Advocate for Ukraine – UKRAINIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENTER

MN Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee (MN UAAC) represents all 19,000 Ukrainian Americans in Minnesota, including these organizations: AAYUD (Association of American Youth of Ukrainian Descent), Maidan Minnesota, ODFFU (Organization for Defense of Four Freedoms for Ukraine), St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church, St. Katherine Ukrainian Orthodox Church, St. Michael’s and St. George’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Ukrainian American Community Center, Ukrainian American Youth Association.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR

Contact your members of Congress

Good news: The House of Representatives Appropriations Committee introduced a national security supplemental bill for Ukraine. The bill provides $61b in assistance to Ukraine, including a clause that calls upon the President to “transfer long range Army Tactical Missile Systems to the Government of Ukraine to assist the Government of Ukraine in defending itself .

The vote will happen on Saturday Night – and until then, WE MUST RAMP UP OUR EFFORTS as advocates to ensure that the bill passes unanimously.

It’s imperative to flood the Congress with phone calls letting your representatives know that Ukraine is important to you and that you urge them to VOTE YES ON HR 8035.

Now is the time to contact your member of Congress and call on them to vote in favor of supplemental aid to Ukraine.

You can use the script provided below to deliver your message!

SAMPLE MESSAGE : “Hello. My name is… My zip code is… Please vote YES on both the Rule for Ukraine aid debate, as well as on House Resolution 8035 – Supplemental aid for Ukraine. Thank you for your support!”

Staffers will make a note of the subject of your call or email. The higher the number of contacts, the higher the priority, the greater the impact!

Minnesota Senators:
Amy Klobuchar (D) – 202-224-3244
Tina Smith (D) – 202-224-5641
Minnesota House Representatives:
1st district: Brad Finstad 202-225-2472
2nd district: Angie Craig (D) 202-225-2271
3rd district: Dean Phillips (D) 202-225-2871
4th district: Betty McCollum (D) 202-225-6631
5th district: Ilhan Omar (D) 202-225-4755
6th district: Tom Emmer (R) 202-225-2331
7th district: Michelle Fischbach (R) 202-225-2165
8th district: Pete Stauber (R) 202-225-6211

MN Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee (MN UAAC) is committed to educating the public and engaging elected officials in bipartisan support of the sovereignty of Ukraine. The committee coordinates advocacy efforts by reaching out to experts, policy-makers, and constituents, ensuring that community’s voices are amplified and heard at the federal, state, and city levels. MN UAAC aims to build allyships across Minnesota, U.S., and the world in support of Ukraine.

Founded in 2016, MN UAAC joined the American Coalition for Ukraine in September of 2022 becoming one of the first founding organizations and participated in its three Ukraine Action Summits in Washington DC either in person or virtually.

FACT SHEET: US ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE

Published by the Institute for the Study of War on Feb.8, 2024. Read the full article here.

The Ukrainian government has identified over 19,500 Ukrainian children who have been forcibly deported to Russia. The Kyiv Independent’s War Crimes Investigation Unit established the names of Russian-controlled officials who took part in the abduction and followed the paths of families who risked their lives to bring their children back. Urge your elected representatives to stop the illegal abduction of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

Updates from the MN UAAC

Solidarity With Ukraine Day

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24 was proclaimed a SOLIDARITY WITH UKRAINE DAY in the state of Minnesota by the Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Our entire Ukrainian community and Ukrainians nation wide value and appreciate the support of Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan. This proclamation (requested by the MN UAAC) was presented on Saturday, February 24th at the MN State Capitol event Ukraine: War & Resistance.

Ukraine: War & Resistance Event

On February 24th, 2024, at a time when Ukraine is passing a decade of defending its sovereignty and after two years of protecting the world’s democracy since the start of the full-scale invasion, the MN Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee and Fulbright Ukraine Minnesota Chapter organized the event Ukraine: War & Resistance that took place at the MN State Capitol.

We are thankful to our elected officials Senator Amy Klobuchar, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, State Representative Sydney Jordan, Representative Rick Hansen, and Representative Mark Wiens who supported this event. As Ukraine and our community start the third year of resilience, our Ukrainian community appreciates your unwavering support.

Our most sincere thanks to Kathleen Collins, Ph.D., an Associate Professor from the Department of Political Science at the UofM, Sally Gregory Kohlstedt, Ph.D., vice president of the Minnesota Chapter of the Fulbright Association, Roman Tyschenko, a Fulbright Scholar from Ukraine, and Paul Jablonsky, UACC president for their thoughtful addresses.

Event attendees had a special opportunity to view a photography exhibition (created by the Fulbright Ukraine Minnesota Chapter) that features seven award-winning Ukrainian and American Fulbrighters. Their 40 photographs reveal the trauma and the resilience of the people of Ukraine as well as evidence of the devastation of the war with Russia. Thank you, Fulbright Ukraine Minnesota Chapter, for your support.

As we brace for the challenges ahead, your continued support is vital. We encourage you to donate, volunteer, and share our messages, as every action contributes to our collective effort to support Ukraine. We are Stronger Together. Slava Ukraini!

Commemoration of the 90th anniversary of Holodomor, Genocide of Ukrainians in 1932-33

At the request of the MN Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz proclaimed the last week of November the Ukrainian Famine Genocide Remembrance Week. MN Ukrainian and Ukrainians all over the world welcome and deeply appreciate this important recognition.

On November 8th, 2023, MN Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee with support from Ukrainian American Community Center, and in partnership with Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies University of Minnesota and The Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota held an event dedicated to Holodomor commemoration, recognition, and justice for its victims and descendants through education. Holodomor (death inflicted by starvation) is genocide of Ukrainians in 1932-33.

Very Reverend Fathers Ivan Schkumbatiuk from St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church and Myron Korostil from St. Michael’s and St. George’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church led the commemoration attendees in prayer followed by a moment of silence.

It was a special honor to have the First Lady Gwen Walz join the commemoration and address the audience. Ms Walz, an experienced educator expressed her solidarity with the victims of the Holodomor, the survivors and their families, and presented a letter from Governor Tim Walz. Thank you very much for your support, Governor Walz and First Lady Walz!

On behalf of the Minnesota Ukrainians, the MN Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee expressed deep gratitude and appreciation for the letters of support to Senator Amy Klobuchar and Congresswoman Betty McCollum who’ve been staunch supporters of Ukraine against Russia’s brutal war of aggression.

The State Representative Sydney Jordan, the House Assistant Majority Leader introduced a House Resolution commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, a genocide that occurred in Ukraine from 1932-1933. The Resolution established the last week of November as Holodomor Memorial Week and November 28th as Holodomor Memorial Day in the state of Minnesota. She was joined by Stefan Iwaskewycz, the grandson of the Holodomor survivors, Carrie Booth Walling, PhD, Director of The Human Rights Program at the UofM, Joe Eggers, the Interim Director of the Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies University of Minnesota, and Luda Anastazievsky, MN Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee Chair.

“By recognizing the experiences of communities in Minnesota, like the Holodomor, as a state, we have collectively told our neighbors that we hear your story, we recognize your pain, and remember with you.” Joe Eggers, the Interim Director of the Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies University of Minnesota

Senator Steve Cwodzinski, the Chair of the Senate Education Policy Committee, and Representative Frank Hornstein gave moving addresses in solidarity with Minnesota Ukrainians.

Event guests had a special opportunity to view the Voice to Vision collaborative art piece by Luda Anastazievsky “Because We are Ukrainian” and the traveling Holodomor exhibit “Genocide Repeats, Repeats, Repeats” highlighting the connections between the historic genocide of Ukrainians, the Holodomor, and the current genocide fueled by Russia’s colonial ambitions.

*The exhibit, created by the Holodomor Museum in Kyiv, Ukraine, and sponsored by the Ukrainian Consulate in Chicago, was available for public viewing from November 7th through November 21st in the North Corridor of the MN State Capitol.

Minnesota Ukrainians are deeply grateful for the participation of the Minnesota state leaders, elected officials, education and community leaders in this important event.

Special thanks to the event co-sponsors:
Germanic American Institute
Global Minnesota
Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas
St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church
St. Michael’s & St. George’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church
St. Catherine Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Voice to Vision

Ukraine Action Summit

On October 22-24, in Washington DC, the American Coalition for Ukraine convened the third Ukraine Action Summit. MN UAAC members joined over 450 participants from 34 states who attended 220 meetings with Congressional representatives to urge Congress to pass measures to bring Ukraine closer to victory. Participants also joined expert panel sessions, networked and made connections between organizations, and unfurled the world’s largest Ukrainian flag near the Washington Monument. Watch Video overview of the Ukraine Action Summit, Fall 2023

Genocide Education in the State of Minnesota

In the spring 2023 the MN legislature passed the K-12 Bill that mandating the Holocaust and genocide studies to be embedded in the social studies curriculum. This means that the Holodomor, the genocide of Ukrainians in 1932-33, will become part of the MN social Studies curriculum. MN UAAC has contributed by participating in the public debate and MN Senate committee hearing.

From Left to Right: Ethan Roberts (JCRC), Luda Anastazievsky (Ukrainian American Community Center), Kristin Thompson (Humanus Network), and Joe Eggers (CHGS) before the MN Senate committee hearing

A Proposed Holocaust and Genocide Education Mandate in Minnesota

Joe Eggers on March 10, 2023

“…This bill codifies the language in the standards revision. It establishes a task force of educators, experts, and community members that would work closely with the Minnesota Department of Education to implement requirements. The bill is a joint effort between CHGS and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota & the Dakotas…

The Senate has already introduced the bill, having its first hearing on Monday, March 6th in the Education Policy Committee. In addition to written statements from CHGS advisory board members Dr. Sheer Ganor and Dr. Gabriela Spears-Rico, I spoke briefly to the committee about the importance of this bill for Minnesota teachers. I was joined by Luda Anastazievsky of the Ukrainian American Community Center and Kristin Thompson, founder of the Humanus Network and former Education Program Coordinator at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum…”

Ukraine Action Summit, community advocacy summit on the Hill

VERIFIED SOURCES OF INFORMATION

PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF UKRAINE

UKRAINE’S OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE IN YOUR COUNTRY

(Web, Facebook & Twitter)

If you would like to volunteer with supporting advocacy efforts by putting your passion into real, local action – please complete the form to let the committee know you are interested!