With the 2019-2020 school year coming to a close, I can’t help but take a moment and reflect. It has undoubtedly been a difficult and unusual year for us in more ways than one. However, I also believe that, in other ways, it’s actually been one of the best. Everyday, I hear stories in the news about extraordinary acts of kindness during this coronavirus pandemic. People all over the globe are doing their part, whether it be as big as risking their lives daily on the frontlines, or even something as simple as social distancing. Everyone is joining arms to help fight this pandemic together – and Oak Knoll is no exception.
In this edition, you will learn about the various projects and initiatives that both students and faculty alike have taken part in over the past 3 months. To know that we as a community have stepped up in numerous ways to help bring some relief amidst all this chaos is truly heartwarming and fills me with a sense of pride. So while these are definitely some of the toughest times society has faced, I think it’s important to remember that we are getting to witness some of the best sides of humanity, as well.
As for Untucked, I am so excited to take on the role of Editor-in-Chief for next year, as successor to this year’s leader, Kylie Gall ’20. Kylie has put in an incredible amount of time and hard work into making this year’s editions some of the best yet, and her commitment to giving students a voice to express themselves truly inspires me. She is undoubtedly the epitome of what journalism should be in this day and age. I hope that I can do even half as good of a job as she has! We wish you all the best at Barnard, Kylie, and we know you will do great things!
So although we don’t know what the future holds, one thing I am sure of is that we are a resilient community. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that when the day finally comes for us all to be reunited once again, we will come back better and stronger than ever. With the current state of our nation in mind, I believe it’s important that part of this unification takes the form of standing in solidarity with our black sisters (and brothers!) to fight the racial injustice plaguing our world. As we head into the coming months, please keep names like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery — to name only a few — in your minds and in your hearts. Let us join arms, just as we did with the pandemic, to enact change and support black lives here and everywhere. #BLM
Have a happy and healthy summer! 🙂
Jodie De Jesus ’21