By Pen Fang
I have no idea how to possibly start this off, so I’ll start by saying I never expected to make it this far.
When I wrote my silly little reviews about my silly little interests, Marvel Comics and K-Pop and movie review after movie review, I didn’t expect to end up here. Hell, I didn’t expect to make it to here.
Newspaper was a time — a good time. I spent so long combing through lawsuit documents and Twitter threads, press releases and other articles. And I drew so much — my art style as is right now, and the constant improvement through drawing I cherish so much. Thank you newspaper, for giving that to me. Drawing comics — or even the stuff on the menus — especially gave me a haven, a way to snatch up a quick excuse to draw when I needed it. I don’t think I can exist without art. So thank you. For letting me exist.
Most of all though, I think I wanted to be something. Maybe I was shouting into the void when I wrote my articles on Eden Knight or the Gaza genocide or the WGA strike, but these stories were published, circulated the school and the internet, were heard. I was heard. Someone out there would read that story. Even when it was just K-Pop or something silly. I still remember when Mrs. Lanzone talked about one of my ATEEZ articles to a friend. I still remember when a friend of mine told me she loved one of my comics so much she cut it out of the paper to keep. Newspaper gave me a voice.
I still remember my first article — it was about the casting of Kamala Khan in the MCU. And I also remember how little I feel my voice was actually in it. But over the years, as I wrote, I feel like my voice has been more present in each article. It’s my voice, not a Wikipedia article, but me.
Newspaper, in a way, also taught me how to love. When I wrote about Musical or Unity or the Girls’ Swim Team, sitting there and interviewing all these people I look up to and love so, so much. I remember sitting backstage during Musical rehearsal while writing that article, interviewing friends during mic check and — god, I love you so, so much. I remember all those times I ran into the meeting room after rehearsal or some other reason and Mr. Huber and Mrs. Lanzone welcomed me nonetheless.
I need to thank Mr. Huber and Mrs. Lanzone. I could thank them a thousand times over and it would never be enough. For their perpetual kindness and guidance. And for lending me an ear when I needed someone to talk to.
I didn’t expect to make it this far but I’m so, so grateful for everyone at newspaper for accompanying me all these years and keeping me going. I don’t know if I’d be here without you, ESN. Never stop writing. Never stop using your voice.
