Letter from the Executive Director

Dear reader,

This is a farewell letter to The Wake as I finish my last weeks as a college student. It has been over three years since I almost didn’t attend my first pitch meeting, debating whether I should walk from Middlebrook to Folwell in the drenching rain during my second week of college. Somehow that first meeting led to me being a freelance writer, then a Voices intern, then the Voices editor, and somehow along the way, someone allowed me to be the executive director of the magazine. 

Whether it was writing articles, pitching ideas, leaving feedback on writers’ articles, or bombarding our staff with recap emails filled with links to Google Forms, I’ve expelled a lot of words during my time at The Wake (perhaps more than people would have liked, sorry!). Throughout the years, processing my thoughts and finding the right words have been like tugging at an intricate tapestry until all the loose threads flutter around me in intricate revelations. Sometimes it becomes something captivating and meaningful, and other times, an incomprehensible mess. 

In the midst of this unraveling, I have discovered that the most important part of “finding your voice” is not about concocting the perfect blend of words nor isolating in deep retrospection, trying to find the answer within yourself. I realize the most crucial factor is scraping off your own stubborn preconceptions and relinquishing your complacency towards the status quo. It’s about actually listening to the perspectives and stories of others.

Finding new perspectives is not always about traveling to exotic locations or chasing after the next shiny experience that you hope will bring you satisfaction. Instead, pause long enough to empathize and listen to the myriad of stories and diverse perspectives that surround you.

This is why I am so grateful for The Wake—why, despite any gripes or stressors that accompany the job, I always believed in the mission of our organization: to provide an accessible platform for the voices of our community.

To the writers, thank you for trusting us with your stories. To the staff, thank you for your commitment. To you, wonderful reader, thank you for listening. I hope you'll keep listening as you peruse our final issue of 2021.

Now, in the fashion that I sign off all our staff recap emails... that’s all (from me) folks!

Warmly and with best wishes,

Esther Chan