June 25, 2025 06:25 EDT
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| Dear FO° Reader, I am writing to you for the very first time from Savannah, Georgia. Some of you might recognize my name from an article or two you read that had “Kaitlyn Diana edited this piece” plastered at the bottom. Others might have never seen my name before. No matter the case, I am happy to introduce myself to all of you. A year ago, I was a not-so-recent college graduate trying to start my career — something that felt nearly impossible when most “entry-level” jobs require a minimum amount of work experience to qualify for the position. While job hunting, I stumbled upon a posting for an editorial internship at Fair Observer. As an intern, I wouldn’t be getting paid, but I chose to apply regardless because the position offered me what I needed most: experience. Now, a year later, I have moved up from an intern to an associate editor.  An all-American girl… When I applied, I was asked to look at Fair Observer’s content and write 100 words on what I liked and didn’t like. What made them stand out to me. I’ll tell you the same thing I told them: the perspectives. Within my first five minutes browsing the website, I saw articles exploring every angle of the same argument. You can imagine the shock I felt, as someone living in the US, seeing this. A politically non-aligned publication? It’s practically unheard of. It was more than just different political and ideological perspectives, too. The authors who publish with Fair Observer came from all over the globe, offering a unique blend of viewpoints, cultures and backgrounds. Now, you’re probably wondering why this was such a big deal, considering I already had the whole world at my fingertips. Even so, my knowledge of the world was (and still is) limited. It certainly wasn’t from a lack of trying, either. I believe that ignorance is a privilege afforded to those who have the security to remain uninformed, so I’ve always strived to keep myself informed. I thought that I was doing a pretty decent job, but working with Fair Observer has shown me that I was nothing more than a moderately informed American — emphasis on the American. The United States has always been an individualistic country; there’s a big “every person for themselves” mindset here. This isn’t inherently bad, but it can cause those who live here to forget that America isn’t the only country we have to worry about and that the rest of the world is just as demanding of our attention. This “America First” way of life starts with our education, but our news and algorithms, too, only show us so much of the outside world. My algorithm shows me the big news: the war in Gaza and the current escalating conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States. I know about the crises in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. All of these are by no means unimportant, but what do I know about India or Brazil or France? The rest of the world shouldn’t only exist to me when it’s in crisis. Working with Fair Observer has allowed me to interact with the world in a way that I wasn’t doing before. When I edit a piece for publication, I’m analyzing foreign affairs, learning the history of other countries outside of their relationship to the US and studying different cultures. …living in a Gen Z world Fair Observer didn’t just appeal to me as an American, though; it also appealed to me as a member of Generation Z (Gen Z). I don’t know how the rest of the world views my generation, but here in the US, we’ve garnered a reputation for being too “woke.” We take things too seriously, but also, somehow, not seriously enough. The reality is that while we dance in hurricanes and make memes about impending war, we also care deeply. We’re desensitized, not heartless. We have a desire to be the change we want to see in the world. This desire aligns perfectly with Fair Observer’s mission to educate global citizens, because how can you make change if you are not first informed? As I stated earlier, this lack of knowledge doesn’t inherently come from a lack of effort, but a lack of access. There is only so much you can learn from TikTok or Instagram, and while they can be great resources for learning information, they are not the same as an organization whose aim is to educate. It’s more than just an education, too. There is a conversation happening at all times on Fair Observer thanks to the litany of opposing ideas being published. So while I am learning more about the history and politics of a country, I am also engaging with other viewpoints that might challenge my own. I won’t finish every piece having completely changed my mind on a particular topic, but I will have gained something from reading it nonetheless. Join me in this learning journey I believe that Fair Observer does important work. I believed it when I applied, and even more so now. That is why I have decided to take on a full-time role with the organization. I look forward to continuing learning and helping others to learn. Most importantly, dear reader, I look forward to sharing my voice with you, so hello… And goodbye, for now. Kaitlyn Diana Associate Editor |
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Comment
Dear Kaitlyn,
I enjoyed reading your FO° Wednesday enormously. As you can see, we are a motley crew with different life experiences, ethnicities and ages. We live in different parts of the world and yet we are united by our interest in the wider world.
Howsoever imperfectly, we strive to make sense of the world!
We look forward to having you on the deck as an associate editor.
Bonne chance!
Atul