The Mirror in My Cell

Classmates with Your Persecutor - Vika of Viasna

In this episode, I chat with Vika, a human rights defender exiled from Belarus and now based in Lithuania. This was my first conversation with someone who hasn’t been incarcerated, and I was unexpectedly moved by her wisdom. Vika shares how to stay kind in the face of darkness, how to find peace in fighting injustice, and how to be compassionate with ourselves when we feel we haven’t achieved enough. Her advice on finding our "point of maximum tension"—the moment when life will never be the same, is such incredible guidance for how to fulfil your utmost potential. The Mirror in My Cell will be on a short break for the next month as we refresh the format. If you have any feedback or thoughts, feel free to reach out! Learn more about Vika’s work with Viasna, advocating for political prisoners in Belarus, at Viasna’s website [https://viasna.org/]. Reach me at: Email: mirrorinmycell@gmail.com Instagram: @thomaszarand [https://www.instagram.com/thomaszarand]

Croissants In Norway - Jisu Checks Into Jail

Jisu started the day by collecting the forbidden apples of her neighbours’ garden. By evening time she was imprisoned. How do you process and accept a situation where it feels like the universe is against you, but the system treats you with compassion and care? How can you nurture a narrative about why this is happening, why you? Jisu and I had a funny conversation, and reflected on what was similar and different between our experiences. Reach me at:⁠⁠⁠⁠mirrorinmycell@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thomaszarand⁠⁠] ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thomaszarand⁠⁠ [ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thomaszarand⁠⁠]

Therapy Through Action - Lisa from Russia, Incarcerated in Armenia

Lisa is a Russian music artist based in Armenia, where she fled after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ‘Based’ is a nice way of putting it because she’s currently under arrest, pending trial for a drugs charge that arose when she was found in possession at a Yerevan nightclub. This saga has dragged on for years now, with her spending multiple months imprisoned in a jail amongst murderers and prostitutes. How she has assembled a humble but robust story of what the time and its consequences have meant, plus the person she’s been able to become is powerful. She’s released her album on Spotify, produced while under house arrest, entitled Raspad, as the artist wjerstean. She continues to fight the charges, while looking squarely into the eyes of that in her power. Support her and follow her developing story here: https://www.instagram.com/wjerstean/. Reach me at:⁠⁠⁠⁠mirrorinmycell@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thomaszarand⁠⁠

Arrested In Mugabe's Zimbabwe - Simon Bright on Race

Simon Bright is a filmmaker and documentary producer. Born in Rhodesia, he was optimistic about the country's future, about Robert Mugabe's plan to build a better, more equal country. That all unravelled, and the nation building project turned into one of spite and greed, of racism stoked and fanned. Simon's unblinking lenses were not welcome in Mugabe's Zimbabwe. He was symbolically arrested for the production of a documentary he didn't even produce, and found himself sat in a jail cell, contemplating all the things that had brought his country here, all the things this episode revealed about humanity. ----------------------------------- Find Simon's work here:https://zimmedia.com/ [https://zimmedia.com/] (Brilliant documentaries often fusing politics with African music) ------------------------- Reach me at: ⁠⁠mirrorinmycell@gmail.com⁠⁠ [mirrorinmycell@gmail.com] ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thomaszarand⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thomaszarand]

Swimming to Freedom - Kseniya Flees Belarus

When you think of student protestors you might think of philosophy students at UCL smoking cigarettes and finger painting. In Belarus they get in trouble for less, and Kseniya was one of them back in 2020. She was arrested and spent two years in prison. The very sad thing about Kseniya is how innocent she makes the whole thing sound, there was no scheming or machinations, just some kids who understood they were the future. She worked for Viasna, helping parents understand where there kids ended up when they were arrested. And then got imprisoned. We spoke about family, milkshakes, and prison conditions, then how she swam to freedom across a river into Lithuania. Brave girl. She left me thinking about all the struggles and sacrifice it took in history to get me my rights. How it was done in the name of family, friends and freedom. Reach me at: ⁠⁠⁠mirrorinmycell@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠ [⁠⁠mirrorinmycell@gmail.com⁠⁠]⁠⁠⁠⁠ [⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thomaszarand] ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thomaszarand⁠ [⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thomaszarand]