What Black Americans and Ukrainians can tell each other

About this episode

This episode explores the shared historical and cultural experiences of Ukrainians and Black Americans, focusing on themes of oppression and solidarity.

What do Ukrainians and Black Americans share in their historical and cultural experiences? Can we draw comparisons between serfdom and slavery, or find parallels in the colonial traumas and the struggle for human dignity? Furthermore, what role do culture, identity, and language play in overcoming these legacies? In this episode of the Explaining Ukraine podcast, we share a recording of a vital discussion held at PEN Ukraine in Kyiv in October 2025. This conversation explores collective memory, the universal aspiration for freedom, and the growing solidarity between communities that have endured systemic oppression. *** Our Speakers are: - Terrell Jermaine Starr – Independent American journalist and host of Black Diplomats, a documentary news show covering civilian life in Ukraine. Over his 16-year career, he has reported extensively on the U.S. military, nuclear policy, and the Black Lives Matter movement. - Christopher Atwood – Human rights and communications expert, Head of the Ukraïner International, which an international branch of Ukrainer, a popular Ukrainian media. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, president of PEN Ukraine and the editor-in-chief of…

People in this episode

Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko

Guests: Terrell Jermaine Starr, Christopher Atwood

Topics covered

• historical experiences
• cultural comparisons
• systemic oppression
• collective memory
• solidarity
• human dignity

Keywords

• Black Americans
• Ukrainians
• serfdom
• slavery
• colonial traumas
• freedom
• cultural identity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: PEN Ukraine, UkraineWorld, Ukraïner International, Ukrainer

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