(Wikimedia Commons/Oren Rozen)
Reading the news can make you feel powerless. It is great to be able to know what is happening halfway across the planet, but being so physically distant from the problems in our news feeds also makes them intangible. The constant flood of far away problems results in doom scrolling and burnout.
My family is from Odessa, the third largest city in Ukraine. Over the last two months, we have found ourselves glued to the news coming from Ukraine. My parents have been in contact with friends and family across Europe. Still, we too have felt overwhelmed, as if there is little we can do to help.
But there are real people in Ukraine. People facing immediate problems. Online guides can point to reliable non governmental organizations (NGOs) doing necessary work. Yet they only address one part of a larger set of questions.
What can you do to help? What agency can you have? What should you understand about the crisis? Based on my experience and conversations with others close to the issue, here are four things to consider:
- Look to the Diaspora
Part of the disorienting power of news and social media is that there are so many forces asking for your money, time and attention. The best place to focus your energy may seem elusive.
To help you navigate this barrage, you should look to the diasporas most affected by the conflict. This includes not just Ukranians, but also Russians, Poles and other Eastern Europeans. Many of us in the diaspora have friends and family who are experiencing the crisis on a personal level, forcing us to become educated about the needs of those affected by the conflict and how to best address them.
At the same time, many diaspora members are dealing with a lot right now. If you know a diaspora member, start by checking in to see how they are doing. You can then ask them how to help, but make sure to give them space if they seem overwhelmed.
Beyond interpersonal connections, here are some projects connected to the diaspora locally which you can check out:
- My family and I are raising funds to get medical supplies to Ukraine through volunteers in Poland. This is necessary because of a supply chain crisis even in relatively peaceful areas of Ukraine. You can find out more by contacting me here.
- Adam Meller (22C) has been working with his family to help fund a place to live for children from an orphanage in Ukraine. You can find out more about the project here.
- The Emory Russian and East European Studies Department has been hosting a series of lectures on the crisis. These are great opportunities to educate yourself.
- Members of the Ukrainian community in Atlanta are organizing drives to gather materials such as backpacks, tents and medical supplies for Ukrainians. You can find more information here.
Absent those things, this Linktree is a source of ways to support Ukraine. It includes links to reliable NGOs like Razom, as well as ways to donate directly into Ukrainian government coffers. There is also information about hosting refugees and helping with aid shipments.
- Understand The Power of Media
Meticulously controlling the media has long been central to Russian political strategy. Emory Professor Nikolay Koposov has written about the ways in which Russia and other countries in the region have manipulated access to information in order to support ideological ends. The escalation of the war in Ukraine has therefore come with a crackdown on media outlets in Russia.
In response to previous periods of turmoil, Russia has developed a strong dissident journalist community. Prominent dissident media include Novaya Gazeta (whose editor in chief recently won the Nobel Prize), Meduza, The Insider and student newspaper DOXA. This community has proven resilient in the face of increased persecution, with several publications continuing operations from bases outside of Russia. At a time of increasing state control over Russian news, it is important to support independent Russian media, by reading (when it is available in English), sharing and donating.
- Recognize Cultural Nuance
Russian and Ukrainian cultural identity is a notoriously tricky issue. Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued that Ukranians are nationally subsumed by Russians in a now infamous article. While this is obviously wrong, it is true that the relationship between Russian and Ukrainian identity is complex. Though a Ukrainian identity has existed for centuries, its modern iteration only solidified after the country’s independence in 1991. As a result, my parents, who spent a good portion of their lives in Ukraine, only began to fully identify with some of the national symbols that have come to represent it in the last few months. Of course, this does not temper their support for Ukranian’s fight against Russian invasion.
At the forefront of these nuances are fields where culture, people and politics intersect, such as music, film and education. Many institutions have rightfully cut ties with Russian state-sponsored enterprises and Russian celebrities who have refused to condemn Putin. Others reactions have been less reasonable, such as Rep. Eric Swalwell’s proposal to consider expelling Russian students from the U.S. Similarly, while many pundits are doing important work analyzing the nuances of Russian and Ukrainian society, some are eager to mint articles that flatten complicated cultural intersections. You should avoid such articles, and be suspicious of boycotts of Russian filmmakers, musicians and other artists that don’t have ties to the Russian government or oligarchy.
- Know the Strengths and Weaknesses of Action
Not everything you can do is the same. Going to a protest demonstrates support for Ukranians, but is unlikely to change U.S. government policy. Donating to a fundraising campaign is the most direct way to help Ukranians, but can be smaller in scope than other projects. NGOs have immense capabilities, but are also impersonal.
Whatever you do, walk the fine line between trying to do everything and nothing. Avoid the temptation to do too many things at once, which can result in burnout, but also work to overcome the immobilizing hopelessness that an endless deluge of news creates. Focus on your strengths and resources. Be aware that different strategies have different results
Last year, I wrote one of my college application essays about the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014. I wrote about coming home from school and seeing my mom sitting at the dining room table crying. I wrote how that moment pushed me to become interested in international politics.
When I came home for spring break this year, my mother was not crying. She was making yellow and blue ribbons for her coworkers to wear. She was trying to spread awareness, keep herself busy and keep the torrent of news at bay.
What Ukranians need right now is action. They need you to remain committed to helping them, regardless of the ebbs and flows of media attention. Ukranians need your help, however you can give it.
Samuel Shafiro (25C) is from Oak Park, Illinois.
Sam Shafiro (he/him) (25C) is a Political Science major from Oak Park, Illinois. He is involved with the Emory Barkley Forum for Debate, Deliberation, and Dialogue and the Emory SIRE undergraduate research program. In his free time, Sam enjoys bananas and celery, as well as other fruits and vegetables.
