Akin Jeje's “An Island in the Stream” is a poignant poetic response to the death of Nolan Wells, exploring grief, racial injustice, and the fragile promise of belonging in America. Through its evocative imagery and communal voice, the poem stands as both an elegy and a call for justice, remembrance, and collective responsibility.

"Voices in the Crowd" by David Anson Lee is a powerful poetry collection exploring American protest, democracy, grief, justice, and collective hope. Through lyrical free verse and vivid urban imagery, Lee captures the heartbeat of a generation rising against silence and inequality. This collection reflects the courage, resilience, and humanity found in moments of public resistance and shared witness.

Hannan Kahn’s poem "we grade each and everything here" is a stark critique of rigid education, cultural control, and silenced identity. Through haunting classroom imagery, the poem exposes the toll of perfectionism, gender norms, suppressed emotion, conformity, and institutionalized obedience.

In this sharp personal essay, Srishti Mondal interrogates how the white saviour complex influences global storytelling—especially for writers from the Global South. Moving beyond trauma-driven narratives, she calls for a more authentic, balanced representation of lived realities in India and beyond.

"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.

“Going Unplugged for the Holidays” is a letter from the senior editor, exploring Christmas, poverty, faith, and intentional parenting. Drawing from lived experience, Monique Franz examines Santa, economic inequality, and the impact of technology on Christmas. In the letter, she advocates for unplugged holidays that prioritize family connection, spiritual meaning, and shared values over consumerism.

“Social Media vs. Mental Health: Is There a Healthy Balance?” is a timely question in 2025. Drawing from personal experience, Arnett explores the emotional impact of growing up online. The article highlights links between social anxiety, self-worth, and internet use while encouraging real-world connections, healthier habits, and rediscovering hobbies as steps toward balance.

“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.

“The Spirit Board” by Jonathan Brònico — In their new home, one family’s ghost story turns horrifyingly real when two children invite a restless spirit to play.

In “Sunflower,” Elaine Joy Edaya Degale explores identity, belonging, and colorism through a Black American-Filipina lens—an intimate, lyrical reckoning with race, privilege, and home between New York and Mindanao.

“Push shove. Push shove.” In Odette Cortés’ “Orpheus Underground,” the subway becomes an underworld — a place where myth meets the modern commute, and the rhythm of survival hums beneath the city’s surface.

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...