An Act of Love
Last week I held in my hand a sample copy of Media Voices new quarterly magazine and by the time I finished reading it, I was in tears. My reaction was triggered by the words of Morgan Keyt, the art director and editor responsible for the entire project, who had the idea for the magazine as a forum for young voices almost two years ago. Morgan has brought insight, caring and commitment to her work as a human rights advocate for children and as you will read here, has an astonishing view of the moment we're in and its opportunities. Morgan has given us a publication we are very proud to put our name to.
Last year, Morgan was joined at Media Voices by her close friend Valeria Popolizio -another product of the University of Connecticut's culture of advocacy and public service Valeria is a contributor to the quarterly and works tirelessly both locally and nationally for the Latinx community.
I've been doing this work for 30 plus years. It took an essay by a young woman to make me realize that we're sharing in more than a nightmare pandemic. The world is coming together in new ways.
Morgan puts it best.
IT DIDN’T FEEL RIGHT to release this version of the magazine without recognizing the uncertainty of this time. 2020 has brought new trials and tribulations unlike any our society has ever seen before. I do not need to reinforce how terrible COVID-19 is and how hard this year has been for so many individuals all over the world. It is easy to lose hope when every time we turn on the television the news seems to get worse, when every time we open our phones the statistics are more disheartening. We are in fear for our loved ones, for ourselves, and for our communities. Amidst the craziness, it would be easy to succumb to the fear surrounding us and allow it to overwhelm us.
However, that is not what we are seeing. For every terrible statistic, there is another heartfelt thank you to healthcare workers. For every bad sign of what’s next, there are handmade signs in windows saying: “Thank you,” “We love you,” “We are in this together.” All over the world, balcony dance parties are taking place, workout classes are being taught across yards, teachers are delivering food to students in need and loved ones are conducting an obscene amount of Zoom calls. Despite all of the horrific news around us, people are coming together in a way we have never experienced. Healthcare workers are traveling from all over the world to the areas in the most need, thousands of essential workers are keeping us fed and warm, and friends are organizing drive-bys for each other’s birthdays.
The resilience of the human spirit never fails to amaze me. Instead of breaking us down, this terrible time has resulted in the biggest act of love our society has ever seen. We are staying home to protect one another.
Click here to subscribe to the full magazine. It's free and packed with beautiful photography, blogs, updates on campaigns and communities we work with on behalf of poor children.