Letter From Editor:
Picture this. You’re driving down the street, and life is good. You’re heading home to do whatever it is you do, and on your left you see some kids in a yard behind a chain-link fence. There’s a dilapidated swing set, and to exaggerate a little, a couple of old tires in the grass. Sitting there is a beautiful teenager languishing among a couple of scantily clad tots swinging. The teen looks downtrodden, bored for sure, and especially despairing. You wonder where any guardians might be. Good question. This might seem like an isolated scene, but I see it often, and it’s gut-wrenching.
Headliners has been in the making for years, with many iterations and ideas on how to bring it to life. Nonprofits are everywhere, but we have firm ideas that will differentiate us, and they begin with empowering teens, vulnerable ones especially. This is what our mission group and magazine is all about.
We hope to provide for teens a place of respite when they need a break or helping hand. Our doors aren’t open yet, but we hope this magazine will give them a voice meantime. We eventually want to provide a location where they can come for a meal, freshly washed dress clothing, coat or school uniform, resume help or tutoring, someone to talk to, or simply to stand as a sanctuary where they can come to momentarily escape an abusive or neglectful home environment.
In our culture today, with any endeavor there’s often a measure of what’s in it for me? At Headliners, we can tell teens that they’ll have ownership in something worthy – this magazine. There is a little glory in seeing your name in print, something you’ve contributed to the world, through words or art, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. We want to give them a forum to express themselves, to foster their creativity, to let it out. There’s so much to be said – so much beauty, and ugliness – in the world. Let’s give them a chance to share their ideas and thoughts, all while allowing them to gain valuable skills. It’s not so easy to get published these days; you often have to be a vetted expert in something.
We’re learning and adjusting as we go. Our issues have included some teen contributions, but we’ve shared those from adults as well. It’s teens we really want to hear from, and we’ll continue to strive to find them. Headlinersmg.org serves as our nonprofit website, and quarterly magazine. Tell us what you’d like to see. Encourage a teen to send us submissions.
Thank you for your support!
Jackie Dee