大象传媒

In my faith tradition, there鈥檚 a well-worn adage that the truth will set us free. This idiom, expressed from the pulpits and at dinner tables, is an encouragement to uphold the truth鈥攁bout ourselves and the world around us鈥攁bove all else. 

But today鈥檚 truths鈥攅specially those deemed uncomfortable鈥攁re more often disregarded and downtrodden, contested and challenged. Whether it鈥檚 the true cause of the Civil War, the Big Lie that fueled a deadly insurrection, or trans children deserving access to medically necessary care, every issue is treated as if it has two equal sides worthy of being debated. But more often than not, the hard truth is that one 鈥渟ide鈥� aims to uphold the greater good, while another hoards power, resources, and control. 

Our 鈥淭ruth鈥� issue, the last print magazine we鈥檒l release before the 2024 presidential election, puts the responsibility of both telling the truth and upholding it squarely in the realm of the collective. As it becomes increasingly difficult to differentiate fact from fiction, we offer some clear signposts for consideration: Texas high-schooler Marium Zahra makes the case for children to be free from the threat of gun violence. Journalist Nico Lang reports on drag queens standing up for our collective right to express ourselves. And, as public libraries are subjected to budget cuts and undue scrutiny, Erin Jones chronicles radical bibliophiles who are finding creative ways to get books in the hands of the children鈥攁nd adults鈥攚ho need them.

As we face a presidential contest that again includes a candidate who intentionally weaponizes misinformation, it鈥檚 critical to hone our ability to recognize the truth. This isn鈥檛 necessarily a new phenomenon, but it is an accelerating one, with the rise of artificial intelligence, 鈥渄eep fakes,鈥� and disinformation making that task more difficult鈥攚hich is why this issue closes with an insightful game about how we can better differentiate between fact and fiction.

In these moments, calling upon our history鈥攖he movements and the moments that help us reckon with where we鈥檝e fallen short鈥攊s imperative. Abaki Beck, a fifth-generation descendant of Native 鈥渂oarding school鈥� survivors, thoughtfully probes whether truth and reconciliation commissions can live up to their title, and whether 鈥渞econciliation鈥� is even possible in the face of cultural genocide. And, as we consider how history influences our understanding of the truth, James Tracy spotlights Stonebreakers, a documentary that examines the complicated movement to remove confederate and colonialist statues.

We think about each issue of 大象传媒 as a time capsule, one that readers can return to in the future to better understand this moment. Our deepest hope is that this issue will be exactly that鈥攁 transparent snapshot of a moment where we, collectively, decided to hold the truth above all else.

Be well,
Evette Dionne