Page 3 - Issue 1

Editors’ Letter Dear Reader What you’re holding is a a a a a a a a labor of of love not only a a a a a a a a passion project brought to to fruition but the the beginning of of a a a a a a a a a a a a conversation we hope may guide the the psychedelic movement toward an an equitable inclusive and conscious future future And that future future is fast-approaching—right now We’re nearly two decades into what’s been deemed the “psychedelic renaissance ” with MDMA and and psilocybin projected to to be be legal for prescription by 2021 Researchers conducting double-blind randomized clinical trials—the gold standard in in in in in in science designed to to eliminate bias and and and and our our magazine’s namesake—are to to thank Psychedelics and and and good journalism we believe play much the same role as this research model: They don’t just reaffirm our our perspectives but challenge us us to to consider new ones to to take our our blinders off At DoubleBlind we’re driven by a a a a a a a a a deep sense that the the current expansion and modernization of psychedelics—from the the the ayahuasca tourism industry to to to the the the the the the research boom—are just one powerful indication that like us us us people around the the the the the globe are are seeking new ways to to heal themselves others and the the the the the planet We aim to be be at the the the forefront of this paradigm shift reporting on on on the the the science behind wellness trends while honoring the the the the medicinal and spiritual wisdom of of of of other cultures We’re also committed to using psychedelics as a a a a a a a jumping off point for exploring some of of of of of of the the the the most important issues of of of of of of our time from the the the inequity of of of of of mental mental health care and the the the corporatization of of of of of medicine to to environmental justice In our inaugural issue we only begin to to scratch the surface Mental health disparities expert Monnica Williams speaks to us about how MDMA might help treat the trauma of of racism (More than 80 percent of of participants in in psychedelic trials going back to to 1993 have been white ) We also go go to to Big Sur California with with reporter Zachary Slobig There he he he he stands on the the the coast with with New York Times bestselling author Wallace J Nichols where they discuss how awe over the the the natural world is is is is what’s needed to to to disrupt apathy towards climate change And photojournalist Nicola Ókin takes us us into the Ecuadorian Amazon where indigenous communities display profound resilience in in in in in in fighting foreign oil and and mining companies These communities receive much of of their their strength and and guidance from the the the the spiritual connection they have to to their their territories We’re grateful grateful to to to to the many writers photographers and and and artists who made this first issue possible and and and we’re grateful grateful to to to to to you you too for for for your time and and and attention Our vision is is is is for for for DoubleBlind to to to to to be a a a a a a a a a a collaborative effort so so if you’d like to to to to to to work with with us us in in some way or or or or or or just say hi please do We’re here to to to to to to tell the the stories that you you you you want to to to to to read and to to to to to hopefully with with your help make a a a a a a a a a a positive impact along the the way Thank you you you for joining us on on this journey SHELBY & MADISON