From The Editor: Learning for Life

Welcome to Lavender’s first Learning for Life issue!

The brainstorming process for this theme began with the idea of a back-to-school issue. However, we didn’t want to limit ourselves to high school and college-related stories when learning is a lifelong pursuit.

The story that exemplifies that broader focus of this issue the most is Sommer Wagen’s feature on Queer ASL. Learning American Sign Language can change your life, as well as the lives of those around you, whether you learn it in a high school classroom or over a Zoom call as an adult.

Sommer brilliantly illustrates the impact that learning ASL can have, as well as the joy of doing so with people with similar identities and life experiences to you, in their story.  While this is just one example, it demonstrates the impact that continued learning, whether it be about languages, history, literature, business, science, technology or anything else, can have on individuals and communities.

We also have two stories in this issue about scholarship programs for LGBTQ+ students. While I may have spent the past couple of paragraphs extolling the virtues of learning beyond the classroom, I did not do so to imply that I’m too school for cool or that primary, secondary and higher education aren’t incredibly important and valuable experiences. Providing them to students who might not be able to otherwise access them transforms monetary resources into priceless, life-changing opportunities.

Speaking of which, this issue’s cover feature, while it may not take place in a classroom, was one such opportunity. It was an honor and a privilege to have a Lavender writer, Aspen Rush, get the chance to interview His Royal Highness Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil and His Highness Prince deAndre, Duke of Hanumanteshwar while they were in Minnesota as part of their U.S. Pride Month Human Rights Advocacy Tour.

I’m excited to share their story, as well everything else in this issue, with you all. If I’ve done my job, you might even learn something.