One of the things I value most about The Beach is the depth and breadth of our diversity.

Our strength lies in this inclusivity, in our willingness as a community to embrace individuals with a wide range of identities and life experiences. But the diversity ideal to which we aspire is more than simple acceptance — it is rooted in a desire to learn about and appreciate both commonalities and differences in perspectives, politics, customs, and life histories.

This issue of Beach Magazine does just that by giving you a peek into the amazing — and amazingly diverse — stories of our community. From the striking photo essay about student and migrant farmworker Guadalupe Ayala-Arroyo to the incredible story of alumna and USA Paralympian Jami Goldman Marseilles, you will see that many of our students, faculty, staff and alumni lead unexpected lives. Knowing this leads, I believe, to deeper appreciation and understanding. And that enriches us all.

Jane Close Conoley