I N T R O
- Karolina & Sophie
- Jun 4, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 28, 2023
Let's dive deep into what lies behind and beyond the idea to start this project and what its primary aims are. First and foremost, we would like to share some of our personal experiences in order for you to understand our perspectives.
Our background
Though we come from different countries and socioeconomic contexts, we (the two founders of Beyond Tomorrow) have experienced similar struggles throughout our lives. These were a mix of deep-seated inner issues and a strong feeling of powerlessness about the state of the world. We are both highly sensitive, rather insecure women, and while we realise today that our compassion is one of our biggest strengths, it hasn’t always been easy to carry our heart on our sleeves in such a harsh world.
Our curiosity for the world around us as well as a profound desire to contribute positively to society led us to pursue a Master’s degree in International Journalism in Cardiff University, where we met each other for the first time. We both chose a documentary pathway, eager to learn a set of new skills that would allow us to combine our passions for storytelling and photography.
It was ‘friendship at first sight’. We discovered that despite our different backgrounds, we had similar outlooks on life and the world. Over time and after collaborating on several projects, an idea started to sprout in our minds: what if we could keep on telling the stories that matter to us, of people trying to make the world a better place?
Our aims
It took four people and a decent amount of time to come up with a name which would most accurately depict the essence of this project. Beyond Tomorrow was thus born, representing our future-oriented vision coupled with creativity and out-of-the-box thinking to reclaim it.
Our main goal is to share stories of people who are choosing in any shape or form to make a positive impact on our world, its ecosystems and any living creature (including themselves). We want to show that humans with good intentions still exist, and we would like you to be inspired by stories of selflessness and resilience.
During our studies, we were exposed to the concept of Solutions Journalism, which strongly resonated with us. Solutions journalism is a form of reporting that focuses on constructive and evidence-based coverage of responses and potential solutions to social issues, instead of only focusing on presenting problems.
Good news do exist - we just don’t hear about them as much as we hear bad news, which is why it can all become overwhelming at times. Studies* suggests that the interest in traditional media have been declining among the public in recent years or even decades. There are a number of reasons for this, including the rise of social media which led to a change in the way young people access and consume news. Not only do we see a growing preference for free short-form, instantly and effortlessly accessible news. Many readers also seem to be losing trust in media due to the upsurge in fake news or they simply want to avoid being impacted by the negativity bias which emerged especially during COVID-19.
We personally believe that there are still many media outlets and hard-working journalists who deserve to be supported and heard. Nonetheless, good quality journalism is, generally speaking, gradually dwindling due to a number of factors.
This is why we are adopting a different approach from traditional media structures. We aim to shine some light and bring some positivity into the news that people consume. Of course, our content won't solely be bathing in sunshine; we are not looking to deny the serious problems our societies are facing. However, our approach will ensure that we not only report on problems but also present coherent and engaging solutions. Additionally, you will find more personal stories from our travels and daily life.
Karolina’s background
I was born in Prague, where I lived for most of my life before moving to Wales for university at the age of twenty. Despite being tied down to the capital when I was young, my parents and I would often go up north to visit grandparents who lived in a small town near the Czech mountains. My relationship with the countryside has, therefore, always been very close.
In my twenties, I was plunged into a seemingly never-ending roller coaster of deep-seated inner and outer issues such as an anxiety around the climate and socio-economic crisis, the general detachment from nature and everything alive, the greediness of the rich to just name a few. My point of view used to be unhealthy, cynical and even nihilist. Overall, they were pretty dark times, and the light at the end of the tunnel was nowhere to be seen.
But in reality, the light was always there, shining through wonderful beings in my life that I love. It was my friends who I've been sharing my troubled thoughts to and who were always able to offer me the right dose of compassion as well as healthy and thoughtful perspectives. Without them, I would have never started this project, so thank you, and I am very excited about our future cooperation 🖤
Among my friends, I have always been known as the spontaneous 'going with the flow' type rather than the planner. Despite this indisputably accurate characteristics, though, my aims in life have always been surprisingly well-defined to me. Since the very young age I enjoyed writing and taking photographs and I remember always aspiring to be a journalist as this profession conveniently checks off all the important requirements off my list, for instance:
Doing creative work
Working with people
Travelling for work
Working for the purpose not the profit
Following my dream, I moved to the UK to get my Bachelor's degree in Media and Communication at Swansea University and then Master's in International Journalism at Cardiff University. Little did I know that about half the time I will study long-distance via Zoom, given the good old pandemic times. Which, in the case of journalism, was not necessarily the best case scenario and hardly did I get the full experience of these highly ranked institutions. In spite of the conditions though, I am still deeply grateful for the opportunity, especially for my Master's which made me to step into the field of documentary filmmaking for the first time.
Nevertheless, when I finished my degree at the end of 2021, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was still missing something to start any seriously-oriented career. I was working at the bar during my studies, and in order to save money and figure out what to do next, I decided to stay there. However, working long hours in an unfulfilling job eventually led me to burnout, and so I quit wondering what's going to come next. I've tried jobs here and there since, from copywriting to ski instructing, and even though I only started doing them for money at first, they all taught me skills in the end. Nonetheless, over the whole time, there was one perfect job I wanted to do the most out of all, and that was to start a journalistic project of my own.
Sophie’s background
Growing up in the Swiss mountains, I was sheltered from many of the world's misery and struggles. I had a privileged childhood, very close to nature while having access to modern life in one of the richest countries in the world, filled with first world's materialistic pleasures. Despite this, I always felt an inescapable void inside of me, create by years of never quite fitting in, and feeling things very strongly in a society that considers big feelings taboo.
I followed the path that was seemed to have been set up for me from the start up until I finished high school. The next logical step was to go university; however, I still had no idea what to do with my life. Sure, I had an old dream of becoming a writer, my passion since I was a little girl, but all the grown-ups had told me that couldn't be a 'real job'. So I made use of my privilege, and decided to take a year off to go travel the world and figure myself out before pursuing my studies.That's how I ended up confronted to realities so different that mine, that they shattered everything I once knew about the world, and proposed me into a deep existential crisis that I carried with me throughout my twenties.
After this 5-month trip planted the first seeds of my budding nomadic soul, it didn't take me long after my return to Switzerland to leave again, fuelled by an insatiable desire to see and understand more of the world. I chose to leave the conventional path and study my Bachelor's degree in International Studies while travelling the world, which I did for many years. I got to live my dream of seeing the wonders of our planet, while meeting many wonderful people and learning from their different cultures. My travels led me to work in many different environments, from farms to hostels, construction sites and refugee camps. These experiences opened my eyes to the deep inequalities that our system holds, and came with many valuable as well as painful lessons.
And on the way, I did become a writer, albeit a very hurt and confused one. I knew that after years on the road, I needed to slow down if I didn't want my compassion for the world and its inhabitants to entirely consume me. But I also knew that I could never completely return to a 'conventional life'. That's why I decided to do my Master's degree in International Journalism, and equip myself with new tools to tell stories that matter, and help making this world a better place.
See you very soon.
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