Open PDF in Browser: McKenzie Porter,* Foreword
Foreword
The law inevitably shapes our lives—for better or for worse. Now more than ever, I believe it is our imperative to truly review the law with a focus on human stories. The articles ahead of you embody that guiding principle. Each of the twenty-four pieces in this Volume contribute a distinct voice to an ongoing conversation, one questioning the way we currently think about “the law” and its potential for improvement, its impact on our communities, and its role in our humanity.
Like in the many decades of scholarship that came before it, the scope of discussion is vast. Volume 97 covers issues related to gender, race, incarceration, discrimination, language, environmental justice, public health, resource scarcity, immigration, marketplace competition, cybercrime, genocide, and more. The hard, steadfast work of the authors and editors is equally as vast. I would like to take this time to thank the individuals who make this immense project possible.
To our authors, thank you for trusting Colorado Law Review with your ideas. We recognize the tremendous time and effort put into preparing a manuscript for publication. We are privileged to work with you and truly the better for it. Our team is grateful for the opportunity to bring your voice and perspective into print.
To my fellow editors, thank you for the hours you poured into these articles. As all eighty of us know, law reviews are a labor of love. Each student helped shape Volume 97. With long hours of hard work, I hope each of you have found a sense of community along the way. The 3L Editors conducted rounds of deep substantive edits, read every sentence during technical edits, and reviewed thousands of words (and commas) during page proofs. The 2L Editors tirelessly verified thousands of footnote citations for accuracy and support. None of this would be possible without each of you contributing to our village.
To the Board of Editors, thank you for your tireless commitment to the Volume. You all truly inspire me to show up every morning (or work late into the night). Your humanity is reflected in each of these pages. I am so grateful to work alongside you all: You are a manifestation of true villagers. Although each of these names are reflected on the masthead, I want to provide the people on this Board individual gratitude.
The brilliant Articles Editors—Connor Hagan, Julia O’Rourke, Cleo Williams, Clara Yardley—served steadfastly and expertly on each Issue of Volume 97. Their intentional leadership continued to guide us through the often unpredictable publication process.
Our Casenote and Comment Editors—Ashlyn Dickmeyer, Julia Gessert, Catie Pursifull, Lily Sullivan—brought light and energy not only to the articles they led, but to our 2L Members endeavoring on their own writing journey. They are consistently inspiring the future generation of this law review.
The Production Editors—Kaylen Aldridge, M.R. Dickey, Madison Dobson, Ryan Monahan—spent countless days (often in the Suite) ensuring our sources are accurate and mentoring their teams. There are over two-thousand footnotes in Issue 1 alone. This extreme feat is possible because of their devotion.
Our Resource, Outreach, and Forum Editor—Abigail Souder, Haley Sprague, and Abigail Luetke—all served remarkably in their roles, providing us key information, keeping us fed and connected, and developing both new and old stories online.
I owe a special thanks to our Executive Board: Sydney Poppe (Executive Editor), Rhodes Evans (Managing Editor), and Sam Hawkinson (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Editor). Their resolute and passionate approach to everything they do has truly transformed our village for the better.
To our predecessors in Volume 96, led by Devin Schultze, thank you for your foresight, guidance, and patience. You all certainly left Colorado Law Review better than you found it. As we carry on this work, we hope to make you proud.
Finally, to the individuals who make sure this village runs year after year: Thank you to our office manager, Jackie Koehn, for constantly advocating for us, navigating all the obstacles, and ensuring this Volume gets into print. And not least of all, to our faculty advisor, Professor Bloom, for his unwavering support and profound wisdom. You are both one of a kind.
By leaning into the hard questions, we hope the ideas in this Volume speak to our readers as much as they spoke to us.
With gratitude,
McKenzie Porter
Editor in Chief, Colorado Law Review, Volume 97
* Although not editors or authors, I must also thank my incredible support system, who cheer me on and ground me through everything. To my mom, Kasey, and my dad, Mike: This is for you. I would not be where I am without your support. To my partner, Nate: You are my shelter in the storm. All my successes are as much yours as they are mine. And finally, to my cat, Biscuit, who is the most steadfast companion and served as a great final set of eyes on every article.