From Bali to New York, Dakar to Dili, Mexico to Mumbai, stories in this collection portray endurance and celebrate ingenuity through vivid narratives and vibrant plots.

-A talented actor from Harlem in search of her roots and learns a lot more than she ever hoped for, while on a trip to Belize.

-A small-town dancer from Michigan braves challenges in New York City in a bid to establish her gender identity.

-A feisty schoolgirl from an Indian slum confronts demons that threaten to consume her.

-An aid worker in Timor-Leste seeks hope after decades of conflict and destruction.

-Stranded in a snowstorm in Amsterdam, a young woman is determined to reunite with her boyfriend on the other side of the Atlantic.

-A young Indian police constable cracks his first case through innovative contact tracing.