Xenia Zachadckuk grew up in South Jersey to Ukrainian parents. She shares the story of her mother's courageous escape from Ukraine and Europe during World War II and her father's time in a displaced person's camp.

Xenia tells us about the trauma of war and the influence it had on her grandparents, her parents, and even her.ukr

Thank you for listening to #Us - Unique and Shared Experiences, a storytelling podcast from First Person Arts in Philly. This limited series is a production of First Person Arts and was made possible by the generous support of Elaine Lindy at Stories To Grow By.

This podcast was produced by our Applied Storytelling team, making the power of story work for you. Find out how at https://firstpersonarts.org/hire-us/.

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About the #Us podcast from First Person Arts

#Us is an occasional podcast from First Person Arts in Philly. At First Person Arts, we believe that everyone has a story to tell and that the art of storytelling has the power to change lives.

To support the podcast, hit that Subscribe button!

Even though Lisa Mostovoy and her daughters Sasha Fishilevich and Mischa Buck are talking about a serious subject, this episode brings us so much joy.

Lisa starts by talking about Kyiv and her childhood. After the war broke out, Lisa and her older daughter Sasha went to Poland to deliver supplies and offer help, even though at times they felt helpless.

Sasha Fishilevich, Lisa's oldest daughter, talks about growing up in a home with a strong Ukrainian cultural presence.

Mischa Buck, Lisa's youngest, shares her Easter memories.

Thank you for listening to #Us - Unique and Shared Experiences, a storytelling podcast from First Person Arts in Philly. This limited series is a production of First Person Arts and was made possible by the generous support of Elaine Lindy at Stories To Grow By.

This podcast was produced by our Applied Storytelling team, making the power of story work for you. Find out how at https://firstpersonarts.org/hire-us/.

Join our mailing list: https://firstpersonarts.org/subscribe

Support the show: https://firstpersonarts.org/donate

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstpersonarts

Get tickets to our next event: https://firstpersonarts.org/events

About the #Us podcast from First Person Arts

#Us is an occasional podcast from First Person Arts in Philly. At First Person Arts, we believe that everyone has a story to tell and that the art of storytelling has the power to change lives.

To support the podcast, hit that Subscribe button!

Marta Rubel grew up in Philadelphia to proud Ukrainian parents. Marta speaks fondly of her memories growing up in Philly, but she also remembers the challenges her parents faced after settling here, and always dreaming that they would be able to move back to Ukraine.

Watching the 2021 invasion on television, Marta asked herself if she could do more for her country and the community. So, she left her job in publishing and started working for the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Thank you for listening to #Us - Unique and Shared Experiences, a storytelling podcast from First Person Arts in Philly. This limited series is a production of First Person Arts and was made possible by the generous support of Elaine Lindy at Stories To Grow By.

This podcast was produced by our Applied Storytelling team, making the power of story work for you. Find out how at https://firstpersonarts.org/hire-us/.

Join our mailing list: https://firstpersonarts.org/subscribe

Support the show: https://firstpersonarts.org/donate

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstpersonarts

Get tickets to our next event: https://firstpersonarts.org/events

About the #Us podcast from First Person Arts

#Us is an occasional podcast from First Person Arts in Philly. At First Person Arts, we believe that everyone has a story to tell and that the art of storytelling has the power to change lives.

To support the podcast, hit that Subscribe button!

What do you know about Ukraine's history? We all know it was once part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), then it wasn't. Ukraine's history is far-reaching and as complex as its geography and the number of languages that are spoken.

We set out to find a historian who could provide context about Ukraine and its history. That person is John Vsetecka, an assistant professor at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Thank you for listening to #Us - Unique and Shared Experiences, a storytelling podcast from First Person Arts in Philly. This limited series is a production of First Person Arts and was made possible by the generous support of Elaine Lindy at Stories To Grow By.

This podcast was produced by the First Person Arts Applied Storytelling team. We make the power of story work for you. Find out how at https://firstpersonarts.org/hire-us/.

Join our mailing list: https://firstpersonarts.org/subscribe

Support the show: https://firstpersonarts.org/donate

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstpersonarts

Get tickets to our next event: https://firstpersonarts.org/events

About the #Us podcast from First Person Arts

#Us is an occasional podcast from First Person Arts in Philly. At First Person Arts, we believe that everyone has a story to tell and that the art of storytelling has the power to change lives.

To support the podcast, hit that Subscribe button!

Today on a special episode of #Us - Unique and Shared Experiences, we are teaming up with the Life Design Lab at Johns Hopkins University to share stories told by students about their journeys towards fulfilling careers and lives.

Natalia was facing decision paralysis and didn't know what decision would be the "right" one. Keidai realized his parents only thought they knew him. How would he show them his real self? And Zandy wanted to bring others the joy she felt when hearing birds sing.

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Marjorie was let go from her job for standing up for what she believed in. And Bill had to learn to let go of his leg intruder to save his own life. Today, we are taking a deep breath, uncurling our clenched fingers, and Letting Go. On this episode, we have three amazing stories for you about everything from terrible jobs to beloved pets.

Join #Us for stories from our January 2023 StorySlam recorded live in Philly.

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First Person Arts and the Free Library of Philadelphia have enjoyed crossover programming, partnerships, and a mutual love of stories over the years. Today, we're featuring stories from a program we did with the Free Library of Philadelphia's One Book, One Philadelphia around The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon.

Join #Us as we share stories from Philadelphians that were sparked by this book.

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Michel filmed a couple in love as one of them was terminally ill. And though it was tragic, their love for one another helped change the world. Lisa's daughter got everything she wanted for Christmas, but she couldn't share her new toys with the one person she wanted to play with. When the highs of joy and love crash into the depths of grief and loss, we get this swirl of emotion called bittersweet. Join #Us today as four storytellers share their experiences and help us all get to know the complexity of humanity.

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Today, we celebrate the life and work of a beloved Philadelphia artist Jerry Pinkney whose birthday is this month. Jerry's life and body of work is a testament to the resilience, persistence, and freedom of the human spirit. We come to you with three stories from individuals who connect with these core values as part of their own experiences.

So join #Us and lend a listening ear.

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Lisa almost set her house on fire when the hot oil in a pizza box exploded. Sure, she had started a smaller fire, but she was distracted thinking about another fire that was dwindling – her marriage. Chris was enjoying his first week of college when he got a call from his sister. It was the shortest call they'd ever have, but it is burned in his memory forever. Join #Us and ignite your love of storytelling! Listen to these stories and more in this episode, Burn Baby Burn!

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