We are in a moment of great uncertainty. National and global developments force us, as historians, to think critically and creatively about the kind of work we want to produce, and just as significantly, we must carefully consider the mediums we will use.

Perhaps it’s my personal background as a first-generation college student that drives my deep concern about accessibility. As a graduate student, I made a vow never to publish anything that my mother could not read and understand. If my work could resonate with someone with limited formal education (and a marginal interest in history), then I knew that it would be meaningful indeed.

I can’t say for certain that I’ve always succeeded, but I do know that writing op-eds and blog posts has brought me much closer to my goal. Those pieces—and the ideas within them—have traveled to places I’ve never been and landed in the hands of people I could not otherwise reach.