“A Town on a Lake” by Albert Christer Singletary is a fictional narrative exploring fleeting encounters between two racially isolated Black men in a small New England town, examining belonging and quiet human connection.

"Locked" by Sonia Kinyua is a coming-of-age short story exploring self-acceptance, Black hair, and identity, revealing how her journey with hair is shaped by her mother, peers, and ultimately herself.

“The Watermelon Woman” by Hailey M. Young features Black kinship, shared experience, and survival, exploring endurance in the face of racialized violence.

In this humorous culture-clash tale, Thompson “Tom” Udoka, a spirited Nigerian-American boy, mistakenly unmasks a sacred masquerade during a festival in his father’s village, causing cultural outrage. His innocent action triggers a traditional raid on his grandfather’s homestead and a council dispute about restitution.

“POWER GAMES” challenges what many take for granted, stable, accessible electricity. Through personal anecdotes, the article shares tips and tricks for daily life in Nigeria. It explores how unreliable power reshapes routines and survival strategies, ultimately creating an adaptive way of life. The piece captures how an entire nation learns to cope, improvise, and endure amid constant power uncertainty.

by Odette Cortés Born and raised in Mexico, I remember that my elementary class was shown the caste system, which was the backbone of New...