I am the author of the Goodacity blog, a journalist, and a translator. For 16 years, I have worked in professional journalism, contributing to regional and national publications, both in print and online media. I have written reports, conducted interviews, reviews, articles on cultural, social, and charitable topics, as well as materials in the style of "solution journalism" and communication materials.
My focus is on creating interesting and exclusive content. Journalism, to me, is primarily about human stories, to which I always find the key, empathize with the people I write about, and love all my heroes. Journalism, to me, means telling people about what truly matters to them, informing and inspiring them. It is not just a job, but a way of life, just like for all those who dream, create, and are inspired by it.
So, if you are looking for stories that inspire and motivate, that instill faith and help find meaning while believing in goodness, read my stories on the Goodacity website.
I am a manager of cultural affairs and a project manager with over 14 years of experience at United Thinkers. I have participated in the organization of numerous successful social and charitable projects and have implemented informational campaigns and communication cases.
As a marketing manager, I have been involved in organizing marketing and sociological research, working with media and partners, developing advertising and marketing strategies, as well as planning and implementing advertising campaigns.
I believe in the power of goodness and I am happy that as part of the Goodacity project, I can contribute to its expansion. I believe in the power of words and in the fact that communication can help make the world a better place. I know how, where and when to speak in order to be heard. And when you are heard, you can change the world!
A person with disabilities - creativity, genius, and potential!
“A person with a disability is, above all, a creative and talented individual who cannot sit within four walls when they feel their calling and purpose – to make this world a better place. That is why more than four years ago, we created our integration theater…”
Chernihiv has an unusual theater, or more precisely, a Youth Integration Studio Theater called “MIST”. “Our actors are people with disabilities, but their uniqueness lies in the fact that they are all very gifted and talented!
We are the ‘MIST’ that any person can pass through to reach their heart,” says Irina Pisnya, the artistic director and founder of the theater.
“We have already shown Chernihiv residents more than one quality performance. We not only want to be seen and heard, but we also want to destroy stereotypes about people with disabilities! Our theater is not about pity. It is about creativity, genius, and potential! It is not just ‘theater therapy’ for the actors, it is transformation for everyone who sees our shows!”.
For our actors, the "MIST" theater is like a second family
“On stage, they don’t just act, they live! For them, it’s more than just a game, it’s life itself! A life without limitations, where they can be anyone…”
“We consider January 6, 2019, the founding date of the Youth Integration Studio Theater ‘MIST’,” says Mrs. Irina. “It was on this day that our theater’s first play ‘Nativity Scene. Christmas event’ premiered. That’s how we were ‘born’ on Christmas…
“Through art, our actors become creators of life. Life without pain and humiliation. Because in art, there is no disability. We don’t just want to change attitudes toward people with disabilities, we change ourselves first and say to the whole world: ‘We could do it, so you can too…’ For our actors – and there are more than two dozen of them in our theater – it is a wonderful opportunity to be needed, to realize themselves as full-fledged individuals.”
Their creative enthusiasm can be envied by any professional team! Just imagine – some of them have to leave for Sherstyanka (our rehearsals take place here in the “Center for Culture and Art”) several hours earlier and get there on their own, because not all buses and trolleybuses are equipped with special ramps for wheelchairs. Even if they have to walk, they go, because they want to make it to the rehearsal! Most of the actors are over 18, their education is already behind them, and our rehearsals twice a week are the only opportunity to feel like a part of a creative team… For our actors, the “MIST” theater is a second family, a place for communication, friendship, creative realization and transformation. Our youngest actor is 12 years old, but there are only two actors of this age, the rest are already adults.”
Our volunteer, Vlad Hluhenkyi, currently a student at Nizhyn College of Culture and Arts, has been with us for 8 years since I headed the rehabilitation theater “Divosad”. He helps our actors adapt to the stage. Volunteers come to us just for “technical” assistance – for example, to help people in wheelchairs get on stage, and then get involved in the theatrical process. There are no restrictions for us, says Irina Pisnia. We welcome anyone who is interested – a person comes to us, and if they find it interesting, they stay – as an actor or a volunteer. I invite people with disabilities. If you have a creative side and want to be a part of our theatrical family, just come to rehearsals.
On our stage, there are no people with disabilities, only Actors
What all our actors have in common is that they rehearse seriously and transform themselves. And then a theatrical miracle happens on stage: like a young person with autism who has been locked in their own world for years, stepping onto the stage and delivering a brilliant performance! We have had many touching stories like this over the years… Some of our actors initially had difficulty making contact, but through their stage persona, they emerged from their closed world. That’s the magic of it! There were also those who initially had poor speech but now have roles with a considerable number of lines. For example, Natalochka Hatsura, who in life is very shy and quiet… but if you saw her on stage, she delivers such lines! The way she transforms into Pronya Prokopivna in the play “Chasing Two Hares”, she is such a Pronya – fiery, full of energy, talent, and charisma! On our stage, there are no people with mental disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or those in wheelchairs – there are simply incredible Actors! At each rehearsal, they raise the bar of their abilities, and for our actors, every rehearsal is a small victory!
Person with a disability: Breaking stereotypes
“Our organization’s main mission,” says Irina Pisnya, “is to break stereotypes, to show young people with disabilities in a different light. They have so much to offer us! To share their perception of the world, to change stereotypes about value systems, to contribute to cultural products. And most importantly – to change our society and our world for the better! On stage, everyone opens up and transforms – I give our actors such roles that they try themselves in different roles, which helps them discover something new… One of my actresses answered the question, “What is theater for you?” so sincerely and touching, “Theater for me is a new life.” Our actors believe so much in what they do, and they give themselves completely to it.”
I believe that our theater productions leave no one indifferent because all our actors give their all on stage and transmit incredible energy and emotions to the audience! We choose material for our plays primarily based on what interests our actors. They often ask for comedies, as we don’t want sad shows – we have enough sadness offstage… But at the same time, we also take on philosophical, symbolic productions, such as “The Blue Bird” by Maurice Maeterlinck… And every time someone sees that we have taken on such a challenging material, I hear, “Oh, that’s such a difficult material. How did you dare to take it on?” As if not all professional actors would take it on… But we are not afraid, and we take it on and embody it! We set high goals and move forward. This is how we made our theater repertoire!
We regularly showcase all our productions and make two premieres a year, choosing material that encourages both the actors and the audience to reflect on something.
In 2020, we launched the International Creative Festival “Mistok” for children and youth with disabilities. It was held at Golubi Ozeri in 2020 and 2021. I see incredible positive changes in all of our actors, and I dream of having a psychologist and a speech therapist involved in our theater to achieve even greater progress!
Marina Fedosova also greatly helps me and the actors. She is our mentor and inspiration. Today, our group has almost twenty actors, and we are all volunteers. Everything is based on the initiative of the participants and their parents. We communicate and share emotions outside of rehearsals because it is a part of our life. We have been fortunate to meet many caring people, such as Natalia Vlasenko from “Boomerang of Good Deeds” and Olya Dlyshna from “Sky of the Slavs.” They provide us with a rehearsal and premiere space free of charge in the premises of the Center for Culture and Arts at 8 Dmytra Samokvasova Street. We are grateful to Dmytro Melnychuk for this.
Our actors are also involved in charity and support for the army – some, like Igor Datsenko, make bracelets out of paracord, girls paint pictures by numbers, embroider pictures with beads, make various handicrafts, and later we all participated in a charity fair to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Soon – on April 30th – the premiere of the play “Sorochynsky Fair” will take place, which we have been working on for the past year. We invite everyone to our premiere: come, it’s not just an hour-long show, it’s a time of beauty and restoration!
