A Letter From Our Editorial Director
With summer in full swing and nearly half of the U.S. population completely vaccinated, we’re finally seeing some much-needed light at the end of this virulent tunnel. Masks are coming off, gatherings are back on and handshakes are reemerging as a standard greeting. It feels like we’ve finally entered the next chapter of post-pandemic life, and much of the world—maybe unsurprisingly—is beginning to go back to normal.
I recently attended my first in-person event at Worth’s offices to celebrate our return to print. After 15 months of social distancing and working from home, I won’t lie, I was nervous. Social anxiety had unexpectedly crept into my psyche, and I was unsure how the group gathering would unfold. But it was just like riding a bike. Before I knew it, the room was filled with a mix of writers, editors, entrepreneurs and business executives—no masks, no particularly noticeable fear—interacting as if we were in pre-COVID times. I shook hands with new acquaintances, hugged people I had grown close with over Zoom, clinked my glass with others. It felt great. It felt normal.
Normal. The return to normal has been a hot topic ever since the pandemic struck last year. But with each passing day of quarantine—as we saw pollution subside from the lack of cars on the road, as we watched global health systems crumble, as we mourned all the small businesses and restaurants forced to shut down, as we realized that working from home could be just as productive as being in an office—the conversation quickly pivoted to this idea of “a new normal” or “the next normal.” At Worth, we even started a yearlong digital roundtable series, in which we spoke to experts across different industries each week, asking: What will the world look like after the current crisis passes? How will specific businesses and sectors not only respond to the existing challenges but also transform to adapt to a new frontier?
Now that normal is returning, how do we make sure that this next chapter can build upon and scale the momentum of hoping to create a better society? For some, it will require wide-scale change; for others, it will be little things. One of the many changes we made last year at Worth was to pivot to a digital-only platform, while also putting more focus on our mission of creating societal good. As this new chapter begins, we’re not only returning to print and live events (our pre-pandemic “normal”), but we are also developing new products, series and opportunities for our audience to create impact that will lead to a more just and equitable society for all. And the launch of Worth’s new monthly Digital Editions is only the first step we’re taking.
As we celebrate Hot Vax Summer, let’s not all have collective amnesia. Remember what we’ve gone through to get here. Remember that we still have issues that need to be fixed. Remember that pre-COVID “normal” should have never been normal in the first place. Let’s all go out, soak up the sun, celebrate, let off some steam—and then come back with a renewed energy to make this world a better place. Don’t let last year be a waste.
– Emily Cegielski
