Editor’s Take

BY NJEMILE Z. ALI

The Role of Community

Fiction writer Kyomi Johnson and columnist Eryka Parker break the sound barrier, refusing to be silent in the face of personal, social and political abuse. “The Final Loss of Innocence” invites us to consider the role of community in protecting our children from wayward “protectors.” How do we make our homes and communities safe places for children to achieve their fullest expression?

Social commentator Minnie Monroe calls us to attention with the example of a beloved community in which neighbors know and interact with each other in a spirit of open sharing. May we add a deep and wide layer of support for justice within the community, in our treatment of one another and calling one another to account as required. The practice of community accountability will fortfy us against the outside forces that we know will persist.

Every week during this month of May 2025, our writers travel through the forces that shape social worlds and set the stage for the interactions that define individuals and communities. They carry precious cargo in their vehicles: childhood, love and relations lost and found—the true treasures of life.