Letter from the Editor 03.13.2020

We interrupt the stream of vague and cryptic vignettes that have been passing as Letters from the Editor with an announcement and a promise:

34th Street has halted production of our weekly print magazine for the first time since our founding in 1968. The coronavirus pandemic has prompted Penn to dissolve the collective student body on campus, and courses are now virtual. The Daily Pennsylvanian ceased print production as well, which hasn’t happened since World War II. But despite the circumstances, we won’t stop reporting. Our brand, our voice, and our integrity are all rooted in representing and informing our audience, no matter the situation. 

Expect to read many more Street articles about people from here on out. We’re all about Penn arts and culture—and that’s created by students, faculty, employees, administrators, and alumni. Let us know who you want to read about in our Ego section: nominate those who are making a difference, on and off campus. Submit your own personal essays to be the Word on the Street. As much as we hold campus near and dear to our hearts, show us that it’s not just the location that creates a community.

These are trying times. There are more questions than answers and more doubt than certainty. But if there’s one thing to count on, it’s that Street will still be updating our website, sending out The Toast each week, posting on Facebook and Instagram, and representing the people who are Penn, even as we’re no longer gathered physically together.

The first copy of 34th Street Magazine began with this sentence: “First, a soothing word.” Street promises to voice your struggles and triumphs as you try to get home, transition to online classes, and come to terms with the unpredictable trials each day brings. It’s our fundamental responsibility in this time of crisis to not only share your stories but to also give you a platform to tell them yourselves.