today was a good reminder for me that i should never be ashamed of practicing compassionate, empathetic journalism — because that’s actually how you do real service to your audience and invite them to relate
for years i’ve been contemplating of leaving journalism behind. i thought i was the problem — caring too much about the stories i cover, seeing personal stakes in them, building all these emotional bridges to people i’d feature
turns out the western idea of journalism that trained me is the real problem. this toxic, colonial straitjacket conditioning you for rigid emotional divorce from the stories you cover — borderline sociopathic
this utopian positioning of reporter as a superhuman capable of “objectivity” that in practice means indifference or emotional constipation or arrogance — or all at once. no healthy human brain works like that
with #UkrainianSpaces it became obvious for me that the best storytelling comes out when you make sure your speakers in a safe space, when they feel you relate, you care, you emphasize. when you laugh or cry with them. when you don’t feel like it is beyond you to agree with them
and even it happens you disagree or challenge them along the way, that trust and respect you’ve established through empathy allows us to continue an honest and productive conversation — something unheard for hyper polarized western journalism
thank you fellow ukrainians for making me falling in love with journalism once again. for inspiring me to find the ways to decolonize and harness it so i finally see the way how it can bring joy and service to both me and my audience. this is the future.

ukraine is future

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More from @maksymeristavi

Jul 14
folks, i need your help amplifying it.

this is our friend and our icon and our inspiration.

maksym butkevych is the most prominent human rights defender in ukraine.

he is kidnapped by russia.

#FreeMaksymButkevych Image
maksym is quintessential ukraine. soft-spoken, quite, kind man, but with a resolute and valor that radiates off him. he spent his life tirelessly defending human rights in ukraine — for anyone, including migrants. there wasn't a single call he hasn't answered. 24/7. Image
when the genocide started i wasn't surprised maksym was one of the first to enlist to defend us on the frontline. as other of our finest, brightest, most brilliant ukrainians, he instantly knew the stakes — we are defending not just our territory, but our civilization, our values Image
Read 4 tweets
Jul 14
harrowing picture of downtown vinnytsia in western ukraine after russian terrorist attack. multiple murdered. including reportedly a child

t.me/suspilne_vinny… Image
vinnytsia moments after russian terrorist attack: you can see people wandering around in a complete shock gaze

t.me/Novostidnua/21…
vinnytsia, one of the most affluent, beautiful cities in ukraine — after russian terrorist air-strike this morning. hundreds of kilometers away from frontline — not a single ukrainian is safe from russian genocidal hatred

russia is a mass murder cult.

t.me/V_Zelenskiy_of…
Read 7 tweets
Jul 3
this obsession of mcfauls of this world with whitewashing russian white supremacy imperialism and colonialism borders with pathological. but also huge part of the reason why ukraine endures second genocide by russia within one century
it takes so little for a white russian to get released of all collective responsibility for centuries of genocidal colonialism. all you need to do is to manifest “i am against the tsar” & western elites will rush to praise you, celebrate you, embrace you
while ukrainians have to defend our humanity, convince we are worthy of solidarity every fucking day — even amid genocide — any western questioning of any russian once they claim to be “anti-regime” automatically stops and showering with rich institutional support starts
Read 5 tweets
Jun 30
the most hilarious shit is that the same “good russians” pile up, invade in comments here with their unwarranted russiansplaining telling ukrainians how wrong they are, that they !also! are victims. you shouldn’t give these folks visas, but free therapy sessions. this is sick 🤮
leave our spaces alone, leave our protests alone, leave our comments alone.

just leave us the fuck alone.

господи.
Read 4 tweets
Jun 30
what @SarahAshtonLV did not many foreign journalists would do — she rushed straight to the most dangerous places across ukraine frontline despite facing much hire risks than other colleagues — to document genocide, to amplify ukrainian voices at all costs
forbes.com/sites/dawnstac…
in a way, i am sure @SarahAshtonLV can almost instinctively relate to the queerness of the ukrainian identity — thriving, resisting, harboring pride in the face of fascism — something many transgender folks unfortunately experience every day around the world
but i‘m also grateful to @SarahAshtonLV for her style of journalism — empathetic, passionate, sensitive to nuance and indigenous perspectives. but also unapologetic about commitment to humanity, justice and equality
Read 4 tweets
Jun 30
for 400 years #russiancolonialism would just change regime masks and pretend it is all new country now and not a genocidal colonial empire anymore. but the name or flag or leadership would be different, but ruthless colonization of oppressed nations stayed the same
this shit ends with me and my generation

no, a putin critic replacing him won’t be enough

no, just changing your terrorist rag for another one in different colors won’t be enough

no, just saying “no to war” won’t be enough

no, claiming “not all russians” won’t be enough
only russians potentially eligible for atonement must fight for:

👉🏼partitioning of russia
👉🏼full liberation of colonized nations
👉🏼reparations for 400 years of colonialism
👉🏼demilitarization
👉🏼amplifying #russiancolonialism awareness
👉🏼leaving all of us the fuck alone
Read 4 tweets

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