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ebruary is famous for its lengthy brevity. It’s generally known to be the coldest and dreariest time of year, the shortest month that seemingly takes just shy of an eternity to complete. People trudge through February simply to get to the more popular months, the brighter ones that boast new life and lighter jackets (looking at you, April). Right now, though, everyone’s cold and tired, and they want the world to know it. Me? I’m seeing sweet February for all the good and great she encompasses. She is a fireworks display of pink hearts and candied declarations of feelings. She shines the spotlight on Black History, giving us the tools to keep that spotlight on all year round. She forces us to lean into a slower pace set by the weather, giving ourselves some of the rest and care we’ve passed up in the past. I’m here for all of it. And you should be, too — compassion’s never going out of style. While I can type that with ease, it’s no secret that we’re living in times when compassion doesn’t always play the lead. There’s a lot of hurt right now, a lot of hatred, and the violence, as we know, is ongoing. I’m not here to sugar-glaze over any of that. Kindness seems like the natural choice, but hatred can get picked first if it feels a little easier in the moment, particularly when we’re faced with something we don’t know and don’t understand. Hatred cuts a corner, and then cuts off the destination entirely. Compassion takes a little more legwork. It requires listening, it demands learning, and it can suggest we expand the goalposts of our stance. The thing that makes it easy? Knowledge. It is, in fact, the cornerstone of compassion, the amplifier of empathy. And it’s in our hands. We ourselves can seek more, learn more, and in turn, love more. So we must. Because, while I’m not an expert on much (aside from popcorn), I can promise you this: we’re not going to get far without compassion in our back pocket.

Here at The Commuter we believe in showcasing the diversity of our institution, along with the surrounding communities, all year-round. We want all the histories, the range of stories, the many profiles to forever line our pages, regardless of month. That said, it is our absolute honor to center this issue around February’s two best features — Black History and Love. The intersection of these staples swirls through this edition’s pages. And while they both go beyond February, we’re so excited to showcase what happens when the two collide.

Warmer and lighter days are on the way, Roadrunners, I swear it. In the meantime, keep