Makeup makes me happy. My passion for makeup stems from my passion for empowering others — especially women.

As some of you know, I am a junior English major and journalism minor at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, and the highlight of my college career has been working for the university’s magazine. After three semesters of working for Currents as a copy editor, a section assistant, and an assistant editor, I was chosen to be editor-in-chief.

This role involved pitching the theme of the magazine, brainstorming each of the story and visual ideas, interviewing sources and writing my own story, coaching my talented team of writers and editing their stories, and collaborating with my hardworking staff to produce a final product we are all so proud of.

This has been the most incredible opportunity — one that I will never stop being grateful for and one that I would like to share with you. So I present to you the Spring 2020 edition of Currents Magazine, which focuses on gender equality and feminism from an everyday perspective. 

Letter from the Editor

“I am privileged and lucky, and yet even I have been afraid to walk alone at night; even I have been told that I am a bad feminist for wearing makeup and loving pink; and even I have been accused of earning something not because of my skills but because of my physical appearance.

There are countless expectations for what it means to be a woman and to be a feminist, but human experience transcends all limitations.

Growing up, my parents and grandparents taught me that every human being deserves respect, regardless of their gender or any other aspect of their identity. Pepperdine and the world have come a long way, but there is still so much that needs to be done.

That’s why when I applied for my dream position of editor-in-chief of Currents, there was no doubt what my theme would be. Exploring gender equality and feminism was the only option.

I chose to focus on everyday interactions and lived experiences because it is these that ultimately result in institutional injustice; the most effective way to break down barriers is by changing the way we perceive and treat others.

Creating a magazine about such a sensitive subject is challenging, and doing so in the midst of a pandemic is even more challenging. The content on these pages will not be as diverse, inclusive or comprehensive as we had hoped. But, through this journey, I have learned that it is better to have tried imperfectly than to never have tried at all. We cannot progress toward equality if we are not willing to take a risk and engage in uncomfortable dialogue.

Words are powerful, and every story matters — especially the ones that are far too often left untold. From students’ experiences with sexual harassment to their views on intersectionality, each of these stories humanizes these seemingly divisive issues, hopefully empowering readers to contribute to a conversation that is more relevant now than ever before.

To those who say gender inequality does not exist, I want to share real, raw experiences with you. To those who advocate for gender equality but avoid the label of feminist, I want to deconstruct that stigma.

Change is possible only when we stop viewing feminism as a women’s issue. This is a human issue, and the fight for gender equality will fail unless its advocates also fight for every other form of equality.

Change is possible only when everyone is invited to the conversation. So I invite you — whoever you are, wherever you are, just as you are — to join me in the stride toward equality. Let this be the first step of many.”

XOXO,
Makena

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