Backstory English Bookshop - Events

Courage isn’t something we simply switch on. Between the fear we feel and the courageous actions we choose lies a rich, liminal space where reflection and insight help us find our next step.

In this 90-minute guided journaling workshop, author and facilitator Jenn Baljko invites participants to explore that space through writing prompts, reflective exercises, and experiential practices.

Drawing on ideas from her book The In Between, this interactive session offers a welcoming space to explore how stories of fear and courage shape the choices we make. No writing experience is needed, and a workbook will be provided.

Bring your favorite pen, some curiosity, and a willingness to explore the curves of your own spiral path.

About the host:
Jenn Baljko is a catalyst for midlife women ready to take their brave next step. She helps women navigate periods of transition and move from uncertainty into clarity, confidence, and wonder-filled action. As an author and creativity kindler at Always On My Way, she designs and facilitates life-giving experiences, walk-and-talks, and immersive gatherings that reignite women’s creative superpower and realign them with what matters most. Her work blends storytelling, reflective practices, intuitive movement, and creative exploration, initiating and guiding women through the liminal space where fear curves into courage.

A casual (but coordinated) coffee break to meet new friends, take a Zoom break, and get your AM caffeine fix.

Stop by for a few minutes or stay the whole time. Bring a friend or wander in solo. Come for the coffee and company, or just bring a book to read while surrounded by other in-real-life, community-seeking humans. Come by every Friday, or just when you happen to be in town. Make it whatever you need it to be that week. It's not an *event* per se, but we hope these Friday meet-ups can become a fixture of the bookshop!

Gathering spot will be in the downstairs area of the bookshop (near the Community Library). Coffee and tea are 1.50€ and can be purchased at the cash register upstairs. Find more info on our Instagram (@backstorybookshop) or website (www.backstorybookshop.com).

In a world where fascists are winning elections, economic inequality is rampant, and the climate crisis is at its tipping point, it can feel like the amount of work needed to overcome these injustices is too much to handle. But what if there is a way to lower the threshold to action? Who will free us if not ourselves?

In her new book Radical Justice, international human rights lawyer Nani Jansen Reventlow offers a powerful and practical guide for strengthening the movement for freedom and equality for all. Drawing on decades of legal and activist work, she shows how each of us—within our own spheres of influence—can take meaningful action toward systemic change. Inspired by anti-racist and social justice thinkers such as Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò and Angela Davis, Radical Justice moves beyond despair and into action. The book explores concrete pathways including strategic litigation, digital rights, reparations, and climate justice, while inviting readers to learn, reflect, and act in a society that often tells us change is impossible.

Brandee Butler, CEO of the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) and a long-time strategist working at the intersection of human rights, philanthropy, and responsible business, will host Jansen Reventlow in conversation. Taking inspiration from the book, they will explore some of the most pressing issues of our time and, most importantly, how each of us can be the revolution.

EVENT SCHEDULE
17:30 Walk-in and informal mingling
18:00 Conversation begins
19:00 Book signing and continued conversation
19:30 Event ends

About the speakers

Nani Jansen Reventlow is an internationally recognised human rights lawyer who has worked with communities, movements, courts, and international institutions to challenge structural injustice and expand civic space. Her work spans environmental justice, corporate accountability, democratic freedoms, and the protection of frontline activists. She is the founder of Systemic Justice, which advocates for marginalised communities across Europe through strategic litigation. Previously, she founded the Digital Freedom Fund. Nani has been honoured with awards from Harvard, Oxford and Columbia University, among others.

Brandee M. Butler is a lawyer, human rights advocate, and philanthropic strategist with more than two decades of experience working at the intersection of civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector to advance justice and accountability. Her work focuses on strengthening social movements, mobilizing philanthropic capital, and engaging businesses and public institutions in efforts to build more equitable and sustainable economic systems.