Her name is Melania, and she came from Ukraine.

Melania is a junior at Ann Arbor Huron High School. Recently, she wrote an article for the school’s newspaper about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Later she was told to remove a portion of her writing due to the censorship policies that the school enforces.

But, Melania had words to say. Likewise, we wanted to hear.

So, on a beautiful sunny day, Malania sat down with us in the downtown public library. She talked in depth about what she knew of the war - a combination of history, memories, tragedies, and emotions. The events she describes are often times graphic, and her tears were heartbreaking.

The whole purpose of our podcast is to provide a platform for anyone and everyone to share. We are seeking multiple voices and perspectives to build our understanding of this very complex war, and we start the conversation today, with Melania.