As I look again on 2025, I’m reminded why this work issues so deeply. This yr stretched us — politically, economically, emotionally — but it additionally revealed the power and brilliance of our group in ways in which left me humbled and impressed. From navigating life beneath a shifting political panorama to dwelling in Trump’s America, authorities shutdowns, immigration battles, and the financial pressures that Black ladies face, The Defender had the privilege of telling the tales that others overlook and amplifying the voices which are too usually pushed to the margins.
What stays with me most are the individuals: the lawmakers and organizers preventing voter suppression, the households holding on through the shutdown, the immigrant communities demanding humanity, the consultants exposing AI bias, the households trying to find solutions within the bayou physique disaster, and the on a regular basis Houstonians who nonetheless insisted on pleasure. Their braveness formed our protection and jogged my memory that journalism, at its greatest, is a type of group care.
My takeaway from 2025? That even within the hardest seasons, our tales are highly effective. Our reality is important. And our resilience is unmatched. As we step into a brand new yr, I’m grateful for the chance to proceed serving, shining a lightweight, and lifting up the guts of Houston.
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