In terms of excellent presentation and content, Loyola Marymount University's "Letter from LA: Hot Air" by Joseph Wakelee-Lynch is our winner.
This piece is a reflection on nature and politics that, while set in a specific place, carries a universal message. The writer offered perspective on the Santa Ana wind, a phenomenon peculiar to Los Angeles by weaving together literary references, scientific explanation (by a Marymount scientist, no less) and rich description.
Whether or not one has endured this December wind in Los Angeles, this place and this dry heat come to life. When Wakelee-Lynch references the noxious political election season, a reader feels the burn before the final, hopeful conclusion:
