Hey friends,

It’s 2017! A new year, a new semester—in fact, it’s been a time for a whole lot of news: new classes, new resolutions, a new layout and board here at the Herald. And on the national stage, a new presidential administration, and with it a host of new anxieties—and new ways to get involved in holding our government accountable.

It’s good to think big and broad and beyond ourselves, but sometimes it’s worthwhile to remember that there’s plenty to be done closer to home. In this week’s cover, Rachel Strodel, JE ’18, turns her gaze to New Haven and the city’s recent shutdown of its needle exchange program. A pioneer in similar interventions across the U.S., the program provided clean syringes to hundreds of residents until the New Year. Flip ahead to take a look at what the next steps might be.

Elsewhere between these pages, you’ll find other ways of looking, both near and far, big and small. Catherine Yang, TC ’19, traces the trajectory of a hand. Lulu Klebanoff, CC ’20, delves into the psychology of objectification. And Ivan Kirwan-Taylor, JE ’18, finds truth in a stranger’s tears at Yale’s own celebration of the legacies of David Bowie and Prince.

If the past week is any indication, it looks like there will be a lot to dread in 2017—but a lot to hope for, too. Here’s to looking ahead and working towards the best.

Cheers,

Oriana Tang

Editor-in-Chief