A few months ago, on the morning of June 7, 2022, DETOUR went live. The moment was exhilarating, like bringing a newborn baby outdoors for their first time. Sure, our staff was proud, but we were nervous, too. The good news is that since then, DETOUR has only mesmerized us with her curiosity, fearlessness and passion. At a tender six months old, DETOUR is already ahead of her peers as a storyteller and guide for Black travelers. Every day, she makes us think, laugh and even cry. We always hoped she’d grow up and make a name for herself by shining a light at the intersection of place and race globally. Today, on Thanksgiving Day, we’re grateful that DETOUR is off to a beautiful start — and that you’ve embraced her every step of the way.

Like most good stories, this one’s all in the details. A few weeks ago, for example, our columnist Faith Adiele wrote this about her morning stroll through Manhattan, where she had joined a friend on a business trip. “…this dizzying, international metropolis is actually just a string of tiny villages, each with its own ecosystem folded into squat storefronts and stately brownstones and stylish Art Deco buildings? It’s a Broadway musical just listening to who runs these streets in the morning, the dozens upon dozens of languages disembarking from buses and subways to stage the city, the hard-working Black and Brown folks and immigrants getting the job done.” A couple days later this popped up in my inbox from a reader who’d recently traveled to the Big Apple after a depressing pandemic sequester: “Indeed! New York has a larger-than-life story, yet with the feeling of a smallish bear cuddle…Thank you for helping me relive one of the absolute joys of 2022.”

How about a bear hug back to all our readers for supporting DETOUR as she finds joy in this maiden voyage. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Ron Stodghill

Publisher