Revealing hidden stories of resilience

In May-June 2023, eight participants took part in the first ever Online Creative Residency from Europeana’s Digital Storytelling Festival. They worked with mentors in animation, social media stories and new writing relating to LGBTQ+ culture and communities. Eleni Maragkou uses an Instagram carousel to share her discoveries of hidden stories of resilience and queer figures' cultural impact. Explore her post and find out more about Eleni below.

About the author

Who am I?

My name is Eleni Maragkou, and I am a writer, editor, and researcher in the field of new media and online culture. Originally from Athens, Greece, I am currently based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Why did I apply to the Digital Storytelling Online Creative Residency?

What motivated me to apply for the Digital Storytelling Festival Online Creative Residency was my interest in growing as a multi-hyphenated media professional and digital storyteller. The residency theme which was grounded in queer history and heritage was especially exciting to explore.

What have I got out of the residency?

During my residency, I chose to focus on revealing hidden stories of resilience, which I chose to explore through three thematic posts. The themes were: queer slang, gender nonconformity across European history, and impactful queer cultural figures. A writer at heart, I challenged myself by condensing complex ideas and translating them into accessible and compelling visual content, drawing from the Europeana archive and personal research. I find Instagram particularly conducive to that, thanks to its carousel post feature.

Where might I go from here?

I'd be keen to develop these posts into longer articles providing more context, as a guide for those curious about the stories referenced.