Who We Were (And Who We Are)

Dear friends,

Exile often splits our lives into a distinct "before" and "after." For our next community meetup, we want to create a warm, safe space to look back and celebrate the "before."

Our goal isn’t to pull your soul out or make you relive heavy moments — we simply want to get to know each other better and see the wonderful lives you had before.

Since BBQ season is finally here and the weather is getting warmer, we will be hanging out outdoors at Vera and Ilya's house. This event is for exiled journalists and our American friends and allies — we want to get to know you, too! Everyone is welcome to participate.
🎤 What We Ask of You & Presentation Format:

We invite each of you to prepare a short presentation about who you were in your past life, before emigration or exile (or just about your life if you're not in exile!). We would love to see your photos — pictures of your hometown, your old newsroom, your pets, your hobbies, or simply the life you loved.

To keep the rhythm going and give everyone a chance to speak, we are setting a clear, short format:

• Time limit: Exactly 4 minutes per person.

• Slides: Maximum 10-12 photos/slides.

• Content idea: Focus on 3 main things: Where you are from, what you loved doing, and one fun/unexpected fact about your past life.

💛 A gentle note: We completely understand that looking back can be emotionally exhausting. If you prefer not to revisit the past right now, that is more than okay. You are warmly welcome to use your 4 minutes to show photos of who you are today, what brings you joy now, and what you are currently working on. There is absolutely zero pressure.

🗓️ Evening Schedule:

• 6:00 PM — Welcome, BBQ & Soft Landing outdoors

• 6:45 PM — Opening Words

• 6:50 PM — Story Block 1: Remembering Together

• 7:40 PM — Breathing Space (Intermission to refill plates)

• 8:00 PM — Story Block 2: Continuing the Journey

• 8:50 PM — Grounding & A Toast to the Present

• 9:00 PM Onwards — Free Mingling & BBQ

📌 Next Steps for You:

1. RSVP is crucial: Please register here so we can count the food/drinks and plan the presentation schedule.

2. Prepare your presentation (max 10-12 slides, max 4 minutes).

3. Email your slides/photos to Ksenia by Friday, May 1, so we can load them all onto one laptop. [email protected]

Come as you are. We will provide BBQ, drinks, tissues, and a deeply supportive environment. We can’t wait to see your photos and hear your stories!

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Kronika