Together, We Look Up

By Sheena McFarland


Photography: Austen Diamond, VisitUtah.com

Peering up at the Milky Way, surrounded by the hoodoo spires of Bryce Canyon, I am struck by how lucky I am to gaze at that lustrous brushstroke across the heavens that eludes nearly one-third of humanity. This night, I traveled alone, making me more introspective than usual. I think of the refugees I have volunteered to guide as they make Utah their new home after fleeing war, famine and other strife. Even if they couldn’t see these stars from Sudan, Burma or Kosovo, still they were bathed in this same starlight as they brought their ancestors, their gods, their dreams to add to the constellation of Utah history. Their journey becomes our journey as we hurtle through the cosmos, stronger because of our diversity.


Sheena McFarland is a former journalist and current marketing director. Sheena is a world traveler, avid stargazer, and advocate for equity and inclusion. She holds an Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy, a master’s of public administration, and a B.A. in communication.