Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
UNWLA 100
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40
vision, and various interviews. Radianska Zhinka, which now reverted to Zhinka (Woman) — the same title as the pre-World War II Ukrainian women’s newspaper — had a long interview with me. Various journals in Ukraine are now publishing my historical articles. I must confess I have not seen some of them. But my research con tinues to elicit interest, and there are scholars now who are writing dissertations on aspects of Ukrainian wo men’s history. The interest was again evident at the annual meetings of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies and at the American His torical Association meetings. At all of them I either gave papers, or chaired sessions, or served on the program committee. And there was no difficulty getting a large entry on Ukrainian women in the Women’s Studies Encyclopedia, edited by Helen Tierney. The Conference on Ukrainian Women in Two Worlds did not elicit as much interest as previous ones did, despite the pres ence of Laryssa Skoryk. It gave me a chance to lambast the Ukrainian-American press for its failure to cover this event, as it had failed to cover the convention. In March, 1991,1 delivered a series of lectures at the University of Alberta and was able to meet with the “Second Wreath” group. These women will help organ ize an international women’s conference in Kiev in 1993. A knee operation, followed by complications, kept me off my feet, but a steady stream of visitors from Ukraine gave me a feeling for the dramatic developments there. A certain elation is inevitable when the persons you have known appear as spokesmen for their country. The gathering of Ukrainian diaspora in Kiev in August 1992 naturally had a round-table on women’s organizations. That would not have been the case had not women of Ukrainian origin abroad played a visible role in community and political life. UNWLA had been the originator of the first interna tional resolution on Chornobyl at the London Confer ence of the International Council of Women. It was a tragic time, and certainly no one could predict that Ukraine would find its voice in the near future. The last years mark an almost frantic period of facilitating con tacts for Ukrainians in the United States and in the world. UNWLA should be proud of its role. We can truthfully say we helped the world become aware of Ukraine’s aspirations. An independent Ukraine speaking in its own name changes our mission some what. I have argued elsewhere that Ukraine as an idea and as a cause has ceased to exist — there is now a concrete state, a real nation, a power similar to other entities. Ukraine will speak in its many voices, and we will hear our strain in some of it, but it cannot be the dominant one. The time has come to pay some attention to our selves, to the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America. We have always focused on the needs of our members, but our members focused frequently on ’’НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЖОВТЕНЬ 1992 19 LINA KOSTENK< SILENCE Silence reigns around the headboard, Spinning soft forgetfulness. Memory, like ailing infant Gently lulled to sleep and rest. Gently lulled, so very gently... Maybe it will put to sleep, Love’s incosolable sorrow. And love’s pain, that cuts so deep. Footsteps are muffled, and shadows Press palms to the window pane. Silence, apprehension and sadness Prowl around my lone domain. And the wind, like sound of trumpets Has now ceased and in its stead Silence reigns, both mute yet speaking, Like a thunder dropping dead. And the stars — shy as conjecture, Crossing swords in starry glow. Nostalgia walking on tiptoe, Knocks on the door of my soul. English translation by Tetiana Shevchuk from An Offerin Bilingual Poetry by Tetiana Shevchuk 1978, Ukrainian Cultur Ass'n., New York, NY. Ukraine. Now we can best serve the needs of Ukraine by bringing them, through our example, first hand knowl edge of America and all it stands for. America stands for change, adjustment, toleration, integration, and women’s rights. It stands for new front iers and for individualism; for continued adjustments between the needs of all the roles we fill in our varied and rich lives. It stands for opportunity for all. Ours is an organization of Ukrainian women in America. This is the topic that interests our members, this is the area about which women in Ukraine are most eager to learn. I thank you for your support — I will fondly re member the almost ten years of work in the leadership of UNWLA. How fortunate I am to be able to time my own departure from high office with this historic mo ment. I will continue to work in the ranks of the UNWLA. Only the nature of my service will change; not its quality or dedication.
Page load link
Go to Top
1 
2-3 
4-5 
6-7 
8-9 
10-11 
12-13 
14-15 
16-17 
18-19 
20-21 
22-23 
24-25 
26-27 
28-29 
30-31 
32-33 
34-35 
36-37 
38-39 
40 
