iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

What happens when soldiers, police, and politicians rewrite the law? Whose freedoms are protected—and whose are pushed aside?

Amnesty International Indonesia is a branch of the global human rights movement Amnesty International. Established in 2017, it works to promote and protect human rights in Indonesia through campaigns, advocacy, research, and education.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

How did Singapore’s economic model create Singapore’s current cost of living crisis? PJ Thum explains! Watch Season 2 Episode 4: Singapore’s Cost of Living Crisis on our Discusses channel here:

youtube.com

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

If people cannot speak freely without fear of government oppression, they cannot participate in their country’s governance.

Freedom of expression is one of the most important principles in upholding a proper democracy.

But how do we ensure that this freedom is rightfully respected by all parties within society?

A government cannot be representative if people cannot or do not speak up, organise, or act freely, as their voices would not be heard.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

Ever wondered how Singapore’s economic model keeps raising GDP while also making the cost of living worse for Singaporeans? New Naratif and the NeoKeleLims explain. Watch here:

youtube.com

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

Four bowls stand before Lisa the Clairvoyant Malayan Sun Dog. But only one will become Singapore's Next Top Government. In 2020, Lisa successfully predicted the result of the Singapore General Elections. Who will she predict to win in 2025? Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbDm4mdZtYA

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

“Storytelling is already challenging as it is, but it becomes more challenging when you realize that stories continue as you document and write them Our stories are not just to be photographed or to be read; these are lives we are living with consequently, [...] ...

Meet Geela Garcia, author of “Struggle, Resilience, Solidarity: A Gaza-Filipino Cookbook”

Geela is a freelance photographer, journalist, and lens-based artist.

What is the story behind your piece, and what compelled you to tell that story?

Through this work, we hope to share very human stories of home, displacement, and migration, while also discussing how starvation is being used as a weapon of war in Palestine.

To prepare food is to care, nourish a person, and sustain relationships. It is a way to help us understand complex questions about the world through the lens of food production, ingredients, and the people behind what we eat.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Through trials and tribulations, Singapore’s greatest love story perseveres. ❤️ The Show with PJ Thum is back for another season – just in time to warm up for Singapore’s upcoming General Elections.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Surprise! A new episode of The Show with PJ Thum is out now! 😉 Watch Season 2 Episode 3: The Goh Keng Swee Dilemma on our Discusses channel here:

youtube.com

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Through a collection of recipes by Josephine Abuhannieh, a Palestinian refugee family tells their story of survival in the Philippines and how they have maintained a connection to their homeland through food.

Struggle, Resilience, Solidarity: A Gaza-Filipino Cookbook

Concept and Photographs by Geela Garcia
Recipes by Josephine Abuhannieh

New Naratif x BEBESEA

To rest under the shade of an olive tree and to share the warmth of a meal should be a right, not a privilege.

Yet under Israeli occupation, Palestinians are denied the right to rest, gather, and even eat.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Step right up, fellow Singaporeans! Join us for Voices of Ordinary Singaporeans, the launch event of New Naratif’s upcoming book, “We Singaporeans are very Concerned: The Citizens’ Agenda 2025” with @pjthum and Friends!

Voices of Ordinary Singaporeans

We Singaporeans are very Concerned: The Citizens’ Agenda 2025 Book Launch
with PJ Thum and Friends

Friday, 25 April, 7:00pm - 10:00pm SGT
Redrum, The Projector at Golden Mile Tower

Get event tickets here: bit.ly/VoOSt

Join PJ Thum alongside our panel of advocates and experts as we unpack some of Singapore’s most pressing issues, during the launch of the much-awaited We Singaporeans are very Concerned: The Citizens’ Agenda 2025 Book!

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

In 2024, we ran The Citizens’ Agenda survey in Singapore based on this question: "In your opinion, what issues do you consider important to Singapore and think that the candidates in the upcoming General Election should talk about as they compete for your vote?"

We Singaporeans are very Concerned: The Citizens’ Agenda 2025

Singaporeans have spoken. Now is the time to listen to one another.

The collective concerns of Singaporeans matter – and we have compiled them into one book. Introducing:

WE SINGAPOREANS ARE VERY CONCERNED
THE CITIZENS’ AGENDA 2025

Based on the explainer series and award-winning program by New Naratif.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

“As an immigrant kid of parents who left their homeland to give me a better life, I find myself interconnected with the struggles of distressed migrants who also fight for themselves and their families to have a better life."

Meet Francis Catedral, producer of “Rumah Ketigaku (My Third Home)”

Francis is a documentary filmmaker with works around migrant domestic worker-led organizations in the Philippines and Indonesia.

What is the story behind your piece and what compelled you to tell that story?

What drew me to documenting Bethune House, a migrants' shelter in Hong Kong, is the sense of purpose and courageousness I saw in the migrants despite the overwhelming odds they faced. As they relate to one another and others who have been through similar struggles, they begin to see that they are not alone. People are transformed when they experience care and empowerment.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

Checks and balances prevent the concentration of power in any one person or group, and protect citizens from being abused, oppressed, or otherwise taken advantage of.

Power can be dangerous if it’s concentrated, with no other forces to balance it out.

How do we ensure the power that our governments hold does not go unchecked?

Checks and balances are an arrangement in a democratic system where power is distributed among separate and distinct responsibilities.

Such mechanisms can include:
- Different branches of government
- Independent state institutions (anti-corruption watchdogs, minority rights councils, elections commissions)
- Non-state actors (the media, non-governmental organisations [NGOs], and other civil society actors)

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Facing the heartbreak of separation from her family and the challenges of a labor dispute, an Indonesian domestic worker finds solace and solidarity in a migrant shelter. A house is not a home by design, yet Bethune House ultimately became her third home.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

“These are the stories of the victims of mass deportations that continue to this day, especially capturing the conditions of children. [They] recount several interrelated episodes surrounding the arrest of children and their parents as undocumented migrant workers in Sabah..."

Meet Alim Mursid, author of “Drawings of Struggle and Hope”

Born and raised on the island of Nunukan, North Kalimantan, Indonesia, Alim has always been aware of Nunukan's role as a transit point for migrant workers and deported children from various parts of Indonesia to Sabah.

What is the story behind your piece and what compelled you to tell that story?

Since 2021, we have been accompanying the deportation and repatriation of migrant workers and their families from Sabah to Nunukan.

After seeing their first-hand conditions after deportation, we began to write several reports about the situations inside the immigration detention depots, including the inhumane treatment they experienced during their detention.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

As elected officials, governments are responsible for fulfilling their promises and maintaining a healthy, thriving democracy.

As citizens, we are the ultimate watchdog for democracy.

How do we hold our governments accountable and ensure transparency for the sake of the people?

The basic tenet of transparency is openness — one that requires the decisions and actions of those who hold power over the public to be open to public scrutiny.

With that openness, the people are incentivised to demand responsibility from those in power or funded by the public purse. This is what it means to hold a government accountable.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Singapore! We’ll be seeing you this Saturday, 22nd March 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. SGT, for our Lokakarya Rakyat workshop!

Lokakarya Rakyat
Singapore

How to Get There: 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace

MRT to Chinatown Station (DT19 / NE4), exit via Exit C and walk 5 mins

MRT to Outram Park Station (EW16 / NE3 / TE17), exit via Exit 3, Exit 4 or Exit 8 and walk 10 mins

Bus to Chinatown Stn Exit C (Stop ID: 05013), and walk 5 mins via People’s Park Complex
for bus routes 2, 12, 12e, 33, 61, 63, 80, 143, 197, 961, 961M, 970

Bus to Opp State Ct (Stop ID: 06171), and walk 4 mins
for bus routes 51, 143, 174, 174e, 186

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Seven drawings by children in Immigration Detention Depots illustrate the harsh reality of families torn apart by forceful deportations in Nunukan, Kalimantan. These artworks emerge from a safe space where deported children find expression through art and storytelling.

Drawings of Struggle and Hope

A visual essay by Alim Mursid

New Naratif x BEBESEA

What happens when home lies only in memories and fragments?

Through drawings, undocumented children of Nunukan, Kalimantan, weave together the meaning of home, freedom, and dreams.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

It’s time to meet your speaker, Kokila Annamalai, for our Lokakarya Rakyat: Singapore workshop this Saturday! ✨ If you’re deeply passionate about bread and butter issues in SG, and want to know how to make the changes you want a reality, we want you to join our workshop!

Meet your speaker for…

Lokakarya Rakyat Singapore

Kokila Annamalai is a community organiser and advocate deeply involved in supporting families of death row inmates in Singapore.
A core member of the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), she also organises workers and low-income tenants with Workers Make Possible. Kokila combines over a decade of experience in community development, arts, and education to address systemic injustices and foster dialogue on abolition and human rights.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

“I received numerous complaints as an organizer for the migrant domestic workers in Malaysia. We are committed to advocating for the notion that freedom of association is one of the potential solutions to mitigate these issues. Domestic laborers are resilient; however, we require assistance.”

Meet Nasrikah, writer of “Behind Closed Doors”

Nasrikah has been an Indonesian migrant worker in Malaysia for more than twenty years. She is currently the founder and coordinator for the Indonesian Migrant Domestic Workers Association (PERTIMIG).

My job background is frequently marginalized by grand narratives, as I am a migrant domestic worker. My existence should be recognized in the same way as that of other workers who also contribute to the national economy.

I have encountered numerous forms of exploitation and discrimination, and this situation persists for the majority of migrant domestic workers. Therefore, I am compelled to urge the international community to demonstrate respect for our work.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Friends in Singapore, if you relate to anything (or everything) we’ve listed out in the post, listen up! 🇸🇬 We want you to take part in our Lokakarya Rakyat workshop and share your big ideas on the kinds of communities you want to see in Singapore!

Our fellow Singaporeans…

Have you ever felt that you and your community lack ample space to make decisions for yourselves?

We’re pretty sure that you have noticed issues like

- the rising cost of living,
- housing becoming unaffordable for ordinary Singaporeans,
- local communities becoming more apathetic with each other…

Don’t you feel like there should be something you can do?

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

Migrant domestic workers in Malaysia face systemic vulnerabilities due to the absence of legal protections. Nasrikah reflects on her lived experiences and the broader struggles of migrant domestic work in Malaysia, a line of work that remains unrecognised as formal employment.

Behind Closed Doors: The Struggles and Hopes of Migrant Domestic Workers

An article by Nasrikah

New Naratif x BEBESEA

Amidst grueling workloads and an isolated life – loneliness and longing become their constant.

This is the story of migrant domestic workers in Malaysia, far from the warm embrace of home.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Often cast as an unachievable ideal, we argue that human rights are, simply, the basic goals of a government: (1) dignity and respect for all, (2) freedom from fear, and (3) freedom from hunger.

All Southeast Asian countries accept the universality of human rights principles.

But why do our governments still fall short in protecting and upholding them?

Human rights are often conceived as theoretical moral imperatives.

Although some rights are vilified as being inapplicable to real-life situations or deemed as foreign impositions, every single regional government has also repeatedly pledged to uphold human rights.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Singapore, are you ready to get democratic with us? 🇸🇬✊ If you’re deeply passionate about bread and butter issues in Singapore, and want to know how to make the changes you want for you and your community a reality, we want you at our Lokakarya Rakyat: Singapore workshop!

Lokakarya Rakyat
Singapore #1

Saturday, 22 March, 10:00am - 2:00pm SGT
Unit #03-27, 3rd Floor, 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace

Free entry!
Open to youths aged 18-35!

Tickets are limited! Register to join at bit.ly/LKR2025SG1

Have you noticed that…

The LTA increased MRT fares around the same time the system was plagued by service disruptions?

HDB flats are resold at high prices which leads to public housing being unattainable for ordinary Singaporeans?

It’s difficult to connect with other Singaporeans due to the daily struggles we face?

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

“My poem tells the story of a letter written by a political exile and sent to loved ones who are imprisoned inside the country. This poem is a letter sent from outside of the line to those who are still inside the line.”

Meet May Myat Zaw, writer of “430 Kilometers”

May is a writer with works that highlight the Burmese military junta's involvement in the political system.

What is the story behind your piece, and what compelled you to tell that story?

Since the Burmese military coup in 2021, many people have been torn from their families, friends, and colleagues. This has divided them into those who fled to the border and those who were imprisoned. People living at the border areas are facing oppression in many ways, while political prisoners inside the country are getting tortured silently.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Meet Ding, the artist behind our Pride and Liberation artwork, “Untitled”. “Using 3D modeling and inspired by tapestry, this piece invokes past, present, and future to point to a ground-up, emancipatory form of justice that is worker- and people-led, ... "(cont.)

Ding is currently a student and does art on the side. Ding's work has previously been featured by Pink Dot.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Hello Singapore! 🇸🇬✨ We are refreshed, reloaded, and super pumped to be back for the next round of our Lokakarya Rakyat workshops!

Lokakarya Rakyat
Singapore

Workshop 2025

The 2025 General Elections are coming very soon, however, we would like to throw some questions for you to ponder…

Have you noticed certain pressing issues going unaddressed by your representatives?

Ever wondered where you can channel your desires and concerns for your country and community more tangibly?

Did you know that you can also create changes outside of the elections every 5 years?

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Who shapes the boundaries of thought? In Southeast Asia, states often shape national identity through religion, using it to define norms and consolidate power.

If people cannot think freely, they cannot possibly act or speak freely.

How can our thoughts, visions, and perspectives influence governance in Southeast Asia?

Freedom of thought is a fundamental right, yet it is often shaped by those in power.

Through media control and propaganda, norms are made and narratives are forged.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Four years after the military junta's coup in Myanmar, the region continues to face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. From the Thai-Myanmar border, a letter is sent.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

“i have no need to chase it anymore - for i am the moonlight that i seek. i am, i am, i am.” Meet Nusha Dakshyni, the artist behind our Pride and Liberation artwork, “I Am”.

Meet Nusha Dakshyni, the artist behind “I Am”

Nusha Dakshyni is an artist and author. She sighs unconsciously 3 times every half hour and feels invincible, knowing she can do anything with stiletto nails.

Beyond art and academia in sociology, she spends her time with her Singapore Special, Rakhi.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

We partnered with Better Engagement Between East and Southeast Asia to invite members of migrant communities to pitch ideas for their original works about migration experiences and statelessness in Southeast Asia.

Introducing: New Naratif x BEBESEA Story Fellowship

2024 - 2025 Fellows

New Naratif x BEBESEA is back!

With an array of written and multimedia works alike, we’re happy to announce the new cohort of the New Naratif x BEBESEA Story Fellowship of 2024-2025.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

“Queer history requires us to wash away grand narratives, agitate the print a bit, and seek out the beautiful details that slowly emerge.” Meet Kukasina Ayesha Kubaha, the artist behind our Pride and Liberation artwork, “Nidra Nirat”.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

What’s the link between religion, public policy, and the fight for human rights? How can we ensure that laws and policies uphold justice and equality?

The Mufti (Federal Territories) 2024 Bill has sparked widespread debate in Malaysia over its potential implications for religious plurality, democratic governance, and constitutional rights.

While proponents argue that the bill will “streamline Islamic governance” and promote “uniformity in Islamic law,” critics warn it could significantly expand the powers of muftis, making fatwas legally binding in all courts and empowering decisions on “national interest” without parliamentary oversight.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Meet Theo Fredika, the illustrator behind our Pride and Liberation artwork, “Out of Frame”. It speaks to the importance of coming in before coming out and coming together to extend your hands toward liberation. Why is it that when you start to love yourself, you can extend your love to others?

Meet Theo Fredika, the artist behind “Out of Frame”

Theo Fredika is an illustrator aspiring to amplify marginalised voices through visual art mediums.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Many modern Southeast Asian countries often try to develop a thriving academic and research environment as an indicator of development. But how free are scholars and academics to pursue topics that challenge the interests of elites and those in power? #SEADispatches

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Sustainability this, equitability that. These terms are constantly being thrown around when it comes to development and governance.

In Southeast Asian democracies, what does it mean to be sustainable and equitable in terms of development?

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

“Art is so entwined in our lives and can carry so much essence, from the expression of self to fostering connection in communities. I know art will create a better future for all of us. ” Meet Nuzhatul Iman, the illustrator behind our Pride and Liberation artwork, “Kain”.

Meet Nuzhatul Iman, the artist behind “Kain”

Nuzhatul Iman is an occasional painter and an aspiring quintessential lover girl. As a Muslim Malay woman, she deems the term “hijabi” to be reductive.

She is currently longing for her retirement in the mountains.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

What makes history “official”? Who shapes that narrative? Governance without acknowledging history is unrepresentative of its people’s shared memories and lived realities.

Is history always a matter of interpretation?

This is the question we need to ask when examining Southeast Asia’s complex history.

History is often established by those in power with little room to be contested. This leads to cases of forgotten histories, even though the human experience begs to differ.

In Indonesia, for example, cases of human rights abuse are often pushed to the sidelines or redacted by the government. From the September 30 Movement in 1965 to the May 1998 Riots, many of these cases remain unsolved.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

“A better Southeast Asia: a place where queer people can live harmoniously with others without fearing judgment and harm from being who they are.” Meet Maquire, the illustrator behind our Pride and Liberation artwork, “Free Palestine Pride”.

Meet Maquire, the artist behind “Free Palestine Pride”

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Tahun baru, pemerintahan baru, tapi apa yang berubah? Apa yang bisa kita lakukan sebagai warga negara untuk memastikan keadilan HAM tetap diperjuangkan? Bagaimana kita bisa melawan lupa dan menjaga ingatan kolektif?

Menggugat Lupa: HAM dan Sejarah yang Terabaikan

Kamis, 23 Januari 2025
18.30–20.00 WIB

Daftar:newnaratif.com/event/pod11

Kolaborator:
Social Justice Indonesia (SJI)

Principles of Democracy
Agenda Warga

Social Justice Indonesia (SJI) adalah gerakan sekaligus komunitas yang menjembatani masyarakat Indonesia dalam mengenal, mengartikulasi, dan mencapai keadilan, kesetaraan, dan perubahan sosial.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

New Naratif is looking for a Design Intern! You will assist our Digital Designer with specific design-related tasks, such as preparing images for our social media posts based on available assets, sourcing free-royalty stock photos, helping with the creation of new assets, and other related tasks.

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New Naratif @newnaratif.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

This is our love letter to Southeast Asia, for all of its kaleidoscopic chaos and breathtaking beauty.

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