Aisana Ashim is a Kazakh journalist and civil movement activist. She is the founder of the independent media agency The Village Kazakhstan, and the co-founder of Masa Media, a political education project. In 2021, Aisana launched Batyr Jamal, an independent media platform aimed at empowering women and girls in Kazakhstan, focusing on their rights, safety, and self-worth.

Get ready to learn more about Kazakhstan and Almaty, the city I was born in, through one of its most prominent voices today.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Aisana’s path to founding independent media
• Learning about Kazakhstan's history and geography
• The legacy of colonization in Kazakhstan
• The state of women’s rights in Kazakhstan and the parallels Aisana sees in the US
• Can journalists be activists too?
• How our work can fit into the current landscape in the world 
• Aisana’s favorite places in Almaty and Kazakhstan

Featured on the show:

• Watch Qazaq Tili, a documentary about the Soviet erasure of the Kazakh language and culture (English subtitles)
• Learn more about the ancient Kazakh warrior queen, Tomiris
• Learn more about the unrest in Almaty in 2022
• Learn more about the role of radio in Rwanda's genocide
• Read Yulia's BBC Travel article about Kazakhstan
• Follow Aisana on Instagram
• Follow Village Kazakhstan on Instagram
• Follow Masa Media on Instagram
• Follow Batyr Jamal on Instagram

Get more information at: Going Places website

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Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. 

Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.