At last night’s book event at politicsprose , gdanielagalarza asked me about what the future holds for creatives in light of AI. It wasn’t something I had a fully prepared answer for but as I swept my gaze across the room full of people—human beings—I realized the answer sat, literally, in front of me. Community. The creation, cultivation, and maintenance of a space where humans feel safe to gather, discuss, and even cry. Where vulnerability isn’t a weakness but an asset, because baring it all, in person, is not replicatable. Earlier in the day, I spotted a group of tan uniforms, “National Guard” emblazoned on their backs, milling around a downtown that looked more like a ghost town than the bustling center of our nation’s capital. What a reminder that inhumanity isn’t reserved for AI and that the power of community can be deployed against injustice, too. Thank you to everyone who came out last night. Thank you to Politics & Prose for keeping the lights on past closing hour. Thank ...