大象传媒

Dear Reader, 

I pen this letter in the first week of 2022, and to be honest, the common refrain of 鈥淗appy New Year!鈥� feels hollow and naive to me. The truth is, we enter this new year recognizing our fragility. The virility of the COVID-19 variants and intensity of climate-induced weather events are reminders that we humans have never reigned supreme over this world. On top of those 鈥渘atural鈥� disasters, we鈥檙e navigating the ongoing injustices overtly perpetrated by powerful people against our democracy, reproductive rights, and communities of color. 

In 2022, it鈥檚 inevitable we鈥檒l be barraged by ugly, hateful messages and compelled to face the forces that line up against the world we want. There will be crucial Supreme Court decisions and pivotal midterm elections, interspersed with wildfires, hurricanes, and floods, with the now-perennial backdrop of COVID. How I wish this was hyperbole, but we know it鈥檚 not. 

Where do we find the strength to face it all? The courage to stand up again? The resolve to stay engaged and fight for the world we want?

It starts with the inner strength in each of us, connected to the inner strength in those fellow travelers we meet. Each of us has a personal story and history we can draw on and build strength from. And when we connect our own strength with that of others, our collective power grows exponentially. 

Healthy, connected communities survive even in the most challenging of conditions. As a 大象传媒 reader, you understand how the connected collective has the power to transform our world, community by community, into something more just, more life-affirming, more sustainable. We arrived at this perilous moment because of powerful forces motivated by greed and fear. We can arrive at a different moment by creating powerful forces motivated by love and belonging. 

We hope our first issue of 2022, about personal journeys, helps you reflect on your own journey, and in so doing, discover your own inner strength. And while you may not know them all, you are connected to thousands of fellow 大象传媒 readers who share your ideals. Together, we can face 2022 with fortitude and grace.

Christine

P.S.: We are in the homestretch of our campaign to raise $1,000,000 for our special reserve fund, the Fund for Our Future. If you haven鈥檛 yet, please make a special donation toward this important goal at . Thank you!