Help Helen Reclaim Her Ukrainian Voice

I grew up hearing fragments of Ukrainian — whispers from my grandparents, lullabies, prayers — but I was never taught how to speak it. My family fled hardship, and in trying to build a new life abroad, our language was left behind. I’ve always felt the ache of that absence.

Now, as a young Ukrainian-American woman, I’m determined to reclaim what was lost. Learning Ukrainian isn’t just about words for me — it's about reconnecting with my identity, honoring my parents’ sacrifices, and being able to pass this language down to my future children.

The $1,500 I’m raising will go directly toward tuition for an immersive Ukrainian language program at Indiana University's 2025 Summer Language Workshop (https://languageworkshop.indiana.edu/summer-language-workshop/overview/online/ukrainian/index.html). I want to not only learn to speak fluently, but to write, read, and think in Ukrainian— to live in it.

Your support isn’t just funding classes. You’re helping me reclaim my voice, my culture, and a piece of my soul I’ve been missing.

Thank you for being part of this journey.