Photos by Katherine Lytle.
I am a proud product of Southern California. I was born and raised in Long Beach, Calif., a place that I will always call home.
My city is special for many reasons. The blending of cultures is evident on every corner. It houses the historic Queen Mary and Southern California’s largest aquarium with the Aquarium of the Pacific. One of my favorite hometown facts is that Snoop Dogg and I went to the same high school: The Funkhouse of Long Beach Poly. My dawg.
But one of the best parts about my city is its geography. Being a coastal city, seven miles of the Pacific Ocean outline Long Beach’s southern border.
Growing up with the ocean in such close proximity, the beach became my safe place. I always found my way to the Pacific, and the more I went, the deeper my love for the sea became.
When you slow down to take a breath, you realize the world around you is buzzing with life. Stop for a moment to sit and listen — that pause can provide just the clarity you may be longing for.
The ocean’s waves rise and fall each day, serving as a metaphor for the ever-evolving state of life. The world is constantly changing, and society must adapt to the change or get swept away with the tide.
But nothing is ever completely left out at sea — everything washes back ashore to be found and loved again. There is always hope for renewal. There is always hope to rebuild. There is always hope for REVIVAL.
Revival is more than a return — it is rebuilding after loss, rediscovering purpose and reclaiming hope in places where it’s been fractured. In a world shaped by division, injustice and uncertainty, this magazine explores the many forms revival can take through recovery, rediscovery and redemption.
Sometimes, pain consumes the human experience. Your entire life can be shaped by moments of loss and despair, but the embers of a fire can still burn — even when they seem like they are going out.
The flame of life dwells inside all of us. The burning for connection fuels our being. Finding the light again, reigniting passion and advocating for what matters are crucial aspects of the human experience.
It’s important to wait in the fire. It’s important to let it burn — to let yourself feel. Let the fire transform you, and find renewal within it.
Seeking revival is not always an easy journey. Sometimes, the road to revival is one of the hardest paths you will walk.
That road can also be one of the most important ones you embark on.
It is everyone’s first time experiencing life. Find yourself within this magazine, connect with those who were brave enough to share their stories, allow yourself to feel the flame burn brighter. All we have is each other and this one chance at life. Experience REVIVAL.
From personal reinvention to societal change, the stories that take over the pages of this magazine all capture what it means to rise again — stronger, louder and more alive than before.
This story was copy edited by Lila Rendel.
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Contact Nina Fife via X: (@ninafife_) or by email: nina.fife@pepperdine.edu