Dasha Pimenov

Inspired by my father’s stories of serving in the military during the Soviet-Afghan War, “Yankee Doodle” is about a veteran who struggles to readjust to his former civilian life while wrestling with the guilt and trauma of his military past. As a personal witness to the ways in which recurrent and intrusive thoughts of a traumatic event can strain relationships, I aimed to find a creative way to destigmatize the male emotional vulnerability that comes with military PTSD. It's about time we realize that there is no shame in asking for help.