Sunset on Lake Victoria with two boats bobbing on the waves. Taken by Matthew Stephens

Ethnography, Essays, and More

White in Kenya: Privilege, Perspective, and Positionality
essay Matthew Stephens essay Matthew Stephens

White in Kenya: Privilege, Perspective, and Positionality

“Mzungu! Mzungu!”

The call rings out as the sun dips behind the hills of Kapseret, Kenya. A group of men are stacked precariously onto a boda boda, zipping past while waving their arms like they’d just passed a celebrity. I wave back. It’s become reflexive. “Habari yako?” a chorus of schoolchildren calls from behind a chain-link fence, their faces pressed between the bars. I respond, “Poa,” and we continue walking. They clutch at the fence, not ready to lose sight of me.

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You Can Never Go Home
essay Matthew Stephens essay Matthew Stephens

You Can Never Go Home

You Can Never Go Home, reflections from 36,000 feet.

Home isn’t just a place — it’s a moment in time. But what happens when you return and find that everything has changed, including yourself? This is a story of loss, nostalgia, and the shifting landscape of America. Have you ever felt like you could never go home again?

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