A LETTER from the

To say that I am proud of Issue 13 would be a tremendous understatement. When Abby and I discussed the theme for our final issue of Strike Magazine, we immediately knew that we wanted to pay tribute to the issue number, since so much discourse surrounds the number and what it means. We wanted to encapsulate the superstitions that “13” brings, the joy of your teen years, the beauty of the 1300s, and everything in between.

To my terrific staff of talented people, thank you all so much for your hard work and dedication to creating such a beautiful magazine. Everyone played such a key role in the production of this issue and I am continuously impressed with the creative genius that is present within this staff. Additionally, I cannot give enough thanks to Abby Marcil, the most amazing Creative Director, who would do anything for this magazine. You are a terrific photographer, artist, creative, professional, and everything in between. Abby, it has been such a pleasure to work alongside you.

To my outstanding group of supporters, both friends and family, thank you for cheering me on and allowing me to do what I love. I am so thankful for the people who are constantly in my corner, allowing me to rant to them, bounce ideas off of them, and lean on them in my hardest times. I love you guys.

I am filled with so many emotions when looking at the cover of my farewell issue. While I wish I never had to have a “final” issue with Strike Magazine, I couldn’t imagine a more stunning issue to end on. From cover to cover, Issue 13 is filled with so much love, and hope every reader can feel this.

I started Strike as a staff writer for volume 6 and I can still remember agonizing over my first article topic, being so nervous that my pitch wouldn’t be “creative enough.” If staff writer Tabitha could see the Tabitha that has served two years as EIC, I don’t think she would believe that I have been able to pitch full issue themes, shoot ideas, and countless article topics. I have grown up within this organization and it has given me so much more than I could have ever asked for.

Strike Magazine, thank you for being the most meaningful part of my college experience. Thank you for showing me how creativity can go hand-in-hand with professionalism. Thank you for giving me the best people and the best memories that I could have ever asked for. Thank you for helping me to gain confidence in myself and my ability to lead such an enormous publication. Thank you for taking a chance on a shy writer and turning her into an assertive Editor-in-Chief. Thank you for letting me thrive and for letting me fail, allowing me to learn so many lessons that I will take with me far beyond graduation. I love you, Strike Mag, you are officially a teenager! I am so proud of how much you have grown up under my leadership and I hope to continue to watch you flourish for years to come.

I hope you all love issue 13 as much as I do. Thank you all for everything you do to support our wonderful organization. We are grateful for our wonderful community that helps us do what we do, and this issue could not be made possible without all of the staff members, businesses, models, and artists that work tirelessly behind the scenes to bring our vision to life.

Once Editor-in-Chief, always Editor-inchief. I will bring a little bit of Strike Magazine with me wherever I go. With love, pride, and gratitude, I give you: Issue 13.

For the very last time, Strike Out, Your Editor-in-Chief, Tabitha Labrato