Back on November 11, 2018, the grand finale of the Miss Ukrainian NJ competition was held in the beautiful Excelsior restaurant (Saddle Brook, N.J.). Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA) Branch 137 of Clifton, N.J., organized this artistic contest in order to achieve multiple goals, including sharing information about Ukrainian culture, highlighting the knowledge, talents and community involvement of young Ukrainian women, and raising funds to support educational and humanitarian projects of the UNWLA.
Three of the winners of the competition traveled to Ukraine on January 9-16 as ambassadors of the UNWLA and to participate in the Kraina Win-Win program.
This writer sat down with event organizers and participants to discuss the contest, the current and future projects of the UNWLA, and the involvement of the younger generation in volunteer work.
Participating in the discussion were: Marianna Zajac, UNWLA president; Valentyna Tabaka, UNWLA Branch 137 president; Yuliya Voznyuk, Miss Ukrainian NJ; Anna Rak, second runner-up and Miss Popularity; and Kamila Ivashko, Miss Personality.
UNWLA Branch 137 is one of the newest branches (established in 2015) with all its members being from the latest wave of immigration. The UNWLA is one of the oldest Ukrainian American organizations. How does it feel to work within such an established institution?
Ms. Tabaka: Learning about the enormous workload that “Soyuzianky” [members of the UNWLA] faced over the course of more than 90 years, we feel deep respect towards the Ukrainian women, who not only had the awareness but also made the time to take care of their families as well as the larger Ukrainian community. The recent events in Ukraine (Euromaidan, war in Donbas) give us no choice but to participate in some kind of volunteer activity, and the UNWLA, with its established goals, dedication and financial transparency, was the best option for us.
Why did you decide to organize the Miss Ukrainian NJ competition?
We attended the Miss Ukrainian Canada and Miss Ukrainian Diaspora competitions and liked their organizers’ approach – to present the modern young Ukrainian woman, a woman who harmoniously combines beauty of the soul and the body, intellect, work ethic, and proactive compassion. Also this aligns with UNWLA goals. The grand finale became a place of celebration of Ukrainian culture and the popularization of knowledge about the modern style of Ukrainian life among Americans.
Sophia Kachmar
During the award ceremony at the Miss Ukrainian NJ competition.
An important part of the competition was the fund-raising for the existing humanitarian, cultural and educational projects of the UNWLA. The winner chose which projects she wanted to coordinate with, to distribute the proceeds of this charity event as a representative of the UNWLA and become the UNWLA Ambassador of Goodwill.
You were invited to be one of the competition judges. What are your impressions of this event? Will you encourage UNWLA branches from other states to organize similar events?
Ms. Zajac: Yes, I was very happy to be one of the judges at this exciting competition. It was clear from the beginning to the very end of this event that UNWLA Branch 137’s members put a lot of thought into the planning and a lot of hard, detailed worked into the execution of the evening. The enthusiasm and excitement of the contestants was felt by all as the lovely young women entered the banquet hall. It was evident also that the contestants put a lot of effort and originality into their preparation for the evening.
This was an evening of contrasts, heartwarming contrasts. Although these were modern young women competing, many of them professionals in their fields, each of the 13 participants wore a traditional Ukrainian costume (many of which were family heirlooms) and was asked to describe the origins and details of each component of the costume. Although such a pageant often focuses only on superficial beauty, this event focused on the whole person – on her accomplishments, her volunteerism, her knowledge about and love for Ukrainian culture and traditions.
I congratulate Branch 137 for the unique idea and for their determination. I think that other UNWLA branch members were interested to read about the competition in the February 2019 issue of Our Life, the UNWLA’s monthly magazine, and I would indeed encourage other branches to initiate such events in their communities in order to attract the younger generation to become interested in volunteering and service to Ukraine and to those in need of assistance.
Girls, preparing for and participating in the competition was not the easiest assignment. How did you like the competition? What did you learn about the UNWLA in the last months?
Ms. Rak: For me, participation in the finale was like being a part of a beautiful Ukrainian fairy tale. The schedule before the finale was packed – there were two photo sessions, different workshops. But despite the hectic schedule, we had the opportunity to spend time together and become friends during these busy days. I hope that such contests will continue, and we would love to help the UNWLA in its mission, in the organization and execution. It would be a pleasure to work with such a creative and energetic group.
It looks like everyone – the participating girls, the audience and the guests, enjoyed this show. The Consulate General of Ukraine in New York shared the information on its website [https://ny.mfa.gov.ua/ua/news/consular-news/68514-vitajemo-peremozhnicyu-konkursu-miss-ukrainian-new-jersey-2018-juliju-voznyuk]. Your hard work and that of your branch members was very successful. But looking at the Miss Ukrainian NJ Facebook and Instagram pages, we found that in January Yuliya Voznyuk, Anna Rak and Kamila Ivashko participated in the Kraina Win-Win program. [Founded by the NGO Go Great, this project aims to create a network of local communities in the diaspora for advocating Ukrainian issues on both the national and international platforms.] Instead of relaxing after preparing and executing such a large-scale event, you started a new project. Please tell us about this new development in your branch activity.
Ms. Tabaka: An important assignment for us is to promote the concept of volunteering and charitable work among the younger generation The Kraina Win-Win program is a perfect fit because it combines official and professional meetings, workshops with influential Ukrainian leaders and reformers, interesting cultural programs and good, plain fun by touring Ukrainian highlights to visit different places. It was complicated to put together the Miss Ukrainian NJ humanitarian mission through participation in this program. But it was a great pleasure to support the Kraina Win-Win organizers, and we were very happy to see the huge transformation and personal growth in our girls after their short trip to Ukraine.
The UNWLA Executive Board financially supported the participation of the girls in the Kraina Win-Win program. What future UNWLA projects will involve the young Ukrainian diaspora?
Ms. Zajac: Yes, when the proposal was made by Branch 137 members to send the girls to participate in the winter session of the Kraina Win-Win program, I took the opportunity to learn about it and agreed that this was a unique, exciting and truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the girls. Since Kraina Win-Win works closely with the Ukrainian Catholic University with which the UNWLA has partnered, we suggested that the UNWLA would cover the participation fee. The girls posted pictures on Facebook during their stay in Ukraine and the meetings and lectures they attended. We all commented that we wished we were there.
Denys Koliada
UNWLA representatives at the Christmas and New Year Charity Ball in Kyiv with Natalia Uvarova, president of the Orphans Are Our Children charity fund.
The UNWLA National Board is holding its annual meeting next month and will be brainstorming about ways to engage and interest the young Ukrainian diaspora in projects both here and in Ukraine.
Yuliya, you were the Good Will Ambassador representing UNWLA. What part of your humanitarian mission was the most memorable?
Ms. Voznyuk: Meeting young wounded soldiers in the military hospital in Kyiv was the most touching experience during my trip to Ukraine. I am not afraid to say that this meeting really changed my life. It was an honor for me to meet these soldiers and to actually see the enormity of their sacrifice. I would prefer not to share all the sad stories about their disabilities, but I can share that our visit brought them a lot of happiness, at least for a short time. Our financial gift to each was possible thanks to organized UNWLA fund-raisers, and a huge thanks to everyone who comes to these events or supports UNWLA in any other way. These soldiers did not expect any financial help from us, visitors coming from the U.S.A., who are neither relatives nor friends. Their reactions were so humble and made us cry.
Denys Koliada
At a meeting with the administrator of the Nazareth rehabilitation center in Lviv.
The participants of Miss Ukrainian NJ were very diverse in terms of age, origin, talents, achievements, hobbies, involvement in Ukrainian community life, etc. Ania Rak came to the U.S.A. from Ukraine with her family only one year ago. Yuliya Voznyuk was born in Ukraine, but grew up in the U.S.A. Kamila Ivashko is only part Ukrainian; her cultural heritage includes Lithuanian and Poland origins. Her Ukrainian is not fluent; assimilation makes second and third generations drift out of the Ukrainian community. But in the current informational war, the contributions of Ukrainians who are aware of their heritage and passionate about their country are highly valuable and much needed. Kamila, it was your first time visiting Ukraine. What were your impressions?
Ms. Ivashko: The Miss Ukrainian NJ competition helped me to discover my Ukrainian heritage; visiting Ukraine helped me to better understand the modern political situation. I like Ukrainian people – their welcoming culture and kindness – and sympathize with their fight for a better future for Ukraine. I am currently studying information technology and informatics, and political studies at Rutgers. I spoke with Ulana Suprun, the acting minister of health of Ukraine, about my possible internship at the Ukrainian Ministry of Health this summer.
Girls, you met with the representatives of the rehabilitation center Nazareth while delivering aid from the UNWLA. What did you learn from this experience?
Ms. Rak: The sad truth about the current war in Ukraine is that many soldiers coming back home from the front have difficulties adjusting to “normal” life with the corruption, with the inefficiency of federal institutions. Especially after seeing their friends die in the Donbas and having to return to an uncertain political reality. Alcohol and drugs come as the simplest solution to deal with the stress. The rehabilitation center Nazareth provides not only ambulatory care, but also six weeks’ stay for people suffering from addiction. The trained psychologists adapted European techniques to Ukrainian specifics. They worked with substance-dependent patients and with their families, who need substantial support and knowledge on how to deal with impacted family members.
Denys Koliada
Yuliya Voznyuk (right) and Ania Rak visit the military hospital in Kyiv.
Unfortunately, there is not enough awareness about this social problem, there are no government programs to deal with these issues, and the majority of patients cannot afford their own treatment – they rely on other people, on charitable organizations like the UNWLA, to help them.
Touring Dzherelo and meeting the administrators of the organization was part of your humanitarian mission. How would you describe your experience there?
Ms. Ivashko: Children with disabilities face a very unique set of challenges, and helping to make their day-to-day experience easier is truly a worthwhile cause. We were very happy to see the high technology level and coziness of this center, to see that courses for parents and caregivers are provided here and to learn that the UNWLA is a generous donor that enabled this center to exist. Also this location is a model center where special care teachers from other regions come to learn about new techniques for treating kids. We passed the UNWLA’s donation to Dzherelo administrators. It is so nice to be a part of such a noble endeavor.
The UNWLA Women’s Studies Center at the Ukrainian Catholic University was founded in 2012 on the initiative and financial support of the UNWLA to organize, create and coordinate academic activities related to the research, teaching and popularization of women’s studies. Was it interesting for you to meet the representatives of this institution?
Ms. Voznyuk: Definitely, yes! The contribution of Ukrainian women into the cultural, political and economic life of Ukrainian society is hugely understated. We know about Natalia Kobrynska, Milena Rudnytska – the bright representatives of the women’s movement in the beginning and the first half of the 20th century in Ukraine. The UNWLA was created by intelligent and energetic Ukrainian women, living in the U.S.A., and their contribution to spreading awareness about the Holodomor among American society is huge. They also supported dissidents during the Cold War, they provided humanitarian aid to the DP camp refugees in post-war Europe, to the Chornobyl victims – to name only a few of the UNWLA’s projects. And now we are part of the UNWLA aid to the victims of the war in the Donbas. Thanks to UCU women’s studies, women’s contributions will be recognized and all these “white pages” of history (a reference to Dr. Marta Bohachevsky-Chomiak’s definition from the book “Bilym po bilomu”) will be gradually filled in.
Attending the Christmas and New Year Charity Ball in Kyiv was a pleasant experience in your humanitarian mission. What was your mission at this event?
Ms. Ivashko: Natalia Uvarova, president of the Orphans Are Our Children charity fund and organizer of this event, has two aims: conducting a fund-raiser for orphaned children and providing these kids with some exposure to a greater society. All the costs of renting a beautiful hotel ballroom, food, hairdos for the girls and fancy outfits were donated. It was very good news to us that this event was held seven times. During the ball we presented the donations raised during Miss Ukrainian NJ to buy sewing machines and supplies for the orphanage. It is great that girls and boys will be able to learn a craft during their teenage years and will be better equipped for the future. During the event we played with the kids, danced and celebrated with them; we were happy because they were happy.
As the participants of the Kraina Win-Win program, you had the opportunity to meet a lot of successful and inspirational Ukrainian people. After learning about their philosophy of life, their success stories you had the opportunity to create your own project to influence the future development of Ukraine. Which project did you choose ?
Ms. Rak: It would take the whole page to list all the people and titles we had the pleasure to meet during this program. They all represent different facets of Ukrainian life. But they are alike in that they believe in the positive future of Ukraine and their common contribution to build it. Their energy and passion are contagious; after meeting with them we plan to do our first project – to organize a 5K run here in the U.S.A. to help Ukraine.
Thank you to everybody for sharing your opinions and stories. We will be looking forward to hearing updates in the future.
Orysia Soroka is vice-president of UNWLA Branch 137.