On the first day of the new year, our city was shaken by tragedy. This horrific act of violence, intended to threaten our sense of community and safety, resulted in the deaths of over a dozen people and caused suffering and sadness for countless more. 

The new year is normally a time of hope, a moment where we reflect on the past but mostly look forward to better futures. While the timing of the attack makes it all the more painful, it may for the same reason remind us that New Orleans is strong; strong enough to withstand all natural disaster and disaster so unnatural as this.

It is also a reminder that we must ensure that this never happens again. There has already been an outpouring of support and prayers for our city — I have seen it especially from Tulane students. We who are so embedded in the city deserve both to feel secure in it and to do our part to preserve it. At The Hullabaloo, we remain all the more resolutely committed to providing coverage of the highest quality on happenings in the Tulane community — those that inspire joy and grief and everything in between. We will be with those people whose hearts have broken, and we are among them, too. As students who believe in the power of words to bring communities together, we do not stand with anyone who through violent acts seeks to tear them apart. 

Remember to hold your loved ones a little closer as we all prepare to return to campus. Remember also that when we act, it is for the benefit of our own people. This is the nature of Tulane; this is the nature of New Orleans.

At The Hullabaloo, we are looking forward to an excellent spring semester. As always, please reach out to us for any reason: our eyes and ears are open.