Imagine hitting reply on an email. The subject line stays as it was, save for the “Re:” before it. For years, I thought those two letters were short for the reply function that automatically inserted it. To the credit of the history of written communication, “regarding” makes much more sense in that context — “Regarding: Subject.”
Whether it has remained the same or adapted to modernity, the prefix’s denotation doesn’t matter because its connotation stays the same — it functions as a response, relaying that your words will address what has already been said, what has already happened.
And in this special issue, that is what every submission does.
With “Re:,” I wanted to focus on reactions to inequality and how such a force often plays an unfortunately critical role in shaping personal identity. Each piece delves into the writer’s or profiled individual’s heritages and lived experiences, focusing on how those pasts have defined their choices and influenced their personal endeavors.
First and foremost, I’d like to thank the rest of the culture desk — Roshni Raj, Alex Tran, Vivian Stockley and Gabby Lozano. It was your support and reassurance that really pushed me forward. The same sentiment extends to our collaborators at Under the Arch, especially Caitlin Hsu and Sydney Barragan — y’all are pretty cool, I guess.
So much gratitude to our Multimedia Editors Manasa Gudavalli and Ryan Walker for coordinating photoshoots with all of the writers and for being so patient with our chaos. All of the pictures turned out perfectly — I can barely put it into words. Also, shoutout to Sam Tu for shooting in an unexpectedly small stairwell for the first time — just for our group photo — and successfully not falling off said stairs.
A very large thanks to our creative directors Charitssa Stone and Susan Behrends Valenzuela for your amazing work on the cover and layouts. Without you, Gmail would never have successfully been yassified. I’d also like to thank our Web team, especially the Web Director Ryan Kawahara, for developing this landing page.
And special thanks to our writers, who gave us their stories or told the stories of others — Derek Kamakanaaloha Soong, Mika Chipana and Aarna Dixit. This issue would have been nothing without y’all.
Of course, last but not least, thank you to our management team, especially the Deputy Managing Editors Sabrina Choudhary, Arnav Binaykia and Asha Ramachandran, for your collaborative efforts and ensuring the best narratives get published.

Mayee Yeh

Identity & Equity Editor