University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication
Editors' Notes
inFlux
The rugged seafarer may never hear the rolling beauty of a Spanish language sermon as it echoes off the walls of Liliana Oritz’s church. Oritz may never experience the siren’s call in the stinging sea air as it promises a lucrative catch. But in this issue of Flux, their stories come together. The fraternity boy stands – knitting needles in tow – alongside a peacekeeper promoting nonviolence in the Middle East, while a Portuguese-born basketball enthusiast instills the values of sportsmanship in his small protégés. The paths of heroes may seldom cross, but in the end, such leaders are bound together by more than the pages of a magazine.
With inFlux, we hope to draw even more parallels between their stories and bring you an experience that goes beyond the pages. We have more photos to bring you into the scenes, more sidebars answering questions you may have, and – as a feature new to inFlux – you can now see video of the stories behind the stories. From inspiration to completion, the Flux writers, designers, photographers and editors confess to the challenges and joys of their work.
We hope you have as much fun reading the magazine as we did making it.
Ally Burguieres
Editor, inFlux 2005
Flux
Welcome to another issue of the School of Journalism and Communication’s Flux. This year’s magazine focuses on nonconformists who brazenly challenge boundaries. Three fishermen temper risk with humor in their search for the valuable Dungeness crab. In the Belizean jungle, a tour guide uses ecotourism and education to protect the country’s precious biodiversity. By retaining her Mexican heritage, a young woman fosters cultural pride in her rural Latino community. And a peacekeeper in the Middle East exercises nonviolence to help improve the lives of Iraqis.
Just as the subjects of this issue’s stories refuse to settle for the status quo, the Flux staff found unconventional alternatives to the challenges of producing a magazine. A photographer shot the stunning photos for the crabbing story despite a violent bout of seasickness during his eighteen-hour trip on the Delma Ann. When we decided not to use photos for the Belize story, a designer created the mixed media illustrations that perfectly complement the piece. An editorial intern who speaks Spanish as a second language fact-checked the story about the Latino community. The author of “Waging Peace” managed to interview her source multiple times despite the difficulties of contacting him in a war zone.
This completely student-run magazine is designed to showcase the exceptional talent of the industry’s next leaders. Creating a professional magazine in seven short weeks gives students the opportunity to build a portfolio and gain experience in what it’s really like to edit, design, photograph, and write for a premium publication.
It is my hope that these stories inspire you as much as they have spurred us to create a unique magazine.
Catherine Ryan
Editor-in-Chief, Flux 2005