Editorial: “Living in Legacy”
It took me 28 years to realize I was an Adventist nepo baby: a child born to a famous Adventist family. My grandfather is Dr. George W. Brown, the former president of the Inter-American Division of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and a renowned author and public figure. His daughter, my mother, has been on executive committees and nominating committees for Illinois Conference, Lake Union, and North American Division, serving on the board of directors for corporate Advent Health, as well as a stint in the Heritage Singers in her youth.
Outside of the Adventist bubble, of course, these things mean nothing. My Opa is just my lovable and dignified grandfather with an impressive library, and my mom is a wise and warm woman who homeschooled my sister and me and taught me how to spot good antique finds. Even within the Adventist sphere, my grandfather’s legacy means little to younger generations.
Back in July, on a Zoom call interviewing for the news editor position at Adventist Today, I did mention my famous grandfather—not for reasons of ego, but to say to Loren Seibold, AT’s executive editor, that “I get it.” I’m not a newbie to Adventist culture, I know the cultural complexities and landmines that can come with our denomination.
“You know,” Loren said, “this job will sometimes require you to look critically at the church. Are you okay with that?” I knew what he was asking. He was asking if I could celebrate our global successes but also, when necessary, critique specific failures of the institution. And that doing so doesn’t mean rejecting the Adventist Movement. He was asking if my legacy standing, as minor as it may be, wouldn’t interfere with holding fellow believers and ministries accountable when relevant and newsworthy.
But in fact Adventist Today was in alignment with everything I wanted to do. I wanted to highlight and celebrate the dedication of believers around the world who chose to use their devotion to Christ as a catalyst for innovation. And I also wanted to be part of showing that we Adventists can be accountable, rather than just upholding a faultless public image.
Loren was asking me if I understood the coexistence of journalistic integrity and Christ-centered Adventism.
My answer was, “I get it.”
Nicole Brown-Dominguez
News Editor, Adventist Today magazine and website
28 September 2024
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