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Guest Editor Royel M. Johnson, Associate Professor
Dear Colleagues,
The start of a new year often brings with it a sense of renewal — an optimism that invites us to imagine new possibilities and chart bold paths forward. However, for many of us, as we step into 2025, that optimism may be tempered by the sobering reality of a new presidential administration — one whose campaign promises center on division (rather than unity) and the undermining of hard-won progress for diversity, equity and inclusion, among many other concerning promises.
The month following the presidential election results felt like a period of mourning for me — wrestling with what this new reality might mean for me, my community and those most vulnerable to the President-elect's divisive rhetoric and policy changes. I suspect these emotions are not unfamiliar to those of you who have also committed your life’s work to improving the material conditions of our most underserved and marginalized communities.
Yet, as I reflected on this moment, I was reminded that darkness — mourning, in this case— eventually gives way to light: morning. Indeed, it is light that has the power to drive out darkness.
This is our morning. A moment not to retreat or shrink in despair but to deepen our resolve, strengthen our fight to protect the progress we’ve made, and continue building the future we wish for the next generation.
I remain committed to the hard work ahead and inspired by my colleagues at the Pullias Center for Higher Education and by so many of you across the country who are tirelessly working to bring forth a system of higher education that serves not just a privileged few, but all.
In this newsletter, we highlight some of the important work my colleagues and I are engaging in to imagine and create this future.
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