Goodbyes are always hard, especially when The Aquinian has been my life for the past four years. I wish I could express in thoughtful, profound words what a beautiful experience it has been and how lucky I am to be blessed with such a responsibility.
But I’m not good at writing with so much sentimental depth – I’ve been Marie Kondo-ing feelings since 2003, baby! So instead of saying goodbye, I will say farewell to The Aquinian, both the bane of my existence and the thing I live for.
I’ve been with The AQ for all my university years, from volunteer writer to senior writer and news editor, finally becoming editor-in-chief for the 2023-24 academic year. “Started from the bottom, now we’re here,” as the cool kids (Drake) would say.
The Aquinian has kept me up, turning and tossing thinking about my next interview, my next chase, my next edits. Being editor-in-chief is by far the most demanding job I’ve had and I wear that pride like a fuckin’ medal. Seeing stories being pitched, written and developed is such a blessing, and getting to polish a story to its full potential is always an honour. Writers put their souls in their pieces and their trust in my edits means the world to me.
In my many (four) years here, I’ve met the most amazing people out there: the sweet-but-psycho Diana Chávez, Brooklyn the “Barely Managing Editor” Wilkins, the celebrity Jakob Holidays (iykyk), the lesser-known Jacob Moore, the sweetest person on earth™ Guin Santaguida and my coffee-mate Hannah Rudderham, to name a few.
To my current dream team, I love y’all so much. When my 19-year-old ass got tasked with the responsibility to hire a team, I was extremely nervous, but you have made The Aquinian possible by being so passionate and committed week by week. We have such a diverse team of talented editors and writers who keep our paper up and running, which is essential to any modern-day newsroom. It is also important to me personally to have a diverse group, as this is the first time that I got to work in an environment where I’m the only one who has had ceviche in her life. “Mi Gente Latino,” as the cooler kids (Jenifer Lopez) say.
To the future team, you are going to do amazing. I can’t top the words of last year’s editor-in-chief, Aaron Sousa, so I will just quote him: “This is now your publication, so cherish every part of it, even when things seem boring or stressful.”
To Peter, my right-hand man and my self-proclaimed “biggest fan,” you are the Yin to my Yang, the yee to my haw, the straight married man to my lesbian disaster. We have been perfect foils for each other, keeping the other accountable and engaged throughout the year without somehow ever arguing. Working here with you has made the experience infinitely better.
To our readers, volunteers and supporters, thank you for keeping up with The Aquinian. In all seriousness, journalism is going through hard times worldwide. In my home country, Peru, journalists are physically attacked and are constantly being legally persecuted through gag laws. In Haiti, Reporters Without Borders stated that at least six journalists have been kidnapped and released over the past eight months and multiple have been assassinated. In Gaza, 122 journalists have been killed since Oct. 7 according to a United Nations report, making it the most dangerous place for journalists. And here in Canada, news has been removed from Instagram and Facebook, local publications are decreasing and newspapers are cutting staff. Journalism is necessary for democracies to function, as it bridges politicians with the public, so your support keeps our important role in society afloat.
As a final note of appreciation, I would like to express my gratitude towards both my chosen and blood family. Relocating to Canada was not an easy task, but I have been fortunate enough to be welcomed by an amazing community. Most importantly, I would like to thank my mother for her unwavering support which has meant the world to me. ¡Te amo, mamá!
“Gracias totales,” as the even cooler kids (Gustavo Cerati) said.
Giuliana Grillo de Lambarri
Editor-in-Chief 2023-24
