With this issue we are pleased to welcome to these pages the Right Hon. David Miliband, former British foreign secretary and current president of the International Rescue Committee. Mr. Miliband’s essay on the global refugee crisis is the second article we have published this year by a senior international diplomat about innovative approaches to seemingly intractable problems (see U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s article in the issue ofSept. 14, 2015).
You will also find an extended video interview with Mr. Miliband on our website as well as links to archival content on this important topic. This is a good example of the multiplatform approach America Media has adopted, using emerging technologies to explore topics in a multidimensional way and to reach a new generation of readers and viewers. I am very proud of the editors and staff, who continue to bring you this smart, Catholic take on faith and culture, not just each week in print but every day online and every hour through social media.
I am pleased to report that in addition to our video and films unit, we have launched a number of other initiatives to expand our readership and content in order reach the next generation. The Joseph A. O’Hare, S.J., Postgraduate Writing Fellowship was created to support the next generation of writers for the Catholic media. Beginning this summer, the fellowship offers three recent graduates of Jesuit colleges or universities the opportunity to develop their literary skills and professional relationships at America Media.
With our sponsorship of The Jesuit Post, an online magazine written exclusively by Jesuits in formation (www.thejesuitpost.org), we are bringing our mission to a broader audience of 20- and 30-somethings by providing a platform for contemporary voices focused on spiritual renewal and social analysis.
We are also excited to join with the Ignatian Solidarity Network to sponsor Voices From the Margins, a national film contest showcasing the best short videos on social justice by college undergraduates. The winning video is shown each November at the Ignatian Family Teach-In in Washington, D.C.
With these initiatives and others, we are proud to actively engage the next generation of Catholic leaders. In past years, America’s readers have supported these and our other initiatives through our America Associates Appeal. Without this support, we would not be able to sustain our commitment to excellence. Contributions to the Associates Appeal enable us to continue to broaden our efforts to lead the conversation about faith and culture in the United States.
By now you should have received the summer appeal mailing that was sent to our activeaudience of readers and viewers. Regardless of the size of your contribution, we greatly appreciate whatever level of support you can manage. Please respond by sending your check to our offices at 106 West 56th St., New York, NY 10019; or use our donation page online at www.americamedia.org.
If you have already sent a donation, we thank you! We could not do all we do without your support. Nor would we want to. America is more than a journal of opinion. We are a community, a resource for spiritual renewal and social analysis guided by the Jesuit ideal of finding God in all things. Everywhere I travel, I am reminded that America Media has the most loyal audience in publishing today. Many of you have supported us for decades, through fair and foul, changing editors, changing times and a changing church. On behalf of all of us at America Media: Thank you. Have a blessed summer!
