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Nick Torzhevsky is a film director and producer from Kyiv with over 10 years of experience directing and producing broadcast TV series, commercials, and feature films.Nick's latest project, Ukraine Rebirth, is putting a focus on the rebuilding of Ukraine after the war - something that struck me as extraordinary as the war is still raging on without an end in sight. On the website of Ukraine Rebirth, the project is introduced as follows: "Our main message within the series, as seen from the title, is to show rebirth. Everyone has fallen, and it takes heart and strength to get up and keep going. Ukraine is very strong, and now this is noticed by the whole world. Ukrainians are brave, fierce, united and valiant, but also kind, passionate, full of love and hope. In the face of the enemy, we don’t just prepare for the last stand, we prepare to win and then to rebuild our country, to rise from the ashes, better and stronger than before.We want to capture this spirit which helps Ukrainians keep going and to share it with the world, so that this hope and passion will blossom in the hearts of every viewer around the globe." How exactly the idea for the project was born and how Nick is feeding his seemingly inexhaustible optimism is something we will be discussing in today's show. And, as always, a lot more. SHOW NOTESFind Nick HereUkraine RebirthInstagramFacebookUkraine Rebirth CollaboratorsLGBTQI+ StoryStanislav Morozov (director)Stanislav Medvedev (screenwriter)Olexiy Gladushevskyi (creative producer)Evgeniy Usanov (director of photography)Kyiv StoryNataliya Torzhevska (screenwriter)Stanislav Savchenko (director of photography)Cherson StoryJulia Tribrat (director)Lana Iermakova (screenwriter)Support the Kickstarter Campaign herehttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ukrainerebirthlgbtq/ukraine-rebirth-lgbtqMUSICLove In The Face Of Fear, Jim KroftYellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump ProductionSupport the show

Alex Kraev is a musical multi-talent who gave his soul to punk rock. He plays the drums, bass, and guitar in multiple bands and is an absolute musical powerhouse. His influences are many, but his goal is one and the same: to challenge stereotypes and self-imposed laziness of body and mind. His music is loud and gets under your skin. Challenging riffs, vocal cascades, energetic rhythms and climactic melodies tear you out of your comfort zone, sharpen your senses and abduct your body before they spit you out on the cold, ashen, concrete ground of human construction - only to find yourself naked, lusting for more. No more comfort, only raw emotion. Thank you very much! Punk, in its conception, has always been about protest and societal unrest, a mirror to the polished, self-righteous facade of civil society and, therefore, at the root of democracy - at least, according to me. Sid Vicious, the godfather of punk, said this once: "Undermine their pompous authority, reject their moral standards, make anarchy and disorder your trademarks. Cause as much chaos and disruption as possible but don't let them take you ALIVE." How this translates to the war in Ukraine and the simultaneous democratic process, I will discuss with Alex today! I am so happy to have you on board! SHOW NOTESSid ViciousSex PistolsOdessa Grain ShipmentsKalush OrkestraThe OffspringBlack FlyNoFX Bad ReligionGreendaySimple PlanYellowcardRadio HavannaBlack FlagBezladALEX' FACEBOOKhttps://www.facebook.com/LeXXKraevALEX' MUSIC & BANDSВІДСІЧFLAMERAGTAGCONCRETE CONTROLREDEMPTIONДело ДряньALEX NEXT SHOWMore Music ClubDONATIONSAlex' Volunteer OrgTheir FacebookMUSICLove In The Face Of Fear, Jim KroftYellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump ProductionSupport the show

Oleksiy Martsenyuk is the Executive Director of the Center for Defence Strategies in Kiyv, an organisation that helps to monitor defence reforms and develop key government policies that will affect the country's security and defence sector. This certainly needs a little more explanation from you, Oleksiy! And we will get into that in the course of the podcast. Also, he served as a Civilian Deputy Minister in the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence for just under a year. Originally, Oleksiy has a business background though. And because of this, Oleksiy's and my relationship actually goes way back. When I studied photography in Gent, Belgium, at the end of my first year all students had to choose a topic and project outside the curriculum, entirely self-sufficient and motivated by our own interests. This is now almost 18 years ago. As a foreigner myself, I chose the topic of migration and opted to take black and white portraits of people far away from home in Belgium. I put it all in book form, presenting them on a double page with their portrait in black and white on one page and the most cherished and valuable photo they brought with them in colour on the other.  Oleksiy was introduced to me by my dear friend Apoorva, studying with him at the time. A big shoutout and a big hug to you, Apu, who I don't see or hear nearly often enough! I remember the portrait of Oleksiy still so well after all these years. Standing in his rather modest and empty student cave, but with a big, bright Ukrainian flag on his wall. Leaning in, curiously observing me with a gentle smile while I was trying to create something lasting with the little that I knew at the time. But, in a way, I have; by having him with me today - 18 years after that photo was taken. I am so happy and grateful to have you with us today, Oleksiy, after all this time!SHOW NOTESNew York Times, The Bodies Lay Dead in the StreetBBC News, Bucha KillingsVOX News, Ukraine KidnappingsDeutsche Welle, Russia Uses Kidnappings to Intimidate UkrainiansGolda MeirWeimar RepublicFriedrich EbertPhilipp ScheidemannThe Ebert-Groener PactSinking of the MoskwaBayraktar DroneHIMARSNord Stream 2Rheinmetall builds military training centerThe Orphanage, Serhiy ZhadanKamil Galeev (@kamilkazani), Twitter ThreadMUSICLove In The Face Of Fear, Jim KroftYellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump ProduSupport the show

Anna Pykhtina is a communication and PR expert from Kyiv, Ukraine, focusing on Ukrainian NGO work and civic education, currently living in Warsaw, Poland. After the outbreak of the war, Anna and her boyfriend fled Ukraine to Poland, where they are currently living with friends. Anna was the president of AEGEE-Kyiv, Europe's biggest interdisciplinary student organization. She has been travelling extensively in Europe and is, I think it is safe to say, a strong proponent of the European idea. Additionally, she worked for the Free Russia Foundation, which supports civic society and democratic development in Russia, for almost two years and has, therefore, many Russian acquaintances and friends. Anna's work and experience are exceptional and I couldn't be happier to have her on board the Yellow Van today to hear her opinions and perspectives on a variety of topics.Welcome to the Yellow Van, Anna!SHOW NOTESAnna's Reading ListINITIATIVES TO SUPPORTNGO "Girls"USCDTimothy D. Snyder, American historianEurotrip, USA 2004, Jeff SchafferFree Russia FoundationTango of Death, Yuriy Vynnychuk Tiger Trappers, Ivan BahriyanyiMaria Berlinska, Ukrainian film producerMUSICLove In The Face Of Fear, Jim KroftYellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump ProductionSupport the show

Oleksii Isakov holds a Master in Intercultural Communication Studies and a Bachelor in Linguistics and Translation Studies. His main focus is literature and film. He was born in Odesa and has been living in Germany for the last ten years working at the European-University Viadrina in Frankfurt a.d. Oder - the only university in Germany with a professorship for Ukrainian History, which says a lot about Ukraine's perception in Germany - and throughout the world. In preparation for our conversation today, Oleksii and I had a short Zoom call a few days ago to get to know each other. Oleksii was recommended to me as a guest on the show by Bastian Bielig, a friend of mine, and we had never met each other before. When I finally stumbled over his academic career in more detail, I was even more impressed than I had already been just by casually talking to him. With all this in my mind, I am extremely grateful for him to take the time and be here with me in the Yellow Van today - and also a tiny little bit nervous because I feel slightly underqualified.Welcome to the Yellow Van, Oleksii!PHOTOcourtesy of © Heide FestSHOW NOTES"Winter On Fire", Ukraine 2015, Evgeny AfineevskyMaidan UprisingKazimir Malevich, Ukrainian painterArtem Volokitin, Ukrainian painter"Shadow Of Forgotten Ancestors", Ukraine 1965, Sergei ParajanovTaras Shevchenko, Ukrainian poet and writerLina Kostenko, Ukrainian poet, writer and journalistSerhiy Zhadan, Ukrainian poet and writerValerian Pidmohylny, Ukrainian writer and dissidentAlexander Dovzhenko, Ukrainian filmmakerIMDb List of 100 Best Ukrainian FilmsMykhailo Kotsiubynsky, Ukrainian authorTakflix"Klondike", Ukraine 2022, Maryna Er Gorbach"Servant Of The People", Ukraine 2015-2019Myroslav Skoryk, Ukrainian composerKalush Orchestra, Ukrainian rap groupINITIATIVES TO SUPPORTViadrina Emergency FundNational Bank of UkraineMUSICLove In The Face Of Fear, Jim KroftYellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump Production Support the show

In our first episode of the new season, our guest is film director, screenwriter, and creative producer Mariia Ponomarova (1991, Kyiv). Mariia studied film directing and screenwriting at Karpenko-Karyi Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema & Television in Ukraine graduating cum laude in 2013. Focusing on character development in film during her course,  Mariia graduated from the Master of Film artistic research program in 2016at the Netherlands Film Academy. Short fiction and documentary films written and directed by Mariia were screened at such festivals as Sarajevo FF, Vancouver IFF, VIS Vienna Shorts, Netherlands FF,  Odesa IFF, CineDOC-Tbilisi, Go Short ISFF, ArtDocfest, Molodist IFF, and others. Mariia's first producer's documentary project 'Fragile Memory' was a part of the Ex-Oriente Film workshop and received pitching prizes at Odesa IFF Film Industry 2018 & 2019, and East Doc Platform 2019. Mariia's directing debut documentary feature 'Nice Ladies' received a B2Bdoc Pithing Award at Producers Meet Producers. Mariia's works capture the rich cultural heritage of Ukraine, and, like a sculptor chipping away at a block of marble, she reveals the essence of Ukrainian identity, always present, but invisible to the untrained eye. She lives and works in Amsterdam visiting Ukraine for her film projects on a regular basis. And today she is with us in the Yellow Van and I couldn't be happier that she could find the time. Welcome to the Yellow Van, Mariia!MARIIA'S WORKSponomarova.comArdeaMay 9thFamily HourFragile MemoryNice LadiesTOPICSThe Fall Of Lenin, Ukraine 2017, Svitlana ShimkoOlia Hercules, Ukrainian-British cookbook authorDziga Vertov, Ukrainian director & camermanEverything Is Illuminated, USA 2005, written and directed by Liev SchreiberKilling Eve, TV Series, 2008-2012The Gulag Archipelago, Soviet Union 1973, Alexandr SolzhenitsynWhat We Got Wrong About Solzhenitsyn, 2022, Essay by Blake SmithSvetlana Alexievich, Belarusian journalist and authorNikolai AmosovOn Photography, USA 1977, Susan SontagTakflixINITIATIVES TO SUPPORTDocu HelpCome Back Alive Foundation100 Drones OrganisationMUSICLove In The Face Of Fear, Jim KroftYellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump ProductionSupport the show

Fonsi, the Yellow Van,  is ready to depart for another season.Find out what the season is all about in this trailer.Music: Jim Kroft "Love In The Face Of Fear"Yellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump ProductionSupport the show

Today we come to you with the, for now, last episode about Myanmar. The initiative Print For Crisis, which has been on the road with us for the last four weeks, has come to an end and we thought it would be a nice opportunity to have a small retrospective of the conversations we were lucky enough to have in support of the initiative. Through my conversations with Teza, Chiara, and Minn, I learned that there are a lot of reasons for hope and optimism for the future of Myanmar. One reason in particular is the role of the Burmese women, who are not only fighting for political freedom but for a society built on equality. Their blossoming self-esteem is a weapon and there is no turning back of the clock. If we continue to support Myanmar, change will come sooner rather than later.This isn't my optimism, it is the optimism of the Burmese people._________SHOW NOTESPrint For Crisis WebsitePrint For Crisis FacebookPrint For Crisis InstagramI Support MyanmarTeza on FacebookMinn on LinkedInChiara's WebsiteChiara on Instagram"How Democracies Die", Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, 2018"Coup D'Etat: A Practical Handbook", Edward Luttwak, 1968History Of Myanmar Thuma CollectiveYangon Photo FestivalLensational (a collaboration for free photography education for women)"Disclosure", Netflix, 2020History Of MyanmarGet Jim Kroft's Song, "Love In The Face Of Fear" Mind the BumpSupport the show

Teza Soe is a Burmese visual storyteller with a doctorate in photography, who received her PhD with a project focusing on the role of women in Myanmar society. After reading the preface to her thesis, I felt that it would be a much better introduction than I could ever hope to craft for her. So, just this one time, I took the liberty of copying her own words, rather than write an introduction myself: I left my country, Myanmar, when I was 16 to attend a university in Thailand. The reasons for me to leave home, a familiar environment, at such a young age to study abroad did not come easy. I vividly remember getting into the biggest argument ever with my parents just after the matriculation examination results came out. I still remember my total score was 2 points short of the cut off point for the University of Medicinethat year for women. That year the Ministry of Education had decided to raise the entry requirements for girls and reduce the requirement for boys because they felt that there had been too many women and not enough men in the country’s most pivoted profession. Up until that point, all my life I was told that the best thing I could achieve or the best profession I could get into as a woman in Myanmar, is the medical profession.In that moment, I felt like my whole world had ended as if everything I had worked for the past 11 years counted for nothing. And then I learned that my friend who got a lower score than I did could apply for the medical school, although his total score was 15 points lower than mine, just because the requirements are set much lower for boys. That was the first time in my life I felt so angry for being born as a woman. It wasn’t that I had failed; it wasn’t that I didn’t try hard enough; my only shortcoming was being a woman.  We will be talking about the historic role of women in Myanmar, why women are at the forefront of the democratic movement, and why female revolutionary leaders are a reason for hope.__________In the face of the current Burmese struggle, please support the initiative Print For Crisis, founded by my friends Chiara Luxardo and Olga Stefatou:https://www.printforcrisis.org/On their website, 80 photographers offer their limited edition fine art prints for a very affordable price. All net proceeds from the sales go to journalists, photographers, and artists in Myanmar. Print For Crisis will last another two weeks and prints are selling fast.Choose from the works of amazing photographers like Chris Steele-Perkins, John Vink, and Nikos Economopoulos - just to name a few. Go get yours now and catch me if you can.__________SHOW NOTESPrint For Crisis WebsitePrint For Crisis FacebookPrint For Crisis InstagramI Support MyanmarTeza on FacebookThuma CollectiveYangon Photo FestivalLensational (a collaboration for free photography education for women)"Disclosure", Netflix, 2020History Of MyanmarGet Jim Kroft's Song, "Love In The Face Of Fear" Mind the BumpSupport the show

Minn Tent Bo is a Burmese human rights consultant, author, and independent election observer who provides political, conflict and legal analysis, programme support and strategic advice to local civil society organisations, international non-governmental organisations and multilateral organisations. He has been on Election Expert Missions to various countries in his function as a programme officer for the Carter Center and as an independent advisor to the EU. Minn is a consultant to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch and an educator against Gender Based Violence. Minn lives in London since 2018 and is a freshly baked dad with a wonderful daughter of eight months old. Why he got into the field of human rights in the first place, the reasons for his strong disposition for democracy we will talk about today. And who better to give us an analysis of the current situation in Myanmar and to talk about the vulnerability of something which is taken for granted by the ones who have it, yearned and fought for by the ones who don’t: democracy.SHOW NOTESPrint For Crisis WebsitePrint For Crisis FacebookPrint For Crisis InstagramMinn on LinkedIn"How Democracies Die", Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, 2018"Coup D'Etat: A Practical Handbook", Edward Luttwak, 1968History Of MyanmarGet Jim Kroft's Song, "Love In The Face Of Fear" Mind the BumpSupport the show

Chiara is an Italian visual storyteller based in the UK in London. In her work she explores identities, relationships and gender issues. She is an active member of Women Photograph, a non-profit launched in 2017 to elevate the voices of women* and nonbinary visual journalists.  The roots for her interest in identity and the power of relationships can be traced back to a farm near Milan, I believe, where Chiara grew up. It is a place that has been in her family's hands for many generations and her love for the place finds expression in her ongoing project Family Farm. The Family Farm is an examination of the visual residue of previous generations in the form of old pictures, juxtaposing the findings with new original visual concepts and, thereby, galvanizing a new interpretive, dialectic space that speaks of history as a living process - never complete in its evaluation and heavily dependent on the viewer's current perspective and emotional state. History, after all, is narrated. Chiara lived and worked in Myanmar from 2015 to 2019, where she focused on LGBTQI+ projects and the organization of Yangon Pride. In her project Burma Love, Chiara places gay couples in front of romantic studio backgrounds, heavily borrowing from the aesthetics of Burmese wedding photos, expressing the yearning of gay couples to be accepted into the common standards and rituals of society to be regarded, ultimately, as equals amongst equals.  Her love for Myanmar is still very strong. In the light of the current democratic uprising against the military junta with rising death tolls every day, Chiara and her friend Olga Stefatou, whom you might already know from a previous episode of the Yellow Van, launched the initiative Print For Crisis.We at Mind the Bump want to support this great idea as much as we can. In this episode, therefore, we want to focus on what it is that made Chiara fall in love with Myanmar, why we should care about what is happening there at the moment, and how help can be as simple as hanging a beautiful photo up on your wall.SHOW NOTESPrint For Crisis WebsitePrint For Crisis FacebookPrint For Crisis InstagramChiara's WebsiteChiara on InstagramMyanmarYangonAung San Suu KyiGet Jim Kroft's Song, "Love In The Face Of Fear" Mind the BumpSupport the show

Claudia is a camera assistant from Munich in Germany. And, above all, my "baby" sister. For close to ten years now, she has been honing her craft in film and cinema, steadily rising up in the camera ranks. Her passion and joy are absolutely infectious, despite the obvious stigma of this particular adjective of late. She has been a part of many big German film and TV productions, working with some of the finest German actors, directors, and camera operators. I am extremely proud of her and I couldn't be happier to have her on board today to discuss with her the challenges cinema is facing during a pandemic and what it is like to be a woman in a still largely male dominated field. Welcome to the Yellow Van, Claudi! SHOW NOTESClaudia's MusicClaudia on Crew UnitedKäptn Peng (in German)Fabian Gamper, Camera OperatorOrson WellesAni DiFrancoThe Late Late Show with James CordenMinnie DriverMinnie Questions, PodcastRutger BregmanUtopia for Realists, 2018, Rutger BregmanSupergrassRoad To RouenMind The BumpSupport the show

Erik is an author, publisher, moderator and podcast host from Berlin, Germany. He has published an impressive amount of work, ranging from travel guides, travel books, short story anthologies to magazine articles and more. He is also the founder of Weltwach (which roughly translates to world awake), a German online magazine for adventure and travel topics. The related podcast, hosted and produced by Erik, already has produced 188 episodes and counting. Since last year, the Weltwach podcast produces an English offshoot called Unfolding Maps. The impressive guest list includes Laura Dekker, the youngest person to ever sail around the world solo, the endurance artist “Iceman” Wim Hof, and, one of my personal role models, National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry. Especially beautiful to me is the book series How We See It, which is an anthology of short stories focusing on a particular country by offering the perspectives of the many. Each voice is acting as a building block emphasizing cultural abundance. Kind of like the mathematical letter PI that offers more accuracy with every single digit behind the comma, attempting the impossibility of squaring the circle. Just like it, culture needs many voices to be representative. Erik’s books make that very clear to me.  Originally, Erik studied International Marketing and Business Management in the Netherlands, Hongkong and Great Britain. If he would have studied travel, if that had been a viable study course option at university, or if his cultural thirst was acquired through his higher education, we will discuss in today’s episode  - and, as always, a lot more.SHOW NOTESWeltwach German PodcastWeltwach on InstagramWeltwach on FacebookUnfolding Maps English PodcastUnfolding Maps on InstagramUnfolding Maps on FacebookList of Erik's booksThe One & Only Jim KroftPeter Willers, Defusing mines in CambodiaKhmer RougeChristine ThürmerEric AdamsManowarHans Rosling on Population Growth, TEDxMassaiJared DiamondGuns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond, 1997Upheaval, Jared Diamond, 2019Japanese Meiji eraMatthew C. PerryHelge TimmerbergSupport the show

George is an author, a radio DJ and presenter, a musician, photographer and filmmaker. But above all he is a traveller, exploring the shared essence that makes us all human. His thirst for the world and its people is hard to quench and the moments of connection and mutual exchange always leave him wanting more. No wonder then that he turned to photography and its scientific promise of turning ethereal visual impressions into lasting memory, making good on one of mankind’s oldest dreams. Here is what George has to say about this himself, better than I ever could: “Photography was a one-night-stand for me. Perhaps something you try just to get a kick of awesomeness right after a break up rips your world apart. Herberts were soon replaced by shutter clicks and as life would have it, what was meant as a fleeting encounter turned into love at first sight. From street photography in Barcelona, to festivals in Asia, to voluntary humanitarian missions in Africa, my lenses have been my eyes and my camera my best travel companion ever since.I’ve never considered myself much of an artist. Some people like fishing, other love hunting - I belong to the group of folks who are dazzled, inspired and driven by photography’s ability to change the world. To stop age at 20. To keep a smile resonant and beautiful forever. To preserve a feeling or an emotion until it’s thawed and relived once more by the warmth of a familiar gaze. To inspire travel, induce exploration and shape public opinion.” George has written a book about his travel experiences called “Stories From The Road” in which he recounts impressions from all parts of the world. Vicky and I have recently been invited to his weekly radio show “Off The Beaten Track” and the music he played on air was a celebration of diverse cultural origins, taking us with him off the beaten track, putting us in touch with the abundance of human creation. It painted the picture of a man free of boundaries or preconceptions. Of a man believing in the beauty of all humanity. What better guest for a yellow camper van traveling the world?SHOW NOTESGeorge's Photography WebsiteFollow  The Mini DiariesEvery Tuesday, tune in with George on Radio Nowhere Read George's book: 8+5=13 Stories From The RoadAlec Issigonis - The Austin MINI designerAustin MINIPygmy PeoplesKonstantinos Kavafis"Ithaka", 1975, by Konstantinos KavafisGora, musical instrumentSona JobartehLucky DubeAli Farka TouréMusic of MaliGet Jim Kroft's Song, "Love In The Face Of Fear" Mind The BumpSupport the show

Xiao graduated in 2005 with honors in chemistry from Caltech and subsequently worked as a research technician at the Broad Institute of Harvard/MIT and has an MD-PhD from the Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Memorial Sloan-Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program in New York City.  At the moment, she is finishing up her 4th clinical year at Johns Hopkins University as a combined paediatrics-medical genetics resident. She is going to stay there for a 5th year as a research fellow and genetics chief resident starting in July this year. As Xiao has an unparalleled thirst for knowledge (and my guess is that she gets easily bored) she also works with a group at the university of Freiburg in Germany on the genetics and genomics of inborn errors of immunity. Now, Xiao isn’t anyone for name or title dropping, but all of this information is necessary, I believe, to understand that some of the areas we will be covering today are in the hands of an absolute expert - even though Xiao will most probably strongly disagree with me on that. As if all of this weren’t enough, Xiao and her boyfriend Nicolas have started a wine distribution company - one of Xiao’s great passions in life: wine and the art of wine production. Following this passion, she met my brother, a winemaker himself, and, ultimately, me. Therefore, we can safely claim that our friendship is a by-product of grapes, matured over time and getting better with the years. The few hours a week she has for recreation, she usually fills with learning something new: like knitting, learning German (God knows why) or pottery - just to name a few. When being with her I feel positively challenged, occasionally stupid, always serving my greater understanding that life is a journey of discovery and learning, with no goal but to grow in the present moment. SHOW NOTESXiao on FacebookJoe Rogan"The Man Without Qualities", Robert Musil, 1930-1942Alexander von HumboldtJohann Wolfgang von GoetheChampagneJoaquin CortezMartin Luther KingPhylloxeraSubsistence AgricultureFrank Cornelissen, Winemaker on SicilyYeastJohn Oliver on HBODNA VaccineRNA VaccineVictor McKusickJohns Hopkins UniversityNeill de Grasse Tyson and Stephen Colbert, The Late Show, 2018EnLefko Radio, GreeceKanenas Red WineHeinrich Vollmer VineyardGet Jim Kroft's Song, "Love In The Face Of Fear" Support the show

Shelter and housing is taken for granted for most of us. And when we speak of lockdown we generally think of it as an isolation within our own very comfortable four walls. But what about our fellow humans who are not fortunate enough to have a place of their own, who don’t have this very basic need covered? How does the pandemic beat down on their already unimaginably harsh reality?  Going through a second and third lockdown, it is worth remembering that there are others less fortunate than us - regardless of our own very real challenges. For this reason, we have invited Steps, a non-profit initiative that deals with street connected people in Athens. They take action through street embrace, housing, legal aid and the feeling of belonging in order to support people that experience social exclusion. Only a few days ago STEPS have been awarded the Civil Solidarity Prize from the European Economic and Social Committee for initiatives showing outstanding solidarity during the covid-19 pandemic! Well deserved STEPS, congratulations!But for them to continue their invaluable work they need our support. So please support them in any way that you can: with a donation, as a volunteer or by simply spreading the word. You will find all their relevant links in the show notes below.Or how Katerina, one of the members we were fortunate enough to speak to, puts it: "When you relate, you begin to care and when you care, you take action." So with this episode today we hope that it will be easier to relate to the many people without shelter during this critical time.Thank you all. SHOW NOTESWebsite: https://steps.org.gr/en/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StepsGreece/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stepsgreece/Support the show

Oska Melina Borcherding is a director, actor, dancer and musician from the beautiful city of Berlin. I got to know Oska during the Ierapetra Film Festival on Crete in Greece, where he was running with his short film “Giagia” (which is Greek for “grandmother”). It is a beautiful film about the days following the death of his Greek grandmother and how her legacy and memory is preserved in the stories shared by her family and by the characters she helped shape. He is planning a sequel to the film which I am very much looking forward to. Ever since then, Oska has been in numerous theatre plays and in various German TV films and series. Right now, he is writing a play about vampires after he has come out of the casket after hiding his true identity for 252 years. Oska has has made it his mission to educate the world about the many misconceptions humans have about vampires. Whether they are getting better through the worldwide pandemic and what the worst stereotypes around vampires are, we will explore in today’s show.And, most importantly, we we will discuss how through art we can develop a better understanding of diversity - perceiving it as abundance rather than limitation.SHOW NOTESOska on InstagramOska on Facebook"Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man", Emanuel Acho"Desintegriert Euch", Max Czollek, 2020"What We Do In The Shadows", Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi, 2014Get Jim's song "Love In The Face Of Fear"Mind The BumpSupport the show

Erik Penny is a US songwriter, musician and painter who has been living in Berlin for more than 12 years.Erik grew up in El Paso, Texas, where he started his musical career as a bassist at the age of 16. A while later he started a course in painting which he aborted shortly before graduating to go on tour with his band. This success of the tour led to his decision to go to Los Angeles. Here he recorded several EPs and two studio albums - "Footprints" and "The Linger Kiss". After various visits to Germany, Erik decided to move there for good in 2008. Within a short period of time he made strong connections in the local music scene.Erik's wonderful album "Bend", published in 2010, written and conceived entirely in Berlin, is a collaboration between many, talented people that comprise the artistic and social hub of this wonderful city, resulting in a flavorful piece of art. Many tours and support tours followed. It is home to one of my favourite songs "Cherry".After publishing "Live at The Sofa Sessions" in 2011, Erik withdrew from the music scene for 2 years and only returned to the stage in 2013 and played, amongst others, four opening concerts for Joe Cocker.His album "Heart Bleed Out" came out in 2014 on the Blackbird Music Label, that was produced by Erik himself for the first time together with David Green.Just recently his new single "The River" was published, a song with a hymnal depth that is juxtaposing a refreshingly positive melody with sinister lyrics. A great song for a world grappling with a pandemic looking for hope. Erik and I have an overlapping circle of friends and I have been aware of Erik and his work for many years. And nonetheless, for reasons unknown, we never really shared a longer conversation together. During the second lockdown, when Erik started a painting project on IG and he used one of my images as a reference for a painting, I was so overwhelmed by his art and his positive attitude that I thought: "Boy, have I missed out! SHOW NOTES Erik's Website Erik's Instagram Erik's Facebook "Hamilton", Musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda "A Path We Share", Music Video by Erik Penny Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez History of the Cowboy Boot "High Fidelity", 2000, film by Stephen Frears History Of The XXth Century, Podcast by Mark Painter Flula Borg Morissey Trevor Noah Stephen Colbert Jimmy Kimmel Jimmy Fallon German Störtebecker beer Texas Margarita, recipe off www.marthastewart.com Get Jim's song "Love In The Face Of Fear"Mind The BumpSupport the show

Thomas Hinterberger is a solo ballet dancer at the Opera National Du Rhin (ONDR) in Mulhouse, France. He got his diploma in ballet dancing from the Academy For Dance and Music in Munich, Germany, in 2001 and he holds a professorship in classic dance and music since 2018.Born in 1980 in Munich (Germany), he trained as a dancer at the Heinz-Bosl-Stiftung in Munich with Konstanze Vernon, Hans-Joachim Mets and Alexander Prokofiev. From 1999 to 2001, he participated in productions with the Bayerisches Staatsballet Munich. He joined the Deutsche Oper am Rhein Düsseldorf in 2001 and he danced Swan Lake, West Side Story, Coppélia et Casse-noisette by Youri Vamos. He joined the Ballet de l'OnR in September 2006. Principal roles: Dichterliebe by Bertrand d'At; Le Marteau sans maître by Maurice Béjart; La Sylphide (Gurn) by August Bournonville version Dinna Bjørn; Immanence by Andonis Foniadakis; Giselle (pas de deux from the grape pickers) Maina Gielgud version, Wedding by Jacopo Godani; Don Quixote by Rui Lopes Graça; Walking Mad and Empty House by Johan Inger; Sinfonietta by Jirí Kylián; Heinz Spoerli's Goldberg Variations; Last Pieces by Anybody and The Nutcracker (Franz) by Jo Strømgren; Pinocchio by Ivan Cavallari; Nó by Deborah Colker,La Strada by Mario Pistoni (Il Matto), Untouched by Aszure Barton, The Rite of Spring by Stephan Thoss, In the Dark Sky, Ed Wubbe, Quintett by William Forsythe (Thomas), Chaplin by Mario Schröder ( Diktator), The Heart of my Heart by Gil Harush, Bless-so-be-IL by Bruno Bouché. And a lot more... He was appointed soloist in January 2018. I think, it is safe to say that this was one of the most challenging years in the history of the ONDR as it had to cancel large parts of this year’s season due to the covid pandemic. The performing arts - and especially dance with its necessity of physical proximity and touch - are quite possibly hit the hardest under the lockdowns and as seats remain empty. How all of this affected the opera, ensemble, and Thomas in particular and what this means for the new year and the new season, we will talk about today.SHOW NOTES Thomas' CV Thomas on LinkedIn Thomas on Instagram Thomas on Szenikmag Opera National Du Rhin Saison OFF ONR on YouTube "Chaplin" extract Portrait of Choreographer Heinz Spoerli Goldberg Variations, Bayerisches Staatsballet Einstürzende Neubauten "Dance Me To The End Of Love" by Leonard CohenGet Jim's song "Love In The Face Of Fear"This podcast is a Mind The Bump Production Support the show

Today we are going on the road with an old acquaintance and Yellow Van veteran: musician and filmmaker Jim Kroft, one of my greatest friends and record-holder in consecutive days spent in Fonsi with me. His documentary film “A Conversation With America” is available for free on YouTube right now. It was filmed 4 years ago in the three months leading up to the election. He travelled all across the United States, looking to understand the growing political divide by searching out conversations with the wide range of people that constitute US society.  Jim has created an unbiased, colorful kaleidoscope that sets the stage for all Americans - excluding noone and, therefore, overcoming the pitfalls of our societal echo chambers.  The film reminds us of the tone that so many of our conversations lack these days: the cadence of mutual respect and inclusivity.  "A Conversation With America" is therefore an inspirational film, one of a kind, that I can’t recommend enough.  So what better time to hear his conclusion after four years of Trump, his expectations for the Biden administration and his hopes for the near US future? SHOW NOTES Jim's Homepage "A Conversation With America", Jim Kroft Get Jim's song "Love In The Face Of Fear"  Jim on YouTube Gerrymandering James Baldwin "The Fire Next Time", James Baldwin, 1963 "I Am Not Your Negro", Raoul Peck, 2017 on Netflix Amanda Gorman's Inaugural Poem Amanda Gorman's Homepage James Lovelock The Weimar Republic Hitler's Rise To Power Kurt von Schleicher, last chancellor of the Weimar Republic Franz von Papen, vice chancellor under Hitler The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William L. Shirer, 1960 Carl Gustav Jung on YouTube Carl Gustav Jung, Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Mind The Bump Support the show