We chose the theme of this issue — the New New Yorkers — just as the immigrants rights rallies were spilling onto the streets of the city. In response, we found ourselves asking important questions: What do newcomers mean to New York City? What do they do with their lives here? What have they left behind? And, most importantly, what would New York be without them?

Although the immigration rallies were a major source of inspiration, we decided to include people who moved to New York from other parts of the United States as fellow newcomers. Our hunch was that more united a 22-year-old Liberian and a 2o-year old college student than divided them, and we were right. No matter where the subjects of our stories came from, the reasons they gave for coming to New York were always the same: economic prosperity, a chance for a better life and the allure of a city with an endless array of opportunities.

For other reasons, this topic was close to our hearts. Just as the people we covered came to New York from around the world, so do we. Our reporters are from Thailand, Columbia, Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom as well as 13 states. Many of us moved here for the opportunity to study journalism at Columbia University; some will stay, others will leave. But most of us spent the last year looking at the city with new eyes, missing the places we left behind, and assimilating into our new lives in a thousand tiny ways.

To that end, we are proud to bring you the stories of the New New Yorkers.

Erin K. Blakeley
Executive Editor