Letter from the Editor: Farewell Empire State Tribune

| Photo Courtesy of Myrian Garcia

(OPINION)

Dear Readers,

In January, I wrote a Letter from the Editor when I assumed my position as Editor-in-Chief and responded to mixed feelings surrounding the Empire State Tribune. I stated that “Although I am graduating in May, my goal is to leave the EST with a positive legacy — a foundation for the future EIC to follow.” Upon receiving positive feedback on the EST under my leadership, I am confident that I will leave the publication with a positive legacy. However, leaving with a foundation for the future EIC to follow has proven to be much more challenging.

The King’s College announced on July 17 that it will not hold classes this fall semester and will hold operations until further notice. For this reason, the publication must also cease publishing until further notice. 

The EST website will continue to be accessible as an archive until the school resumes operation. If King’s closes permanently, we will release an update on how that will affect the website. 

Nevertheless, members of the EST team have not ceased operations. Many of our reporters have launched projects outside of this publication from where you, as readers, can consume our content.

Eli Johnson, a student studying Business and Theater Management and Theater Columnist for the EST, has continued to write reviews of Broadway shows on his personal substack. While these reviews will no longer be published on the EST, you can find them on the website “On Broadway.” Read the latest review here.

In addition, starting in late August, Empire State Tribune Television (ESTv) will be uploading seven radio stories on the Broadway & Exchange podcast detailing the “life and death” of King’s.

Staff Writer, Julia Jensen and City Editor, Colby McCaskill, have produced this project titled “Demise of the Crown,” by collecting data and conducting interviews for the past few months.

Jensen and McCaskill will take us on a train ride each week through the history – recent and distant – of King’s. The podcast series aims to uncover the story behind the school’s mission, virtues, vices and ultimate demise.

The teaser trailer, uploaded on the Broadway & Exchange podcast Monday, Aug. 7, is available on Apple and Spotify. Stay tuned for the official trailer drop Thursday, Aug. 24, and the series debut on Aug. 31.

This project is the final piece of journalism for this generation of the EST and ESTv. As EIC, my goal was to improve the publication and I believe, regardless of the school’s situation, this semester’s team did exactly that. 

We received feedback from students, parents of students and faculty. The EST received numerous awards. Legacy news publications recognized the EST. With this alone, I can confidently say that my team will leave the EST with an amazing legacy that will hopefully continue along with the school. 

Best Wishes,

Myrian Garcia

Empire State Tribune Editor-in-Chief