From the Guest Editor - Jennifer Mata
During my early life, I remember sitting next to my father on the couch; he would be reading the newspaper and I would be watching the news. It played in the background as the soundtrack to my childhood, though I began to despair of hearing tragedies play out nightly on my television. Despite these anxieties, my father and I would discuss current events at the dinner table and long past my bedtime, fueling my insatiable hunger for information about what was truly going on beyond the scope of my television. I am forever grateful to him for encouraging my quest for knowledge and for giving me the confidence to fight back.
Now in my adulthood, I have been given the amazing opportunity to bring my passion to the pages of Kalliope. My only wish is to bring you, the reader, to the front-line of worldwide activism and to feel inspired to fight for a cause you believe in. Injustice surrounds us in every aspect of our lives and only grows larger if we turn our backs to it. You can change the future of our world, but first you must use your voice.
Say it with me:
I am an activist.
During my early life, I remember sitting next to my father on the couch; he would be reading the newspaper and I would be watching the news. It played in the background as the soundtrack to my childhood, though I began to despair of hearing tragedies play out nightly on my television. Despite these anxieties, my father and I would discuss current events at the dinner table and long past my bedtime, fueling my insatiable hunger for information about what was truly going on beyond the scope of my television. I am forever grateful to him for encouraging my quest for knowledge and for giving me the confidence to fight back.
Now in my adulthood, I have been given the amazing opportunity to bring my passion to the pages of Kalliope. My only wish is to bring you, the reader, to the front-line of worldwide activism and to feel inspired to fight for a cause you believe in. Injustice surrounds us in every aspect of our lives and only grows larger if we turn our backs to it. You can change the future of our world, but first you must use your voice.
Say it with me:
I am an activist.
This first issue for spring 2014 tackles Activism in all its permutations. We examine the impact that educating girls has on society, as well as all the ways in which women are still not treated equally (and the moral ramifications of that fact). We look at the need for environmental activism and activism regarding human rights. The world is still a cruel place for far too many of its inhabitants. We dive into the notion of freedom on the world wide web and what is happening to anyone who goes against the status quo. We look at charities -- which are not all created equal -- and various organizations and actions each one of us can take to make a difference.
This issue contains writing and editing by Elyse Hertfelder, Darrell King, Shavawn M. Berry and Jennifer Mata. The issue was guest edited by Jennifer Mata. Students from my technical editing course also added their voices to clarion call for activism of all kinds. They are: Alec Gebhart, Justin Peterson, Laura Houck, Rylee Grafil, and Khayree Billingslea. We hope you find both solace and hope on these pages and you join the fight to make the world a better place in whatever way you can. Every single person is needed. All hands on deck, ~ Shavawn M. Berry Managing Editor, Kalliope |