LETTER FROM OUR EDITOR: A Perspective on Amplification You probably don’t need me to tell you this, but when you read this year’s edition of EnVision Proven Success, you can expect some profound accounts of pain and triumph. That, after all, is what we feature here at EnVision. We find women who have experienced extremely difficult personal circumstances, who have had every reason to just give up and take what life has thrown at them, and decided not to. And they haven’t just decided not to let those circumstances overwhelm them; they’ve decided to turn those challenges into messages of inspiration. We’re not in the business of despair. We’re in the business of hope. And business is good. As editor of the 2021 edition of EnVision Proven Success, my job is to take the stories of our featured women — as written by our diligent team of writers — and make them look good to you, the reader. These women have sacrificed their time and, in some cases, their secrets to tell these stories. They make these sacrifices because they believe their experiences will help others rise above their own problems and try to better both themselves and the world around them. The least I can do is make sure their messages land with as much impact as possible. I’m well aware that I read and edit these stories from a position of enormous privilege. Unlike our featured women, I am fortunate not to have experienced: • a controlling, psychologically abusive spouse • an environment of substance abuse • an environment that encourages criminal enterprise • a lifelong medical condition • the loss of a child • sexual abuse by someone I trusted I’ve not had that kind of personal experience to endure and overcome. I can’t tell a comparable personal story of struggle and endurance. I may know pain — all of us do, of course, on some level — but I don’t know that kind of pain. I can’t put forth my own tale of heartbreak and triumph. But I can ensure that these brave women, who have overcome so much more than any of us could imagine, are able to tell their stories in a way that resonates. “ We’re not in the business of despair. We’re in the business of hope. ” My world is words, but I can only do so much good with my own. Maybe you’ve experienced the kind of pain that can help guide others on their own journey. Maybe you haven’t. But if you haven’t, there’s still some way you can help. Whatever life skills you’ve developed, you can use them to disseminate the message of our featured women: that they don’t look like what they’ve been through. As you read through this issue, think about your own skill set and how it can be used to amplify messages like those of our featured women. And if you find an opportunity to help others see their perspective, take it. Garth Bishop Garth Bishop is editor of the 2021 edition of EnVision Proven Success. A longtime Columbus-area journalist, he is secretary and past president of the Central Ohio Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalist. He also works as a freelance writer, editor and writing coach, and as a content writer for Dublin-based digital marketing agency ForeFront Web.
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