Volume 15 - Issue 1

Letter from the Editor,

Fall 2021, Issue 1

Letter from the Editor

Hello,

My name is Maya Meade and I am the editor-in-chief of Backdrop magazine. I have poured my heart and soul into this publication since my freshman year, emphasizing diversity and trying to incorporate it into my writing as a student of color at a primarily white publication and institution. As a third-year journalism student studying political science, political communication, and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, I feel strongly about informing the Ohio University and Athens communities on a variety of diverse and inclusive topics.

As a publication, we have faced many challenges this past year, including having an entire staff made up of students that hardly knew each other and producing everything from the comfort of our homes. The transition from virtual life to in-person activities has been difficult for all of us as we battle with our comfort levels and the need to work in a shared space.

In this issue, junior writer Abby Neff investigated with senior Eric Boll from The New Political about the potential occurrence of a campus shooting at OU (pg. #). This feature explores how our local police departments prepare to protect our community and ways for people to protect themselves.

Freshman writer McKenna Christy spoke to the founder of the Pawpaw Festival and explored the history of the native fruit and how it has affected the indigenous people living in southeast Ohio (pg. #). I am incredibly proud of the work that she has done as one of our newest Backdrop members and her feature provides a rich history to the pawpaw that so many people have come to love.

Managing editor Helen Widman created a fun and healthy baked oats recipe (pg. #) in addition to all of the amazing work she did editing each story and assisting me with production. She is a great asset to our team and we wouldn’t have been able to publish this issue without her.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to work with our staff and very excited to share this issue with all of our readers. We will continue to work hard as journalists to make the Backdrop alumni proud and set a good example for all future Backdroppers. I hope this issue inspires you to keep supporting student journalism and teaches you something new as we continue to publish each issue.

Best,