Editors note: Some last names were withheld to protect the sources’ identities. On a dreary day in March, Leticia, an immigrant from Petén, Guatemala, got a tattered letter in the mail. She recognized the handwriting on the envelope as her brother’s and breathed a sigh of relief.

The world views Africa as a poverty-stricken continent, rampant with violence and AIDS. Bella Mukonyora, a native of Zimbabwe and assistant professor of philosophy and religion, said although such perceptions may be true, she still holds Africa and Zimbabwe dear to her heart.