大象传媒

Dear reader, 

Are you feeling anxious? Scared about what鈥檚 to come? Uncertain if this 鈥淎merican experiment鈥� 鈥� with all its cruelty and colonialism and racism baked in alongside the unyielding push for a better tomorrow 鈥� will turn out OK? You鈥檙e not alone. 

First, take a deep breath. Unclench your jaw. Relax your shoulders. Take another deep breath. 

Each of us on the 大象传媒 editorial team has felt some level of that same anxiety. Whether related to electoral politics, climate catastrophe, economic insecurity, or the fundamental right of our people to exist free from violence and harassment, we are deeply familiar with the challenges that lie ahead. We know the personal, social, and environmental toll of fighting for the change that鈥檚 so desperately needed. 

But as journalists who write, edit, and curate the content you see at 大象传媒, we also know, deep in our bones, that humans are resilient. We know that community power can create systemic change, and support networks can spring up from even the most dire situations. We know that people who have been systematically oppressed for centuries continue to rise, demand justice, and make real progress. We have seen, firsthand, the broad diversity of solutions that emerge when everyone is invited to the table, when we listen to the original stewards of this land, and when we engage with people who are different from ourselves. 

No matter who鈥檚 in office, the work continues. 

We also know that no single political moment鈥攏o leader, no individual shock wave鈥攕olely determines the future. And as Iman Mohamed, our digital intern, reminded our team last week: No matter who鈥檚 in office, the work continues. 

Regardless of how this election shakes out, your voice is still needed. The work you鈥檙e already doing to make the world more just, equitable, and sustainable, must continue. Your willingness to learn, to grow, to connect with and support your fellow human beings鈥攖hat will always be essential. The planet will still need your care and restoration, Black lives will still matter, Indigenous peoples will still have rights, immigrants will still be welcomed, and everyone in this country will still be entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The past four years have reminded us that we need to protect and expand those rights if we want to keep them at all. 

In late 2016, following the previous presidential election, we drafted a letter that laid out our promise to you in those uncertain times. Today, our commitment remains, more robust than ever. You can trust our journalism to tell you the truth, with verified facts and critical context. You can count on us to elevate the voices often excluded from 鈥渕ainstream鈥� conversations鈥攂ecause we believe the people creating change in their own communities are the experts on their success. 

We need you to keep the momentum going. 

You can rely on us to unabashedly name the root cause of the injustice we see all around us, be it unfettered capitalism, racism and White supremacy, sexism, or xenophobia. And you can rest assured we will continue to bring you stories of real, practical solutions鈥攖ools you can use to make a difference in your corner of the world.

In return, we need you to keep the momentum going. 

If the candidate you voted for wins, your work is still not done. You cannot become complacent.  We need you to continue to demand better from your elected officials, continue to show up for justice, continue to help restore the environment, continue to fight for a world where everyone has a right to life, sustenance, and their own individual and collective joy. Keep finding solutions, and we鈥檒l keep reporting on them. 

If your candidate doesn鈥檛 win, we need you to keep hope alive. Some of you may need to take a moment to grieve, to process. Take that moment. Then move forward. Remember that the future is what we make of it, and making it better starts in our own lives and circles of influence. Talk to your family, friends, neighbors, and community members. Get involved with the local issues and groups that matter to you鈥攕imply reach out and ask how you can help. We will keep bringing you reasons to hope and inspiration to act through our original reporting, insightful commentary, and analyses that help you make sense of a nonsensical world. 

You can count on us to keep telling hard truths and pushing for that better, more just, sustainable, compassionate world. We鈥檙e grateful to have you with us in this effort, because it鈥檚 going to take all of us to bring about the world we want. 

In solidarity, 

The 大象传媒 Editorial Team