As we hiked through the rice fields of Northern Vietnam with Cha, a Hmong woman who lives in the mountains of Sa Pa, a question popped into my head: “How many rows of rice do you think I’ve eaten in my life?” Coming from a Southeast Asian immigrant family, I couldn’t even begin to guess how much rice I had eaten. She looked me up and down, laughed, and said matter-of-factly, “Fifteen.”

The woman in the center is American rapper Mahogany Jones. We were visiting Uzbekistan in advance of a hip-hop residency she would be managing for Next Level, which I co-direct. Next Level is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Meridian International Center. Its mission is to use hip hop music, dance, and art to foster cross-cultural creative exchange in diverse communities. We work to promote understanding and conflict resolution, and support the professional development of artists.

Félix, a Puerto Rican Vietnam War veteran, shared his hopes for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. He said that we’re all Americans, and we need to work together as Americans to rebuild this island. Right now, he says, Puerto Ricans are doing it on their own.

The display of goods in the marketplace of Chefchaouen, Morocco, creates a vibrant scene. Moroccan vendors spend their days selling locally crafted goods to the influx of tourists who visit the city.

A fleet of fishing boats from a small fishing village on the shores of Lake Malawi launches at sunset, spending the entire night in waters that are home to more species of fish than most other lakes on earth. Their return at sunrise is marked with a flurry of activity as dozens of boats are beached, fish are unloaded and taken to market, and nets are cleaned and mended before another evening launch. When taking this photo, I was drawn to the interaction between culture and water. There is something about how different people and communities rely on and engage with water that is both fascinating and beautiful.

This photo was taken on a train riding from Bangkok to Phitsanulok, Thailand. Trains always allow the luxury of being able to relish in the contemplation of life, while watching the world move quickly beside me.