A New Day
Hana R.
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"A New Day" illustrates how isolation leaves older members of our communities vulnerable to exploitation. I wrote this after witnessing seniors in my neighborhood fall victim to scammers, manipulative media, and people who weaponize official-looking authority for personal gain. A month ago, my own grandma was tricked and robbed of her jewelry. The circular structure of starting and ending with the stranger at the door reveals how easily this happens when someone ages into invisibility, for, in the end, we will all face such fragility. I chose to personify the door because it loves Anita but cannot protect her from her own decisions; it reflects the helplessness many of us feel watching older loved ones become targets. This piece asks: what happens when we let anyone become invisible, and who profits from our collective indifference?
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Creativity to me means permission to see the world sideways; drawing from universal experiences, like grief and fear, and presenting them from a new angle to discover new empathy; it means taking advantage of the human imagination, brimming with stories and art and ideas, to connect with our world.
