(When the pressure lifts) When school was out, my Jamaican parents did not believe in rest. Days off were not really days off. If we were not in school, that just meant there was something else to do. Cleaning. Reading. Practicing. Helping. Sitting still for too long raised questions. Saying you were bored meant someone would quickly find a task for you. They were loving, hardworking parents who believed deeply in discipline and making the most of every opportunity. Rest simply was not part...

By Nadine Smith F or most of my life, I was shaped by public education. I believed in it — its promise of access, its ability to lift entire families, its place as the great equalizer. I truly believed that with enough heart, structure, and accountability, we could make it work for every child. But somewhere along the way, something shifted. The cracks I used to patch and defend started to look different — not like problems to fix, but signs of something deeper. And when I discovered...

They were supposed to be at the pool. Instead, they picked up brushes and found peace in the storm. This is what art can do. Calm....