Clay Morris: Of Truth and Inclusivity

Photo and story by LaShenda Hudson On a cloudy day in 2018, Clay Bingham Morris was about to give a very important speech to St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s student body. The speech, which he gave as the sermon to his school’s weekly church service, was called “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?” He was so nervous, […]

April Sargent: Turning Her Life Around

Photo and story by Evan Denson On the playground after lunch one day, April Sargent and her friends fought some of the girls who were bullying her. Sargent didn’t get caught while fighting the girls, therefore, she believed she had triumphed. During school, Sargent had many problems and was very depressed. In elementary school, a […]

Jaylyn Sutton: Vermont Bound

Photo and story by Madysin Bratton When Jaylyn Sutton was just a child, she and her family would go visit her Aunt Bunny in the hospital. Sutton used to read to Aunt Bunny, who had a very severe cancer. Before leaving the hospital everyday, Sutton told her aunt she loved her. Sutton and her aunt had […]

Inajas Perry: Growing from Struggle

Photo and story by Dyahda Nolan On the first Tuesday of January 2012, Inajas Perry and her little brother were relaxing from a long busy Christmas season. While her mom and dad went back to their workday routines, Perry was left to watch her younger brother Jordan. “Its burning!” her little brother screamed. Perry got up […]

Carley Dunson: An Aspiring Teacher

Photo and story by Anthony Hawkins On November 3, Carley Dunson received a message over the intercom at school that she would not be going to after school care. To her surprise, someone would be picking her up from school that day. After school, Dunson’s father picked her up. “Where is Mommy?” she asked. Three […]

Octavia Mannie: Saved by JROTC

by Jacoby Grover Photo by Danyelle Tillman “Attention, right face!” the sergeant commanded”. Henry Mannie noticed his teenage daughter, Octavia Mannie, needed a little more discipline. She needed someone to show her that sometimes, things won’t go her way, and when it doesn’t go your way, it does not mean go out and fight every […]

Shaddia Lee: Loving the Skin You’re In

Photo and story by Rayven Jones The bubbly, youthful Shaddia Lee walked into New Hope Christian Elementary, a black Christian private school, on a Monday morning. She knew she was different, and her classmates knew it, too–she was darker than them, so they began to pick on her. One day, Lee was skipping on the […]

Arienne Jackson: An Upcoming Photographer

Photo and story by Christen Johnson When Arienne Jackson was 9 years old, her mother graduated college with her masters degree in leadership. A lot of her family members were there, including her uncle. He was there taking pictures while Jackson’s mom walked across the stage to get her degree. Shortly after her mother’s graduation, […]

Evan Denson: Growing Day By Day

Photo and story by April Sargent In the evening, Evan Denson and his mother arrived home from school, he changed out of his school clothes and got ready to do his math work. Evan was 9 around the time. His mother asked if he needed any help with his homework, but Denson confidently decided he […]

Starlette Simmons: Life Beyond Soccer

Photo and story by Mirracle Caston The soccer game was in Pearl, Miss., last season on Jan. 29. Starlette Simmons arrived as the players were getting ready to get on the field. “Wassup, everybody?” Simmons asked as Coach Dante Knight put everybody into their positions before the game started. Simmons was playing the forward position […]