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Founded in 2020 and led by Terrell Jermaine Starr, Black Diplomats is the go-to podcast for those who want relatable content on global affairs that doesn’t center the perspectives of white male experts.
Few foreign policy shows are led by Black people or center the opinions, experiences and expertise of people of color. Black Diplomats is one exception. Guests are mostly people of color and people who are indigenous to the regions the episodes focus on.
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Young Georgians Talk About #TbilisiProtests
Today, I speak with two young Georgians under 30-years-old who have been hitting the streets every day in protest of their ruling government’s introduction of a “foreign agent” law that critics say will restrict the work of organizations and independent media that safeguard free and fair elections and other services that depend on foreign financial support.
Read more about the controversial bill here.
Ana Lazariashvili, 24 and Giorgi Vachnadze, 28, told Black Diplomats that it has mostly been young people who’ve been facing off aggressive police officers that target them with tear gas and rubber bullets. Both Ana and Giorgi say they will continue protesting even if the bill is signed into law.
Host: Terrell Jermaine Starr
Guests: Ana Lazariashvili and Giorgi Vachnadze
Producer: Mike Hull
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About the guests
Ana Lazariashvili and Giorgi Vachnadze are young Georgians who have been protesting for a European future for their country.
More on this topic:
Georgian Opposition See Opportunity in Tbilisi Protests (Black Diplomats Newsletter) -
Ukrainians and Palestinians Are Fighting Occupation
This week, I spoke with two Ukainians who support Palestine and why they feel it is important for their countrymen and women to understand colonialism in other parts of the world. Rita Adel, a humanitarian analyst, and Vladyslav Starodubtsev, a socialist leader and historian, and I talked about Ukrainian socialism, what progressives in the west don’t get about Ukraine and NATO and why Ukrainians aren’t privileged because they are “white.”
Host: Terrell Jermaine Starr
Guests: Rita Adel and Vladyslav Starodubtsev
Producer: Mike Hull
Support us financially!
Venmo: @BlackDiplomats
CashApp: $BlackDiplomats
PayPal: https://paypal.me/blackdiplomatspod
About the guests
Vladyslav Starodubtsev is a left-wing Ukrainian activist and historian. He specializes in the history of Central Eastern Europe.
Rita Adel, a humanitarian analyst. Rita is both of Ukrainian and Palestinian origin, having lived in Ukraine and Jordan. Currently based in Amman. -
How A Ukrainian Therapist Supports People Sexually Assaulted By Russian Soldiers
Warning: This week’s episode will focus on sexual violence committed by Russian soldiers. Reader, listener and viewer discretion is advised
This week, I talk about Ukrainian civilians who survived sexual assault from Russian troops during the war. Ukraine is investigating nearly 300 cases of sexual assault, but that number is likely much higher. Today, I am talking with Nadiia Volchenska, co-founder of the Sylni foundation, which was founded soon after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 202s to support survivors of sexual assault.
Translating for Nadiia is Vira Stadnyk - communications manager at the Sylni Foundation.
FINANCIALLY SUPPORT Sylni’s work here.
Host: Terrell Jermaine Starr
Guest: Nadiia Volchenska
Producer: Mike Hull
Support us financially!
Venmo: @BlackDiplomats
CashApp: $BlackDiplomats
PayPal: https://paypal.me/blackdiplomatspod
Patreon: patreon.com/blackdiplomats
Read about this subject
Reparations to be paid to survivors of wartime sexual violence in Ukraine (The Guardian)
Ukrainian survivors of sexual violence, torture say country will have to share burden of their trauma (CBC)
Exclusive: Ukraine accuses Russian snipers of abusing child, gang raping mother (Reuters) -
Why Georgians Are Protesting a Russian 'Foreign Agent' Bill
This week’s episode is about the ongoing protests in Georgia in response to the country’s ruling political party, Georgia Dream, moving forward with its “foreign agent.”
Officially titled “On the Transparency of Foreign Influence," the bill, if passed into law, would require organizations in the country receiving more than 20% of their funding from overseas to register as “foreign agents” or face large fines. Protesters say it is similar to laws spearheaded in Russia by Vladimir Putin.
Here this week to talk about the protests and why the bill is driving so many people to the streets around Georgia is Katie Shoshiashvili, Senior Corruption Researcher at Transparency International Georgia, who focuses on democracy reporting and research on democratization in the EU's Eastern Partnership region.
Host: Terrell Jermaine Starr
Guest: Katie Shoshiashvili
Producer: Mike Hull
Support us financially!
Venmo: @BlackDiplomats
CashApp: $BlackDiplomats
PayPal: https://paypal.me/blackdiplomatspod
Patreon: patreon.com/blackdiplomats
Links to read about this subject:
Georgia presses on with Putin-style ‘foreign agent’ bill despite huge protests (CNN)
2024 Is a Year of Opportunity for Georgia (National Interest)
Georgians Call for Ex-Leader's Release on Revolution Anniversary (VOA)
Georgians dream of EU membership as their leaders move closer to Putin (The Guardian) -
Breaking Down Putin's Weird Obsession with Ukrainian 'History'
#ukraine #russia #putin #warinukraine #blackdiplomats #ukrainianhistory #history #harvard
Terrell J. Starr spoke with Havard Professor of Ukrainian History Serhii Plokhii about Putin’s obsession with fake Ukrainian history, Ukrainian resistance against Russian colonialism, Stepan Bandara, fighting Kremlin disinformation and more.
Host: Terrell Jermaine Starr
Guest: Serhii Plokhii
Producer: Mike Hull
Support us financially!
Venmo: @BlackDiplomats
CashApp: $BlackDiplomats
PayPal: https://paypal.me/blackdiplomatspod
Patreon: patreon.com/blackdiplomats
Time stamps
00:00: Welcome
03:15: Mental Health Check-In
10:40: Teaching Ukrainian History At Harvard
15:32: Putin's Fake Ukrainian History
20:08: Similarities between Putin and Trump
26:00: Ukrainian Resistance Against USSR
31:40: Stepan Bandera
43:40: Russification Of Ukraine
49:20: How 2014/2022 Invasions Changed Ukraine -
Ukraine's Fight for Crimea
#crimea #crimeantatars #ukraine #russia #ukrainianhistory #history
Terrell spoke with Tamila Tasheva, the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea about liberating Crimea, human rights violations on the peninsula, Crimean history and what people get wrong about what’s happening there.
Host: Terrell Jermaine Starr
Guest: Tamila Tasheva
Producer: Mike Hull
Support us financially!
Venmo: @BlackDiplomats
CashApp: $BlackDiplomats
PayPal: https://paypal.me/blackdiplomatspod
Patreon: patreon.com/blackdiplomats
Time Stamps
00:00:Welcome
00:51: Mental Health
02:28: Who are Crimean Tatars?
05:15: How Ukraine Monitors Crimea During Occupation
14:14: Human Rights Violations Against Crimean Tatars
19:40: Disinformation Over Crimea
28:38: What Happens To Transferred Russians In Liberated Crimea
31:25: Why Khrushchev Transferred Crimea To Ukraine
35:28: Crimean Liberation Will Happen
41:50: Message To House Speaker Mike Johnson