East Village Love Stories

East Village Love Stories | Episode 17: Coping through Game and Anime

Dive into this heart-to-heart episode where my friend Ezra from NYU takes us through his new beginning in NYC after a crushing rejection. Imagine this: you’re stepping into a whole new world, kind of like being the main character in your favorite video game or anime, except the setting is the bustling streets of Manhattan. Ezra finds parallels between his experiences in NYC in the game “Persona 5”, a story of self-realization and personal growth, and the anime “A Place Further than the Universe” a story of coping with grief through a journey to the cold and desolate Antarctica. For him, his story is about navigating the unforgiving climate of NYC and his own negative emotions to find his true self. His story isn’t just about moving on; it’s about how media can be our silent therapists, guiding us through tough times. It’s about those stories that end up fueling us, pushing us just enough until we’re ready to stand tall again. So, gear up for a ride through Ezra’s journey and how virtual and fictional worlds mirrored his real-life saga of self-discovery and moving forward.

East Village Love Stories | Episode 16: Queer & Feminism in the 80s

She lived two lives -- one with a man and three children, the other with a community of lesbian feminists. Not necessarily better, but "I was definitely happier" she said. Elizabeth Heard, a professor of gender theories joined us in the episode and told us her coming out story and what the 2nd wave feminism was like. Let's celebrate it.

East Village Love Stories | Episode 15: Rather be Single than Gaslighted

A hot girl's summer turned into a traumatized girl's summer. College romance ruined by a narcissistic serial dater. Why is it always man, they asked. In this episode, our guests Anastasiia and Daniella shared their stories about being gaslighted, and hope that doesn't sound relatable to you. Soundtrack: "Mosquito" by Julian Harper [https://open.spotify.com/track/6CmUQUaKPkANCICRPrQkrx]

East Village Love Stories | Episode 14: Next Time See You in the Ocean

Covid, international travel ban, surfing, summer fling, queer... What kind of love puzzle did those create? In this episode, your host Selina shared a story of her own, a story that inspired East Village Love Stories.

East Village Love Stories | Ep.13: A Short Film About Love

If you know a relationship would come to an end one day, are you still willing to fall in love? How is it like to be soulmates rather than lovers? This episode might make you reconsider the labels that we use to define romance. Our host Selina sat down with Susan Zhang, director of a short film titled https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ2I5vyS5xk"Love in New York, but not only in New York", [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ2I5vyS5xk] and discussed her story-crafting journey in an encounter with two lovers-- Maria and Ken. Love is powerful in and of itself, and as witnesses of which we are empowered as well.