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Genevieve Padalecki joined the author for a wonderful talk about the shaping of the future by storytelling. They discussed the binding concepts in Russell’s book, The Antidote, which included historical reckoning and collective imagination. And in this moment, it was time to raise awareness about the funding necessities of Pawnee Digital Heritage Project.
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Genevieve Padalecki is savoring the few moments she has to reflect upon the true magic of her work. She muses about an important recollection with Pulitzer Prize finalist Karen Russell. Even though the discussion about Russell’s book The Antidote took place some months ago, the thought has been “living in my head ever since,” shared Padalecki.
What set it apart? These literary conversations were very significant to Padalecki, as she resonated with them despite never having had the opportunity to meet Russell in person. Especially, she connected with Russell’s ideas on imagination and history—a place where the author described storytelling as both remembering the past and imagining a better future.
According to Russell, if “we won’t get there if we don’t reckon with the harms of the past,” we need a collective reckoning for “the stolen labor, the stolen land, the genocide on which our country was built.” At the same time, she spoke with hope for the “exciting work that we share” in “telling stories where humans have positive roles to play” and imagining together what a functioning, caring, and caretaking society could look like.”
Inspired by hope, Padalecki named a present-day cause near her heart. She mentioned how Dr. James Riding In and the Pawnee Nation recently experienced a loss of funding for their Pawnee Digital Heritage Project, an urgent project aimed at preserving the Pawnee language, archetypal stories, and cultural memory for future generations. Padalecki instantly shared their GoFundMe in her stories and urged everyone, “even a share helps keep this work alive.”
The followers responded at once and from the heart. Several began commenting on worthwhile content, some cried appreciation of her looks, but more complimented her hair. One user said, “Love this! And also your hair is so good right immediately.” And another followed with, “I love your passion for stories also your hair looks so amazing right immediately!”
The posts received good engagement on the meaning she shared. The other user responded with a majestic one: “Wow, this is so beautifully said. I love how you framed storytelling as both honoring the past and imagining a better future that really stuck with me. Thank you for sharing your convo with Karen Russell and also for spotlighting the Pawnee Digital Heritage Project.” The user furthers, “It’s such important work, and the way you connect stories across people and communities is so inspiring.”
Another fan went on and on about Padalecki’s gorgeous content: “I absolutely love seeing you have these thoughtful and fun conversations! You bring so much energy and curiosity, and it’s so inspiring to movie you connect with such talented authors like Karen Russell. This is the kind of content that makes me smile and reminds me why I love following you.”
Interestingly, the post inevitably sparked multiple global firestorms, one user urging Padalecki to “talk about gaza and Palestine,” another launching into a long rant about Palestinian rights. This says so much about how Padalecki’s platform has evolved into one where literary conversations spill into broader conversations about justice and human rights.
Several followers specifically praised Padalecki’s ability to connect stories across communities, with one noting how “inspiring” they found this approach. Another follower simply stated, “You are so inspiring to me,” which captures how many people feel about both her literary engagements and her advocacy work.
Some moments of levity do emerge from these heavy conversations about storytelling and cultural preservation. One said, “I need a bookshelf tour asap.” The other wondered when the original interview would be. “Oh gosh when was this interview? I can’t believe I missed it!”
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Through it all, Padalecki remembers the core message: storytelling is preservation and creation. She continued sharing Russell’s insights and then, with barely missing a beat, brought to light the dire needs of the Pawnee Digital Heritage Project–a shining example of how quick a literary conversation can be taken from theory to an immediate real-world need. That post is also a reminder to all of us: The stories we tell today are the foundation of the world we leave behind for another generation.
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