A Language of Resilience and Freedom: Why Students Across America Choose Ukrainian

Published: September 30, 2025

Language is never just words. It carries memory, identity, and resilience. For Ukrainians, every phrase holds centuries of struggle against erasure and the power of survival. That is why Russian imperial projects, past and present, have always attacked the Ukrainian language first.

Today, students across the United States are embracing Ukrainian – not only to study grammar and vocabulary, but to step into a community, to stand with a nation fighting for its future, and to learn the language of freedom.

Yet, many people with a personal or professional interest in Ukraine may still hesitate to commit to taking Ukrainian language classes or may not realize they can advocate for their institutions to offer them. Razom’s Ukraine on Campus initiative spoke with some Ukrainian language instructors and students across the United States and left these conversations with more reasons than ever to study the language and to push for its place in academic curricula.

One of the interviewees, Dr. Nataliya Shpylova Saeed, a preceptor in Slavic Languages and Literature at Harvard, shared that students in her class come from various backgrounds and academic or career interests. They know that Ukrainian will help them excel in fields ranging from policy and war crimes investigation to history and regional studies, to name a few. “Learning language”, as Nataliya remarked, “gives a student access to the Ukrainian context.”

Nonetheless, one student’s motivations stood out to her the most. “I have students who started with Russian and, after 2022, chose not to invest in it because that’s their political statement [of solidarity with Ukraine]… And these students have no personal or family connection with Ukraine”. Taking Ukrainian is an act of resistance to the centuries-long attempts of russification, oppression of literature figures, artists, and discrimination against native speakers of the Ukrainian language.

It is a way to announce that Ukraine, its culture, and its people have the right to exist and to remain sovereign. Similarly, William Debnam, a former Ukraine on Campus stipend recipient and a fourth-year PhD candidate at Columbia University now, began learning Ukrainian by chance during his bachelor’s degree at Cambridge.

His curiosity, however, quickly grew into a strong and enduring interest leading to him being an elementary Ukrainian instructor. William believes that taking Ukrainian class puts you “in a select but growing group”. He even calls it a community, where “everyone is trying to support your growth and help each other”. William shared that, while Ukraine is often little-known abroad, this region has long been at the center of world history; this struggle of a stateless nation has made its literature and cinema very distinct and interesting. Studying Ukrainian, he says, opens many niches and opportunities and “gives a very interesting perspective on the world that you don’t get by studying more hegemonic cultures”. For those starting out, William recommends in-person classes and well-structured resources, such as Beginner’s Ukrainian, a textbook by Yuri Shevchuk, a Columbia professor.

Professor Oleksandra Wallo started her work at the University of Kansas 10 years ago. She emphasized the importance of high-quality instruction and finding a personal approach towards each student. At the University of Kansas, there’s a focus on Ukrainian programming and engagement with student groups and cultural activities. Many students become inspired by Ukraine’s versatile and authentic traditions. She explains that the students, who do decide to take Ukrainian, always find ways to put their knowledge to use in the future, whether they become translators, write dissertations about Ukraine and the region, or work at the organizations that support and help Ukraine. It makes her proud to see this knowledge being put to use immediately.

“This is the most rewarding thing that a professor can see. I’m glad that I can help them grow in their knowledge and I can provide the tools, the skills that will help them meet their goals, professional goals, and kind of these broader human goals, right? In understanding what it is to be standing up for justice in this world right now and how every one of us can have a part in that.”

While the above-mentioned Ukrainian language courses have been established at some universities for years or decades now, new offerings continue to grow. This year, the University of North Carolina launched an online course led by Dr. Serhii Tereshchenko. Another remarkable program created after the full-scale invasion is Dr. Olha Tytarenko’s course at Yale University. Dr. Tytarenko approaches her work with dedication and a strong mission in mind, reminding colleagues and university departments that introducing or expanding Ukrainian today “is both a matter of intellectual integrity and moral clarity.” She emphasized, “Slavic studies cannot remain dominated by the narratives of the colonizer. Supporting Ukrainian programming highlights the diversity and richness of Slavic cultures while countering a history of enforced marginalization. Enrollment numbers alone cannot measure the value of this work. At this moment, investing in Ukrainian is investing in the language of democracy, in cultural survival, and in the future of Slavic studies as a field.”

A Ukrainian language course today is more than an academic elective. It is an act of resistance against erasure, a statement of solidarity with Ukraine, and a way of joining a growing movement that places justice, democracy, and cultural survival at its heart.

We could not agree more that, “Investing in Ukrainian is investing in the language of democracy, in cultural survival, and in the future.”

When students choose Ukrainian, they choose to stand with freedom. The question is – will your campus give them that choice? Let us know about it – or reach out for help finding resources and advocating for the interdisciplinary study of Ukraine at your university or college. At Razom’s Ukraine on Campus initiative, we are dedicated to working together to bring more Ukrainian language and studies to campuses across the US.

Expanding the Movement Beyond the Classroom

The growing presence of Ukrainian language courses in U.S. universities is just the beginning. Strengthening this field also means building networks of students, scholars, and educators who carry the study of Ukraine into broader academic and cultural spaces. Conferences and convenings are one way this momentum takes root and flourishes. This year, students and instructors will have multiple opportunities to share their work, connect with peers, and deepen their engagement with Ukrainian studies:

ASEEES Convention 2025 – November 20-23, Washington, DC
ALTA Convention 2025 – November 5-8, Tucson, AZ
AATSEEL Conference 2026 – February 19–22 (2026), New Orleans, LA

To make participation more accessible, Ukraine on Campus will offer a number of travel stipends for students and presenters attending the these conferences. Click on the respective conference to access the application.

Choose Your Journey Through Razom’s “Against the Grain” Ukrainian Cultural Festival

Published: September 29, 2025

This October, Razom for Ukraine’s “Against the Grain” festival pulses with visual art, performance, literature and film that chart Ukraine’s current moment: its beauty, its losses, its rebel voice. Across genres there are recurring themes – memory and witness; nature and environment; identity, hybridity, and resisting imposed narratives. The events of the festival aren’t just entertainment: they are acts of solidarity, windows into what Ukraine is enduring and creating. Whatever your inclination, you’ll find something to make your heart and mind move.

Below are three curated “journeys” through the festival – by interest or mood. Each journey gathers together a few events that echo one another so experiencing them in sequence (or pairing them) gives more resonance. But always remember: connection to Ukraine is what roots all of this.

Journey 1: Nature, Landscape & Environment

For those who feel alive in landscapes, who see water, soil, flora, and wild creatures as central to our sense of home – and feel outrage as to what is at stake when war, corruption, or neglect intrude—this trail invites reflection and wonder.

The Editorial Office (Cinema, October 7) – Directed by Roman Bondarchuk, the film begins with Yura, a young biologist at a Natural History Museum, out in the southern steppe looking for an endangered groundhog. Instead, he witnesses forest arson. From there, the film branches into truth, media distortion, corruption, fake news, and the struggle to expose injustice – all while nature is being burned, ignored, or co-opted.
I Dream of Seeing the Steppe Again by Darya Tsymbalyuk (Visual Art, Oct 25) – Drawing on archival flora of the steppe, this participatory workshop asks us not only to remember what was, but to imagine what might be restored.
Darya Tsymbalyuk: Ecocide in Ukraine (Literature, Oct 26) — In Ecocide in Ukraine: The Environmental Cost of Russia’s War, Tsymbalyuk traces the destruction of rivers, steppes, forests, and biodiversity under the shadow of war, weaving scientific insight, personal memory, and poetic observation. Her book discussion asks: when land is a battlefield, how do we speak for what is vanishing?
What the Water Told Me by Oleksandra Zborovska (Visual Art, Oct 26–30) – A work arising from the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, using cyanotypes and river water itself to map grief, memory, loss, and the elemental force of water.
Maria Reva: Endling, Ukraine, and the End of Fiction (Literature, Oct 29) – In her novel Endling, Reva deploys the metaphor of “the last of a species” to consider war, extinction, memory, and survival in the Ukrainian landscape, reminding us that human fate is intertwined with threatened ecologies. Her reading and conversation will draw those threads into sharper relief, asking: what is left when both people and land face erasure?

This journey invites you to slow down, to place yourself in wild places (or in memory of them), and to see how nature and art are entwined – and how what happens to the land happens to people.

Journey 2: Memory, Trauma & Witnessing

If you’re drawn to work that holds up mirrors to loss, that archives what others try to erase, that makes private grief public – this is your route through the festival.

Viktor (Cinema, October 8) — A 2024 documentary by Olivier Sarbil, Viktor follows a deaf war photographer in Kharkiv as he uses his camera as a weapon of witness, capturing the invasion through his silent gaze. The film’s stark black-and-white imagery and subjective sound design make silence into a presence — reminding us that even in the absence of voice, memory persists.
Cassandra by Lesia Ukrainka (Performing arts, Oct 10–19) – Through the lens of myth and prophecy, voices that are silenced or disbelieved become powerful; Cassandra’s curse becomes all the more resonant given modern disinformation, war atrocities, unheeded warnings.
Memory Patterns by Anna Seniuk (Visual Arts, October 14-18) – Fragile fragments of memory inscribed in paper, in photographs, in tears and light; what remains when the archive is partial, when some witnesses are gone.
Short Film Programs from KISFF & Linoleum (Cinema, October 14, October 21) – Many films in these selections confront displacement, identity, rupture. The short-form gives urgency.
2000 Meters to Andriivka (Cinema, October 23) – Directed by Mstyslav Chernov, this harrowing documentary follows a Ukrainian platoon as they push through a heavily fortified forest toward liberated Andriivka, tracing each meter with bodycam footage, reflection, and grief. In sequences that register exhaustion, camaraderie, and loss, the film becomes a trench-level chronicle of war’s relentlessness and a portrait of memory in motion.
Voices of Occupation: Stories of Cultural Survival (Literature, Oct 24) – This event brings together writers from Ukraine’s occupied eastern and southern regions, including Olia Hercules, Volodymyr Rafeyenko, and Natalia Shpylova-Saeed, to explore the lived experience of occupation, memory under duress, and cultural survival. Their conversation presses on what it means to live amidst erasure and how stories insist on existence even in places marked by exclusion and control.
Our Life Behind Barbed Wire (Performing Arts, November 1) – Evoking the experiences of World War II–era forced laborers, and tying past horrors to displacement and current war, this piece uses song, storytelling, image, and ritual to bear witness.

In every piece you’ll find the fracture of experience made visible: a memory that aches to be reclaimed, a silence that demands breaking. These works remind us that trauma is not simply something to be narrated, but something for which new forms must be invented—so that witnesses, past and present, are not lost to time.

Journey 3: Identity, Hybridity, & Boundary-Breaking

If you’re energized by hybrid art, by work that refuses neat genre boxes, by cross-cultural experiments and daring forms, then this is your route.

DIA/spora by Igor Martiniouk (Visual Arts, October 2-12) – Diasporic identity, reimagined tradition, art that dialogues across distance and loss.
Apocollapse! by Dean Temple (Performing Arts, October 13) – A stage reading of a new play that weaves performance, music, text, politics: collapse not just physical, but moral, informational.
U are the Universe (Cinema, October 13) – A work that experiments with structure, and uses documentary stylings with fiction, that fold in surreal or symbolic detail.
A Romantic from Kharkiv: Music of Sergei Bortkiewicz (Performing Arts, October 17-18) – Also joining this arc of hybridity is a live piano recital by Anna and Dmitri Shelest celebrating the works of Sergei Bortkiewicz. Listeners will be invited into a nuanced story of musical identity: a Ukrainian-born Romantic composer whose lush, melancholic style drew from both Eastern and Western traditions.
Lines We Cross: Translating Ukraine (Literature, October 22) — In this conversation, Ukrainian novelist/poet Oksana Lutsyshyna and American author Sam Wachman explore how migration, queerness, language, and translation shape new identities across borders. Their dialogue provokes questions: when words cross languages, what shifts—and what remains irreducible?
Light on the Waves (Visual Arts, October 30 – November 2) – For its video and media art forms; place, displacement, borderlands shown through moving images.

These pieces insist that identity is never static, especially in times of rupture – it is always entangled, overlapping, translated. In pushing beyond borders of genre, tradition, and narrative, they show that hybridity itself becomes a site of creative possibility and a form of resistance.

Overarching Threads

What ties all three of these journeys – whether you follow water and soil, memory and loss, or boundary-crossing art – is not mere proximity or shared origin, but a deeper, restless insistence. Time and again these works answer war’s erasures with resistance; they tell truths that refuse to be silenced – about land, about the scars of history, about justice. They assert identity and belonging, even under siege: sometimes layered, sometimes hybrid, sometimes contradictory, but always claimed with urgency. And above all, they remind us that art is not passive. Here, the artist becomes witness, archivist, memory-keeper, protestor: not merely reflecting reality, but recording, preserving, and refusing disappearance. To attend Against the Grain is to join in that collective act of resistance – not as a distant observer, but as someone willing to be moved, unsettled, and inspired to bear witness in one’s own way.

Why You Should Attend

Because this festival is more than culture: it is solidarity. Because seeing art like this matters – not only for Ukrainians but for everyone who cares about truth, beauty and justice. Because connection isn’t symbolic: we bear witness, we learn, we are changed. Whatever your interest, pick a journey (or mix across) – and dive into the world of Ukrainian artists who go Against the Grain.

Bringing Checkpoint Zoo to Your Community: A Story of Courage, Compassion, and Ukraine’s Resilience

Published: September 10, 2025

When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the world watched in horror as cities came under relentless fire. But few knew of the quiet heroism unfolding just outside Kharkiv, where the Feldman Ecopark Zoo sat between advancing Russian forces and the Ukrainian defenders. More than 5,000 animals were trapped in the crossfire – helpless, frightened, and in desperate need of rescue.

Against impossible odds, a small team of zookeepers and volunteers risked their lives day after day to save these creatures. Their daring mission is now immortalized in Checkpoint Zoo, an award-winning documentary directed by Joshua Zeman, supported by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson, and praised as “beautiful and beyond moving” by CNN.

This is not just a story about animals. It is about humanity, resilience, and the Ukrainian spirit of defying destruction with compassion and courage.

From Tribeca to Your Hometown

Checkpoint Zoo made its World Premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, where it earned the coveted Audience Award. Since then, it has been celebrated at festivals across the country, winning honors such as the Zelda Penzel “Giving Voice to the Voiceless” Award at the Hampton International Film Festival and the Audience Choice Award at Mill Valley. The film has also been screened in the halls of Congress and at human rights hearings, underscoring its power to inspire not just audiences but policymakers.

In 2024, Razom Cinema and the American Coalition for Ukraine co-hosted a special screening of Checkpoint Zoo, pairing the film with a moving conversation between director Joshua Zeman and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Carol Guzy, who was on the ground documenting the rescues. For everyone present, it was more than a screening – it was a call to action.

Now, it’s your turn to bring this extraordinary story to your own community.

Why Organize a Screening?

Hosting a screening of Checkpoint Zoo with GATHR is more than an event. It’s a chance to:

Educate your community about Ukraine’s ongoing struggle for survival and freedom.
Inspire audiences with a story of selfless courage and resilience.
Mobilize support for Ukraine by connecting new audiences to Razom and other organizations providing humanitarian aid, medical training, and advocacy.
Engage in meaningful dialogue, with opportunities for Q&A sessions, panel discussions, or cultural programming alongside the film.

Every screening becomes a platform for solidarity and action.

How GATHR Makes It Easy

Thanks to the GATHR platform, anyone – individuals, schools, community groups, or cultural organizations – can bring the film to a local theater or venue.

Here’s how it works:

Sign up on GATHR – Choose Checkpoint Zoo and request a screening in your area.
Pick a Date and Venue – GATHR handles theater bookings or supports community/partner venues.
Spread the Word – Share your event link with friends, colleagues, and local networks. GATHR provides customizable landing pages, embeddable ticketing, and even “Pay It Forward” tickets that let others attend for free.
Reach Critical Mass – Screenings are confirmed once a minimum number of tickets are reserved, ensuring no financial risk for organizers.
Host and Inspire – On the big day, your community gathers for a film that stirs hearts and sparks action.

GATHR’s model has powered documentaries like RBG and Free Solo, making films into movements. Now, it’s your chance to do the same for Ukraine.

Take Action Today

The animals of Feldman Ecopark survived because ordinary people refused to stand by. Checkpoint Zoo reminds us that even in the darkest moments, acts of courage and compassion matter. By bringing this film to your community, you become part of that story – helping ensure the world does not forget Ukraine’s struggle for freedom and dignity. Here is a Razom fundraising toolkit in case you’d like to go further and fundraise for Ukraine.

👉 Ready to host a screening? Visit GATHR’s Checkpoint Zoo page and take the first step. Together, let’s turn powerful storytelling into powerful action. Razom—together—we can make a difference.

Razom for Ukraine Presents the Third Annual Ukrainian Cultural Festival “Against the Grain”

Published: September 8, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Razom for Ukraine Presents the Third Annual Ukrainian Cultural Festival “Against the Grain”: A Month-Long Celebration of Art, Theater, Film, and Literature in New York City

Discover how Ukrainian artists defy convention and forge new cultural paths with bold, boundary-pushing creativity. Tradition remixed. Vision uncompromized.

Highlights Include:
Theater: NYC debut of Lesia Ukrainka’s groundbreaking drama “Cassandra”
Film: Vibrant showcase featuring U Are the Universe, Viktor, and 2000 Meters to Andriivka, alongside short film selections from the Kyiv International Short Film Festival (KISFF) and Linoleum Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival
Visual Art: Defiant aesthetics partnering with The Ukrainian Museum to support two exhibitions: Boris Mikhailov, showcasing the work of one of Ukraine’s most acclaimed photographers, and Light on the Waves: Video Art of Odesa by Andrii Siguntsov
Literature: Spotlight on innovative works by Booker Prize–nominated Maria Reva, Oksana Lutsyshyna, Olia Hercules, Volodymyr Rafeyenko, Sam Wachman and more

(New York, NY – September 5, 2025) – This October, Razom for Ukraine announces the return of its acclaimed Ukrainian Cultural Festival, now expanded into a month-long citywide celebration with the theme Against the Grain. From October 1 to 31, audiences will experience daily events spanning theater, film, literature, and visual art, spotlighting the fearless creativity of Ukrainian artists who defy convention and reshape global culture.

In just two years, the Ukrainian Cultural Festival has become a vital fixture of New York City’s fall arts calendar. For 2025, Razom deepens its commitment with an unprecedented 31 days of programming across leading cultural venues. Against the Grain’s goal is to highlight how Ukrainian artists, through defiance, resilience, and innovation, create works that challenge assumptions and expand the boundaries of contemporary art.

Performing Arts – Spotlight on Lesia Ukrainka’s Cassandra
At the heart of the festival is Razom’s first-ever theatrical co-production with Ekletika Productions: Lesia Ukrainka’s Cassandra. This visionary play, never before staged in the U.S., will run for ten performances (October 10-19) during the month. Ukrainka’s epic reimagining of the Trojan War, through the eyes of Cassandra, a prophetess doomed never to be believed, resonates with striking relevance today. The production underscores the festival’s theme, as Ukrainka herself was a writer who went against the grain, challenging imperial and patriarchal narratives and affirming Ukrainian identity through literature and drama.

The festival also showcases Razom’s commitment to the performing arts with music, poetry, and additional theatrical works. A Romantic from Kharkiv is a piano recital and album release by Anna Shelest that channels both intimacy and resilience through music. Apocollapse! by Dean Temple brings audiences a staged reading of a provocative new play interrogating endings, survival, and rebirth. Our Life Behind Barbed Wire by Alex Averbuch with Olga Zaitseva-Herz, presented at the Shevchenko Scientific Society, is a musico-poetic experience blending words and sound to illuminate histories of displacement and memory. Together, these projects exemplify the festival’s mission of working against the grain by crossing disciplines and challenging form.

Film – A Bold Showcase of Ukrainian Films
Cinema lovers will encounter a striking cross-section of Ukrainian stories. Feature films include U Are the Universe, Viktor, 2000 Meters to Andriivka, My Dear Theo, and Editorial Office, alongside short film selections from the Kyiv International Short Film Festival (KISFF) and Linoleum Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival. These screenings bring together urgent, poetic, and provocative voices in contemporary Ukrainian cinema.

Razom Cinema will also host Kyiv to LA with Asha Bukojemsky. Kyiv to LA is a cross-cultural initiative that invites Ukrainian artists, researchers, and art historians to participate in a Los Angeles-based residency and public program. UCF will host a one-night screening featuring four short films by Ukrainian artists Daryna Mamaisur, Oleksiy Radynski, Darya Tsymbalyuk, and the ruїns collective (Teta Tsybulnyk and Elias Parvulesco), who participated in the residency and explored the topics of environment, borders, and shared spaces.

Literature – Voices that Witness

From crossing lines of identity and queerness to bearing witness at a time of war and occupation, literature takes the center stage as an act of resistance and testimony with this year’s programming.

Lines We Cross: Translating Ukraine – An event at the Center for Fiction exploring the complexities of migration, queerness, and identity through fiction (Oksana Lutsyshyna and Sam Wachman.)
Voices of Occupation: Stories of Cultural Survival brings together writings from temporarily occupied regions of eastern and southern Ukraine, including Crimea. This event, held at the New York Public Library’s Stavros Niarchos Library, features Olia Hercules, Volodymyr Rafeyenko, and Natalia Shpylova-Saeed.
Poet as a Witness – at Poet’s House, featuring Ilya Kaminsky, Anna Malihon, Irina Vikirchak and Lesyk Panasiuk and others.
A Reading and Conversation with Ukrainian born Canadian author Maria Reva. In her Booker Prize–nominated novel Endling, Maria Reva explores the metaphor of the “endling” — the last of a species — to examine war, loss, and resilience.

Visual Art – Defiant Aesthetics
In addition to partnering with The Ukrainian Museum, this year’s festival includes an incredible lineup of visual artists across multiple mediums: Memory Patterns by Anna Seniuk, DIA/spora by Igor Martiniouk, I dream of seeing the steppe again by Darya Tsymbalyuk, What the Water Told Me by Oleksandra Zborovska, and Yurko Gutsulyak’s striking Blue-Yellow Series.

Against the Grain

The 2025 festival marks a turning point: what began as a two-week initiative has now grown into a full month of daily events, cementing its place as a platform for cultural exchange and creative resistance. “Against the Grain reflects the spirit of Ukrainian artists today,” says Dora Chomiak, CEO of Razom for Ukraine. “They are responding to war, displacement, and trauma through boldly reshaping tradition, transforming vulnerability into power, and ensuring their voices are in the global conversation.”

Festival Information
Against the Grain: Ukrainian Cultural Festival 2025
Presented by Razom for Ukraine
October 1–31, 2025 | New York City
Full calendar and tickets: www.razomforukraine.org/ucf2025/

Press Contact:
Olga Samofalova
Press Lead, Ukrainian Cultural Festival
olga.samofalova@gmail.com

Razom Recommends September 2025

Published: August 28, 2025

Late August and early September mark the time of returning to school, with families preparing supplies and settling back into school time routines. In Ukraine September 1 is known as the Day of Knowledge – it is usually the day classes start and celebrations are held in schools across the country to mark the beginning of the academic year. But you do not have to go back to school to engage in learning – the events below provide ample opportunities to explore culture, traditions, and the arts. Whether through photography, architecture, sculpture, fashion, or film – you have a chance to explore the rich facets of Ukrainian creativity and resilience.

P.S. Don’t miss an important save the date at the end!

3 September 2025| NYC

An Evening with Vladimir Kanevsky and Xavier Salomon

An exceptional evening with renowned porcelain artist Vladimir Kanevsky in conversation with Xavier F. Salomon, Deputy Director and Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator of The Frick Collection. Together they will explore Mr. Kanevsky’s Ukrainian roots, his exquisite porcelain flowers, and the remarkable installation now on view at the newly reopened Frick. The evening will include a Q&A, book signing, reception, and a special auction of a one-of-a-kind piece created by the artist to benefit Ukrainians affected by the war.

🔗https://ukrainianinstitute.org/event/an-evening-with-kanevsky-and-salomon/

2 May – 3 September 2025| Chicago, IL

Constructing Hope: Ukraine

The exhibit presents the work of over a dozen participants currently applying architectural thinking to support Ukraine’s short- and long-term reconstruction efforts. In the face of Russia’s unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine—a war that has destroyed and existentially threatened Ukrainians’ lives, ecology, culture, and infrastructure—these multidisciplinary creatives regain agency over their environment by employing architectural strategies and practices as a form of resistance.

🔗https://www.centerforarchitecture.org/exhibitions/constructing-hope-ukraine/

13 September – 18 January 2025| NYC

Boris Mikhailov Photography

The Ukrainian Museum will proudly host the first major museum exhibition of Boris Mikhailov’s photography in New York. Revered as the most celebrated living Ukrainian artist, Mikhailov invites viewers into the complex tapestry of post-Soviet life, confronting the juxtaposition of vulnerability and resilience. Among the exhibited masterpieces are selections from the acclaimed “Yesterday’s Sandwich” and “Parliament” series.

🔗https://www.theukrainianmuseum.org/boris-mikhailov/

14 September 2025| 1 PM| Los Angeles, CA

Ukrainian Fashion Show

An evening of powerful and elegant Ukrainian fashion and a charity fundraiser dedicated to supporting humanitarian aid efforts for the people of Ukraine affected by war. This unique event brings the heart of Ukraine to the United States through fashion, history, art and traditions. The showcase will present a breathtaking blend of traditional Ukrainian style and modern design celebrating the beauty and resilience of Ukrainian culture. With special guests Roksolana Bogutska and Mariya Mulyava.

🔗https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ukrainian-fashion-show-los-angeles-ca-tickets-1343401864139

16-21 September 2025| NYC

When the Hurlyburly’s Done

The Public Theater welcomes Kyiv’s Theater on Podil for a limited run of When the Hurlyburly’s Done – a play centered on a group of young actors led by Les Kurbas in 1920 who leave war-torn Kyiv and perform plays in exchange for food. The opening night will feature a post-play talk with the founder of the Borsch of Art and the playwright and actors from Theater on Podil. They will discuss the vital role of women in cultural diplomacy, the presentation of Ukrainian identity abroad, and the importance of building cultural bridges between the U.S. and Ukraine.

🔗https://publictheater.org/productions/season/2526/when-the-hurlyburlys-done-yak-stikhne-shuru-burya-zla/

28 September 2025| 12 PM| Houston, TX

Slavic Heritage Festival

The festival will feature traditional music and dancing, including a professional band. Attendees will enjoy numerous craft vendors, delicious Slavic food, pastries, and beer. The famous kolache eating contest is not to miss as well. There will be a crafting corner to keep the kids busy while parents explore the festival.

🔗https://houstonslavicheritagefestival.com/

5-29 September 2025| CA, PA, TX, AZ, NY, VA

Checkpoint Zoo Screenings in partnership with Razom

Checkpoint Zoo documents a daring rescue led by a heroic team of zookeepers and volunteers, who risked their lives to save thousands of animals trapped in a zoo behind enemy lines during the initial days of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Drawing from first-hand footage, Award-winning filmmaker Joshua Zeman’s Checkpoint Zoo showcases a story of human compassion, bravery, and sacrifice during Ukraine’s darkest hours -shining a light on the best of humanity when it is all too easy to focus on the worst.Presented in various cities across California in partnership with Razom.

🔗https://checkpointzoo.com/screenings/

6 September 2025| 6:30 PM| San Francisco, CA

Match in a Haystack Screening in partnership with Razom

Match in a Haystack follows a group of Ukrainian dancers in Kyiv as they prepare for a performance against the backdrop of the Russian invasion. The film is directed by Joe Hill, a five-time Emmy Award–winning director and cinematographer best known for his work with the VICE News International Team, edited by Arielle Sherman, executive production by Misty Copeland and movement direction by Stefanie Noll.

🔗https://roxie.com/film/match-in-a-haystack/

18-21 September 2025| IL, MI, PA, WA, VA, NY

MALEVYCH Screenings

A whirlwind of passion, defiance, and genius unfolds in the life of Kazymyr Malevych — the world-renowned Ukrainian artist who dares to challenge the Soviet regime for the right to create “free” art. For his rivals, his works are a fraud; for the Soviet authorities — a secret code; for one woman — a confession of love; and for the people of Ukraine — a prophecy. MALEVYCH is not a conventional historical biopic, but a bold, symbolic portrait of Ukraine — seen through the prism of a man whose art refused to bow to power.

🔗https://www.uafilmusa.com/malevych

13 September – 5 December 2025| Various locations on the East Coast

Vira + Friends Fall Concert Series

In the coming months Vira + Friends will be up and down the East Coast with all new and signature programs: Ukrainian Music Initiative, songs and stories of people finding their way, songs by women composers past and present, and others. Enjoy Vira Slywotzky’s beautiful contralto paired with pianists Pavlo Gintov, David Sytkowski, and Ana Glig, as well as cellist Valeriya Sholokhova and the Hudson Festival Orchestra.

🔗https://www.viraandfriends.org/

A LOOK AHEAD: SAVE THE DATE

1-31 October 2025| NYC

Ukrainian Cultural Festival

This October, Razom for Ukraine announces the return of its acclaimed Ukrainian Cultural Festival, now expanded into a month-long citywide celebration with the theme Against the Grain. From October 1 to 31, audiences will experience daily events spanning theater, film, literature, and visual art, spotlighting the fearless creativity of Ukrainian artists who defy convention and reshape global culture. Keep an eye on the Festival’s Instagram page and the web page below.

🔗ucfnyc.org

Razom Recommends August 2025: Ukraine Independence Day Events

Published: August 5, 2025

August marks one of the most important holidays in the Ukrainian calendar – Ukraine’s Independence Day. A state holiday celebrated on August 24 in commemoration of the Declaration of Independence of 1991, it marks Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union as it restored its rightful sovereignty. Ukrainian diaspora communities around the US plan festivals, parades, movie screenings, and concerts to mark this day. In this month’s #RazomRecommends we highlight some of these events in various states – we hope you’ll consider attending a gathering near you to meet the Ukrainian community and learn why this holiday is so important – especially during the full-scale invasion.

21-23 August 2025| California

Checkpoint Zoo Screenings in partnership with Razom

Checkpoint Zoo documents a daring rescue led by a heroic team of zookeepers and volunteers, who risked their lives to save thousands of animals trapped in a zoo behind enemy lines during the initial days of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Drawing from first-hand footage, Award-winning filmmaker Joshua Zeman’s Checkpoint Zoo showcases a story of human compassion, bravery, and sacrifice during Ukraine’s darkest hours -shining a light on the best of humanity when it is all too easy to focus on the worst. Presented in various cities across California in partnership with Razom.

🔗https://checkpointzoo.com/screenings/

23 August 2025| Lakewood, CO

The Colorado Ukrainian Festival

A celebration of 34 Years of Independence with Ukrainian culture, food, music, and community. The all-day event will feature performances – including a special guest Oleh Skrypka, authentic Ukrainian cuisine, local vendors and artisans, family-friendly activities, and community connection.

🔗https://www.ukrainiansofcolorado.org/events/s5hf11vov4zh6wh47z6v9xk0lknc7t

23 August 2025| Phoenix, AZ

Unbroken: Evening Honoring Ukraine’s Independence Day

A meaningful gathering to reflect on Ukraine’s enduring spirit, honor its path to sovereignty, and celebrate the resilience and support of our community. The evening will include delicious Ukrainian-inspired bites, a silent auction benefiting humanitarian aid through the Ukrainian Arizona Foundation, and community updates on local efforts committed to supporting Ukraine during this critical time. This is a ticketed event.

🔗https://www.cactusandtryzub.com/events/unbroken-ukrainian-independence-day

23 August 2025| West Palm Beach, FL

Ukrainian Cultural Fest

The Fest returns for its third year in a row, and will include live performances, art workshops, kids fun zone, arts and crafts market of handmade goods, and lots of authentic Ukrainian cuisine to sample and purchase. The event is free to attend.

🔗https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ukrainian-cultural-fest-tickets-1475253395619

23 August 2025| Raleigh, NC

Ukrainian Independence Day Festival

The event in Raleigh consists of two parts. The first part is a free festival with Ukrainian music and folk dancing, traditional cuisine, and a tour of the Ukrainian School of Raleigh. The second part is a concert of the famous Ukrainian artist Oksana Mukha benefitting Revived Soldiers of Ukraine.

🔗https://www.eventbrite.com/e/raleigh-nc-oksana-mukha-charitable-concert-tickets-1507757546409

24 August 2025| Washington, DC

Ukraine Independence Day Rally

The capital’s event centers around a rally and a march, followed by a concert featuring Ukrainian music, poetry, and dance, as attendees come together to honor Ukrainian Independence. Guests will assemble at the north side of the White House, hear official remarks and a musical interlude, and then march to the Taras Shevchenko Memorial where the main concert will take place.

🔗https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dc-celebrates-ukraines-independence-day-tickets-1425700652029

24 August 2025| Sacramento, CA

Ukraine Independence Day Celebration

All are welcome at this free event that honors Ukrainian heritage, celebrates cultural diversity, and fosters a sense of connection. The gathering will provide an opportunity to connect with community leaders, explore local and international resources, experience powerful national anthems, and hear moving performances from special guests and civic leaders. The event will be concluded by a headline performance by KAZKA, the internationally acclaimed Ukrainian electro-folk-pop sensation.

🔗https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ukrainian-independence-day-tickets-1531230063339

24 August 2025| Indianapolis, IN

Ukraine Independence Day Social

A free event in partnership between the Ukrainian Society of Indiana and Bier Brewery Noblesville. Community members are invited to enjoy food, mingle, and help raise funds for the charitable causes supported by the Society in Ukraine.

🔗https://www.ukrindiana.org/events

24 August 2025| NYC

24.FREEDOM – A charity immersive performance

The event will reflect freedom through music, movement, song, dance, and visual art. Main element of the event — large scale bird installation, as a symbol of resilience, flight, and freedom. To honor the fallen. To inspire the living. Performances by Pavlo Ginta, Alex Pryrodny, Fima Chupakhin, Valeriia Vovk, Angelina Statyeva, Hanna Datsko, Markiian Krysa, Maksym Lozynskyj, Dumka chorus, and others. All proceeds from the evening will go toward life-saving supplies for Ukrainian defenders.

🔗Event information on Instagram

24 August 2025| Jersey City, NJ

Vyshyvanka Run/Walk 5K

Organized for the fifth consecutive year by Ukrainian Jersey City, this event embodies the spirit of unity, compassion, and solidarity. A running race (or walk) with proceeds dedicated to supporting a humanitarian cause which is raising funds for a cornerstone project “Ambulances for Ukraine”. Vyshyvankas and Ukrainian symbols/flags are very much welcome!

🔗https://runsignup.com/Race/Register/?raceId=154078

24 August 2025| 12-6PM| NYC

Open House at Ukrainian Institute of America

Celebrate the 34th anniversary of Ukraine’s Renewed Independence at the UIA’s family-friendly Open House. Visit the Ukrainian Food Court to indulge in a variety of savory and sweet treats, shop for Ukrainian design treasures at the Code 380 pop-up, and see over a thousand pysanky in The Pysanka: A Symbol of Hope. Admire exquisite 19th-century Ukrainian traditional costumes and textiles, take home a book or two, and experience powerful contemporary films made by Ukrainian filmmakers during the war.

🔗https://ukrainianinstitute.org/event/open-house-independence-day/

24 August 2025| 7 PM| Washington, DC

Match in a Haystack Screening in partnership with Razom

Join us for a screening of the documentary Match in a Haystack and a panel discussion. The film will be followed by a 30-minute conversation about the fight for Ukrainian culture and Russia’s attempts to erase Ukraine’s unique identity with Arielle Sherman — an Emmy Award–winning film editor; Natalie Keyser — photographer with the NYT; Nina Murray — poet and an award-winning translator of Ukrainian literature and Program Director of Razom Connect. Match in a Haystack follows a group of Ukrainian dancers in Kyiv as they prepare for a performance against the backdrop of the Russian invasion.

🔗https://themiracletheatre.com/production/match-in-a-haystack/

24 August 2025| Chicago, IL

Ukraine Independence Day Parade

Similarly to DC, this event will focus on a public march along Chicago’s main street in honor of the 34th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. Gathering begins at 2:00 PM at Congress Plaza Garden, and the march will conclude with a program at the western end of the Riverwalk.

🔗https://ukrainianchicago.com/event/ukrainian-independence-day-parade-in-downtown-chicago/

Razom Recommends: July 2025 Events

Published: July 3, 2025

#RazomRecommends: While schools may be out for the summer, learning and exploration do not need to stop. July offers plentiful opportunities to engage with Ukrainian arts and culture – offering a glimpse into the resilience, bravery, and ingenuity of the people who are defending the values of the free world.

16 May – 24 August 2025| NYC

Village to Modern: Ukrainian Folk Art from the Vasyl and Maria Petryshyn Collection

The Ukrainian Museum’s newest exhibit traces the journey of traditional village crafts to modern artistry, showcasing the richness of Ukrainian visual culture. Folk art’s bright colors and bold patterns influenced avant-garde artists to experiment with new techniques and styles, leading to the development of innovative and groundbreaking artworks.

🔗https://www.theukrainianmuseum.org/village-to-modern/

16 May – 24 August 2025| NYC

Jurij Solovij: Abstracting Time

The first comprehensive survey exhibition of Ukrainian artist Jurij Solovij at the Ukrainian Museum in New York presents a significant opportunity to explore the multifaceted contributions of a distinguished artist who adeptly navigated the complexities of culture and identity through his work.

🔗https://www.theukrainianmuseum.org/jurij-solovij-abstracting-time/

26 June – 10 July 2025 | NYC

FAINA: The Shape of Vitality & Drevo

The Ukrainian Institute of America hosts a two-part exhibition by Ukrainian architect, designer, and artist Victoria Yakusha, founder of the live design brand FAINA. Bringing together a decade of creative evolution with a new body of work, this exhibition invites viewers into a world shaped by memory, presence, and the vitality of form.

🔗https://ukrainianinstitute.org/event/faina/

28 June – 1 November 2025 | Brockton, MA

Soul of a Nation: Voices of Resilience in Ukrainian Folk Art

Fuller Craft Museum proudly presents a multimedia exhibition celebrating Ukraine’s rich artistic heritage and enduring creative spirit. Highlighting the profound role of traditional crafts as acts of resistance and cultural preservation, the exhibition features Zaporizhzhya embroidered textiles, hand-painted pysanka (Easter eggs), Crimean-Tatar ceramics, Hutsul wood art, and Petrykivka painting.

🔗https://fullercraft.org/exhibitions/soul-of-a-nation-voices-of-resilience-in-ukrainian-folk-art/

2 July – 7 September 2025 | Chicago

Courage of a Nation: Photo Exhibition by Howard G. Buffet

The extraordinary photo exhibition Courage of a Nation, by Howard G. Buffett, Ukraine’s largest private donor, will be on display at the Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago. The photo exhibition is a selection of images taken by Howard G. Buffett between April 2022 and January 2025, including more than 63 days along the front lines.

🔗https://ukrainiannationalmuseum.org/auto-draft/

10 July 2025 | 7-9pm | NYC

Open Group (Yuriy Biley, Pavlo Kovach, and Anton Varga) Artist Talk and Premiere Event

A seated conversation and varenyky (aka pierogi) with Ukrainian artist collective, Open Group, in celebration of the New York institutional premiere of their 2024 work, Repeat After Me – a portrait of civilian victims of and witnesses to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, arranged to follow the format of a karaoke sing-along video.

🔗https://www.thehighline.org/art/projects/open-group-artist-talk-and-premiere-event/

11 July 2025 | 6:30 pm | NYC

Meet & Greet with Open Group Ukrainian Artist Collective

The Ukrainian Museum and the High Line are pleased to co-host a Meet & Greet event at the Museum where participants will be able to enjoy wine and personal conversations with the collective’s permanent members, Yuriy Biley and Anton Varga, and hear from them about Repeat After Me and their other projects.

🔗https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-greet-with-open-group-ukrainian-artist-collective-tickets-1442463068869

12 July – 14 September 2025 | Chicago

Entangled Expressions: Exploring the Labyrinth of Linearity

An immersive journey into the realm of meandering and undulating lines, where art converges with the intricate patterns of nature, mathematics, and human expression. This exhibition features the captivating works of three visionary artists who ingeniously navigate the complexities of lines, knots, and entanglements, each employing a unique medium to articulate their profound explorations.

🔗https://uima-chicago.org/upcomingexhibition

25 July| Ongoing| NYC

2000 Meters to Andriivka at Film Forum

In his follow-up to Oscar®-winner 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL, Pulitzer-winning AP journalist Mstyslav Chernov again immerses us in the invasion of Ukraine — this time during the 2023 counteroffensive. Embedded with a small Ukrainian platoon on a high-stakes mission to liberate the Russian-occupied village of Andriivka, Chernov and colleague Alex Babenko hole up in trenches, shadowing soldiers as they inch forward through forest, minefields, shellings, and artillery fire. This first-person witness to war’s cruel reality intersperses with intimate, moving moments — conversations that reveal the bare humanity of young men on the front lines who dream and fear and hope.

🔗https://filmforum.org/film/2000-meters-to-andriivka

27 July| Pine Plains, NY

Words to America from Ukraine

A moving cultural evening blending wartime Ukrainian poetry, music, and community in support of Razom for Ukraine. Set in the beautiful Hudson Valley at the Stissing Center for Arts and Culture, just 100 miles from NYC, this special event features poetry in translation, traditional Ukrainian folk music, inspiring speakers, food, drinks, and a live auction.

🔗https://www.razomforukraine.org/events/words-to-america-from-ukraine-fundraiser-for-razom-for-ukraine/

Razom Cinema Grant Report: Porcelain War’s Journey to the Oscars 2025

Published: June 16, 2025

In 2024, after securing the Sundance Grand Jury Prize in the documentary category, Porcelain War began its extraordinary journey across screens, cities, and continents—bringing with it a message that resonates beyond the theater walls. With the crucial support of Razom Cinema, the film reached audiences around the United States, while uplifting the voices of those at the heart of the story.

Co-directed by Slava Leontyev and Brendan Bellomo, Porcelain War tells the poignant story of artists in Ukraine resisting invasion through creation, not destruction. This powerful narrative struck a deep chord with viewers, leading to a screening run that spanned more than 100 film festivals and over 100 theatrical screens globally.

Thanks to Razom Cinema’s grant, Slava Leontyev and one of the film’s lead heroes, artist Anya Stasenko, were able to attend screenings and discussions in-person throughout the United States. From intimate community screenings to prestigious Academy-hosted events, Slava and Anya brought Ukrainian voices into the room—reminding every audience member of the urgent need to support Ukraine’s cultural and human resilience.

Their travels brought them to cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Washington D.C., where they presented the film at a bipartisan Congressional screening. During the Oscar campaign, their journey continued with repeated visits to key cities, where they met with Academy members and press alike to advocate for the film—and for Ukraine.

The support of Razom Cinema came at a critical moment. With this partnership, Porcelain War not only reached audiences in person—it achieved the incredible milestone of being shortlisted and ultimately nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards. This recognition was more than just cinematic—it was a call to action and a spotlight on Ukraine’s continued fight for freedom, dignity, and culture.

“It was a great honor to have the support of Razom Cinema to help share our story of Porcelain War. With Razom’s generous help, we were able to travel around the United States and talk with thousands of people about the importance of preserving our culture and freedom in Ukraine and, ultimately, taking this story to the world stage at the Academy Awards. I am grateful to everyone at Razom for their trust and partnership. Slava Ukraini.” From Slava Leontyev and Anya Stasenko

We are honored to have supported this extraordinary film and its remarkable creators. As part of launching the Ukrainian theatrical release, Razom partnered with the Ukrainian distributor Arthouse Traffic to host a special screening of Porcelain War at Kyiv’s iconic Zhovten Cinema. Nearly 400 guests, partners, and friends of the organization gathered for the event. To present the film, Razom Cinema welcomed cinematographer Andriy Stefanov and one of the film’s central figures, Kateryna. This powerful evening not only celebrated the film but also continued Razom’s commitment to supporting the real-life heroes it portrays, by providing aid directly to their battalions.

Zhovten Cinema, Kateryna and Andriy in Kyiv (February 2025) presenting the film Porcelain War.

Thank you to Slava, Anya, and the Porcelain War team for your courage, your artistry, and your unwavering commitment to truth. And thank you to everyone who made this journey possible—including our community of supporters who believe in the power of cinema to change hearts and minds.

Razom Recommends: June Events

Published: June 13, 2025

#RazomRecommends: This June, stand with Ukraine through art, music, film, community action, and powerful storytelling. Explore resilience. Celebrate culture. Support justice.

16 May – 24 August 2025 | Ongoing | NYC
Village to Modern: Ukrainian Folk Art from the Vasyl and Maria Petryshyn Collection
The Ukrainian Museum’s newest exhibit traces the journey of traditional village crafts to modern artistry, showcasing the richness of Ukrainian visual culture.
🔗https://www.theukrainianmuseum.org/village-to-modern/

May 9 – June 22, 2025 | Ongoing | NYC
OPEN GROUP: Yuriy Biley, Pavlo Kovach, and Anton Varga

Presented at 601Artspace, this exhibition showcases the collective’s Venice Biennale 2024 project for the Polish Pavilion — a powerful exploration of displacement, identity, and collectivity in wartime.
🔗https://601artspace.org/OPEN-GROUP

29 May – 28 June 2025 | London, UK
The Reckoning
Based on testimonies collected by The Reckoning Project, this powerful stage production brings real stories of war crimes in Ukraine to life. Created by Dash Arts, written by Anastasiia Kosodii and Josephine Burton, and directed by Burton, the play amplifies Ukrainian voices and demands justice through art.
🔗 https://www.arcolatheatre.com/whats-on/the-reckoning/

June 2025 | Tour USA & Canada
Konotopska Vidma: A Witch Returns
This powerful reinterpretation of a Ukrainian classic reclaims the witch as a symbol of resistance and female power. Don’t miss this feminist theatrical sensation.
🔗 https://fca.ua/en/konotopska-vidma-world-en/

June 5 | NYC
A Time for Fun: A Concert Cabaret
A warm, witty cabaret by Vira Slywotzky and pianist David Sytkowski, fusing classical and popular tunes with Ukrainian soul.
🔗 https://www.razomforukraine.org/events/a-time-for-fun-a-concert-cabaret/

June 7 | NYC
All Ages Family Concert
Bring the whole family to this joyful musical experience exploring Ukrainian sounds and traditions.
🔗 https://www.razomforukraine.org/events/all-ages-family-concert/

June 11 | Kyiv, Ukraine

DOCU/PRO Talk: Ukrainian Docs as Cultural Diplomacy

At this DOCUDAYS event, Razom Cinema lead Polina Buchak shares how Ukrainian films like 20 Days in Mariupol reach U.S. audiences, build strategic partnerships, and shape global perceptions.
🔗 https://docudays.ua/industry-accreditation-2025/

June 14 | The Ukrainian Museum, NYC

A Voice for the Future: Lesia Ukrainka and Cassandra

Discover how Lesia Ukrainka’s timeless feminist and anti-imperial drama Cassandra is being brought to the stage today. Featuring a talk by scholar Dr. Tamara Hundorova and a panel with the upcoming production team.

🔗 https://bit.ly/43DYmd5

June 17 | DROM, NYC
Enver Izmaylov: Crimean Tatar Jazz Fusion
A rare U.S. performance by the world-renowned guitarist blending Crimean Tatar folk with jazz and improvisation.
🔗https://bit.ly/45wE3Ry

June 21 – November 2 | Lviv, Ukraine
The Stammering Circle at Jam Factory Art Center
A major international group exhibition exploring collective memory and interrupted cultural legacies — a highlight of the summer art season in Ukraine.
🔗 https://bit.ly/43TS7TR

June 25 | Sony Hall, NYC
Vopli Vidopliassova x Eugene Hütz (Gogol Bordello)
Ukrainian rock legends join forces with NYC’s punk gypsy icon Eugene Hütz for an electrifying concert.
🔗https://bit.ly/4dELfwW

June 26–29 | Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine

RUTA Annual Conference: Imagination, New Visions, and Connections

A vibrant gathering of Ukrainian scholars, creatives, and community builders exploring bold ideas, new visions, and cross-disciplinary connections.

🔗https://ruta-association.org/conference/imagination-new-visions-and-connections/

Together, we stand with Ukraine. 🇺🇦

Words that Have Power: Razom Champions Ukrainian Literature in the US

Published: May 23, 2025

“Don’t call me a poet, because the term ‘poet’, in short, nowadays means: chameleon, prostitute, speculator, and adventurer, and a lazy good-for-nothing. I want to be a human being of whom there are but a few in the world.”

These poignant words, along with the rest of poetry written by Ukrainian writer Ivan Bahryanyi in his collection “To the Forbidden Frontiers” in the early 1930s, became grounds for labeling him the enemy of the Soviet state and sending him to a forced labor camp in Siberia – a destiny that befell many Ukrainian writers who dared to express any views that did not align with those of the Communist Party. The Soviet leadership understood very well what expression of dissent and criticism could mean for the longevity of the regime.

Tragically, this practice is inherited by the Russian Federation, which silences internal voices of dissent – while at the same time continuing the suppression of Ukrainian thought and writing that spans generations. The ongoing attack on Ukrainian museums, libraries, and book printers makes the support of Ukrainian literature an important tool of resistance and preserving national identity. Various Moscow-based regimes used language as a power tool that, over the course of several centuries, tried to erode the very essence of the Ukrainian nation. In 1769 The Moscow Synod banned the publication of Ukrainian primers and ordered the confiscation of existing ones. Later, in 1784, the imperial authorities banned Ukrainian lectures at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and established Russian as the official language in all imperial schools. The 1863 Valuev Circular banned nearly all Ukrainian-language materials, claiming that “there never was, is not, and cannot be any separate little Russian language” and the subsequent 1876 Ems Ukaz extended the ban to prohibiting the import of Ukrainian books and the use of Ukrainian in public performances and musical notation. In the tragic 1930s, the Stalinist regime executed close to 30,000 Ukrainian intellectuals, a tragedy we now know as the Executed Renaissance. The many more insidious ways in which the Soviet leadership tried to erase Ukrainian language and identity are brought to light in “Language is a Sword. As the Soviet Empire Used to Say” by Evgenia Kuznetsova.

This understanding was reflected even in the treatment of prisoners at the forced labor camp, which Ivan Bahryanyi recounted in his statement during the hearing of the Committee on Un-American activities in the 86th Session of Congress in 1959: “Sadly, there was a marked difference in the treatment of political and criminal prisoners. Ordinary criminals and thieves were given light assignments, I mean, not heavy work, and they were known as not socially dangerous. The political prisoners were considered dangerous. Political prisoners, even if they complete the term of exile, are usually given a longer term, while ordinary prisoners sometimes have their term reduced.”

For most writers in the Soviet Union, there were only two pathways available: submit to the regime (and become a “chameleon” as Bahryanyi calls them in the quote above) or try to escape the grasp of the Party. Ivan Bahryanyi chose the second: “So I escaped at the end of 1936. I lived illegally without any passport or documents in the Soviet Far East, and then I returned – also illegally – to Ukraine. It was comparatively easy for me to live illegally in the Far East, because I lived among the people who sympathized with political prisoners and escapees, and I took part in the hunting for wild animals. As a result of this experience I later wrote a book which was published in English, in America, as “The Hunters and the Hunted.”

Based on the author’s own lived experience, “The Hunters and the Hunted” follows a young political prisoner Gregory Mnohohrishny who escapes a train bound for a forced labor camp and finds refuge with a family of tiger hunters in the Far East. The story explores the horrors of Stalinist repressions, the freedom sought by political prisoners, and the spark of defiance that overcomes fear.

Razom Connect is proud to support a stage reading of “The Hunters and the Hunted” musical based on Ivan Bahryanyi book at the Open Jar Studios in New York on May 29, 2025. This Ukrainian musical, co-written and co-composed by Anton Humaniuk, Bohdan Reshetilov, and Kyrylo Beskorovainyi, weaves history and contemporary events, celebrating Ukraine’s cultural heritage while examining the struggle between oppression and freedom. Directed by Lisa Rafferty, the reading will feature 11 songs (translated into English) and excerpts of dialogue, accompanied by a live piano performance by Ukrainian pianist Ruslan Ramazanov.

The international premiere of the musical took place at Harvard, and bringing the musical to a wider audience in New York, as a way to dismantle decades of Soviet – and now Russian – cultural propaganda through exhibits and exchanges – is something that Ivan Bahryanyi would himself approve of: “I think that the so-called cultural exchanges and exhibits have many dangerous features which Western nations, including the United States, do not realize. One of the most important purposes of these exchanges is to demoralize the Western countries, including the United States of America. It would be interesting for many Americans to know that these Soviet exchanges and exhibits portray, here in America and in many other countries, things which do not exist in the Soviet Union. The Soviet authorities endeavor to convince the world that they have such attainments in the art, in ballet, in music, and in other branches of culture because there exist cultural freedom in the USSR. In reality there is none such because there is no cultural freedom at all. Furthermore, this cultural exchange covers up the actual suppression of the national cultures of the many peoples in the Soviet Union. Why at this time, when when they show attainment of the Soviet State in the literary and artistic fields, at this very moment, are they suppressing the cultures of Ukrainians, Georgians, Armenians – and Byelorussians – and the Baltic peoples, who have no freedom to develop their own culture. They hide the Russification program which is even more dangerous for the free world, inasmuch as Moscow is perpetuating a vast spiritual genocide against the many peoples it controls.”

Support of this stage reading is one of the many initiatives of Razom Connect to promote Ukrainian literature in the English speaking world. Developing relationships with publishers, translators, booksellers allows Razom to support translations of such books as “Mondegreen” by Volodymyr Rafeyenko, “Cecil the lion Had to Die” by Olena Stiazhkina, “My Woman” by Yulia Iliyukha, and “Amadoka” by Sophia Andrukhovych. In 2024 alone, the team of Razom Connect organized eight literary events in New York, and coordinated a U.S. book tour for five Ukrainian authors.

The importance of this work is hard to overstate – it helps bring Ukrainian voices to the forefront of conversation about historic truth – and better understand the underpinnings of the current full-scale invasion of Ukraine. When Richard Arens, Staff Director at the U.S. House of Representatives, asked Ivan Bahryanyi during the Congressional hearing: “Why do the Soviets persecute poets, writers, or other literary persons more than they do ordinary criminals?”, the author responded: “The Soviet regime considers the ordinary criminals, when they commit a crime, damage or harm to a single person or individual, whereas poets, writers, literary figures, when they are anti-Soviet, naturally damage the entire Soviet system, the foundation on which it stands, because through the literature they spread a different kind of ideology, different kinds of beliefs, than those in which the communists believe.”

To anyone who has ever paid attention in history class, the importance of language for identity and nation-building is crystal clear. From the Stoic teachings of Marcus Aurelius that still resonate today, to the ideas of Enlightenment that sparked the French Revolution, and to the “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King, Jr., the power of words to shape consciousness and steer history is hard to overstate. Time has also shown the ability of language to break down, destroy, and dominate – the novel “1984” by George Orwell being one of the classic examples. Orwell’s work explores how use of language as a tool of control (through “Newspeak”) and the loss of objective truth (“doublethink”) can suppress dissent, erase privacy, and dominate the minds and lives of citizens.

Please help Razom bring more literary events, readings, and publications from and about Ukraine to the English speaking world. Donate to the program below – and stay tuned for more announcements of exciting and meaningful initiatives.