From The Editor: Hello and Thank You

Hello, Lavender Magazine! I’m Noah Mitchell, the new managing editor. I’m looking forward to getting to know you as I help share your stories in my new role. If you’d like to get to know me as well, here’s a quick crash course on how I got here.

I’m a lifelong Minnesotan — I grew up in Rochester, then went to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and got a bachelor’s in journalism and political science. I still live in Minneapolis and I’m excited to start this new chapter in my home state.

Since graduating, I’ve worked for a handful of local publications and covered a variety of topics, including local government, small business and sports. You may have seen my byline in The Minnesota Daily, Racket, the Chanhassen Villager, Southwest Voices, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, or here at Lavender, where I wrote about the Stonewall Sports national tournament.

My main emotion as I begin this, my first position where I’ve been given a column and told to write just about whatever I’d like, is gratitude. I don’t have room to thank everyone in this column that I’d like to, but I’ll try to get as many in as I can before I get played off-stage.

Thank you to my family and friends, to Stephen Rocheford for giving me this opportunity, to Randy Stern for carrying the torch before me and giving me my first chance to write at Lavender, and to Linda Raines for her work as interim managing editor and support while I get up to speed in my new role.

I also want to thank you, the readers. Without you, this magazine and the community around it couldn’t exist. I’ll do my best to maintain this wonderful thing you’ve helped build and improve it where I can.

If you have any questions, feedback, or stories you’d like to see featured in Lavender, please send me a message at [email protected]. If you want to say “hi” in person, I’ll be at as many First Thursdays as I can manage. (The next one is Thursday, September 5 at The Dive Sports Bar and Grill in St. Anthony.) You can also connect with me on The Platform Formerly Known As Twitter @noahjaymitchell.