A Message to Our Readers: Renaissance was the obvious choice for the theme of Blackstar*’s Fall 2022 issue. It resonated immediately with our team for how fitting and grand it was. Renaissance gave us the opportunity to imagine Black life and art through a fresh lens and most importantly, envision what a rebirth meant to Blackstar* in particular. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced our team to temporarily halt production as quarantine slowed everything down and made content creation nearly impossible. However, Blackstar* was never dead – only quiet. During this period, we strived toward actively making content again. With our theme, we were able to explore a concept that represented the relaunch. We wanted to reimagine a liberated future and what that looks like to us. Through drawing inspiration from Black art, music, poetry, literature, and photography — we were finally able to do so. Although the process was difficult, with our dedicated team members, Blackstar* was able to bring to life our own vision of a Black Renaissance. Without the support from our team, faculty and staff, and the rest of Black Emory this would not have been possible. Our executive board is extremely grateful and cannot wait to continue showcasing Black creativity and talent. Thank you everyone! - Yokie Abera (Co-Editor-in-Chief) and Lucinda Jeune (Web Manager)
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