#us - unique & shared experiences by First Person Arts

Xenia Zachadckuk grew up in South Jersey to Ukrainian parents. She shares the story of her mother’s courageous escape from Ukraine and Europe during World War II and her father’s time in a displaced person’s camp.

Even though Lisa Mostovoy and her daughters Sasha Fishilevich and Mischa Buck are talking about a serious subject, this episode brings us so much joy. 

Marta Rubel grew up in Philadelphia to proud Ukrainian parents. Marta speaks fondly of her memories growing up in Philly, but she also remembers the challenges her parents faced after settling here, and always dreaming that they would be able to move back to Ukraine.  

What do you know about Ukraine’s history? We all know it was once part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), then it wasn’t. Ukraine’s history is far-reaching and as complex as its geography and the number of languages that are spoken. 

Today on a special episode of #Us - Unique and Shared Experiences, we are teaming up with the Life Design Lab at Johns Hopkins University to share stories told by students about their journeys towards fulfilling careers and lives.

Marjorie was let go from her job for standing up for what she believed in. And Bill had to learn to let go of his leg intruder to save his own life. Today, we are taking a deep breath, uncurling our clenched fingers, and Letting Go. On this episode, we have three amazing stories for you about everything from terrible jobs to beloved pets. 

First Person Arts and the Free Library of Philadelphia have enjoyed crossover programming, partnerships, and a mutual love of stories over the years. Today, we're featuring stories from a program we did with the Free Library of Philadelphia's One Book, One Philadelphia around The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon.

Michel filmed a couple in love as one of them was terminally ill. And though it was tragic, their love for one another helped change the world. Lisa’s daughter got everything she wanted for Christmas, but she couldn’t share her new toys with the one person she wanted to play with. When the highs of joy and love crash into the depths of grief and loss, we get this swirl of emotion called bittersweet. Join #Us today as four storytellers share their experiences and help us all get to know the complexity of humanity.

Today, we celebrate the life and work of a beloved Philadelphia artist Jerry Pinkney whose birthday is this month. Jerry’s life and body of work is a testament to the resilience, persistence, and freedom of the human spirit. We come to you with three stories from individuals who connect with these core values as part of their own experiences. 

Lisa almost set her house on fire when the hot oil in a pizza box exploded. Sure, she had started a smaller fire, but she was distracted thinking about another fire that was dwindling – her marriage. Chris was enjoying his first week of college when he got a call from his sister. It was the shortest call they’d ever have, but it is burned in his memory forever. Join #Us and ignite your love of storytelling! Listen to these stories and more in this episode, Burn Baby Burn!

Can music be a form of storytelling? We at First Person Arts think it can! That’s why we’ve partnered with the Network For New Music to create new original pieces of music that come directly from stories. All of the stories are on the theme of love and the Philly neighborhood of Germantown. So come join #Us for a special episode celebrating stories, music, and Germantown.

At age 17, Paul H was almost arrested for a murder he didn’t commit. But the busy bodies in his neighborhood acted as strong alibis and he was saved at the eleventh hour. At age 19, Daralyse was in a wild phase and on a trip to Mexico. She ventured out of the touristy part of town and used what little spanish she knew to haggle the crack she was buying down to 50% off! Whether you’re a Paul trying to get out of a sticky situation, or a Daralyse jumping head first into one, you’re sure to love this e...

At 41, Kevin decided to get kinky. He met the right guy online, bought a blindfold and some rope, and got busy. But his aggressive cat had his own ideas. On the other side of town, Kelsey was ready to get it on, but her date thought it would be better to get that rash on her chest checked out by a doctor. Listen to these and other stories of sex gone awry on this episode of #Us - Unique and Shared experiences.

Elizabeth has good intuition, a sixth sense she calls it. The first time she felt it was when she was thirteen. Later that Night her brother was in an accident. This lead to her devoting her live to volonteering and helping others. Join Us, Elizabeth, and two other storytellers for an episode focusing on how they found their purpose through the pain.

When Emma was eighteen she was in lust with her best friend. All she could think of was how much she wanted to sleep with him. What got in her way? He was also her boss. In a moment of courage she confessed it to him driving home one day. This and other thrilling lust stories in this episode of #Us as we kick off our second season! Celibrate wth us the pain, gratification, and power that comes with love and sex.

We're wrapping up our summer programming with an encore presentation of "If I Knew Then", an episode all about looking back at what you can only know with the clear vision of hindsight. This episode has a special guest host - Chris Lundy! If you like having Chris as your host, be sure to join him (and Us) at the Sex-Files StorySlam on September 20th at Under Ground Arts.

Ever feel like you’re reliving the same day? Or stuck in a never ending time loop? Yeah, us too. But luckily, you’re not alone. We’ve got five stories for you about making the same mistakes over and over and over again. But don’t worry, because sometimes repetition is the very tool that gives you a second chance and a new beginning. Join #Us for an encore presentation (the irony is not lost on us) of the fan favorite episode Groundhog Day!

They say that lightning never strikes twice. Well, in this special #US encore it strikes five times! (Metaphorically, of course). We have five stories about the powers beyond our control and how and how to deal with the reminder that no matter how hard we try, us humans can’t control everything. Whether it’s God, Destiny, or Nature, all we can do is brace ourselves and face these mysterious powers together.

In celebrating the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness that the 4th of July is all about we have a special encore presentation of Five People, One Moment: Flags Of America. This episode features Simon, a big fan of the American flag and the symbols' history. But he doesn't shy away from criticizing this nation or the way the flag's symbolism  has been a painful sight for many. Join us for a fascinating conversation with Simon Joseph about the complex history of the American flag.

With spring strongly here we are starting to think out of the nest to focus on stories of personal growth, new beginnings and establishing independence. So today we will have five tales for you from storytellers who are going through changes. Join #Us as we explore coming into one's self and discovering all that you can be.

Today, we’re going back to college! For many folks college is a distinct time in our lives. So today, we’re focusing on stories about college and what we’ve learned with hindsight.

This episode we are talking about the relationships that make us who we are. We have five stories about family. Daughters complaining about mothers, fathers hesitant about sons, and a couple other stories about the family ties that bring us home. Join #US for "How Much Do You Love My Mother".

Thank you to our media sponsor: Metro Newspaper

Thank you to our media sponsor: Metro Newspaper

Join #Us for a Holiday Encore performance of “I Made This S#!t Happen“

Join #Us for a Holiday Encore performance of "Defining Moments"

Winter is officially here. And although the bitter cold and dark afternoons can be gloomy, when it snows it always feels like there is something to celebrate.

Join #Us for a Holiday Encore performance of "Look How Far We've Come".

Suzanne is a visual artist who had an exhibition on the National Mall in September of 2021. The art installation consisted of white flags, each one repricenting one life that was lost to COVID-19 in the United States. She shares who the exhibition started, what it means to her, and it became a place for people to give the people they'd lost with family, friends, and strangers.

Simon is the creator of the Vexillology Podcast, a subreddit devoted to flags. He shares his story of falling in love with flags, creating an online community where other people could connect over flags and flag design, and the meaning behind some of his favorite flags related to the U.S.

Amber was the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs when they announced the More Colors, More Pide Flag, a flag which added a black and brown stripe to the rainbow flag. They discuss the huge amount of backlash and hatred that came from that announcement and how she never could have imagined how quickly the symbolism of the flag would have gone global.

Emily shares her story about growing up in an area where the confederate flag was a common symbol. She discusses how her understanding of the weight of the simbol has changed and how removing the flag is a step in the right direction but there is more work to be done in our country as a whole when we confront our racist past.

Matthew Skic is Curator of Exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. Over the Summer of 2021 The Museum had an expedition on Flags in America. Matthew tells the story of his own personal connection to the Flag of the United States and discusses his favorite flags in the exhibitions and what they can tell modern day viewers about this nation's history.

This episode we will be hearing stories that examine the gender binary. These stories take a look at how it is a real force that affects lives, and how gender is a fluid construct we can play with. Join #Us for "Invited Into That Club".

The weather is getting crisp, the sun is setting sooner, and the leaves are starting to turn. We all know what that means. It's cuffing season! Time to find someone to curl up with during these cold months. So join #US to celebrate this time of year with five stories of love and romance. 

The weather is getting crisp, the sun is setting sooner, and the leaves are starting to turn. We all know what that means. It’s cuffing season! Time to find someone to curl up with during these cold months. So join #US to celebrate this time of year with five stories of love and romance. 

On this episode we are talking about close encounters of all kinds. So we have stories for you about ghosts, aliens, and robbers. Join #Us for "I Knew it Was Haunted".

Repetition can be a second chance, a new perspective, or feeling like you’re stuck in groundhog day. This week we have five stories about doing something one more time, to see if the results are any diffrent. Join #Us for “Groundhog Day”

Whether it’s embracing the ones you love, a part of yourself, or the circumstances you're in. This episode will be all about holding and accepting things as they are.

You are living your BEST LIFE and the people in your orbit cannot STAND it.  Listen as these storytellers share how they learned to love their haters in the most unusual ways. How have you dealt with the haters in your life?  Share your story in the comment section.   Take #US with you and post pics of your summer fun on your favorite social media platform.  #FirstPersonArts #Summer2021 #summerfun #FPAIs20 #20in2021

Dan is a Baker in Pittsburgh. However, days before the U.S. went into covid lockdown he was released from prison after being wrongfully convicted. He shares his story about working with the PA Innocence Project and all that he has done in the last 18 months, including delivering puppies, buying a home, and getting engaged.

John is a comedian and essential worker. He shares his story about dating during the pandemic and the challenges that ultimately lead to a break-up. Then we chat with him about what his job was like during the pandemic and the new value he's put on self-care.

Danielle is the Production Manager at First Person Arts. She shares her story of going from living paycheck to paycheck at a retail job to graduating with honors. Then we chatted with her about her past 18 months of working from home with her son.

Brian is a standup comedian in NYC. When the pandemic began, his access to work and self-expression disappeared. He shares his story with us of looking back to his childhood during New York's shutdown and how enjoying nostalgic foods has led him to try new things now that the world around him is opening back up

Ellen is a Nurse Coach with NYU Langone. She shares her story about experiencing severe burnout, to the point of wanting to quit nursing all together. But, through becoming a nurse coach she learned more deeply how to care for herself and spread that healing towards others.

In this episode, we hear stories about how people have experienced changes in their lives.  Change they manifested or change they managed.  Sit by the pool, fire pit, or grill and listen to Turn, Turn, Turn.  How have you navigated change?  Share your story of change in the comment section.   Take #US with you and post pics of your summer fun on your favorite social media platform.  #FirstPersonArts #Summer2021 #summerfun #FPAIs20 #20in2021

Summer heat, thirst, thirsty, joy that cannot be contained, you name it!  That delirious feeling comes about from big and small things.  Get in where you can fit in!

Out of the box thinking, pulling something out of a box, or refusing to be boxed in...Let us defy category boundaries set by others.

Lots of things can be released into the wild or come from the wild. We have StorySlams in our archive about beasts, letting loose, and getting it in!  It can be a wild party night, a wild hog, a wild ride...

This episode is all about breaking FREE! Now with summer shining its rays Philly, we figure it’s time to let some things go. Episode 17 is all about being released.   And, as we all are being released from the confines of Covid-19 and 2020, we want you to share with us how you are enjoying your summer.  Where are you going? Who are you visiting?  Are you flying?  

Whether it’s Nature, Destiny, God, or Power, there are forces beyond our control that rule everyone's lives. Join us for five stories about coming face to face with these mysteries in the next episode of #US - Unique and Shared experiences.

Tarik is a family nurse practitioner. Besides working in a community health center, he’s been out administering leftover vaccines to homebound patients. Tarik shares with us what these efforts have consisted of and his hopes for how they might more broadly help to address healthcare inequity. 

Elicia is the executive director of Women's Medical Fund. Initially hesitant about whether to get vaccinated, she ultimately chose to do so. Elicia breaks down her decision for us and discusses the interplay between personal and collective responsibilities and how we relate to people who make different choices than we would.  

Andrew is a marketing coordinator for a protein shake meal replacement company. He’s generally avoided vaccines, and has struggled at times with concerns about vaccinations for his son. But now, the issue’s taken on new, greater significance for his family ever since his wife got vaccinated for COVID-19 – while he’s chosen not to.  

Ashley is a massage therapist and she has to be vaccinated to return to work. But it wasn’t a straightforward decision for Ashley. She’s had mixed feelings and experiences around vaccination throughout her life – plus her husband has chosen not to get vaccinated.

Alvin is a physician’s assistant for Bebashi, a nonprofit providing health education, healthcare, HIV/AIDS support and social services in communities of color. When the COVID-19 vaccine hit the market, Alvin was initially skeptical. But after reading medical journals, he made his decision to get vaccinated. 

Life is all about give and take, so today we’re hearing stories all about gifts given, and items stolen. Whether it’s a spoonful of peanut butter, a handmade wallet, or a brand new baby. Some gifts feel more like you’ve been robbed. But who knows, it just might be a blessing in disguise. Either way, it’s yours to keep. Join #US for this episode, “For Keeps”

This week is all about job hunting! We have 5 stories all about people shooting for the job of their dreams and seeing where they land - whether it’s at the top of a big tech company, interning for their idol, or right back where they started. Join #US for this week’s episode, “A Pizza That Says ‘Hire Me’" .

Ready for a change? To grow into the next version of yourself? Then this episode is for you! 5 storytellers share their coming or age stories, as they bloom into spring, themselves, and a New Reality. Join #US

We’ve been home for too long and are feeling restless! So today, we’re gonna have five stories about getting into trouble, traveling the distance, and being up all night. Join us for this episode of #US "I Said Yes Just to See".

With the start of March and spring right around the corner, here at First Person Arts we’re feeling ready  to push away the old and  reach for something new. So, this week we have five stories of people pushing, to sell cars, redefine themselves, or buy a boat from a shady seller.  Join #Us for “I Made this S#!t Happen”

When Kempis ‘Ghani’ Songster was imprisoned at the age of 15, his mother brought him three books; the autobiography of Malcolm X, Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane, and the autobiography of Nelson Mandela. Sentenced to life without parole and released after 30 years, Ghani talks about his process of coming home and the importance of restorative justice practices.

Sudan Green is an African-American artist and activist from Germantown. He is the founder of Spirits Up! an organization using yoga, meditation, and art for black liberation. Among many things, Sudan discusses the six days of protests he was involved in and community reinvestment.

Marvin Rocha is a Nicaraguan-American who lives in South Philly and works at the University of Pennsylvania. He works to support black members of the UPenn community after the police-involved homicides over the summer. He also seeks to help his own community of Nicaraguan-Americans and Latinx redefine masculinity and identity in the queer comunity. “You never know what someone else is going through.”

Eric Marsh is an African-American father. He shares his choice of self-care in the beginning of the pandemic and how rituals sustain him. Eric is a father honoring the male role as nurturer and protector.

“Alone you go faster, together you go farther.” Rob has this quote in mind as a mixed-race Japanese-American artist and activist. He discusses finding parallels to the Black Lives Matter movement amid a call for immigration reform and the way losing his job at the beginning of the pandemic allowed him to go deeper into activism. 

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we’re celebrating all the ways a date can go wrong. Whether it’s someone with a love of clowns or going on a blind date to Atlantic City, some dates are so bad the only words that can save them are “Take me to McDonald’s, and take me home!" Join #Us for five bad dates, so you don’t have to go on any. 

It's 2021, and after the past year we've all had, it's time for some new goals. Join #US for five stories about new beginnings, working through anxiety, and just staying alive. Progress doesn't happen overnight.  Be inspired or commiserate as storytellers share their goals in  #US - “And you realize you’re getting better”.

Food and family. Separately or combined these can be absolutely great or they can be fodder for the therapist. In “Everyone at the Table…” we hear the stories about a boy who loves Christmas and has to hide it, a young woman who learns a new recipe in her grandmother’s memory, and in a man who is afraid to have dinner with his nieces.  Listen as storytellers share their tales of food and family in  #US - Everyone at the Table.

Hindsight is 2020 especially IN 2020. The episode of #US - “Look How Far We’ve Come” highlights how the challenging moments of our lives can be viewed through a different lens. Whether it’s a 4-year-old girl learning the power of her voice, a young man’s diminishing inheritance transforming into familial pride, or a series of increasingly unfortunate events leading to a zen moment, it’s all how you look at it.

Ever had a near-death experience?  They say your whole life flashes before your eyes.  Some say, instead, that we see a few key memories that are etched in your brain. The defining moments that made you who you are, speak for us! Listen as storytellers share their defining moments in  #US - Defining Moments.

Emily Epstein White is a news copy editor, parent of young children, and stand-up comedian who discovers what “being ok” looks like during COVID-19. She’s had to rethink how to do comedy gigs and what it means to be a performer in our current pandemic era. Emily shares with us how she is adapting and trying to regain some aspects of her former life that she misses.  

Eugene Haynes is a college professor and filmmaker. He shares how the pandemic has forced him to pivot as an educator. Eugene contemplates how COVID-19 has caused him to reflect on who he is and talks about how he sees this moment as a stepping stone to social change.   

Tanesha Ford is an arts administrator, writer, and improvisational actress who is “yes, and”ing her way through COVID. Listen as Tanesha discovers how to manage the many responsibilities of caregiving for a loved one during a pandemic. Learn how she is able to still laugh despite life’s many bumps along the COVID road. 

 Che Guerrero is a humorist and parent of two special needs children. Once the pandemic hit, he decided to return to his former career as a nurse’s aide, and has since taken on the risk of working in long-term care facilities that have been hit hard by COVID. Che shares with us how the pandemic caused him unexpectedly to embark on a journey of self-discovery. 

Marcus Henderson is a psychiatric mental health nurse for kids and teens. He contracted COVID-19 early in the pandemic and unpacks for us the emotional toll that the virus took on him. As a mental health practitioner, he also discusses the pandemic’s social and emotional impact on America at large and believes more empathy is needed at this time. 

Identity is a tricky thing. It can’t be summed up in a few words and is often more than the sum of its parts. Especially a big word like US.  So we decided to let some of our favorite storytellers speak for us! Listen to the story of First Person Arts through #US - Who is Us?

A ghostly roommate, a basement straight out of Poltergeist, and two tweens slay a monster in Ep2 of #US - Unique and Shared Experiences.  Things go bump in the night that will have you scurrying!  Join #US, we will keep you company this Halloween.

The first edition of Five People. One Moment releases on November 16.  Every November, February, May, and August, we will dive deeper into how Five People are affected by One Moment in America.   

Why #US? Because Unique and Shared Experiences bring us closer.  The introvert on Bourbon Street, the nauseous teen on a carnival date, the young girl finding strength in unexpected places, we are right there with you.

Coming October 2020, First Person Arts returns with #US a new storytelling podcast that broadcasts Unique and Shared experiences that connect us with each other and the world.  An entertaining podcast that is a great companion to everything from your morning commute to mowing the lawn. #US will release a new episode every two weeks and in November, February, May and August, we will dive deeper into how Five People are affected by One Moment in America.