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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ВЕРЕСЕНЬ 2017 WWW.UNWLA.ORG 9 Our editors and I trust that you’ve found the reports on the XXXI UNWLA Convention in- teresting and informative. The writers took great pains to try and share the facts as well as the at- mosphere with our readers. In this month’s col- umn, I would like to supplement their articles and reports with my personal impressions. As most of us have noted, our organization (like most Ukrainian diaspora organizations) is at a crossroads. What exactly does this mean? For me this means that membership now comprises three diverse groups: an older generation that can no longer lead nor participate fully in our projects; a so-called “younger” generation, which is not al- ways willing or able to become involved; and women from the newest immigration who have been only marginally engaged. Given this mix, the UNWLA must decide to take a left or a right at the crossroads: the road left means accepting the sta- tus quo as a fait accompli and doing nothing; the road right means making a concerted effort to bring the diverse groups together for an honest conversation about what our future can/will hold. Happily, the UNWLA took a right turn at its XXXI Convention! The tone of the convention was set on Friday night at a “membership appreci- ation” reception that paid tribute to members from across the country in a light-hearted and even joc- ular manner. This evolved after much discussion at UNWLA Executive meetings whether to forego the traditional welcoming pre-convention presenta- tion by diplomats or historians and opt instead for a fun-filled welcome. Taking a risk and choosing the latter option worked; serendipitously, we were happy to learn that very first evening that there were approximately 60 first-time convention at- tendees with us! These were American-born women as well as women who had moved to the United States from Ukraine since 1991. These la- dies were invited to gather for a group photograph that evening; their enthusiasm was palpable, and it was immediately clear that we would have an ex- citing, productive three days. We also chose to take a right turn by invit- ing young professional women to speak on leader- ship skills and on the importance of social media, both essential if the UNWLA is to progress. Intense discussions took place after these presentations: Social media is an intimidating topic to some; it means change, which is not always easily accepted. A heated discussion also ensued about whether Ukrainian or English should be the dominant lan- guage used in our organizational proceedings be- cause we have members who may be proficient in one but not the other. It was important to address these topics and give our delegates and attendees a platform to express their opinions. All of these in- vigorating debates ended in a voiced compromise: a realization that we cannot stay the same, cannot adhere to “vse tak bulo” (it was always done this way) but must move into unfamiliar territory in or- der to embrace the future. At the same time, it is a given that we must respect and learn from our older members and our organization’s history and traditions. It was from this dual viewpoint that we warmly welcomed members of our newest branches, many of whom are from the most recent immigration from Ukraine. This group is recogniz- ing the value of the UNWLA as a cohesive force in communities across the country (especially when it comes to aid to Ukraine) and is now joining the ranks of leadership in the UNWLA, a very positive development that further confirms that the UN- WLA has taken the “right turn” at its crossroads. At the same time, their addition to our member- ship ranks enriches our organization and offers a new perspective, new ideas. Feedback from convention attendees has been extremely positive. As president of this re- spected organization, I may have been focused on the logistics, the speeches, the anniversaries, etc., but the positive energy and the hope for the future have been tangible and exciting. Dr. Vasyl Pazyniak, our one male convention guest from Ukraine, shared his awe at the spirit, the enthusi- asm, the active participation, the procedural “pori- adok” he observed at the convention! He stated that he has been to many conventions throughout his professional life but that he had yet to witness such camaraderie and positive vibes. And this was a testimonial of someone from the outside looking in! And as someone looking from the inside, I agree! The new Board will do everything in its power to continue on this positive path!
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