For kids in the Norfolk neighborhood of Berkley, the football field is often one of the few places safe from gun violence. Just as he has for the past two decades, Glen Yearling prepares the Berkley Timberwolves for the 2021 season, aiming to win on the gridiron and instill his players with a sense of discipline, belonging and hope.

Hosting millions of tourists in a beach town takes work. It begins before the sun rises and continues long after it sets. Even with staffing challenges this summer, Virginia Beach's hospitality industry is determined to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic. Rolling out the welcome mat is the key to its success. Under a dark sky, crews comb the beach, erasing yesterday’s trash to start a new day with a clean slate. The shoreline awakens, and lifeguards climb onto their stands.It’s all hands on deck to fulfill the wants and needs of tourists. Hotel housekeepers strip the beds. Shop managers restock the beach umbrellas and chairs. Then, as another summer day winds down, restaurants and bars prep for the crowds. The city’s peacekeepers gear up for a busy evening in the 40-block resort area. As night falls over the beach again, the clock resets.

For some residents of Hampton Roads, open water swimming offers a way to exercise, but for Elizabeth Moore, it offers a challenge and a sense of community. As a college student, Moore is constantly packing up her life for the next opportunity and having a common bond, such as open water swimming allows her to move places with pre-existing connections.