{"id":8090,"date":"2026-10-14T10:51:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T16:51:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/?p=8090"},"modified":"2026-10-14T10:54:40","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T16:54:40","slug":"telling-lithuanias-story-reporter-stephanie-zimmermann-on-the-sun-times-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/telling-lithuanias-story-reporter-stephanie-zimmermann-on-the-sun-times-series\/","title":{"rendered":"Telling Lithuania\u2019s Story. Reporter Stephanie Zimmermann on the Sun-Times Series"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">At the end of July, the <em>Chicago Sun-Times<\/em> published a six-part series on Lithuania that drew wide attention among Lithuanian Americans. Readers shared the stories on social media, read them closely, and discussed them throughout the community. Over two intensive weeks, reporter Stephanie Zimmermann and photographer Ashlee Rezin traveled across Lithuania to introduce American readers to the country today\u2014its experience of democracy, security challenges, economic growth, basketball ties to Chicago, and its people\u2019s hopes and concerns for the future. They also interviewed former Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus. The reporting was supported by the Pulitzer Center\u2019s Richard C. Longworth Media Fellowship.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-8090 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/layout-1-14\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"876\" src=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ST.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-8085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ST.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ST-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ST-1024x641.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ST-150x94.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-8085'>\n\t\t\t\tChicago Sun-Times reporter Stephanie Zimmermann and photographer Ashlee Rezin talk about the two weeks they spent reporting across Lithuania, and the stories that stayed with them.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Zimmermann\u2019s choice of Lithuania was deeply personal: it is her mother\u2019s native country. Vida Kuprys spoke with her about her Lithuanian roots, how the project began, two demanding weeks of reporting, and what the journey came to mean to her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">The series was warmly received by Lithuanian American readers. What is your own connection to Lithuania, and when did you first begin thinking about traveling there to report an entire series?<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">My mom was born in Lithuania and left when she was 6 years old in the summer of 1944, during World War II. She fled with her mom, dad, and three siblings, including her baby brother. They were \u201cdisplaced persons\u201d in Germany.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">My mom spent her school-age years in Germany and the rest of her life in the United States, after arriving here as a college student. I think because of that, and because she married my dad, who is not Lithuanian, her connection to Lithuania faded over time. They moved around the country and finally settled in Wisconsin, where I grew up. There wasn\u2019t a big Lithuanian community in our town, like there is in Chicago, so I was never involved in all the Lithuanian American activities like language classes or folk dancing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I also think that because of her childhood trauma, she may have associated her native country with a lot of sadness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">But it\u2019s interesting because there was always a little kernel of \u201cLithuanian-ness\u201d in my mom, and it eventually blossomed. She was very excited about their independence movement starting in the late \u201880s. That in turn got me interested in Lithuania. I was a young journalist then. I remember following the events in Lithuania and, later on, cheering for their basketball team at the 1992 Summer Olympics.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_8087\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8087\" style=\"width: 295px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8087\" src=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/XXSUNTIMESstephanies-mom-on-an-avilys-172x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"295\" height=\"515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/XXSUNTIMESstephanies-mom-on-an-avilys-172x300.jpg 172w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/XXSUNTIMESstephanies-mom-on-an-avilys-86x150.jpg 86w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/XXSUNTIMESstephanies-mom-on-an-avilys.jpg 641w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 295px) 100vw, 295px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-8087\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephanie Zimmermann\u2019s mother as a toddler in Lithuania. (Provided by Stephanie Zimmermann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">My mom read Draugas News and Lithuanian Heritage magazine to keep up with events in Lithuania. During the COVID pandemic, we were looking for a diversion, so I said, \u201cWhy don\u2019t you teach me Lithuanian?\u201d Ha ha! Easier said than done! But she taught me a few very basic words: numbers, colors, family members, household items, and it was a nice way to keep ourselves busy when we were stuck inside. Later, after she died, I decided to really learn the language. I am trying, anyway! And since fall 2023, I have been doing a weekly Zoom meeting with a language teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The first time I went to Lithuania was in 2019, when my mom was still alive. I had been hearing for years from my cousins about how beautiful it is there, so my husband and I took a trip to Vilnius and Trakai.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">We liked it so much that we returned in 2024 with our two adult daughters and their significant others. On that trip, we saw a lot more of the country, including a wonderful trip to the coast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">When I heard about the Pulitzer Center fellowship, I immediately thought that Lithuania would be a great topic to pitch.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">First of all, Lithuania is not often covered by major media in the U.S., which is a shame.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">And second, there are great stories there! Their fight to get out from under Soviet occupation was not that long ago\u2014and I thought it was interesting that we could hear from those who were there, unlike in America, where our independence fight happened 250 years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Lithuania is also very interesting because of where it sits in Europe, basically holding the line against Putin\u2019s Russia and Russia\u2019s ally Belarus. That\u2019s a really important story right now, given all the talk about the future of NATO. For people in Lithuania, that\u2019s an existential matter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">And of course, Lithuania and Chicago have so many strong ties, and I work for the <em>Chicago Sun-Times<\/em>, which is part of Chicago Public Media.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">So for all those reasons, I felt strongly that this was an important place to focus on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">You received the Pulitzer Center\u2019s Richard C. Longworth Media Fellowship for this project. How does the fellowship work, and what did it make possible for you and Ashlee?<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The fellowship is for journalists to do international stories of interest and importance to a Midwest audience, which seemed perfect for this project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">If you are chosen, they provide a grant for all the travel and resources you will need, based on a budget you submit with your application. They covered our air travel, lodging, transportation, food, and the services of our local translator, who doubled as a driver, for the two weeks we were in Lithuania.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-8090 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/1xxstephanie-su-adamkum\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"601\" src=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1xxstephanie-su-adamkum.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-8084\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1xxstephanie-su-adamkum.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1xxstephanie-su-adamkum-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1xxstephanie-su-adamkum-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-8084'>\n\t\t\t\tStephanie Zimmermann interviews former Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus in Vilnius. (Photo Ashlee Rezin\/Chicago Sun-Times)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">There is no way we could have gone on this reporting trip otherwise, so we are really grateful for that support.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The Pulitzer Center was wonderful to work with. They don\u2019t exercise any editorial control; they trust the people they choose to do good journalism.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">This was your third trip to Lithuania. How extensively did you prepare for two weeks of reporting?<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I did a ton of prep before the trip. First, I had to do a lot of research just to submit the proposal. Once we were chosen, I did more research and set up as many in-country interviews as possible to maximize our time. Our schedule was like a well-choreographed ballet, with interviews in various locales from morning until evening, including on the weekends.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Al Domanskis of Chicago was a big help in connecting me with sources in Chicago and Lithuania, and the Lithuanian Consulate in Chicago was crucial in connecting me with government and business sources.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-8090 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/sun-times001\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1160\" src=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Sun-times001.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-8086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Sun-times001.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Sun-times001-300x249.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Sun-times001-1024x848.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Sun-times001-150x124.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-8086'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Chicago Sun-Times front page introducing its special series on Lithuania featured former Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus as \u201cChicago\u2019s First President.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I was so grateful that former President Valdas Adamkus made time to meet with us.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">On the whole, people were exceptionally welcoming and open to being interviewed. Once they started talking, we got really deep into these ideas of democracy, defense, and related matters. Several people did extended interviews of 60 to 90 minutes, and I wish I could have used more of that material. But everything I learned from those conversations ended up influencing the stories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Many times, a conversation with one person would lead me to several other people. Ashlee and I started joking that it seems like everyone in Lithuania knows each other!<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">If you had traveled without a set reporting assignment, simply following your own interests as a journalist and visitor, what else would you have wanted to explore? What personal impressions did not find their way into the six published articles?<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I really find this whole idea of Lithuanian young people recently being named the \u201cworld\u2019s happiest\u201d to be very interesting \u2013 even though they all recognize that they sit in a vulnerable place on the map of Europe. I got into that idea a little bit in the stories. But that is something I\u2019d explore more, if I had the space to do it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">How do young people hold two ideas in their head simultaneously: \u201cI\u2019m optimistic, and yet I\u2019m maybe also a bit worried\u201d? I mean, look at how Lithuanians have rallied to help Ukraine. The presence of an aggressive Russia is clearly on their minds.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-8090 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/lithuania-06xx26-39-jpg\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"934\" src=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/STLithuania-06XX26-39.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-8088\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/STLithuania-06XX26-39.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/STLithuania-06XX26-39-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/STLithuania-06XX26-39-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/STLithuania-06XX26-39-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-8088'>\n\t\t\t\tThousands of Lithuanians rally in Vilnius in April to defend the independence of public broadcaster Lithuanian Radio and Television. (Photo Ashlee Rezin\/Chicago Sun-Times)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The answer I got from most people I spoke with was, well, we know where we sit on the map, but at the same time, life goes on. What can you do except be prepared, advocate for yourself, and keep going with work and school and life? I really respect that attitude.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Also, just seeing how many people were willing to stand up for journalism and the arts in the culture protests in Lithuania was really interesting to me \u2013 pushing back against illiberal forces and standing up for a democratic culture that\u2019s important to protect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">What moment from the journey made the deepest impression on you? What surprised or delighted you? Was there anything that troubled or disappointed you?<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This doesn\u2019t necessarily surprise me, but it was striking how ordinary Lithuanians would share with me what they really think about the U.S. administration disparaging NATO, yet Lithuanian politicians were a lot less likely to vigorously condemn it.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery galleryid-8090 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/xxp8at-ikea\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"925\" src=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/XXP8at-ikea.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-8089\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/XXP8at-ikea.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/XXP8at-ikea-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/XXP8at-ikea-1024x677.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/XXP8at-ikea-150x99.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/XXP8at-ikea-310x205.jpg 310w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-8089'>\n\t\t\t\tSun-Times reporter Stephanie Zimmermann and photo editor Ashlee Rezin attend a tour of the Inno Line factory in Klaip\u0117da, one of four furniture factories owned by SBA Home in Lithuania. (Photo Karolis Vy\u0161niauskas\/For the Chicago Sun-Times)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">That was not surprising \u2013 of course, politicians are going to be more diplomatic \u2013 but it\u2019s a sign of how smaller countries feel they have to tiptoe around bigger countries, and on a personal level, that makes me sad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">One thing I wish more Americans understood is how physically small the distances are in Lithuania\u2019s neighborhood. The Suwa\u0142ki Gap is only 65 miles long. I tell people to imagine if Illinois were Lithuania, Iowa were Kaliningrad (Russia), and Indiana were Belarus. That\u2019s how closely they feel the threat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">During the trip, did you feel that you were in some way a part of Lithuania, that your roots were there? How did you connect with the people you met, and did the Lithuanian you have been learning prove useful?<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">One hundred percent, I felt connected! I honestly felt like my Lithuanian mom was present during all of it \u2013 the preparation, the interviews, the writing \u2013 the whole project. A photo of my mom as a baby, sitting on an empty beehive box, is my cellphone screen saver, so I see that all the time. There were some funny coincidences that made me feel her presence, including when we were driving in southwestern Lithuania to try to get to a Sunday market to interview people, and we had to take a different route because one of the country roads was not great. We turned the car around, and not 100 meters ahead was a sign for PAJEVONYS, which happened to be where my mom lived as a baby, around the time that photo on my phone was taken.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-6' class='gallery galleryid-8090 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/1xxpajevonys-cmyk\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" src=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1xxpajevonys-cmyk.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-8083\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1xxpajevonys-cmyk.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1xxpajevonys-cmyk-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1xxpajevonys-cmyk-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1xxpajevonys-cmyk-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-8083'>\n\t\t\t\tSun-Times reporter Stephanie Zimmermann in the Lithuanian town of Pajevonys, where her mother lived as a young girl. (Photo Ashlee Rezin\/Chicago Sun-Times)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Learning Lithuanian (even as rudimentary as my skills still are, after two and a half years) was very helpful. I think when people see my last name, \u201cZimmermann,\u201d they don\u2019t expect me to speak any Lithuanian. So it definitely was an ice-breaker. And I think even though most people spoke perfect English, they appreciated that I was trying to learn their native language.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">When we spoke, you were preparing to return to Lithuania on August 11 for a family celebration. What can you tell us about your family ties there? Was Lithuania already a strong presence in your life, or has this reporting project deepened that connection?<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">My sister and I didn\u2019t grow up with all of the Lithuanian activities that many diaspora kids did, because we were only half-Lithuanian.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I was always in touch with my first cousins in America and Germany, two of whom were 100% Lithuanian and were, and are, very plugged in with the Lithuanian community.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">After independence, I got to meet some second cousins and other relatives who traveled to the U.S., including one who moved here permanently and started a family here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">In recent years, it has been really fun getting to know this whole other wing of the family. Some are people my age who lived very different lives during the Cold War.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This summer, we are having a big cousins\u2019 reunion in Lithuania with family members from the U.S., Germany, and Lithuania, and I\u2019m really looking forward to seeing people who I know well and meeting others for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">Did you see the Lithuanian American community differently after your reporting trip?<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Besides the interviews I did while reporting in Lithuania, I interviewed several Lithuanian Americans in Chicago. I knew the diaspora here was very connected with people in Lithuania, but I didn\u2019t realize how much people in Chicago actively helped and supported Lithuania as it worked for its independence. That was a revelation for me \u2013 those strong ties and all the hard work that went into that. The volunteers who started the Lithuanian Hotline and Lithuanian Mercy Lift really deserve a lot of credit for all the work they did to get Lithuania on its feet at an important time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">The series made a tremendous impression on the Lithuanian community. What has the response meant to you, personally and as a journalist?<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I\u2019m just glad people are reading and sharing the stories! There\u2019s nothing worse than writing a story that nobody reads.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">Here\u2019s my chance to remind people that the whole series is at suntimes.com\/lithuania, and there is no paywall!<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><span class=\"s1\">The Chicago Sun-Times has graciously given Draugas News permission to reprint several articles from the series. They will appear in the next two issues of the paper.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Published:<\/strong> Draugas News, August 2026, <\/span><span style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif;\">Vol. 14 No. 8<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At the end of July, the Chicago Sun-Times published a six-part series on Lithuania that drew wide attention among Lithuanian Americans. Readers shared the stories on social media, read them closely, and discussed them throughout the community. Over two intensive weeks, reporter Stephanie Zimmermann and photographer Ashlee Rezin traveled across Lithuania to introduce American readers &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":8085,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[204,122,70,226],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-culture","category-diaspora","category-history-1900","category-interview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8090"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8090\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8099,"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8090\/revisions\/8099"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.draugas.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}