The photograph, framed and in a place of honor, is precious to me. Taken in 2016 outside a Manhattan restaurant, it’s a casual shot of four young people and me, everyone smiling. I was concluding my stint as New York Times public editor, and each of these talented young journalists – plus one more who couldn’t make it to the dinner – had served as my editorial assistant at some point over a four-year period.
Almost eight years later, I’ve kept tabs on them. Two still work at the Times, having climbed the newsroom ladder to become a courts reporter and a book-review editor, respectively. One recently has experienced the joy of his first child’s birth. Another has bought a house, with her husband, after moving to Seattle.
