Photography can change us, and it can change the world. Through months in quarantine, reaching for a camera helped us process our new reality, calm our anxiety and thank our frontliners. It was how we could express our fear and grief and gratitude amidst a world of hurt.

It was photography that shocked us out of our home-sheltering complacency. If photography can incite, it can also inspire connection and empathy. Is there anything more heart-stopping than a photo of a mother grieving the loss of her son? Or more powerful in the argument for mail-in ballots than Patricia McKnight’s masked Wisconsin citizen on line to vote holding a sign saying “This is ridiculous.”

And as the Black Lives Matter protests continue, demanding much-needed change, our team has been listening and learning. We are infinitely better because of the diversity and unique voices and perspectives of our contributors and readers. We hold ourselves accountable to amplify Black voices and be a vehicle for the stories that matter. Our ongoing education is vital to helping us to develop meaningful change. We’re a photo magazine and content platform devoted to helping every female artist realize what she envisions for her photography.

“People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love,” wrote Nelson Mandela. We hope to stand together, humbled by the power of the female lens to change the world. We need our photography now more than ever.