Dear Readers,
I’m really proud of our second issue of the semester. We’ve got a number of well-written and engaging articles, including a piece on the conversation around Emmett Till, the debate over the sports logo change, and a Q&A with Professor Gerald Smith about Rebel’s Rest.
But most importantly, I want to draw your attention to a piece I wrote about the experiences of McClurg workers. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who was willing to speak with me for this piece. Their honesty and vulnerability won’t go unnoticed by the students of Sewanee.
I think the courage it took for these workers to speak out—despite fear of retaliation—sets an example for all of us right now. Lately, it feels like a lot of people are scared to speak up about issues that matter. Even here at The Purple, we’ve had a tough time getting people to talk to us about challenging issues. I get it, but I also wonder: is staying quiet helping or hurting the kind of open, thoughtful environment we say we want on this campus?
I don’t have an answer, but I think it’s something worth thinking about.
Thank you to all the writers and staff who helped make this issue happen. From all of us at The Purple, we hope you enjoy reading it.
YSR and EQB
Lizzy Donker (C ’26)
Editor-in-Chief