Editor's Note: The Good Fight
When I first conceived the idea for this spring issue, the central concept was “The Humanitarians.” It’s a punchy title and one that quickly conveys the intent: to laud those individuals who have put themselves out there in one way or another not just for somebody else, but for whole scores—families, communities, countries—of somebody elses. As we started compiling the list of people to talk to, however, it became clear that there were just too many to capture in one issue. That’s the gift of a Wesleyan education: Those who come here are taught to see the world as it is and uncommonly driven to make it better.
Of course, there are worse problems than having too many good people to talk about (and even more that we probably don’t know about). And it’s foolish to pretend that we could get close to a comprehensive list. In the end, the sampling of individuals we decided to include here are notable not only for what they are doing but for what they represent, whether it’s having the courage to stand up to oppression in ISIS-occupied Iraq; or pursuing a career in civil liberties protection, politics, and education in the United States; or recognizing the gaps in overseas humanitarian aid and creating strategies for more long-term impact.
These are people who see the problems that go overlooked, underrecognized, and unsupported, like the mental health of our U.S. service members struggling with transition to civilian life, or how the failings of municipal budgets reflect a crisis in democracy, or even how a simple fact of biology—menstruation—and social taboos can lead to inequities in care.
What stands out about these (often unheralded) individuals is that despite the lofty label, being a humanitarian is about more than being a larger-than-life personality on the front lines of conflict. It’s about putting in the work, day after day, confronting injustice, speaking up, and working through solutions in unique and creative ways. It’s about being in touch with our shared humanity and having the determination and drive to do something about it, no matter how small the perceived change or how challenging the road ahead.
As this issue was going to press, the news was dominated by reports of policy changes and executive orders on unprecedented levels as part of new leadership in the White House. By the time you read this, situations may have changed and some policies and organizations may no longer be in place. But no matter which party you favor or which philosophies you subscribe to, keep an eye out for the many Wesleyan humanitarians out there. They’ll be the ones fighting the good fight, watching out for our local and global communities, and working hard to preserve our core human rights in hopes of creating a better future.
