Carlos heredia

News Lead editor Gisele Cestaro

A hen was the last time you thought about what is going on in Iran? China? Between essays, sports, and time with family and friends, we are often caught in the chaos of our own lives. However, it is also important to recognize our place as global citizens in the world. Recently, Turkey and Syria experienced a devastating earthquake that killed over 47,000 people. For the past two years, Iranian women have been protesting for their freedom and gender equality. The ongoing war in Ukraine against Russian imperialism has continued to disrupt many communities. As Covid-19 measures loosen in Chi -na, the Chinese and world economy has seen and will see fluctuation for months, if not years, to come. These are just four prominent events which we cover in this paper, however there are many other struggles both domestically and around the world which are equally dire though they may not be a headline.

Some of these events may be viewed through an optimistic lens as China’s reopening brings promise against rising inflation. And the Iranian women march in the hopes of effecting real change. Others may seem devastating and overwhelming to those not directly affected, and even worse for those caught in these tensions. Both are events that exist beyond the articles in this paper and influence the lives of many just like you and me. -

The looming sense of guilt and need to help in the face of such huge problems may be daunting to those who have not yet contributed towards justice. However, it is never too late to begin. History is in never-ending repetition of itself, and there can only be hope of breaking out of the repetitive cycle or advancing it if we are willing to pay attention to not only those in our immediate community, but also those in the larger world far away. Because the reality is, it’s not so far away.

Whether it is through responsible consumption of me - dia, involvement with nonprofit organizations, or everything in between, activism can start from your phone and move out to impact the lives of strangers in need.

In addition, observing the past, to weather the future, is a consistent source of knowledge we must use to recognize the main causes of distress in our environments. Being informed is the first crucial step toward helping. When was the last time you watched the news? Or read a New York Times article? We are given so many resources and options for information consumption that can fuel our drive to help, there is no better time than now to pick them up and use their power for good.