November 27, 2001

September 11th marked a new chapter in human tragedy.  In the amount of time many of us devote to our morning commute, five thousand lives were lost.  This tragedy was felt not only by the families who lost a loved one on that day, but by all people; our global community lost five thousand members, and we lost the hopes and dreams each of those five thousand people held for the future.  The details of those hopes and dreams are not what matters; what matters is that each one of those people had plans for the future.  Each one of those people did not look back, but ahead, to the potential of tomorrow.

Hatred and anger are merely reactions to the past.  These emotions have no place in talk of tomorrow.  Clearly, the events of September 11th have greatly changed our world.  However, we are not powerless to control the direction of this change.  The VOICES staff has dedicated this semester to ensuring that we look to the future not in anger, and not as a time to seek revenge, but as a time to repair and improve our world.  The tragedy of September 11th may be viewed as a wake up call, a horrible reminder that our actions matter, and that we have the power to create a world that is safe and equitable for people of every nationality, ethnicity, class, sexual preference, and gender.

In this spirit, each member of our staff has encouraged students to express their feelings and opinions, not only of the events of the eleventh, but also public and government reactions to this event.  Our advisor, Diana Aghabegian, has encouraged every one of us to address our reactions to September 11th through positive, expressive outlets, and through the creation of VOICES.  The Women’s College students have also worked to promote the exchange of ideas as a means of affecting positive change.  On November 6th, The Women’s College held a speak-out in response to the events of September 11th that featured a range of speakers as diverse as leaders of the Islamic community, student poets, musicians, professors, and student scholars.  Each person shared their interpretation of government and public reactions following the eleventh.  In so doing, each person contributed to a more full, informed, campus-wide understanding of the needs of all members of our global community.

In an attempt to better serve all members of The Women’s College community, professors affiliated with The Women’s College and The Women’s Center have begun work to include more students, staff, and faculty in The Women’s College.  Through the leadership of Eileen Rabach, committees have been established to strengthen The Women's College and to build a strong connection between The Women's College and The Women's Center.  Mary John Hart, Linda Sinclair and Professor Rabach will work together to draft a new, more inclusive mission statement.  Christina Preciado will lead a committee to increase ethnic diversity within The Women’s College,  and amber katherine will work to prepare campus events for women’s history month.

We realize that the families who lost a loved one on the eleventh are not the only people who need a shoulder to lean on.  To better serve our local community, the VOICES staff has donated ten percent of our advertising proceeds to a local charity.  Many members of our staff have also made personal contributions to our donation.  Through this donation, and in all of our efforts, we hope to contribute to the creation of improved lives, and to the conscious decision to build a better tomorrow.

Pamela Fraker

Editor-In-Chief