Razom is honored to have been part of the Congressional hearing hosted by the Helsinki Commission on a topic near and dear to our hearts, “Crowdsourcing victory” with our great colleagues from Prytula Charity Foundation, Come Back Alive, and Blue/Yellow.
The following witnesses testified in front of Congress on Wednesday, December 7, 2022: 1. Dora Chomiak, President of the U.S.-based NGO Razom for Ukraine 2. Taras Chmut, Director of the Ukraine-based foundation Come Back Alive 3. Serhiy Prytula, Founder and Chairman of the Ukraine-based Prytula Charity Foundation 4. Jonas Öhman, Founder and Head of the Lithuania-based NGO Blue/Yellow for Ukraine
Razom team members have been fine-tuning the testimony for weeks to accurately convey Razom’s mission to provide critical humanitarian war relief and to give justice to Razom’s volunteers, whose dedication is a cornerstone of all Razom’s operations. This hearing was important on many levels, but our main goal was to showcase the American people’s continued and strong support of Ukraine through their support of Razom.
The testimonies served to remind Congress that civil societies worldwide are united in pursuit of a decisive Ukrainian victory. After hours of discussion, editing, and practice in preparation for the testimony – we hope we have shown Congress what it means to be Razom. Because… we are all in this together, Razom.
We thank everyone who made this hearing happen. We are grateful to Helsinki Commission for hosting the hearing and inviting Razom. And our huge thanks to the Razom team behind the scenes and our President Dora Chomiak, who did an outstanding job testifying in front of Congress.
Thank you to the people of Ukraine and the United States for trusting us! We are certain – Ukraine will win.
Watch the full Congressional hearing “Crowdsourcing Victory. Inside the Civil Society Campaign to Improve the Lethality and Survivability of the Ukrainian Military”:
Additionally, early on the same day, our Razom Advocacy Team held a briefing for congressional staffers on designating russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism and invited Ambassador Bill Taylor and expert Dr. Azeem Ibrahim to speak and give commentary on the topic. The briefing was hosted by the offices of Congressmen Steve Cohen and Joe Wilson, who were also present at the briefing to give their remarks. Michael Sawkiw of UNIS also joined us to give final comments. Again, we thank everyone involved in this important work.
Russia’s policies in Ukraine undoubtedly point to genocidal intent and genocidal acts. S. Res. 713 and H. Res. 1205 reaffirm America’s commitment to our fundamental principles, underscoring the seriousness of Russia’s crimes. If we do not recognize this invasion for what it is, we not only fail the Ukrainian people, but we neglect our security interests and our foundational values. In the letter attached below, Razom et alia urge the Committee to pass this important resolution before the conclusion of the 117th Congress. The United States must recognize and help end genocide, and not just memorialize it after the ruination and devastation of a nation.
In response to the letter from a dozen Republican-aligned groups advocating against further aid to Ukraine, Mariya Soroka, Director of Advocacy at Razom, issued the following statement:
Since February 24, 2022, the Russian state has been deliberately and repeatedly targeting civilians, threatening them with death, injury, or forcible deportation to Russia. Russian forces regularly attack critical infrastructure, denying millions of Ukrainians electricity and water in an attempt to scare Ukraine into submission. Russia’s barbarities in Ukraine have long surpassed legal and policy thresholds for designating Russia as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Russia must be designated a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST).
In what follows, we debunk the most common misconception regarding the decision to designate Russia SST.
Thanks to you and the friends and family you shared our fundraiser with, we’ve raised over $130,000 towards the Power Up Ukraine initiative (on facebook or on Evergreen) as part of our Emergency Response Project in just two weeks. Of course there’s also our general fund here that you can contribute to, where we continue to prioritize our Emergency Response Project that includes delivering life-saving aid and advocating for Ukraine. But as the days get colder, electricity and water more intermittent, air raid sirens and missiles strikes far from the frontlines become common, and warcrimes accumulate, it’s never been more important for you to continue to maintain your support and share how others can help. The more we all do this, the faster Ukraine will win and this war will end.
There are so many of you who rally around targeted fundraisers you start yourselves (a new installment of Razom Says Dyakuyu (thank you) blog posts below!) that together our reach can become exponential. We hope that you can forward these newsletters on so that your community can grasp the impact a simple action of theirs can have.
This week’s updates start with our work on aid focused on winter preparedness:
We have distributed 24 generators in 2 weeks to Ukrainian defenders and first responders, with many still making their way to Ukraine.
Thanks to the Toronto Police Service and Allied Universal Canada, our Canada-based procurement team was able to ship 1,500 three-season jackets to Ukraine.
So many of you contributed towards buying urgent supplies off of our Amazon Wishlist that we were able to ship 3 pallets worth of thermal underwear and socks, waterproof winter gloves, sleeping bags, power banks and more, in less than three weeks! Keep up the good work and remember, when you go to check out, just click “Razom’s Gift Registry Address” underneath the “Other Addresses” section when choosing shipping.
Razom’s in-kind donations team continues to work with individual medical professionals in the U.S. and major global health and disaster relief organizations to secure, ship, and distribute (with the help of our Ukraine-based partners Zdorovi and Patients of Ukraine) the most in-need hospital supplies and medicines across Ukraine:
In partnership with MedShare (a continued and trusted partner since the start of the full-scale invasion) and a generous donor, three OR surgical tables were delivered to Irpin, Kharkiv and Dnipro. These OR tables will enable specialized surgeries for Ukrainians in need.
Thanks to a generous donation from the Afya Foundation, Razom was able to ship durable medical equipment (DME) and medical supplies to our partner Rescue Now that further distributed the wheelchairs, crutches, canes, and walkers to the elderly and Ukrainians with disabilities in the Kharkiv region. These donations enabled those in need to regain their mobility and dignity.
Razom and Zdorovi were able to deliver another 14 iQ+ devices to Ukraine last week. These portable ultrasounds are vital in providing diagnostic evaluation during emergency situations, because they can be used for numerous POCUS (Point of Care UltraSound) procedures.
DUKAL, with special support from the company’s President, Gerry LoDuca, donated 24 pallets worth of medical gauze for hospitals in Ukraine. Thanks to a partnership with Airlink the shipping was subsidized. More of these fundamental supplies are en route to Ukraine now!
From September 16-22, the first mission of plastic and reconstructive surgeons “Face to Face — Ukrainian Medical Mission” took place. This project was created in cooperation with the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), Razom for Ukraine and the medical platform INgenius. The mission completed 34 consultations and 31 operative interventions at the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Clinical Hospital. This video shares the incredible work of those who doctors and nurses who volunteered for the mission, and the stories of the people’s lives that were forever changed.
Given our intense focus on aid, advocacy, and fundraising since February 24th, you might not know a lot about Razom’s other projects before the full-scale invasion. We’re happy to be able to put a spotlight on one of them now – Veteranius. This project was started three years ago with the mission of helping Ukrainian veterans break into technology with their first IT job. Project Veteranius runs trainingprograms that combine the development of technical skills with practical projects, mentorship opportunities, and emotional and psychological support.
The number of Ukrainian veterans increases on a daily basis, so Razom is especially proud to announce a partnership with the Linux Foundation and Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) to expand access to technology education for Ukrainian veterans, their families, and Ukrainians in need. You can read the official press release here. The partnership will focus on adding three new classes to Project Veteranius – Intro to Linux, Git for Distributed Software Development, and Intro to Kubernetes.
If you are interested in getting involved, there are many ways you can help!
Join us this Saturday, October 29th, 3:00 PM, Times Square (Father Duffy Square, near the steps) as Iranian and Ukrainian communities come together to for a joint protest against tyranny and autocracy. Stand together with the brave people of Iran in their fight for liberty and justice. Support them in their fight for the brighter and free future of their country. Ukrainians and Iranians have common enemies – two dictators that threaten liberty and global security! We will keep our fight until victory. Together with Burmese community and free people of Tigray! Co organisers: @nicolenajafi@womanlifefreedomnyc Poster by: @parisa.dale
If you can’t stand side by side with us at our weekly Saturday protests in NYC, then we hope you can join us at some of these events across the country! Put these on your calendar:
In New York:
On Friday, October 28 @ 5PM in Manhattan, Razom is hosting a fireside chat with Ihor Dvoretskiy of Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), a leading IT leader in Ukraine and a big advocate of open source technology, who is currently serving in the Ukrainian military. Moderated by Dmytro Kavun, Razom Board Member and one of the leaders of Razom’s Veteranius project, they’ll be discussing Ihor’s story of transitioning from IT into the military and answering questions. Together they delivered a keynote address at KubeCon this week. More info about the get together here.
On Saturday, October 29 @ 6:20PM at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden come support Ukraine at Vasyl Lomachenko boxing match. We’re making it a special one with a surprise flashmob to support Ukraine. Get your tickets here.
On Thursday, November 3 @ 7-9PM in Hoboken, NJ the Hoboken-based music and poetry collective “West of Willow” is hosting a special event to raise funds for Razom. This event includes Hoboken poet laureate Danny Shot, musicians Rest Ashore and Karyn Kuhl, and author Jack Silbert. Make your donations to participate in the event here.
On Sunday, November 6 @ 5PM at the SohoPlayhouse come catch a performance of Psalm/Salmo, a synthesis of poetry, music, theater, and cinema created from the verses of Vasyl Makhno about the Russia-Ukraine war. All proceeds will be donated to humanitarian causes in Ukraine. Get your ticket here.
On Saturday, November 12 @ 7PM the Coney Island Comedy Festival is proud to present The Funnies NYCUkrainian Fundraiser Stand Up Comedy Show at The Red Doorsbar and grill, located Brooklyn, NY. Tickets are $15, with all sales donated to Razom for Ukraine. The Funnies NYC is a Stand Up Comedy Show showcasing comedians from around the world. The 11/12 show will Headline: Gregory Korostishevsky (The BlackList, Orange Is A New Black, Billions, White Collar), with Features from: Mike Hernendez (New York Silly), Meka Mo (2022 Best of BWICLaffFest), Upa InSpace (CICF), Mick Diflo, and Coney Island’s own Cherryann Trinidad. Purchase tickets here.
On Thursday, November 17 @ 7-11PM the Dungeons & Dragons Club in NYC is hosting a game night with all ticket sale proceeds going to Razom. The evening will include free drinks and appetizers and feature a DJ and interactive art gallery. New D&D players are welcome and highly encouraged! Get your tickets here!
On Sunday, November 19 @ 7-11PM the Lisovi Chorty Plast Fraternity is celebrating their centenary by hosting a formal costume ball, or Kostyumivka, at the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City. The elegant affair will be a fundraiser to support humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine. Secure your tickets here.
On Sunday, December 4 @ 2PM Notes From Ukraine, a concertdedicated to 100 years of “Shchedryk” and highlighting Ukrainian music and the connections between Ukrainian and American cultures, will take the stage at Carnegie Hall. Secure your tickets here!
On November 15-17, the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS) and the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) “Ukrainian Days” advocacy event will be held after the midterm elections. Register here.
On Wednesday, November 30 @ 5:30-8:30PM, the U.S. – Ukraine Foundation will host the D.C. premier of Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom, an incredible documentary film by Evgeny Afinevsky is a sequel to his 2015 documentary Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom. Info on how to secure tickets to come!
In Texas:
On Saturday, October 29 @ 8:30AM – 12PM in Woodlands, TX, the College Park High School Students Association is hosting a relay at the school’s track field to fundraise for Razom. You can sign up here to join!
In Massachusetts:
The Oxbow Gallery in Easthampton, MA will be showing a series of new oil paintings by Joanne Holtje, “Lamentations,” from October 27-November 27, 2022. Begun in early 2022, this series served as a way for her to bear witness to the horror of the invasion of Ukraine. The proceeds of sales from the show, plus an additional 20% match from an anonymous donor will be donated to Razom.
In Illinois:
On Saturday, November 12 @ 6PM the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago is hosting its annual fundraising gala “Ukraine My Love”. It will feature Ukrainian-American artist Ola Rondiak as the keynote speaker and Serhiy FOMA Fomenko, a Ukrainian fusion folk singer from Mandy. Buy your tickets here.
In Florida:
Introducing to the world: KOLO, an unparalleled immersive visual experience and theatrical dance show celebrating the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Ukraine! The first of its kind, KOLO is the brainchild of award-winning, Ukrainian-bred competitive ballroom dancers and partners, Iaroslav and Liliia Bieliei, both natives of Kyiv who now call Los Angeles home. The show is launching its North American tour in Florida:
KAZKA is back in the US for its “I’m Ukraine” tour that will kick off with a charity concert at New York’s Melrose Ballroom on November 4 @ 9:00PM. You can also catch them in Miami, Chicago, Seattle, and San Francisco. Get your tickets here!
Volodymy Rafayenko is on Book Tour in the US brought to you by Razom Translates, a project of Razom which fundraised for a translation of Volodymyr Rafeyenko’s book Mondegreen: Songs about Death and Love in 2021. Here is a list of the upcoming events with him (we will be adding on to this list). Please also follow our facebook page for events information:
Atlanta: Saturday, October 29 @ 3PM. More info here.
Hunter College in NY: Tuesday, November 1 @ 6PM. More info here.
George Washington University in D.C.: Thursday, November 3.
Ukraine House in D.C.: Monday, November 7.
Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Cleveland, OH: Tuesday, November 8 @ 6-8PM. More info here.
UCSD in San Diego, CA: Monday, November 14 @ 5-6PM. More info here.
Columbia University in NYC: Wednesday, November 16 @ 5-6:30PM. More info here.
Continuing our Razom Says Dyakuyu (thank you) series , we want to spotlight some amazing stories of generosity, support, and simple organizing to fundraise for Razom’s work in helping Ukraine. We’ve collected a lot of these stories over the past 8 months, and they continue to sustain and inspire us. Below are the most recent spotlights (click on the photos to link to the stories!).
RAZOM SAYS DYAKUYU – THANK YOU – TO THE ORGANIZERS AND PARTICIPANTS OF THE BENEFIT CONCERT FOR UKRAINE AT THE UCCS RAZOM SAYS DYAKUYU – THANK YOU – TO NYC MOMS FOR A CAUSERAZOM SAYS DYAKUYU – THANK YOU – TO FREEDOM RUN LONDON: A CHARITY RACE TO SUPPORT FREEDOM IN UKRAINERAZOM SAYS DYAKUYU – THANK YOU – TO FOX ROCK FOUNDATION
Pass on this message, this newsletter, to your friends and family, your workplace, and your local community to raise awareness about how others can support Ukraine and help save lives in the process. We are immensely grateful.
At 10:00am on October 20, 2022, representatives of the Ukrainian, Belarusian, Baltic, Syrian, Bosnian, and Peace Corps volunteer communities of the United States submitted a signed letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The letter urges the committees to include vital provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act that help ensure Ukraine’s ability to prevail against the Russian invasion. The letter can be read below.
Atlantic Council published an article, written by the Razom Advocacy Team, on the Atlantic Council’s UkraineAlert blog. Razom has always stressed that narrative and framing is important, that information about Ukraine needs to be reported accurately. Millions of lives depend on it. We thank our Advocacy Team for the important work they do every day in sharing the truth about Ukraine with the world.
“by Razom Advocacy Team
Russia fired more than 80 missiles and launched at least 24 kamikaze drones at civilian targets across Ukraine on October 10. The latest reports suggest that 19 Ukrainians were killed in the attacks with more than 100 injured. The strikes left large swathes of the country without electricity, water, and internet access. The following day, Russian airstrikes continued with around 30 missiles and 15 drones targeting civilian infrastructure.
This wave of attacks began just two days after an explosion on the Crimean Bridge, which links the occupied Ukrainian peninsula with the Russian Federation. In an address on October 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Moscow’s dramatic air war escalation was a direct response to the suspected Ukrainian attack on the Crimean Bridge.
Many international media outlets appeared to take Putin at his word and framed their coverage of the Russian missile blitz as retaliation for the earlier bridge attack. These attempts to create a single news narrative from two separate events are factually incorrect, not to mention pernicious.
The scale of Russia’s aerial attacks on October 10-11 indicates weeks if not months of planning and preparations. Dozens of targets in towns and cities across Ukraine had to be identified and confirmed; missiles, bombers, warships, and drones had to deployed and prepared for action. These are not tasks that could realistically be accomplished in the two-day window between the Crimean Bridge attack and the launch of Russia’s airstrike escalation.
In addition to these obvious practical issues, the retaliation narrative also risks creating false equivalency between Russian international aggression and Ukraine’s justifiable efforts to defend itself. The Crimean Bridge was constructed by Russia to strengthen Moscow’s illegal occupation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula. Furthermore, it has since been used as a key artery for the transportation of troops and military equipment from the Russian Federation to Crimea and Russian-occupied regions of southern Ukraine. In other words, the bridge plays a vital logistical role in the Russian invasion. As such, it clearly qualifies as a legitimate military target…”
Razom for Ukraine co-organized a three-day event in Washington DC called the “Ukraine Action Summit”. During the Summit, Razom and other pro-Ukrainian organizations, all participants of the newly minted American Coalition for Ukraine, met with American legislators on the Hill, where they spoke about Ukrainian issues currently of the greatest concern to their constituents.
On the first day of the Ukraine Action Summit, advocates from all over the US gathered in the afternoon at Georgetown University for an advocacy workshop. During the workshop, they strengthened their advocacy skills and prepared for two days of Congressional meetings. About 40% of attendees were first-time advocates! Participants received advice from former Ambassador Steven Pifer, former Ambassador Michael McFaul, Robert McConnell and Emily Channel Justice on engaging with current administration staffers and gave more context on current American foreign policy.
In total, over 150 meetings were held with constituents, with most occurring between September 18-20. Over 30 states and 110 Congressional districts were represented. A further 24 meetings with principals and experts who joined the Summit to offer their expert opinions and timely research. Advocates spoke with their representatives and elected officials about expedited military aid to Ukraine, increased financial aid, and more robust sanctions against russia. Using the advocacy handbook that was prepared by the Razom Advocacy’s Research Team, advocates also discussed specific pieces of legislation currently before the House and Senate that would help Ukraine win the war.
The Summit concluded with a reception at the Rayburn House Office Building. The event was kicked off by renditions of the American, sung by Summit participant and US veteran Mark Lindqvist, and Ukrainian, sung by Eurovision winner and Ukrainian music star Ruslana, national anthems. Speakers included Representatives Marcy Kaptur, Tom Malinowski, and Peter Meijer, as well as Zaher Sahloul of MedGlobal and the Syrian-American community. Attendees also heard Ukrainian songs performed by Duet Malvy on the Bandura and Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar music performed by the Kobzarska Sich chorus.
Razom is honored to have stood with all of the advocates and organizations in the American Coalition For Ukraine, speakers, and performers who participated the Ukraine Action Summit! Bringing so many people together to fight for a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine has been incredible, and we cannot wait to hold a summit like this one again. We look forward to continuing this important work together – #Razom.
To learn more about the Ukraine Action Summit and the American Coalition for Ukraine, you can check out AmericanCoalitionForUkraine.org or check out the hashtags #UkraineActionSummit and #AmericanCoalitionForUkraine on social media. And don’t forget to add your voice to advocacy for Ukraine by writing or calling your Representatives!
