FLUX 2025 Staff

Dear reader, 

The collection of stories we present to you now is the culmination of many months of dedication to the common goal of Flux Magazine: candid, human stories that stand the test of time. 

Our staff this year was larger than ever before. And, so too were our plans for them. The journalists we’ve had the pleasure of leading are tenacious, dedicated and passionate. We’ve watched their voices change and grow as their reporting expanded their insights. The lived experiences of their subjects in the stories you will soon read can shift your view as well. That is what we believe to be the power of Flux. The legacy we had the honor of adding to this year is one of courage, intimacy and reflection. 

At the beginning of this process, we weren't sure what the next six months would have in store. Time shaped the stories we told from the beginning. It was a pressure cooker that determined what we would do and how we would do it. Guiding our talented staff through the ups and downs that Flux inevitably breeds was a journey in itself. We planned as much as we could and passed down the knowledge we gained from working on Flux as writers last year. What we found, however, is that the time spent with this cohort forced us to grow as leaders and storytellers as well. 

We asked them to push themselves. In doing so, they pushed each other. Their energy was infectious. When it came time for their stories to be put on the page, our incredible design team accepted the challenge. Their ideas and talents bring these stories to life

It's safe to say that the stories born from this process reflect more than the hard work and dedication of our team. They reflect a specific moment in time, melding past, present and future in the pursuit of authentic, human stories. We don't start Flux with a theme; we start with the story. When we found the throughline of this year's edition, it was clear it represented more than just the narratives on the page. It reflects the willpower of our team, who worked around the clock to find their subjects and document the impact of their stories. 

 Time challenges us. For the subjects in these stories, it is both friend and foe. Time pushes them forward in ways and holds them back in others. The stories themselves explore how time forces us to reckon with circumstances we cannot change and confront the ones we can. They underscore a restoration and reclamation of traditions, identities and livelihoods. 

Letter from the editors

Letter from Mayor Knudson

Dear Readers,

The expectation of accountability. The permission to explore. The unreasonable nature of excellence. The importance of caring for your team.

Looking back 27 years, my Flux takeaways might not be that different from the team today. The decision to become Flux’s Editor-in-Chief in 1999 ended up being a pivotal decision in my young career. Working alongside our talented staff to deliver an award-winning collection of writing and design remains one of my proudest collegiate experiences. And, oddly, it started with me not applying for the job.

For that, I can thank my mentors in the SOJC. In the late ‘90s, Tom Wheeler and Bill Ryan were the Flux faculty, and they sought me out after my first year as a Senior Editor. If there’s a moral to this short story, it would be to listen when your community asks you to lead. Especially listen to their reasons why.

We won another Pacemaker Award that year, and Flux was a launchpad for my professional career. From honor grad into start-up life, to the Bay Area, then to a career as an architect and educator, writing my first book, now being the mayor of Eugene — it’s easy to trace the through-line in hindsight. But leading the team at Flux was an inflection point and an experience where the takeaways still resonate.

Mayor Kaarin Knudson, AIA

(Flux Editor in Chief 1999, Senior Editor 1998)