From Ukraine to Boston:
Building a Strong Community in a New Home
A multimedia project about the Ukrainian community in Boston, Massachusetts: working with those who have been strongly affected by the Russian invasion in the past year and researching what resources Ukranians in Boston use to build a community in a time where there is uncertainty. This project is also used as a resource to explain a brief history of Russia and Ukraine to ensure the audience has an essential background and knowledge.
Historical Context and Background
Russia officially invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, escalating the long-standing Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2014.
Russia invaded Ukraine after centuries of tension between the two countries. In recent times, Ukraine gained independence and neutrality in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, tensions between Russia and Ukraine rose when former President Viktor Yanukovych declined to sign a trade agreement that would have brought Ukraine closer to Europe. Russian President Vladimir Putin saw this move as a threat to Russia and believed that Ukraine still desired ties with Russia, despite protests against the government. Putin feared that if Ukraine joined a military alliance with the US, it would destabilize the region.
Russian President Putin's claims still stood firm in February of 2022. As a result, Russia invaded Ukraine to take it over. According to President Putin, Russia and Ukraine are one. When in reality, Ukraine is a separate independent country from Russia. Ukraine’s current president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is doing everything possible to protect the country.
In an article on the casualties of the war in Ukraine, the BBC reports that according to General Mark Milley, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, an estimated 100,000 Russian and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or injured in the conflict. At the same time, around 40,000 civilians have also lost their lives.”
Consequently, this invasion sparked Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II. According to a United Nations report, PBS states that “Russia has driven some 14 million Ukrainians from their homes in “the fastest, largest displacement witnessed in a decade, sparking an increase in the number of refugees and displaced people worldwide to more than 103 million…A further 13 million are stranded in Ukraine due to fighting, impassable routes, or lack of moving resources”.
Many Ukrainians fled to other nearby European countries. Still, many also fled to the United States to seek refuge due to the humanitarian crisis occurring in Ukraine. Some of those families have come to Boston to seek shelter, just like many others have. For over 400 years, Boston has been a city known as a grounding point for refugees and asylees, starting with the Pilgrims who arrived on Plymouth Rock to escape religious persecution. This legacy has continued through the years, with numerous other groups seeking refuge in Massachusetts after fleeing the tragedies of their home countries.
According to a WVCB article titled “Meet a Ukrainian family that has relocated to Massachusetts,” reporter Ted Wayman explained that “approximately 30 families from Ukraine have settled in the Merrimack Valley, all part of a United States plan to take in 100,000 Ukrainian refugees in 2022”. Lori Trahan, a United States Representative for the 3rd District of Massachusetts, has shown her support throughout the past few months.
The International Institute of New England (IINE) has a long history of helping refugees and immigrants succeed through resettlement, education, career advancement, and pathways to citizenship.
On February 26, 2022, IINE made a Statement on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, saying that “We stand beside the 20,000 Ukrainian refugees welcomed in the US over the last decade alone—many to Massachusetts and New Hampshire and supported by IINE—and stand in solidarity with our Ukrainian community. We are ready to provide welcome, refuge, and humanitarian support to those affected by this war”.
In an interview with Jeff Theilman, President of the International Institute of New England, Theilman gave insight into the current situation with Ukraine and how IINE is taking steps to make those who’ve arrived from Ukraine comfortable. He also provided essential steps so that we, as a community in Boston, Massachusetts, can be more accepting and helpful.
According to Theilman, those who come to the United States are on humanitarian parole, which "allows foreign nationals (who are otherwise inadmissible) to temporarily enter the United States due to an urgent humanitarian or public benefit emergency." Defined by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. As Theilman describes, this parole allows Ukrainians to get authorization to work in the country.
Theilman continues, “They come through a program called uniting for Ukraine. And so it's a private sponsorship program. But to get public benefits, like food stamps, cash assistance, that sort of thing. They come to organizations like ours, and then we enroll them in other services, like employment”.
Resettling in a new country after leaving your home country poses numerous challenges. Theilman explains in-depth, “You want to be careful not to over-generalize, but in general, the folks we see from Ukraine are traumatized their entire life. They had lived in Ukraine, had jobs, and their children went to school there. They had the same kind of experiences that you might have had growing up. So I would say people are suffering immense trauma. When 8 million people leave a country, that's a big deal. And that means collective trauma. So I think they've all experienced that. Second, trying to get used to the United States, find their way here, find work, and restart their lives is quite a process, and every family adjusts differently. Some people are holding out hope. Others are saying, Okay, I'm here now. I'm in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, or wherever, and I will enroll the kids in school. I'm going to go forward…”
For those trying to resettle into the United States as a result of the horrific events that they have experienced, Ukrainians are relying on the community in Boston to find those who will support and welcome them. One community, specifically the St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is situated in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, and was established in 1954 and adheres to the practices of the Ukrainian Church, extending a warm welcome to those of the Orthodox faith, regardless of whether they are of Ukrainian or non-Ukrainian origin. Moreover, St. Andrew serves as a supportive and inclusive community for Ukrainians newly arrived in Boston. One such individual is Olga Agarkova, who resettled in Boston in December of 2022, 10 months after the war had started.
Chapter One: Olga Agarvoka
I had the privilege of speaking with Olga Agarkova, thanks to the gracious help of Ilyana Sawka. Ilyana, a Humanitarian Aid Coordinator and Parish Board member of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church, provided invaluable translation services during our conversation.
Agarkova is originally from Kharkiv, a city in
Ukraine is located just 40 km from the Russian
border. Kharkiv has a population of 1.4 million
people, and due to its high rise, it became
one of the first cities in Ukraine to be attacked
by Russia. During our initial conversation with
Agarkova, her primary focus was on sharing
photographs with us. She shared images that
captured the stark contrast between the state
of her city before and after the shellings, as
well as photos taken just three months before
the war broke out. Additionally, Agarkova showed us various tactics that people in her community are employing to protect themselves from bombings, such as taking refuge in subway tunnels to avoid the blaring sound of bomb sirens and to stay safe.
On March 1st, 2022, Agarkova witnessed an explosion only 600 meters from her apartment.
“The windows of my flat were bent in; it was such a huge explosion, like a wave… a wave of heat. My windows were destroyed, so I decided to flee the city…They were targeting the buildings for no reason, to destroy them and incite fear”.
Agarkova fled to Western Ukraine, about 600 miles from Kharkiv, and stayed there until November 2022.
“Russians had artillery units and would shell the city consistently due to the proximity. In August 2022, the Russians retreated. Because of that, there wasn’t any more shelling which enabled people to return to the city in September with greater confidence".
Agarkova didn’t come back to Kharkiv until November when she saw the remains of her home city; she then made the decision and had the opportunity to go with her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter to Boston, Massachusetts.
Agarkova discovered the significance of relying on the Ukrainian community in Boston during her brief stay in the United States. Saint Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church has played a crucial role in her life, allowing her to connect with more people and engage with the community through events, coffee hours, and even church on Sundays. Moreover, she utilizes the church as a space for contemplation and support for those residing in Ukraine.
Click below to listen to Olga's Story:
A visualization of the beginning of the war and where Ukraine remains as of March 2023.
Photo courtesy of BBC's map in tracking the Ukrainian War.
Ukrainians Arriving in Boston
Saint Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church's Impact
In Reflection and Contemplation at the altar of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church After Sunday Service.
Kharkiv, Ukraine close to the Russian border where Olga is from.
Photo courtesy of CNN.
Citizens of Kharkiv seeking shelter in the subway tunnels.
Photo courtesy of Olga Agarkova.
Olga's Timeline
Chapter Two: Nika Chelnokova
Nika Chelnokova is a 21-year-old senior at Suffolk University and a community leader at the Ukrainian Cultural Center of New England (UCCN), a volunteer-run non-profit organization. Originally from Ukraine, Nika's passion for her cultural heritage and desire to support her homeland during the invasion led her to become involved with UCCN. The organization's primary mission is to unite the Ukrainian community around their traditions, which they achieve by organizing various events such as rallies, protests, and more in Boston. UCCN serves as a valuable resource for Ukrainians to connect and avoid feeling isolated.
UCCN also collaborates with Saint Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church to create events.
Nika plays a crucial role in executing the weekly events held by UCCN, and her contributions go beyond that. She even spoke at rallies, demonstrating her commitment to the organization's cause.
During a conversation with Nika, she shared that the Ukrainian community in Boston was not very large before the invasion. She wanted to get involved to feel connected to her home country. In her own words, she stated, "Before this tragedy, there was not a community of Ukrainians in Boston, and the war brought us all together. When it all happened, we all felt alone and useless that something terrible was happening to our country, and you’re just sitting on our couch and crying. At that moment, I realized that I could not just cry— I was at an advantage, and I had safety (here in the United States). This was when I decided that I needed to find someone who supported me, shared my values, and shared my pain. That's why I started going to protests, And it made me feel way better. There is a powerful community right now, And I feel less distant”.
On February 26th, 2023, Nika delivered a speech at a rally organized by UCCN in Copley Square, which marked the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The rally was significant for its message and coincided with "Ukraine Day" in Boston, declared by the city's mayor, Michelle Wu. In her speech, Nika shared her connection with Ukraine and her family. She emphasized the need to continue supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian community in Boston.
Click to listen to her speech from the rally:
Nika's message to Boston and the United States is that it's crucial to talk more about Ukraine and not overlook the ongoing war. Nika believes people should bring the issue to the forefront of people's attention, and it won't go away quickly. She says, “But I think that people should be talking more. Because when people ask me if the situation is better, they think it's better only because people talk less about that. But it's not like that. It's not better. People are still dying. And people like Russians are killing us. And it's a tragedy for all of us”. Ultimately, the primary goal should be to sustain conversations about Ukraine and encourage participation in Ukrainian events to demonstrate support.
UCCN is a platform to engage more individuals in promoting support for Ukraine, particularly those who recently arrived in Boston seeking refuge. It aims to create a community where people can learn and become part of a more significant movement to support Ukraine while ensuring that Ukrainians feel comfortable and welcome.
Photographs from the rally that UCCN put on, where Nika delivered her powerful. speech.
Conclusion: Next Steps
The war in Ukraine continues to persist, and it is essential to discuss it in our everyday conversations to raise awareness about the atrocious actions committed by Vladimir Putin against innocent Ukrainians.
After conducting extensive research and speaking with various individuals within the community, the prevalent consensus is that the dialogue must be ongoing. Despite the decline of the topic's coverage in the news, it does not indicate that people are not still enduring these appalling events daily. We must take action to support and help them in any way possible, whether by participating in rallies and protests, patronizing Ukrainian businesses, making donations, or simply engaging in conversations with those who have been affected.
UCCN has a list of events they put on to support Ukrainians in the community and be a part of something bigger.
If you can donate, you can also grant at Sunflower of Peace. The Boston-based nonprofit provides life-saving medical and humanitarian aid to Ukrainians affected by the Russian military invasion.
Most importantly, don't let the conversation die.