Swarthmore, Reflected

A community newspaper, at its best, is a reflection of the community it serves. It can inform, educate, and on occasion even influence its readers, but ultimately it is, or should be, a mirror held up before its readers. In this way, it can help us better understand our town, our neighbors and, sometimes, ourselves.

If nothing else, by this measure, The Swarthmorean has served its purpose well over the last month — and then some. As publishers, but more importantly as citizens of Swarthmore, we have learned a great deal through this experience. It’s a process — necessarily painful and difficult at times — in which the entire country is engaged. As it should be. A racial reckoning is long overdue, even in generally progressive communities like Swarthmore.

While we may disagree with some of the characterizations and interpretations of what has transpired recently with the leadership of the newspaper — and have lost, among other things, a lot of sleep along the way — we nevertheless feel grateful to have had the chance to go through this. We feel better for it. We think our community newspaper is better for it. We feel the town may be better for it.

But this is only a beginning. What’s important is what we do, collectively, now. This paper is not about any of us individually — our staff, our publishers, our readers — it is about all of us. When we hold up a mirror on this community, we see limitless potential to work together, harnessing the power of multiple perspectives to help make our town what we know it can be. We know that many of you see this, too.

As publishers, we have endeavored to nurture this potential while also opening up avenues to expand the community’s perspectives and impact. Early in our tenure, we signaled this intention with a change to our nameplate, adding “surrounding communities” to Swarthmore as our focus. The top of our newspaper now reads: “Serving Swarthmore and surrounding communities since 1893.” Far more than a symbolic gesture, a goal was to expand the paper’s focus beyond our 1.4 square miles, while also reconsidering what it meant “to serve.”

One way to serve is to listen, even when we don’t agree with what’s being said. When we receive negative feedback, we realize that any discomfort our readers are feeling presents an opportunity to try to meet them where they are. We consider whether the paper can effectively communicate about a complex issue in a way that doesn’t compel readers to “just skip it,” losing our ability to engage them. Can tools like cadence, frequency, context, voice and narrative be used to keep readers with us? At a time when local news is generally in decline, it is our hope that we may drive active engagement on such issues by keeping a wide audience tuned in.

Another way to serve is to inform, provide context, and bring in new perspectives. We expanded the paper’s points of view to include Chester when we asked award-winning writer, advocate, and Chester native Stefan Roots to lend his perspective as a regular contributor. This will continue, as we hope that an inclusive focus — featuring new and different voices and context — will not only build readership but also help the communities we serve better understand each other.

Which brings us back to the racial reckoning our community and country are engaged in. Is Swarthmore today fundamentally aligned on critical issues of racism, injustice, and the need to foster inclusion and equity? In some respects, we have come a long way, and yet much work remains. As we engage in this work, we will be stronger participating together, assuming positive intent, thinking critically, and acting with courage. We have witnessed how “us vs. them” narratives can cause unnecessary division and distortion, making progress elusive. But we believe that we are all in this together. Will we sometimes make mistakes in talking about how to address social issues? Almost assuredly. But if any mistake, regardless of intent, risks ending a relationship, how will we ever make real progress? That is entirely up to each and every one of us.

This historic upheaval presents an opportunity: it can either make us bitter, or it can make us better — we have a choice.

Our choice is to continue to publish a community newspaper dedicated to uniting rather than dividing. This means building on the paper’s historical roots while nurturing its growth. Covering the happenings and human-interest stories, noting the milestones while reflecting on the past. Bringing new voices to the discourse on important and challenging issues. Exploring these issues with a broad and inclusive lens. Seeking out the truth. Fostering critical thinking. Meeting people where they are, and perhaps inspiring them with opportunities to take action. 

Holding up a mirror that reflects all of us.

In friendship,

Rob Borgstrom
Greg Hoy
Todd Strine

with Diane Madison
(Diane has worked for the Swarthmorean for 31 years as the Swarthmorean’s Art Director. There is no Swarthmorean without Diane.)