Co-Pilot Project. Face to Face: The second mission of American facial plastic surgeons to Ukraine

Published: June 28, 2023

The mission named “Face to Face” – is the humanitarian project created in cooperation with American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), Razom for Ukraine (Co-Pilot Project) and the medical NGO INgenius. The main sponsors of the project are also Healing the Childrens Foundation and Materialise.

The Face to Face mission of American facial reconstructive surgeons took place in a Lviv hospital on April 22-29. Nine doctors and eight nurses from the United States, along with their Ukrainian colleagues, performed free reconstructive and plastic surgeries on soldiers who had suffered face and neck injuries on the front line during russia’s war against Ukraine.

Great thanks to the team of

Surgeons: Drs Manoj Abraham, John Frodel, Augustine Moscatello, Gregoriy Mashkevich, Bruce Moskowitz, Ryan Winters, Boris Chernobilski, and Ivanka Nebor.

Nurses: Susan Ketigian, Teresa O’Malley, Lindsey Norrito, Kirsten Kringle, Joanne Heil, Iryna Frankiv, Yuriy Tsuvanyk, and Mariana Varchuk

Administrators:
Aly Owens and Lisa Kadin

The mission duration was 7 days. Over 5 surgical days, 26 reconstructive surgeries were performed, five of which were unique procedures – bone transplants from legs and arms for the reconstruction of the jaw and nose.

Surgical cases included:

5 free flaps (3 fibular free flap, 1 radial free flap and 1 anterolateral thigh flap) for reconstruction of mandibular, maxillary and midface defects
11 personalized titanium 3D implants for facial bones reconstruction (Materialise)
5 complex rhinoplasties
1 facial nerve reconstruction with graft

The mission preparation took 3 months. We received more than 100 applications, but were able to select only 30. Following consultations, 26 patients underwent surgeries. There were 5 patients from the previous mission, which took place in September 2022. The American and Ukrainian teams worked side by side.

We are grateful to Ukrainian plastic surgeon Vitaliy Panchenko for his work and courage to host such a complex mission in his department. He, along with surgeons Mykola Syniuk, Tetiana Rudomanenko, Yuriy Herbish and Ukrainian anesthesiologists and nurses, made this mission possible and successful. Special gratitude goes to Hryhoriy Prokhorenko and Volodymyr Knychnytskyy.

On average, the surgeons operated for 15 hours daily. The total cost of all operations would have been about $1,000,000 in the United States. The team brought with them medical supplies, surgical threads, tools and equipment totaling about $100,000.

With the help of Materialise, titanium 3D implants for facial bone reconstruction were modeled and printed for patients, although such technologies and production are quite expensive. Professionals from Materialise provided free modeling and printing for Ukrainian patients, and volunteers were present at each surgery to help surgeons with visualization for each case.

One of the main goals of the Face to Face mission is to train Ukrainian surgeons. On the first day, American surgeons organized a workshop on applying vascular anastomoses under a microscope. They also conducted a training on the basics of scar reconstruction.

With the support of the Karl Storz Ukraine and Bionorica, the three surgical days were broadcast live, with more than 500 Ukrainian otolaryngologists, maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons and ophthalmologists participating. The procedures were commented by Ukrainian specialists – Prof. Kopchak A.V., Bilotserkivsky I.V., Chepurny Y.V., Omerova L.M. and Yushchenko V.M.

The Face to Face team was awarded by Lviv Regional State Administration and the Mayor of the City for volunteering efforts and helping Ukrainian victims of war. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi also met with the team and thanked them for their support and work.

The project is aimed at helping the soldiers and war-affected Ukrainians who have suffered head and neck injuries. This project is about reuniting caring people to help others. We are already planning our third mission. And we thank every partner and volunteer who makes this project possible!

We would like also to thank Yulia Shama (Razom), Iryna Gudyma (Razom), Ihor Kurylo (INgenius), Ihor Solovei (INgenius) and Oleksandr Zakorchenyi (Materialise) for their significant contribution to the mission.

The first Face to Face mission took place in September 2022 in Ivano-Frankivsk, where the team conducted 31 operations for soldiers and civilians who suffered from facial and neck injuries during the Russian-Ukrainian war. Details are here.

Photo report: Sa Va (Vasyl Salyha)

Original article and more photographs from the mission at https://ingeniusua.org/en/misiya-face-face-2

Please, donate to help us rebuild Ukraine and ensure that Ukrainian people have access to technologies available in the modern healthcare field

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Razom Advocacy Key Messages and Target Legislation, Week of 6/22/23

Published: June 22, 2023

As part of Razom Advocacy’s ongoing work advocating for policies that will help Ukraine achieve swift victory, we have created a weekly series of key messages/talking points and list of target legislation to help align nationwide advocacy efforts. Hover over the PDF to navigate to pages 2 & 3. Please feel free to download and distribute. Keep up with the latest on Razom’s advocacy work by following us on Twitter @razomforukraine.

Key-Messages-Week-of-6.22-1

Razom Announces Organizational Updates, Including Strategic New Hires

Published: June 17, 2023

“Razom has always been, and will continue to be, a volunteer-driven organization, and as we scale and grow, we are excited to bring on full-time staff who can sustain our donation pipeline, effectively deploy resources and funds to save lives and continue to ensure the world hears about Ukraine”

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Razom has made the following organizational updates, effective immediately:

Lydia Kokolskyj, VP of Development, Razom: Lydia (Lida) has joined Razom full time as the VP of Development, where she will be responsible for identifying, engaging, cultivating, and stewarding current and prospective donors to meet annual revenue targets, in addition to securing the ongoing delivery of programs to support Ukraine. An accomplished leader in nonprofit advancement, Lydia has raised over $250 million for many deserving causes and holds a comprehensive background with three decades of experience in a range of nonprofit management roles including institutional and business development, strategic planning, marketing, communications, public relations and events planning.
Dan Solchanyk, Program Director, Razom Health: Dan will be joining Razom full time as the Program Director for Razom Health, which supports hospitals and other healthcare institutions that serve the civilian population in Ukraine. Dan grew up in a mixed Ukrainian-American household and has over a decade of experience leading emergency response teams and effectively managing health programs in some of the world’s most challenging conflict and disaster settings, including Ukraine. Dan earned his BS in Human Development from UC Davis and will be graduating from Northwestern with a MS in Global Health.
Anna Solovei, Program Director, Razom Relief: Anna will be joining Razom full time as the Program Director for the Razom Relief project, which aims to help non-governmental organizations in Ukraine provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the people affected by the occupation. As Program Director, Anna will continue the program’s vital work of providing relief and support to those in need. Anna holds an MBA from London Business School and has garnered valuable experience during her tenure as a director at PwC and as Principal Banker at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Melinda Haring, Senior Community Engagement Advisor and Doug Klain, Research Analyst, Razom Advocacy: Melinda will join Razom Advocacy as a Senior Community Engagement Advisor, helping lead Razom’s grassroots advocacy work around the country. She is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Previously, she was Director of Stakeholder Relations & Social Impact for the Superhumans Center in Ukraine and deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Doug will join Razom Advocacy as a Research Analyst supporting Advocacy’s Government Affairs and Community Relations work. A recent graduate of the London School of Economics, he is a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Most recently, he was an assistant director at the Eurasia Center.
Dora Chomiak, CEO; Oksana Falenchuk, CFO; Zoe Ripecky, COO, Razom: Dora has been appointed CEO of Razom. Previously, Dora held the role of President of the Board of Directors for the organization. Oksana has been appointed CFO, where she will be responsible for leading the work on budgets, financial management and reporting. Zoe has been appointed COO, responsible for overseeing organizational processes and ensuring successful program implementation.

“Razom has always been, and will continue to be, a volunteer-driven organization, and as we scale and grow, we are excited to bring on full-time staff who can sustain our donation pipeline, effectively deploy resources and funds to save lives and continue to ensure the world hears about Ukraine,” said Dora Chomiak, Razom CEO. “We’re grateful to Lydia, Dan, Anna, Oksana and Zoe for joining Razom as full-time staff, as well as Melinda and Doug for joining our Advocacy Team.”

Contacts

Nonna Tsiganok
Media Relations, Razom
nonna@razomforukraine.org

Razom Emergency Response to the Kherson Flooding

Published: June 15, 2023

Within hours after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, Razom employed its developed network of grassroots organizations in Ukraine to assess the needs and start helping people in the Kherson region.

Russian deliberate actions caused a humanitarian emergency. Water from the Kakhovka water reservoir flooded wide areas, endangering and forcing thousands of civilians to leave their homes.

Our partners, Rescue Now, have been evacuating civilians and animals since the first hours. With a $25k grant provided by Razom, they have also been delivering needed supplies, including drinking water, food, hygiene products, evacuation boats, and charging stations. The team coordinated with governmental first responders to reach all places in need, despite the constant shelling and missile attacks on the region. Within only 5 days, Rescue Now also set up a humanitarian base in Kherson, which serves as a logistical hub for humanitarian aid for numerous NGOs and as a temporary shelter for evacuees.

Rescue Now, with support from Razom, responds to the emergency on the ground in Kherson

Razom Health team worked with the Ministry of Health in the Kherson region and local NGOs and went to Kherson within the first day. We delivered medicine and protective clothing to local hospitals taking in patients and survivors of the floods. In the following week, our drivers embarked on multiple trips to continue supplying hospitals. Our team in Kyiv packs the supplies while a smaller team loads up the vans and sets out to make the deliveries of aid all over the affected areas of Kherson. This way, we ensure that not a single minute is wasted.

Razom team in Ukraine works daily on humanitarian deliveries to the Kherson region

Our team members making the deliveries speak to people on the ground and learn what their needs are to communicate them to the Razom community, including our large network of local NGOs. Many of our partnering organizations and grantees are on the ground in the Kherson region as well. Volonterska, HelpGroup, Stezhka Dodomy, Ukraina SOS, Fight for Rights, and many others have been delivering humanitarian aid to people in the region.

NGO Volonterska delivers humanitarian aid from Razom in the Kherson region

Two days following the destruction, NGO “Zakhyst” from Khmelnytskyi met the first evacuees. Using a $50k grant, they support the evacuation of 1,000 people from the flooded areas of the Kherson region, welcomed and provided them with essentials such as hygiene products, clothing, and food right at the train station upon their arrival. The organization also provided evacuees with psychosocial support.

GO “Zakhyst” welcomes refugees at Khmelnytskyi train station

While out teams continue to support people amidst humanitarian crises, Razom also works to mitigate the long-term consequences of the disaster and help Ukraine prevent future russian-made catastrophes.

On the day following the destruction, Razom Advocacy team in DC immediately picked up the work. The destruction of the Kakhovka dam fits the centuries-old pattern of colonial violence and is yet another manifestation of Russian genocidal intent in Ukraine — we work to make sure the world hears that. Therefore, we reached out to more than 2,000 people in our advocacy network and mobilized them to contact their Congressional representatives and ask for support for the resolution declaring Ukraine’s invasion to be genocide (H.Res. 154 / S.Res. 72).

Join Us and Help the Effort

We have also been working to connect Ukrainians affected by the flood with media outlets so that their story can be heard by the world and increased our engagement with elected officials and their staff to keep decision-makers aware of the latest updates directly from the ground in Kherson.

The destruction of the dam caused an environmental disaster and permanently disturbed the region. As a result of russian terror, the Kakhovka water reservoir disappeared, leaving tens of thousands in the entire south of Ukraine without access to drinking water. Razom Relief team earlier installed multiple water filtering stations in Mykolaiv and Donetsk regions together with Ukrainian partner Wise Water, and now we are working to procure these stations in Kherson and provide stable access to water.

Kherson still needs help. We continue supporting evacuees who lost their homes and delivering life-saving medicine to hospitals that are taking people from affected regions. Our teams in Ukraine, alongside our local partners, will make more trips to the Kherson region to bring humanitarian aid to those in need. Razom Relief team talks to local organizations to start future projects in the region.

We work with our numerous partners in Ukraine and employ all our resources to ensure the help arrives when and where it is needed, and we ask for your support.

Donate to support our ongoing relief efforts in the Kherson region

NGO “Ordinary People” – The Space of Ukrainian Invincibility

Published: June 12, 2023

In 2018, a young woman from Kharkiv learned about an orphaned baby boy suffering from an unknown disease at one of the public hospitals. Both of his parents died. All he had left was hospital staff and an IV in his little arm.

The young woman’s heart broke looking at that tiny 1-year-old boy weighing just about 9 pounds. She decided to do whatever it took to save his life. Joined by a close friend and a few other wholeheartedly caring people, they sought the best doctors, medicines, and resources. They went all out to give this boy the life he deserved.

The boy’s health slowly improved, but the bureaucratic red tape created many challenges. After fighting the adoption battle for almost a year, the young woman eventually found the boy’s aunt – somewhere deep in russian Siberia. Thankfully, the aunt took him in.

Today the boy is happy and healthy, and his new family is still in touch with the rescue team who saved his life. Today, this rescue team is trying to protect Ukrainian children from those who called themselves our “older brothers.”

That young woman’s name is Iryna Stroeva, and her close friend is Anna Vovk. Together these two extraordinary women founded an NGO called “Ordinary People” (ukr. Zvichayni Ludi) that’s been helping orphaned and disadvantaged children since July 2019.

The Razom Relief team (prev. Razom Grants) first learned about this NGO in May 2022. “Ordinary People” was amongst the first volunteer groups to organize the procurement and delivery of humanitarian aid in the Kharkiv region. Dictated by the brutal, inhumane war, volunteer initiatives were initially frantic and disjointed, but now the Ukrainian volunteer movement has become stronger than ever. Furthermore, it is growing into a powerful civil society with tremendous potential for rebuilding the country.

In the summer of 2022, Razom Relief granted “Ordinary People” $30,000 to aid Kharkiv residents. With these funds, volunteers provided food, water, medicines, and hygiene products to those who needed them most but had no access to any resources. All humanitarian packages were delivered hand-to-hand by over 250 volunteers.

Later, Razom provided a $17,000 grant for the residents of the recently liberated territories in the Kharkiv region. Once again, “Ordinary People” volunteers were the first to reach the remote areas and help people devastated by the russian occupation.

Another $8,000 granted by Razom went to give the children from these areas happy holiday memories – Christmas and New Year’s celebrations and gifts.

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A post shared by Громадська організація Звичайні люди (@go_zvychayni_lyudy)

Since February 24, 2022, russian soldiers damaged over 3300 Ukrainian schools. Due to significant destruction, some towns and villages have no places for children to socialize or continue their education. Even the fields and forests, where children used to play and run free, are now covered in landmines.

The relentless violence and instability have forced parents to prioritize the safety and well-being of their children above all else. Many families sought refuge in safer regions or fled the country altogether. A lot of them want to come back home and move on with their lives, but the destruction of infrastructure makes it especially challenging.

One of Razom Relief’s current goals is assisting Ukrainian NGOs and charitable organizations in rebuilding spaces for children, creating new ones, and ensuring they have bomb shelters with all necessary equipment.

Having been helping children for many years, NGO “Ordinary People” developed a new project called “The Space of Ukrainian Invincibility” – a physical club dedicated to education, rehabilitation, and comprehensive support of children and teenagers who survived the russian occupation.

One such club has already been renovated in the town of Balakliya. There, “Ordinary People” bring a group of psychologists who work with children and their parents as a part of another project called “The Psychology of Invincibility.”

Another Space of Ukrainian Invincibility will be located in the town of Tsyrkuny. Technical surveys, renovations, window and door installation, electrical work, and finishing touches have been completed thanks to benefactors and microgrants. This club will provide a safe, secure, and engaging space for children of all ages and interests. The bomb shelter is also being renovated and is only 80 feet away from the club.

So far, Razom Relief has allocated close to $12,000 for this club in the Tsyrkunivska community. The grant aims to involve professional psychologists, teachers, musicians, athletes, and rehabilitation specialists who can provide children with a fulfilling life, including opportunities to socialize with peers, actively learn new skills, engage in sports activities, and grow into happy young adults. The funds will also cover the gas costs to transport children from the six nearby settlements to attend classes and workshops.

The first tour of the space happened just a few days ago. However, some work still has to be done, and the program’s long-term success will depend on the completion of repairs, the involvement of local residents, government agencies, and continued support from donors.

Once “The Space of Ukrainian Invincibility” in Tsyrkuny is fully operational it will provide:

Safe and secure space for 200 children;
The psychological support of licensed professionals and the physical protection of the bomb shelter;
Access to classes and workshops, extracurricular education, learning new skills, exploring and improving their talents, and simply being kids who are entertained and enjoying themselves;
Opportunities for local professionals to get employed and contribute to the well-being of their community.

by Yelena Ivlieva

PLEASE DONATE TO RAZOM RELIEF TO HELP US SUPPORT PEOPLE AND CHILDREN IN UKRAINE

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Razom Joins Statement about Congressional Ukraine Aid

Published: June 7, 2023

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Razom Lounge 2023 at the St. George’s Ukrainian Festival in New York

Published: May 23, 2023

The Saint George Ukrainian Festival took place this past weekend in the East Village, New York.

This annual event marks a wonderful time of celebration of Ukrainian culture as we come together — Razom!

Razom was so happy to take part in this event through hosting our Razom Lounge. It was great to meet so many new individuals and start conversations about Razom projects.

Many of you donated, tried out our VR experience, or stopped by to mark where you’re from in Ukraine on our interactive map (thank you to Bohdan Yaremko for making the map!), stop by for a chat with a Razom volunteer, bought Ukrainian books, got yourself a cool Razom t-shirt, and lucky two of you even won tickets to the June 2 Jamala concert. It was a wonderful weekend and we would like to thank everyone for coming to support.

We thank all attendees and our amazing Razom volunteers for making this possible. And hoping to see you next year!

Enjoy this special video by Markian Nychka. Featured in video are:

Veselka :: Beceлкa, Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Christina Obertos, Anna Obertos , Vocal+Art Studio “Smilyvi”, Darina Burnos , Tasia Maczaj, Zera Mustafaeva, Zarema Mustafaeva, Christina Yavdoshnyak, Sofiya Sobolivska, and many wonderful Razom volunteers at the Razom Lounge.

We are grateful to Igor Martiniouk for the awesome group photo of Razom volunteers featured above, and to Markian Nychka and other volunteers for all the amazing photos from the Festival.

2022 Impact in Review & What’s Most Critical Now

Published: May 11, 2023

It is said, “If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends.” We will not let that happen. Thank you for supporting us in so many ways towards ensuring Ukraine continues to get all the help it needs.

Dear Razom Supporter,

To be confronted over and over again with how the war has ravaged Ukraine and the people who have done what others only speak of to protect and uphold their democracy and freedom, can be devastating. But thanks to your stunning compassion and generosity, Razom has been able to reach more people than we ever imagined and solidify our network to proudly support Ukraine now and in the years ahead.

In 2022, more than 175,000 donors made it possible for us to deploy over $62 million towards our mission to save lives in Ukraine and meet the dynamic and critical needs of Ukrainians as they continue to resist russian forces.

The passionate outpouring of support from people like you created a tremendous opportunity for our programs. In order to achieve the greatest impact, we have now focused our efforts on the following five critical areas of support:

In each of these five categories, together with Razom staff, volunteers and our partners, we’ve been able to have tremendous impact on the lives of Ukrainians from all walks of life.

When the world needs to hear the truth about russia’s actions and aggression, Razom Advocacy is there. In 2022 our team organized more than 525 meetings with congressional offices to ask for critical support for Ukraine, co-founded the American Coalition for Ukraine (ACU) uniting 57 diverse organizations and constituents from all 50 states, and held an inaugural Ukraine Action Summit in Washington, D.C. a fly-in event with over 250 constituents from all over the country participating.

In the first quarter of 2023, Razom Advocacy co-organized a second Ukraine Action Summit that expanded to over 300 advocates from 34 states, and brought together 62 organizations representing the ACU. It was three days in Washington D.C. full of congressional meetings, advocacy training, panel discussions, and networking, and it was focused on a singular message – Ukraine must win. All told, the advocates met with one-third of the offices in Congress. You can read more about it on our website.

Beyond the Summit, our team has testified before Congress, led hundreds of government briefings and meetings, drafted dozens of policy briefs, proposed legislation, and amplified countless Ukrainian voices to protect bipartisan support for Ukraine and advance pro-Ukraine policy that is aligned to U.S. national interests. Don’t forget to join our advocates network to get the latest news from Razom Advocacy.

When a defender in a remote field needs a tourniquet, Razom Heroes is there. In 2022, the team deployed in-house order tracking software and a Ukraine-wide delivery system where Razom drivers take aid directly to the hot zones, delivered over 500 tons of life-saving supplies (including purchasing nearly 400,000 tourniquets), and packed and delivered almost 90,000 Individual First Aid Kits and over 2,000 tactical medical backpacks. We’ve also delivered over 2,000 quadcopters for safe passage and evacuation, and sourced and serviced 69 cars for frontline medics to use as first line evacuation. We have also supplied over 14,000 radios and over 2,000 tablets to keep Ukrainians connected on the front lines. In 2023, as the war continues, so does the procurement and delivery of this type of life saving aid.

Between March 17-May 7 of 2023, Razom Health successfully co-organized and coordinated four medical mission trips to Ukraine. You can read about each specific group of doctors and nurses that traveled here, and click above to watch a deep dive into what it takes to bring a trip like this to life and its impact.
This specific team of American-Canadian volunteers, 8 doctors, and 4 nurses arrived in Ivano-Frankivsk in March to perform 35 complex surgeries for the Ukrainian military and civilians all while providing training for Ukrainian doctors to ensure the impact of their work gets multiplied long after they leave. Given the demanding hours and complexity of the surgeries, Razom’s team organized the many logistical elements essential to the smooth running of these missions, including covering travel, accommodations, daily logistics, and purchasing necessary equipment.
There’s some great reporting that’s been done covering these trips including interviews from the doctors who traveled to Ukraine and the Ukrainian lives that have been changed by their work.

When war-torn hospitals need ultrasounds and wound vacs, Razom Health is there. In 2022, we supplied 419 medical facilities in Ukraine with aid like ultrasounds, wound vacs, electrosurgery machines, orthopedic fixators and more, delivered 23 hospital-grade generators so doctors could continue delivering critical care even when the lights were out, and launched 2 mental health centers in Ukraine with over 800 individuals served (65% using mental health services for the first time).

When families are displaced, hungry, sick, or in danger, Razom Relief is there. In 2022, the team awarded $5M in grants to a network of 123 volunteer organizations in Ukraine that help their local communities. Collectively, these organizations distributed 221,458 food packages to people in need, evacuated 9,640 people, renovated 91 buildings including 11 shelters, and supported 18 shelters that provided 2,375 sleeping places. Over the winter the team procured and delivered 90 generators and 50 charging stations to resilience points, shelters, and humanitarian hubs across Ukraine.

When the world needs to hear voices from Ukraine, Razom Culture and Connections is there. In 2022, our team organized the concert to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Shchedryk’s (Carol of the Bells) premiere at Carnegie Hall with Ukrainian and Ukrainian-American artists and celebrity guests, funded filmmakers from Ukraine to attend international film festivals (including Sundance and the Academy Awards) so people could hear directly from creators and make connections, and supported multiple cultural exchanges, book clubs, and concerts.

We couldn’t have done all this without your support and generosity! With your donations we can scale and continue to support Ukraine now and in the years ahead.

Donate to Keep Supporting this Work

In the meantime, we hope to run into you at any number of these incredible events in New York and across the country that are really worth your time!

This weekend come see “Undesirable Elements: Ukraine” a collaboration of Ping Chong and Company and Yara Arts Group at the Ukrainian Museum on E 6th St in NYC. The production explores the experiences of Ukrainian-American New Yorkers and recent arrivals from Ukraine.
In director Ping Chong’s “Undesirable Elements” series, real people tell about their own lives. Since 1992, over 65 “Undesirable Elements” productions have been made in communities across the country and around the world.
You can get your tickets here & at the door.

Razom is honored to host an event at the Ukrainian Institute of America in NYC this weekend that’ll feature Ukrainian voices at this year’s Pen World Voices Festival. This evening will be mostly in Ukrainian and registration is required.

Come catch a performance from Trevor Noah: Off the Record Tour and fundraise for Ukraine! Led by a diverse group of Benefit Committee Members, it’s sure to be a really special evening.

Grab your tickets by May 15th here.

Just look out for the yellow couch and you’ll find us!

This year at Razom Lounge at the festival, we’ll be hosting special guests, showcasing the work we’ve done over the last year, raising money for bigger projects to help Ukraine, and revealing some fun surprises throughout the day.

The Razom Ukrainian Response Initiative will also be part of the Razom Lounge, giving recently arrived displaced Ukrainians an opportunity to discover the Ukrainian Festival for themselves, meet the community here to support them, and share their stories.

P.S. Interested in volunteering at the Razom Lounge? Send us a message.

Razom is a Presenting Partner with the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, which will feature a Ukrainian documentary WHEN SPRING CAME TO BUCHA. It poignantly captures how a small community continues with life amid trauma and loss while war rages on close by.

Join audiences for its US premiere at the #HRWFFNY taking place on 6/6 at Film at Lincoln Center and the second screening on 6/7 at the IFC Center. A live Q&A with filmmakers and special guests will follow the screenings.

You can also stream the film across the US as part of the digital festival between June 5-11.

Find out more information and book tickets here.

Ukrainian singer/songwriter and winner of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, Jamala is going on her first major USA and Canada tour!

The show includes music from different periods that will be performed through a special electronic interpretation. The tour name, “Like A Bird,” is a reference to the track of the same name from the “All Or Nothing” (2013) album.

Get your tickets here and join Razom at the New York City show on June 2 at Racket NYC. She’ll be in Philadelphia, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Orlando too!

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Delivering Warm Jackets for the Emergency Service of Ukraine Thanks to Senator King

Published: May 9, 2023

The teams at the Emergency Service of Ukraine (ДСНС України) can now do their life-saving work equipped with high-quality, warm LL Bean jackets thanks to a generous donation facilitated by Senator Angus S. King, Jr. of Maine and Razom for Ukraine.

Over 150 winter and all-weather jackets were hand-delivered by the Executive Director of Razom in Ukraine, Evelina Kurilets. Eva handed over all the jackets to Ukraine’s Head of the State Emergency Service, Serhiy Kruk. Mr. Kruk assured that the jackets would be immediately distributed to different regions of Ukraine with the priority of securing the jackets for Emergency Service workers involved in the demining of territories, dismantling of debris after rocket attacks, and extinguishing fires.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine is one of the most extensive services in Ukraine regarding the number of employees. Its specialists perform a colossal volume of work, which has only increased since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The Service and its heroic employees work in any extreme weather conditions. Among numerous critical tasks performed daily, the Service teams extinguish fires, clear debris after shelling of civilian infrastructure, demine territories, conduct rescue operations, and combat natural disasters.

Ukraine is currently the most mined country on the planet; about 40% of the territory is mined and poses a life-threatening danger to civilians first and foremost, so the State Emergency Service of Ukraine constantly needs unique clothing for people who are involved in the process of clearing the territories from mines.

The leadership and staff of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine expressed their sincere gratitude to Senator Angus S. King, Jr. and L.L.Bean for such critical assistance and to the Razom team for delivering this much-needed aid.

Learn more about the ways Razom helps the first responders in Ukraine within our project Razom Heroes.

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Razom for Ukraine and Partners’ 2nd Annual Ukraine Action Summit Brings Together 300+ Advocates in Washington D.C.

Published: May 2, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C — This April, Razom for Ukraine, along with our partners in the American Coalition for Ukraine, co-organized the 2nd Ukraine Action Summit in Washington DC. This year, we expanded on all fronts – more participants, more partner organizations, and more programming. Over 300 participants from 34 states, representing 62 organizations, joined us in Washington D.C. for three days of Congressional meetings, advocacy training, panel discussions, and networking.

Our Summit began with a kickoff and advocacy training session at Georgetown University, where participants were given a primer on the key legislative issues around Ukraine, how to talk to lawmakers and staffers and met with their state delegations. For the next two days of the Summit, participants joined over 150 meetings with Congressional staffers, offices, and representatives from states across the country. All told, they met with 1/3rd of the offices in Congress.

During the meetings, participants discussed the measures Congress can take to help Ukraine, including designating the Wagner Group a foreign terrorist organization, declaring Ukraine’s invasion a genocide, providing consistent military aid, condemning Russia’s forced transfer of Ukrainian children, and more. We want to thank all the offices that welcomed our participants, and have supported Ukraine – victory will require us all working together.

Nearby, participants also attended panel sessions, held in downtown D.C, where they heard from experts on topics such as aid to Ukraine, the latest analysis from the frontlines, decolonizing Western academia, stopping genocide and child deportations, media and advocacy, and more. Experts presented candid insights and actionable tips for participants to maximize their advocacy work and educate their communities about Ukraine – thank you to all our panelists for joining us!

On Tuesday, participants joined a press conference on Capitol Grounds featuring Representatives Wilson, Cohen and Kaptur, alongside Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko. At the conference, the representatives announced the bipartisan Ukrainian Victory Resolution. The resolution affirms that it is the US policy to support Ukraine’s victory against the Russian invasion and holds that Ukraine must secure its victory by integration into NATO. It also declares that the United States must work with its allies and partners to ensure that Russian leaders are held accountable for their acts, while Ukraine receives reparations, reconstruction, and justice.

Thank you to these representatives and cosponsors of this important resolution, and the representatives who introduced it in the Senate: Senators Blumenthal, Whitehouse, and Graham. It is vital for our international partners that the United States have a clearly articulated strategy for supporting Ukraine – and this resolution lays out a vision for a secure, just peace for Ukraine.

The work of organizing the Summit was headed up by Razom Advocacy – a branch of Razom for Ukraine committed to advancing nonpartisan research and policy and to nurturing community engagement across the United States and Ukraine – in collaboration with the American Coalition for Ukraine. To learn more about the Ukraine Action Summit and the American Coalition for Ukraine, visit AmericanCoalitionForUkraine.org, & check out the hashtags #UkraineActionSummit on social media.

Being able to bring together so many advocates from around the country to fight for peace, justice, and prosperity in Ukraine, for the second time in less than a year, has been stupendous. Showing unity and enthusiasm is crucial for sustaining strong support for Ukraine by our representatives. We look forward to continuing this important work together. To be the first to know about the dates for the next Summit, follow the American Coalition for Ukraine on Facebook.