A collection of my photographs from the "My Suitcase: The Faces Of Ukrainian Refugees" project is currently on exhibit at the Image City Photography Gallery (722 University Ave., Rochester, NY)
Anya
Anya was a medical student in Ukraine. She fled with her aunt, leaving behind her family. Her suitcase had just the bare necessities and a few important items: an embroidered shirt handmade by her mom (the most priceless possession!), a passport and some other documents, and a book titled “Listen, once you return home” which brings tears to her eyes every time she reads it. She brought a rosary and a prayer book as her spiritual armor, she prays for the war to end and to be reunited with her family. Anya takes classes at MCC and hopes to find a way to fulfill her dream of joining the medical field.
Svitlana
Svitlana has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance. Her husband is currently fighting at the front lines and she prays every day for him to come back alive, he is a hero to his family and to his country. Her suitcase was empty… she actually did not have one. She packed a few necessities in two backpacks and brought just her children, two photos of them, and their birth certificates. When she was making the decision to run from her home in Eastern Ukraine, material things became inconsequential, the goal was to save kids’ lives. Everything was left behind except the white plush kitten with a beautiful red bow, which snuck into her daughter's backpack, refusing to be left alone. Having goals and making plans have become difficult, the experience of last year showed how fragile our lives are, and how fast our dreams can be ruined.
Mariya
Mariya left Ukraine with one suitcase and only necessities in it. She worked as an inspector and had no desire to leave but after losing her husband and her child, she was alone and the fear for her life forced her to decide to leave behind her home. Besides a few clothes and her embroidered shirt, she brought just her passport, a prayer book, and a rosary. She hopes to build a new life and learn something new in this new country and find a way to build a future.
Marichka
Marichka was a student at the University of Kharkiv, one of the cities close to the russian border. On February 24, 2022 she was forced to flee the city and was fortunate to get a train ticket to the West. As they were leaving Kharkiv train station situated up on the hill overlooking the city, the russian tanks were rolling in and the realization of terror took away her sense of safety. After a 12-hour trip turned into 40 hours on a train with numerous stops caused by bombings, she reached her destination in Western Ukraine and once there, realized that she forgot her embroidered shirt handmade by her grandma (pictured in her suitcase). She could not let it go and started looking for a way to get that shirt back. After days of searching, she found someone in Kharkiv’s territorial defense who reached out to a dorm watchman and was able to retrieve the shirt from the dorm room closet… it was left behind with many other belongings, which suddenly lost any significance. Since then, the city of Kharkiv has been severely damaged by constant bombings of civilian infrastructure.
Khrystyna
Khrystyna was able to leave Ukraine with her whole family. Having three little kids allowed all of them to immigrate together. With a Ph.D. in Political Science, she was a university professor, and her husband worked as a manager. The decision to leave was not an easy one, it was forced by the war. They left behind their parents, relatives, and friends, their, jobs, and all they had. The five of them packed their life into three suitcases, taking only necessities and a few kids’ toys, including a toy dog Macy who became an attribute of their family, traveling everywhere and enduring everything with them. Khrystyna is also a skillful artist – she makes Ukrainian traditional bead necklaces “herdany”. Among necessities, she was able to bring some beads and tools to make the jewelry here. Regretfully, family photos were left
behind… Khrystyna and her family hope for peace and victory for Ukraine.