Editor’s DECLARATION Two-hundred and thirty-five years ago, some gentlemen got together and broke away from their ruler to be their own leaders. Anyone who has ever participated in or followed their own American dream has done so in the spirit of these men. Independence is at the foundation of Pursuit, a magazine steeped in the true freedom of the press. Any magazine writer who says they would not want to eventually start their own magazine is lying. In developing the idea for Pursuit, I decided to tell the stories of Philadelphia and to tell them from the point of view of actual Philadelphians. This means that we should hear the thoughts of writers who have something to say – by “something” I am referring to documents that cannot simply be whittled down to a “tweet.” This city was built on and still filled with, people pursuing their dreams. I chose William Penn as the symbol for Pursuit because he is so prominent in our everyday lives, watching over us. The history of this country is all around us – on our sidewalks, in our buildings, and in the case of Billy Penn, in our sky. The concept of Pursuit Magazine is simple – Freedom of the Press. We are giving a voice to those who would otherwise not have one. The content of Pursuit is like our readers – diverse. With an emphasis on diversity and individuality, Pursuit will feature a broad range of stories, essays, poetry, and tips written by and about Philadelphians. Letters to the editor and OP/ED pages in magazines and newspapers are always a popular section among readers, so, why not give Philadelphia the opportunity to voice its opinion on any topic throughout an entire magazine? Our Founding Fathers dared to be different because they had to. Since then, no one needed to stand out as much as we at Pursuit need to today. I decided to establish Pursuit because I was tired of reading the same thing over and over in every publication I opened. I have always had a fascination with history and my love for this city stems from knowing how important WE are to world. Yes, I said, WE. Philadelphians take ownership of this city for better or for worse. Lately, it has been for the better, but we never want to see it get worse. Thank you for reading Pursuit Magazine. I look forward to a long reader-editor relationship. I will save the long-windedness for the blogging world and simply welcome you to a new experience in all things Philly, an experience of life, liberty, and happiness. Feel free to contact me at any time. Editor@PursuitPhilly.com Sincerely,
Steve Ziegler is a graduate of La Salle University’s School of Communication and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree from La Salle in Professional Communication. He is a native of South Philadelphia and has a tremendous love of film, especially anything directed by Martin Scorsese. Steve has a screenplay in pre-production and when he is not juggling the duties of Pursuit, his home, and his 9 to 5 job, he is usually writing or headed to the movies. By the way, you can call him Zig. He prefers it.
Steven M. Ziegler Founder, Editor-in-Chief Pursuit Magazine
We Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident January 2011 I Pursuit I 3