Stories about Citizen Media from February, 2022
Taiwan watches Ukraine closely wondering how the West would react in case of Chinese invasion
The island nation will need external support to retain its sovereignty against the might of the People's Republic of China
#AfricansInUkraine: We are students, we don’t have guns
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused displacement of thousands of people. Among them also an African diaspora which had to mobilise informally while also dealing with racial discrimination on the ground.
Fleeing Kyiv: How we escaped the Ukrainian capital as war broke out
Tetiana Bezruk chronicles how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced friends and families to leave their homes in Kyiv for the second time, eight years after they escaped the Donbas conflict.
Jamaicans anxious as the government attempts to get nationals out of Ukraine
"My soul is in joy and peace despite all the pain and sadness I have encountered here in Ukraine."
Digital media and coffee shops are helping to nurture aspiring Somali singers
Recently, Somali artist Nimo Happy's popular song, "Isii Nafta," a remix of Somali, English, Arabic, and Kiswahili languages that expresses love and affection, became a global sensation on TikTok.
Russian discourse about the war in Ukraine is not monolithic
While Putin’s voice might seem to represent the Russian discourse, he only speaks for himself. Russian people’s views on the situation in Ukraine and about Russia’s military attack vary widely.
Indigenous LGBTQIA+ Brazilians break the silence and taboos on sexual diversity
Tarrison Nawa, an Indigenous, gay man, is among those who highlight that colonization directly affected the sexuality of Indigenous peoples, impacting their affections, sensibilities and ways of making relationships.
‘We got used to the war': life for a frontline family in Ukraine
A resident of Avdiivka, an eastern Ukrainian town only a few kilometres from occupied Donetsk, discusses living with the Donbas war on the doorstep, and the threat of further fighting.
‘Mas’ in a time of mourning: How the spirit of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival shines through
Carnival designer Robert Young's radical concept for his band Vulgar Fraction's 2022 presentation literally embraces the roots of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival by fashioning costumes made from dried leaves and flowers.
After a 12-hour blackout, Trinidadians wonder if their power supply is a shot in the dark
The power outage was significant, affecting not only electricity supply, but also water and telecommunications.
Court in Russia-occupied Crimea sentences freelance journalist to six years in prison
Vladyslav Yesypenko was detained in Crimea in March 2021 on suspicion of collecting information for Ukrainian intelligence, charges the journalist has denied. While in detention, has reportedly endured torture.
The police officer who allegedly cut a young Jamaican's dreadlocks faces no criminal charges, and nobody bats an eye
"It is a worrying trend, as victims are blamed for their own trauma."
Hijab ban stirs protests in the Indian state of Karnataka
Protests have broken out in the southern state of Karnataka in India over the past months, after colleges in the state banned women students wearing hijabs from attending classes.
South Asia mourns the demise of the nightingale of India
Lata Mangeshkar was a darling of the masses and music directors alike; her career spanned seven decades of unadulterated melody across countries.
Navalny documentary sweeps up awards at Sundance Film Festival
The film tells the story of how Navalny survived the August 2020 poisoning and then worked with his allies and Bellingcat investigators to piece together who was behind the attack.
Death of a Venezuelan infant during sea crossing exposes shortcomings in Trinidad and Tobago's refugee policy
"This incident highlights the plight faced by people on the move during desperate and dangerous journeys to safety."
Karate: A path to non-violence in Colombia
Karate for peace, a practice recognized by Unesco as valuable for the training of children and young people, is practiced in a department hit hard by violence in Colombia.
India's Mising tribe lives in traditional flood-resilient homes to adapt to climate change
The Mising community in the Indian state of Assam manage to survive in their unique and traditional flood-resilient housing system called chang ghar, perched above the ground on bamboo stilts.
Concerted attacks against Bangladeshi activists on Facebook
In a recent collaborative attack by unknown perpetrators, the Facebook profiles of several celebrities, journalists, media personalities and activists from Bangladesh were mysteriously turned into tribute profiles.
Diaspora Diary: The account of a Nepali migrant worker in Qatar
"That is our reality. They want the quiet ones. The ones who can be silenced." An account by a Nepali migrant worker who returned home after spending 3 months in Qatar.
The invasive Cuban Tree Frog gives Jamaicans the jitters, but it's a serious problem
Described as a “voracious nocturnal predator that eats any prey that it can grab,” the invasive Osteopilus septentrionalis is a threat to native tree frogs in Jamaica and the Caribbean.