Mean Girls and pop culture has taught us to fear gossip as toxic and cruel, the whispered fuel of cliques and drama. But what ...

They whispered memories, so we’d never forget. They told us how they slept in cassava gardens, not for adventure, but for safety. How a full day could pass with no food, not from fasting, but fear.

"At the airport, I whispered mantras to myself. Please don’t talk to me. Please don’t ask me questions. Just let me get on ...