Razom has been calling on international leaders and U.S. elected representatives to #CloseTheSky, get #PlanesForUkraine, and #IsolateRussia.  To all of you that have come out to a rally, a picket, dialed through a telethon, tweeted up a storm, or engaged your friends and family in discussion on how they can stand with Ukraine, we are immensely grateful.  Thanks to our network of volunteers and partner organizations in Ukraine, we promise to continue to keep our ear to the ground to advocate for what will make a difference in healing the humanitarian crisis brought on by russia’s invasion.

As of March 27, there are over 130 children that have been killed as a result of russian bombs and missiles targeting civilians in Ukraine.  Let that number sink in.  Ukraine is paying a high price in its continued fight for freedom that is a fight for the entire free world.  The Mothers’ March took place in New York City over two days the week of March 21 to raise awareness about children being targeted by russian bombs and missiles.  Mariupol, a city in southeastern Ukraine, in particular has been a poignant example of this after the Drama Theater (sheltering over 1,000 women and children) was targeted and bombed by russian forces and left without food or water for days due to continued shelling in the area, making rescue operations nearly impossible.

Razom volunteers organized a flashmob at New York’s Grand Central Station during the same week to bring attention to the death toll in the city of Mariupol, a port town similar in population size to Virginia Beach in the U.S.  We showed up to deliver our message to #SaveMariupol so that it was carried home across the tristate area by everyone who walked by.

That same day on March 23rd, the Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams and Ukraine’s General Consul in New York, Oleksii Holubov, joined us for his address to the Ukrainian-American community and friends of Ukraine at the raising of the Ukrainian and American flags at historic Bowling Green in lower Manhattan, a location that holds a lot of historical significance for the United States’ own fight for independence.  From Bowling Green, General Washington witnessed the last British troops leave American soil and the American flag raised on its own.  Bowling Green later became the first public park in the U.S.  It’s the only place in New York City where flags are raised from all over the world, as has been done hundreds of times since 1996.

After a little over a month of this war, don’t let apathy set in.   The Ukrainian flag at Bowling Green won’t come down until Ukraine is victorious.  And Ukraine will be victorious.  Make it happen sooner: keep showing up when it matters.

New York has the largest Ukrainian population outside of Ukraine and we are proud of that energy and spirit. Any conflict that plays out on a global scale, plays out on the streets of New York City… Today we are united, we stand with you, we are part of the Ukrainian people in saying that we will never surrender, never give in.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaking at the raising of Ukrainian & American flags at Bowling Green