Ukrainian(ish)

Ukraine is a country of entrepreneurs, thinkers, artists, and inventors! Deep dive into Ukraine’s most interesting inventions with Naomi and Sonja in this episode

In this episode, Sonja and Naomi honor the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, which was a man-made famine, orchestrated by Stalin, which killed upwards of 6 million Ukrainians between 1932 and 1933. They dive into the history of the famine, the implications for Ukrainian culture and language today, and discuss how Russia’s terrorism and genocide continue during its newest assault on the Ukrainian state. 

In the first episode of our new series titled Honest Conversations, where we have meaningful sit-down conversations about the war in Ukraine, Naomi interviewed author Tetyana Denford. Denford is a critically acclaimed author and translator, known for her historical fiction novels, poetry, and prose. Her most well-known books include The Child of Ukraine and A Soldier's Child. Listen in as we talk about what it means to be an author at a time of war, the role of art during conflict, and where Ukraine is headed in the future.

In the second installment of our series, International Spotlight, we’re looking into Australia’s role in helping Ukraine. International support has been absolutely crucial in supporting Ukraine throughout the war. Whether it be military aid to help Ukraine defend its territories, humanitarian aid to support Ukrainians in Ukraine, or taking in refugees, countries worldwide have continuously supported Ukraine throughout its fight for freedom.  

On top of the military and security crisis going on in Ukraine, the country is currently experiencing a huge mental health crisis. With millions affected, thousands dead, and many serving on the front lines, Ukraine has a crisis of wounded psyche on its hands. In this episode, we explore the impact of expressive arts therapy while talking to Nathalie Robelot, Founder and Executive Director of First Aid of the Soul.

Listen in on an interview with famous Ukrainian Dancer, Lana Niland as Naomi and Sonja dive into the power of Ukrainian Dance. In this episode, we discuss what it means to find strength in heritage, how it feels to explore your roots, and why Ukrainian Dance is such a powerful and prominent mode of expression.

In this week’s episode, we interviewed Oleksiy Makukhin, a Ukrainian filmmaker and producer, best known for his films Posledniy moskal (2015), Give Me Liberty (2019), and Defiant (2023). After attending Defiant’s premiere at TIFF 2023, Naomi interviewed Oleksiy to get his behind-the-scenes insights into the production and significance of the film. 

This week on the podcast we interviewed two Plast members to hear about how Plast, a Ukrainian scouting organization has shaped Ukrainian history and nationhood. Hear Dmytro and Sofiya discuss the history of Plast and the ways in which it benefits Ukraine in this episode.

In this episode, Sonja and Naomi share a casual but meaningful conversation about Ukrainian statehood, history, and independence in honor of Ukraine’s 32nd Independence Day on August 24th. Listen in as we talk about how this day looks a little different during wartime...

Last weekend, the Dauphin festival took place in Manitoba, marking the 58th year that the festival was held and recognizing Ukrainian culture, history, and traditions. In this episode, hear from 4 wonderful attendees who discuss what being Ukrainian means to them and why the Dauphin festival is such an amazing celebration of culture abroad.

The women of Ukraine have always been the backbone of their communities. Whether in villages in Luhansk, in the city of Lviv, or in diaspora communities abroad. In this episode, hear from the Divchata organization which unites Ukrainian women and girls to tackle important issues and create community. In Ukraine, women are faced with unique challenges and have had to take on various roles, whether volunteering, working, or fighting on the front lines. 

In this episode, we heard from a UK volunteer, Richard Woodruff who has spent the last year in Ukraine volunteering at Front Line Kitchen. Despite how small their physical footprint might be, the impacts of their work are felt through the 20,000 meals they produce eat day for Ukrainian soldiers.

To learn more about their work, check out their viral Twitter page @frontlinekit!

Last week, we covered the experience of queer soldiers on the front. This week, as a part of our series spotlighting the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community in Ukraine, we hear from Kyiv Pride, an organization supporting queer Ukrainians since 2012. Listen as Edward Reese from the organization talks about queer identity and the impacts of the war.

Explore the double-edged battle that queer Ukrainian soldiers are facing, battling for freedom for their country and for their own freedoms. This June, we're spotlighting the experience of queer Ukrainians on the podcast. In this episode, we hear from Maxim, a member of the LGBTIQ Military NGO which connects and supports queer Ukrainian soldiers and their families. In the coming weeks, you'll continue to hear from several NGOs supporting queer people in Ukraine.

This week, as part of a greater theme of education in Ukraine, your hosts are diving into educational resilience at Pechersk School International (PSI). In this episode, you'll be hearing from school director Rachel Caldwell, about trauma-informed education, Ukrainian resilience, and how exactly the school transitioned from Ukraine during a time of war. You'll also be hearing from a current student there, Sofia Sheremeta, who describes what school is like at PSI and how the school has supported students since the invasion.

International aid has been crucial in supporting Ukraine throughout the war. Whether it be military aid to help Ukraine defend its territories, humanitarian aid to support Ukrainians in Ukraine, or taking in refugees, countries around the world have continuously supported Ukraine throughout its fight for freedom. In the first installment of our new series, International Spotlight, we're zooming in on Denmark and learning about how the country supports Ukraine in big and small ways.

In this episode, Sonja and Naomi share their conversation with Agatha and Cat, the founders of the Shadows Project. Aimed at connecting young Ukrainians with their centuries-old culture, the Shadows Project is a multimedia internet-based organization that has transformed into a cultural preservation organization since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, hospitals, residential buildings, schools, and other civilian targets have fallen victim to Russia’s merciless attacks. In response, the Shadows Project launched a new program Skrynia - aimed at providing direct support to museums and cultural institutions across Ukraine. Learn more in this episode!

If you would like to support the work of Shadows Project, their website is saveua.art and you can check out their page on Instagram at @shadows.project

During this episode, featuring an interview with our special guest, Astronaut, and United24 Ambassador Scott Kelly, Sonja and Naomi examine the importance of democracy, freedom, and the fundamental human need to explore and innovate. Throughout the episode, we discuss Ukraine's role in technological advances, protecting and preserving democracy, and how a former astronaut has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support medical aid in Ukraine.

Listen as Sonja and Naomi discuss the efforts of millions, in Ukraine and abroad, to support Ukraine during its fight for freedom. During this episode, we discussed the volunteer-based Territorial Defense of Ukraine, the Serhiy Prytula Foundation, Yurii Nazeryk's "Buy me a Fighter Jet" initiative, and the Saint Javelin company. If you have the means to, please consider donating to any of the initiatives we discuss in this episode and others, every dollar counts.

Welcome! Join us in the first episode of this upcoming podcast series, as your hosts, Naomi and Sonja discuss the complexities of identity, war, and conflict.