I’d be lying if I said that any of this felt easy. I just finished reading the succession report for the position of Executive Editor — commonly referred to as editor-in-chief (EIC). The succession report is a document designed to outline the successes, trials, and tribulations of the outgoing EIC, while imparting any accumulated wisdom, distilled down into a digestible wad. It’s meant to provide a measure of comfort and control, easing the minds of all parties who can now be certain that the baton has been successfully passed. What seems to have been left out of the report, was the huge “just kidding” in big bold letters, before announcing the person who’s actually going into the role.
Of course, there’s a part of me that knows this is just imposter syndrome working overtime to make me feel like a fraud. I’m too timid to pad my resume, and too broke to bribe anyone. In my time with The Cascade, I have worked for two editors-in-chief: Andrea Sadowski, and Jeff Mijo-Burch; both of whom had long, multi-year runs with the organization in a variety of different roles, and were knowledgeable, professional, and exceptional at their jobs. It’s a tough act to follow.
I’m not an outwardly visible leader. I shun the spotlight. My vision for the role is to provide the tools, space, and culture that allows the individuals in the organization to shine. When the team succeeds, the paper succeeds, and that’s good for everyone. My responsibility is to be the face of The Cascade in the difficult hours, but in the good times, you should barely know I’m here. Other people can be Elon Musk… I want to be like the founder of Costco. Who’s the founder of Costco? The hell if I know — but who doesn’t love Costco?
The EIC also has the responsibility of setting the overall tone and direction of the paper, which has led to a lot of soul-searching. What do I want to talk about? I want to talk about how Ticketmaster has been ripping people off for years, and what we’re going to do about it. I want to talk about why the rent is too damn high. I want to talk about how good Andor was; and Severance; and Everything Everywhere All At Once. I want to talk about the generosity of a community buying gifts for local kids.
I also want to ask questions. Is our way of life fundamentally incompatible with our aspirations of sustainability? Why are Canadian cell phone plans so much more expensive than elsewhere in the world? Is a university education becoming increasingly necessary in a complex, global economy? Where can I get a really good burrito?
I’m still figuring this out — both my role at The Cascade, and life more generally — but I suppose that’s the adventure. It’s my hope that this pokey little student press will add a little something to your journey as well. After all… you make it happen.
Long ago, when DeLoreans roamed the earth, Brad was born. In accordance with the times, he was raised in the wild every afternoon and weekend until dusk, never becoming so feral that he neglected to rewind his VHS rentals. His historical focus has assured him that civilization peaked with The Simpsons in the mid 90s. When not disappointing his parents, Brad spends his time with his dogs, regretting he didn’t learn typing in high school.
