Witness Through Art: Maddy Crowther on Sudan, Genocide & the Power of Children’s Drawings

Witness Through Art: Maddy Crowther on Sudan, Genocide & the Power of Children’s Drawings

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552626/fan_mail/new] In this Human Rights Day special of The Human Frame, Łucja sits down with Maddy Crowther, co–executive director of Waging Peace [https://wagingpeace.info/drawings-resources/] and long-time human rights advocate dedicated to documenting atrocities and amplifying the voices of Sudanese communities. Maddy shares the story behind one of the organisation’s most impactful initiatives, the Sudan Children’s Drawings Project [https://wagingpeace.info/the-book/], which began in 2007 and now holds over 600–700 drawings created by children who lived through conflict. These drawings, raw and unfiltered, have become critical evidence of war crimes and a tool for advocacy, informing public awareness campaigns and even parliamentary engagement. Together, they explore: ✨ How the Sudan Children’s Drawings Project became a living archive of testimony  ✨ The emotional and political weight of children's perspectives in documenting violence  ✨ Maddy’s path into human rights work and the challenges of advocacy within the UK and global policy landscapes  ✨ The ongoing humanitarian and political crisis in Sudan, and why it demands sustained international attention  ✨ The importance of art, storytelling, and community voices in resisting erasure Released for Human Rights Day (10th December) [https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day#:~:text=Human%20Rights%20Day%20and%20the,of%20Human%20Rights%20(UDHR).], this episode honours the courage of Sudanese children, the resilience of survivors, and the critical work of those fighting for justice when the world looks away. Follow: 🔗 Nuria's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/crowthermaddy/], Waging Peace's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wagingpeaceuk/]                                                              📚 Prospect Magazine article where a former child artist was interviewed here [https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/africa/69621/the-drawings-that-captured-sudans-genocide]. 🔗Resources [https://wagingpeace.info/drawings-resources/]: For instance, see Françoise Héritier [https://vimeo.com/809833429 ], anthropologist & ethnologist, and commentary on a drawing, an interview [https://soundcloud.com/user-995313611/interview-with-researcher-anna-schmitt?utm_source=clipboard&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fuser-995313611%252Finterview-with-researcher-anna-schmitt]with the person who 1st gathered the cohort of drawings from camps in Chad.  Follow The Human Frame: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the_humanframe/] Host: Łucja Hawking [https://www.instagram.com/lucja.hawking/] Music: Yago Cardalda [https://www.instagram.com/yagocardaldaarts/]  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552626/support]

Surviving Silence: Nuria Zyden on Uyghur Identity, Transnational Oppression, and the Fight to Prevent Genocide

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552626/fan_mail/new] In this urgent and deeply moving episode of The Human Frame, Łucja speaks with Nuria Zyden, an Uyghur activist using her voice to confront an ongoing Uyghur genocide. Nuria shares her personal journey of growing up in China as an Uyghur woman, navigating systemic discrimination, cultural erasure, and the ever-present fear imposed by the Chinese state. After relocating to Ireland, she found both safety and the responsibility of speaking openly, despite the real risks and harassment faced by Uyghurs who dare to tell the truth. Together, they explore:  ✨ What it means to carry a culture targeted for destruction                                         ✨Her establishment of the Irish Cultural Uyghur Association [https://irishuyghurculturalassociation.ie/]                                      ✨ Transnational repression and the reach of authoritarian control  ✨ The emotional and psychological weight of activism  ✨ Why global silence fuels genocide  ✨ How individuals and communities can take action  to protect Uyghur rights Released for Genocide Prevention Day [https://www.un.org/en/observances/genocide-prevention-day] (9th December), this episode is a call to remembrance, accountability, and global solidarity. Follow: 🔗 Nuria's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nuria_zyden/] Follow The Human Frame: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the_humanframe/] Host: Łucja Hawking [https://www.instagram.com/lucja.hawking/] Music: Yago Cardalda [https://www.instagram.com/yagocardaldaarts/]  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552626/support]

The Anatomy of Storytelling: Melanie Spencer on Writing, Process & Reinvention

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552626/fan_mail/new] In this thoughtful and energising episode of The Human Frame, Łucja sits down with Melanie Spencer, writer, director, creative coach, and long-time architect of stories, to explore the deep connections between creativity, identity, and the science of storytelling. Melanie reflects on her journey through acting, writing, directing, and now creative coaching, sharing how years of navigating the industry shaped her understanding of story as both an artistic tool and a form of healing. She opens up about her philosophy of “story science,” the emotional landscapes behind the creative process, and the personal experiences that shaped her unique approach to coaching artists. Together, they explore:  ✨ How story “rewires” us and why humans are biologically shaped for narrative  ✨ Creativity as a tool for self-understanding, healing, and resistance  ✨ Navigating the challenges of being a working-class creative in an industry of barriers  ✨ The realities of burnout, reinvention, and reclaiming your artistic voice  ✨ Melanie’s vision for Artists Anonymous, a supportive, accessible space for creatives ✨ Why storytelling remains one of the most powerful tools we have for making meaning A warm, insightful, and deeply human episode for anyone who creates, or wants to. Follow: 🔗 Melanie's website [https://www.melanie-spencer.co.uk/] Follow The Human Frame: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the_humanframe/] Host: Łucja Hawking [https://www.instagram.com/lucja.hawking/] Music: Yago Cardalda [https://www.instagram.com/yagocardaldaarts/]  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552626/support]

Documenting the Future: Sheila Hayman on AI, Migration & the Power of Storytelling

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552626/fan_mail/new] In this thought-provoking episode of The Human Frame, Łucja sits down with Sheila Hayman, a BAFTA and BAFTA Fulbright-winning documentary filmmaker whose work explores the shifting borders between technology, humanity, and storytelling. Sheila reflects on her path into filmmaking and how her curiosity about the human condition, from artificial intelligence to displacement and migration, shapes her approach to crafting intimate, accessible documentaries. She shares her experience translating complex scientific ideas for wider audiences and how working closely with refugees and migrants deepened her belief in art as a tool for connection, dignity, and healing. Together, they explore: ✨ Filmmaking as a bridge between science, society, and public understanding ✨ Making cutting-edge concepts, like AI and robotics, human, emotional, and relatable ✨ The role of documentary in amplifying refugee and migrant voices ✨ How personal history and identity shape artistic and political consciousness ✨ Art as a catalyst for empathy in a rapidly technologising world ✨ Sheila’s hopes for future storytelling that challenges apathy and nurtures human connection Follow: 🔗 Sheila's website [https://www.sheilahayman.com/] Follow The Human Frame: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the_humanframe/] Host: Łucja Hawking [https://www.instagram.com/lucja.hawking/] Music: Yago Cardalda [https://www.instagram.com/yagocardaldaarts/]  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552626/support]

Through the Lens of Migration: Chiara Fabbro on Documentary Photography, Consent and Human Rights

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552626/fan_mail/new] In this powerful episode of The Human Frame, Łucja sits down with Chiara Fabbro, an Italian documentary photographer whose work illuminates the lived realities of migration, displacement, and human rights abuses across the globe. Chiara shares her journey into documentary photography, reflecting on the ethical foundations of her practice, from building trust with individuals living through profound instability to navigating consent in contexts marked by trauma, precarity, and danger. Her work spans refugee communities in Kuala Lumpur, migrant squats across the Balkans, and the perilous Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, documenting both resilience and systemic neglect. Together, they explore:  ✨ The responsibilities and ethics of documenting migration  ✨ How to build trust and obtain meaningful consent in unstable environments  ✨ Stories of migrant women, trans individuals, and families on the move  ✨ The tension between representation, safety, and dignity in visual storytelling  ✨ The role of photography in human rights advocacy and public memory  ✨ Chiara’s upcoming projects and the narratives she believes must be centred next A conversation for anyone interested in photography as testimony - where the frame becomes a site of care, responsibility, and resistance. Follow: 🔗 Chiara's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/chi.fabb/], website [https://chiarafabbro.carrd.co/]. Follow The Human Frame: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/the_humanframe/] Host: Łucja Hawking [https://www.instagram.com/lucja.hawking/] Music: Yago Cardalda [https://www.instagram.com/yagocardaldaarts/]  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2552626/support]