A letter from the editor Jackie Serrato

Dear readers,

It is with gratitude and affection that I’m announcing my transition from the editor-in-chief position. This week’s issue was my last.

It has been an honor to witness the transformation of the South Side Weekly over the last five years. When I joined the team in late 2019, the newspaper was almost entirely volunteer-run, operating with few resources and a zeal for truthful storytelling. We have only grown from there.

My proudest moments as EIC were not winning journalism awards for our investigative work, although that was beautiful and affirming, but it was each time we were able to scout and nurture a South Sider who had a story to tell and who just needed someone to have their back or a nudge to let their creativity flow. 

As a teaching paper, it was an accomplishment to allow someone their first byline.

Our wariness of traditional media in Chicago—which often dismissed, criminalized or reinforced preconceived notions of our side of the city—allowed us to approach newsmaking with fresh eyes. Part of the Weekly’s philosophy was the need to put events in historical context, to hold power accountable, and to center the experiences of the people affected the most.

Nobody was prepared for what 2020 would throw our way. Yet we covered those moments of crisis with nuance and empathy. We made editorial decisions that were innovative for the time, such as concealing the identities of protesters, not publishing mugshots, and never running with the version of law enforcement alone. 

I greatly admire our fact-checking infrastructure, which was already in place when I arrived and is unmatched in the city. And the Weekly’s collaborative nature allowed us to partner with other publications before it was popular.

Our being “in the trenches” has made the Weekly a welcoming place for the labor movement, for housing organizers, for abolitionists, for immigrants, and for budding artists. Although we may have been viewed as a ragtag organization, our editorial leadership was and continues to be highly organized, discerning and intentional.

I want to thank the editors and mast for believing in and working toward a common vision. I want to thank the reporters who accepted or challenged my edits. I want to thank you, readers and supporters, for reading us and coming back for more. Time and time again I’m reminded of something I learned here: only we got us.

These are not ordinary times, as our human and Constitutional rights are trampled on as I write this. Our sense of democracy appears to be dismantling before our eyes while the country inches closer to authoritarianism. This places a great amount of pressure on us reporters and editors, whose role is to sift through the noise against a national propaganda machine—and ensure our physical safety and mental wellbeing.

I invite you to read our humane coverage of the South Shore raid and don’t miss out on our annual Best of the South Side issue, where we centered family-run and immigrant-friendly community spaces.

Having said that, I’m not leaving for good, as I will remain in the mast as Editor Emeritus, providing counsel and editorial support as the Weekly transitions into its next stage of growth. 

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Serrato