Letter From The Editor The act of “spring cleaning” has never been more applicable to my life than throughout this semester. A rush of changes, both expected and unexpected, not only pushed me out of my comfort zone but also tested my ability to prosper. Rather than accepting these changes and mistakes as a hinderance to my success, I recognized them as lessons, opportunities to improve. Whether being challenged by my coursework, by issues in my personal life, or by the commitments that come with publishing a magazine, I resolved to find the silver lining in each situation. The second installment of CABRA began with an overwhelming pressure to live up to the standard we established last fall. After the release of the first issue, questions came from every direction regarding our next move. An influx of new members forced us to reconsider the structure of the organization and its goals to ensure that everyone’s voice was heard. All of these strenuous expectations made me question my ability to effectively lead this growing club. I myself am a communications major, I have very little experience in visual design, and until last fall I had certainly never put together a magazine. Initially, I felt like I had an idea that attracted a strong group of creatives at this university, but in time I struggled with the idea of leading such a profound collection of individuals. Everyone was looking at me for answers while I sat there asking myself what I was doing. As soon as I stepped away from those doubts, that mentality of inhibition, the magazine truly began to take shape. An unexpected inundation of new members brought new voices to the discussion and, more importantly, new ideas and concepts to the magazine. The flood of attention and support attracted by the first issue helped our members gain a newfound sense of confidence. We began to understand that what we were doing was positively received by the community and instead of letting the pressure intimidate us, we channeled it to shape the next chapter of our organization. Surprisingly enough, it was due to this pressure that we persevered in creating the second issue. I am undoubtedly proud of what our staff has created for you this semester. Their individuality and their dedication have helped mold this issue into what I consider to be a version of CABRA that better represents our community at St. Edward’s University. Of course there will be issues to come, but I can assure you that we tried our hardest to deliver something more refined, something more inclusive, something altogether better. Enjoy.
Ysenia Valdez Editor-in-Chief