by Tina Neeley | May 15, 2025 | Feature
THE ONLY sound is the whisper of colored pencil on drafting film as Monica Wiles meticulously builds layer upon layer of color. Each stroke is deliberate, guided by the photograph before her — a portrait of a cherished companion. More than just replicating an image,...
by Tina Neeley | May 15, 2025 | Feature
THE DOOR swings open, the air bringing with it the weight of the people coming and going. Some step inside briskly, scrubs rustling as they approach the counter. Others move slower, distracted, pausing just inside the doorway as if recalibrating between two worlds —...
by Tina Neeley | Apr 17, 2025 | Feature
IN THE halls of New Covenant Schools in Lynchburg, Virginia, the Rev. John Heaton moves with the measured pace of a man accustomed to both pulpit and classroom. For 27 years, he has served as headmaster, blending his background as a parish priest with his passion for...
by Becca Roberts | Apr 17, 2025 | Feature
SGT. SYDNEY Olivier smiles, overhearing one of her officers mention that he is “in the green.” He’s using emotional awareness terminology taught through Impact First Responders in Lynchburg, where Olivier volunteers. This program helps first responders connect to...
by Tina Neeley | Apr 1, 2025 | Feature
SEATED BY her grandmother outside their thatched-roof home, she gazed at them. Beneath the watchful eyes of the distant mountains and the conical hats of palm leaves and bamboo, older children worked in the rice paddies while younger children played nearby, their...
by Tina Neeley | Apr 1, 2025 | Feature
EVERY FOUR years, the crisp January air buzzes with anticipation as a diverse crowd gathers on the National Mall. Red, white, and blue flags and banners wave from the west front of the U.S. Capitol, its dome standing regally against the pale winter sky, a symbol of...
