Inklings 2020

Editor’s Note This year, the Inklings team and I wanted to make women and the environment our main focus. We compiled a collection of works that form a tribute to the one hundred year anniversary of women’s suffrage and to the beauty of nature, since both preserving the environment and highlighting the successes of women are important to us. Our 2020 issue begins with those two ideas and takes them well beyond what we had imagined. Through this curated anthology of poems, visual artworks, short stories, and narratives from the RE community, the editors and I are delighted to share student work that reflects the larger themes that resonate with us while also demonstrating something personal about each poet, artist, and author. Once our selections were complete, we could see parallels between reflections on the past and our stories in the present — narrating a family photo of a pioneering female biochemist as a way to gain inspiration, learning what is important in life from a grandparent who survived the Holocaust, and remembering simpler times gardening with a parent before life became so busy all come to mind. The result is a magazine that recognizes the impacts of living in a changing natural environment, the necessity of paying attention to the lessons only history can teach, and the power of family bonds in both times of difficulty and of ease. While the world deals with the biggest obstacle most of us have ever faced, I have found solace in reading how my peers overcame their own challenges. The Inklings team has worked all year to produce an issue that we are proud of, and I applaud everyone involved for their added dedication in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jackson Bryan has found a way to work on Inklings layouts, to begin walking without crutches, and to build a toy car all at the same time. Similarly, Yuhan Liu has edited images, created and edited layouts, and made additional graphic images for us faster than I ever thought possible while always maintaining a smile. Of course, we would not have known where to begin were it not for Dr. Amy Lanning, our wonderful faculty advisor, who caught mistakes that no one else saw and who kept us going even when campus was closed. Inklings is more than just a magazine for us this year. It has become our way to connect with each other and with the entire Ransom Everglades community. Our hope is that the magic of this year’s issue will transport you to the Everglades, to Europe, to your childhood, or anywhere you want to be outside your home.