Taylor Mac, performing at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn in October. "It felt a little bit like a ritual sacrifice," Mac says. "I came home and I fell asleep at the dinner table." Teddy Wolff/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

A school scene in Uganda. David Turnley/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images hide caption

Almothana Alhamoud (second from left) with his family in Chicago. From left to right are his sister, Fatina; their father, Abdel Bari; their mother, Alia; and his other sister, Rowan. Alhamoud earned a computer engineering degree in Syria, but when he came to the U.S., he initially worked as a cashier. The group Upwardly Global helped him find a job in IT. Deb Amos/NPR hide caption

Untold RVA's tour guide, historian Free Egunfemi, sits inside Sweet Tea's Southern Cuisine, a restaurant with a history in the Underground Railroad. Kelley Libby/Localore hide caption

The Colorist & Emiliana Torrini's self-titled album is out now. Courtesy of the artist hide caption