The Skies are Gray
Donald “Clay” Clay, an Air Force veteran, was enjoying his stogie while chit chatting with friends, watching boats slipping by. On every weekday afternoon when the weather is fine, he…
Lumen8
As I walked Georgia towards the park on Meridian Hill, we could hear the sound of the drums reverberating louder and louder embracing body and soul. We passed a 13-basin…
Raqs Baladi
On November 11, 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan slammed into the Philippines causing massive loss of life and a trail of destruction in its wake. Battering the archipelago with wind gusts…
Five Qualities of the Diaspora
There were two milestones I needed to achieve in order to complete my MBA — a new venture capstone project and a study abroad trip to compare and contrast cultures,…
Ben’s Upstairs
August, 2016. I was driving back from Front Royal, VA, the gateway to the Shenandoah National Park, when I got an unexpected call from a long-time restaurateur friend. “Manuel, it’s…
Folklife Fest
July 7, 2007 I was running vigorously along a cinder path, flanked by the Smithsonian Castle and the Museum of Natural History, when I suddenly realized that running was my…