What are regular Ukrainians, living abroad, doing to help their country? A lot! Ms. Yevgeniya Pokhylko, who’s been in Los Angeles for over 20 years, earned my respect the moment she mentioned she was fundraising for care packages for Ukrainian senior citizens. Particularly, what peaked my interest was the goal of delivering warm slippers to grandmas and grandpas in the most war-torn regions of Ukraine. It was such a beautifully simple but a gentle idea. Every Ukrainian (and now you) knows that the path to a grandma’s heart is through her warm feet. Photos and videos of the slipper deliveries, grandmas and grandpas lovingly holding the footwear, sent me into a sobbing fit. Slippers, in Ukraine, are equated to love and Yevgeniya, who grew up in Kyiv, knows this all too well; every Ukrainian does.

Broadly speaking, warmth (or lack thereof) for Ukrainian citizens was of paramount concern this past winter. By the time snow came, russian federation has been pummeling Ukraine’s critical infrastructure for over nine months in a full-scale barbaric invasion. How can one nation, in the 21st Century, get away with continuously destroying the electrical grid of another nation? With this evil act, russia intentionally aimed to rob power from millions of Ukrainians: hospitals, apartment high rises, offices, all went without power and heat for weeks; newborns entered this world accompanied by the humming sounds of generators and senior citizens, well they were just cold. Russia succeeded at freezing out the elderly, an already constantly-cold group of individuals. How evil and absolutely inhumane! For all this, we will never forget nor forgive.

Yevgeniya is part of the group of dedicated Ukrainians of Los Angeles, lovely and caring people who are focused on fundraising and spreading the word about our brave nation. Yevgeniya and her circle of LA Ukrainians don’t just roll up their sleeves for an hour or two on weekends; they volunteer countless hours, sell crafts on the boardwalk, come up with cute fundraising strategies and work non-stop to ultimately help those inside Ukraine.

Roles of all Ukrainians abroad, as I see them, are to act as (1) cultural representatives, (2) out-of-the box thinkers, like Yevgeniya and her LA friends, in order to ultimately fundraise and donate toward Ukraine’s victory. Those who are uncomfortable fundraising, must try to suppress their self-consciousness and embarrassment; people inside Ukraine don’t have a backup country, this is it!

We, Ukrainians living abroad, are in a unique and important position to act as promoters of Ukrainian culture and most importantly disseminators of the truth about russia’s pretense to our land and our independence. As an added bonus, we are able to do this work in the language of the locals, armed with the freedom of speech loudspeaker. Additionally, we must provide a historical perspective of the conflict to the local residents, in order to continuously counteract the propaganda of the russian terrorizer whose tentacles of untruth extend far and deep.

We will not pardon the actions of the aggressor state and we will certainly not forgive nor forget the lowlife nation who dares to freeze out our most vulnerable babusi ta didusi (grannies and grandpas).

I’m proud to present the words of a dedicated WOW Woman who is physically in Los Angeles, but with a heart in Ukraine.

Speech and Language Pathologist, Volunteer, Proud Ukrainian, artist, Los Angeles, USA

1. Name

Yevgeniya Pokhylko.

2. Where is your hometown?

I was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine and moved to the Unites States at the age of 14.

3. What is your profession/career/title/self-label/designation? What does your average day look like?

I am a speech and language pathologist. I work for a school district where I support children with an array of disabilities. I also work for a home health agency where I serve adults by assessing and treating speech, language, cognitive and swallowing disorders. I also supervise speech and language assistants who provide therapy for children in the speech and language clinic. Yeah, I’m pretty busy at least six days a week.

4. What did you study in school?

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages (Spanish/Italian) and a Master’s Degree in Communicative Disorders (Speech and Language Pathology).

5. What was the journey like to get where you are (in life and career-wise)? Write about some of the achievements that you are most proud of. What was the moment for you that changed your life (in your personal life and/or career?) that set you on the current path in life? What did you do before the war, and why and how did you start helping Ukrainians?

I moved to the United States from Ukraine at the age of 14. The move was hard on me as a teenager. Adapting to an absolutely foreign to me culture was a challenge, to say the least. But even in that young age I realized that this is my journey and all is in my hands. So after one year of high school, at the age of 16, I began to take college courses, working at a restaurant and opened my own window cleaning business. I made my way through college and two universities, working as a house keeper, waitress, office jobs as well as my window cleaning gigs. I took on construction clean ups of major stores, restaurants and hotels. As a skinny, blonde, 16 year old Ukrainian girl with a ‘cute accent’, I was never afraid of hard work and to this day have two or three jobs/gigs going at the same time. As the war in Ukraine started, I now continue to find even more side gigs so I can donate or raise more money to help my motherland and my people through these difficult times. 

6. How is your life different from what you pictured at 20?

I would say my life is pretty much as I pictured it and maybe even better. Going through different stages of life, I always knew what I wanted and what I didn’t want and proceeded to tackle whatever was in front of me, to ensure I got to my goal.

I always knew I wanted to obtain an education and succeed in a career that was highly demanded in our society. This would ensure that I would feel more or less secure financially and be able to afford at least the things that make me happy, like travel. Additionally, it was always important for me to know that I would be able to support and help my parents and my family, if need be.

7. Was there a time when life knocked you down or out and how did you get back up on your feet?

I think so far the most traumatic experiences for me have been the death of my mother-in-law, followed by my grandparents, followed by the war in Ukraine. It all happened within months of each other. The feelings of loss, anger and grief were overwhelming. I have a habit of crying my way through these things at work or as I am completing my everyday tasks; one or two days on the couch, and then I take my tears to work. You cry, you feel pain, but you have to keep going.

8. Advice for other women?

To all women: be independent. Independence is freedom, and freedom will give you a chance to become whoever you want to become.

9. Knowing what we know now in the current political climate, can women be "all that we can be" in today's world? What is the way forward, as you see it, for "feminist values"?

I have never allowed anyone to bring me down, whether a man, or a woman. Unfortunately, there will always be obstacles present in the way; I say, keep going, keep looking for a way to get to your final destination. Anyone can do anything, but it won’t be easy. You need persistence, bravery and motivation and the world is yours.

10. Where in the world do you feel “tallest” (i.e. where is your happy place)?

As long as I am surrounded by good people, I will feel comfortable anywhere. My happy place, of course, is with my husband, family and close friends. Oh and of course my cat, Puzya.

11. What extracurricular activities/hobbies are you most proud of? Why?

Before the war in Ukraine, I enjoyed practicing yoga, hiking, learning foreign languages and reading. Now as the war rages in Ukraine, the only “hobby” is to fundraise for Ukraine. But if I had to pick one, I would say I am most proud of the time and effort I put into learning foreign languages.

12. Have you travelled solo? If so, which were some of the most memorable destinations and why? Why do you travel and would you recommend it to women?

The only international trip I took solo was to Mexico. I mostly travelled with my mother or my husband. However, I am proud to say that with my guidance and encouragement, my mother began to travel solo and she loves it. I personally believe in great advantages and perks of solo traveling. I think it gives you a better chance to notice things that you would otherwise miss while talking to your travel partner. It also opens more doors to make new friends and meet interesting people.

13. What do you want to be when you grow up? Future goals/challenges?

My dream would be to support myself and family remotely or with the passive income; I want more flexibility to travel and spend lengthy periods of time in different parts of the world. I also dream about opening my own dog/cat shelter in Ukraine. Life works in mysterious ways and I believe in power of thought and hard work. I also believe dreams come true; especially when they benefit the universe.

14. What fears are you still hoping to overcome?

The fear of the loss of my loved ones. After losing four family members within two months and then almost losing the rest of immediate family in the following months (due to russian bombing of my country), the anxiety and phobia of loved ones have become real. I am working on it though. I work on letting go of some things I cannot predict nor control. It’s hard.

16. What/who inspires you?

Doing something good for the world inspires me. The satisfaction of knowing that someone’s life is better or easier because of my actions, keeps me going. I think it has always been a part of me, to help others; I did choose a career in that field after all. However, I am positive that the war in Ukraine awakened the purpose to help others at a much higher intensity.

17. What are you hopeful about?

I am hopeful for peace and a bright future for my Motherland, Ukraine. I am hopeful for prosperous Ukraine, without russia, together with Eroupe! That is all I am hoping for at this time in my life.  

18. What are some ingredients to a good life? How did the global pandemic and the war in Ukraine change your perspective about the world, about your life, your goals and dreams?

• Do what you love or at least try to trick yourself into loving what you do.

• Be honest, with yourself and others.

• Work hard or smart- whichever you are capable of. Carve out time and/or money (whichever you can afford best) to do something good for others; this is essential.

• Follow your passion, weather it is animals, environment, children, elderly, whatever it is, do something good for the world and the universe will most definitely return the favor.

What do you feel appreciate about Ukrainians and Ukrainian women that you may not have realized before (the war)?

Bravery. I was and am inspired by how brave Ukrainian people are. As russian tanks and rockets attacked from all directions, my people fought back, saved their children and pets and volunteered to go and give their lives to protect their freedom and homes. I am so proud of Ukrainians who stand strong for more than one year of this brutal war and are facing the evil russian empire with dignity. russians will never understand us, that is why they will never break us. I am proud to be Ukrainian, with my roots in a bave nation.

19. What are (at least) three qualities you most love about yourself and why? What are your superpowers?

I consider myself to be a loyal friend. I’m ambitious, open minded, self-confident and compassionate. My superpower, I would say, is to read people and predict their actions. It’s true mostly for people I am close to. I also have a pretty good intuition - if something crosses my mind, like a certain feeling or a suspicion, there is almost always a good reason for it.

20. What advice would you give your 14-year-old self? What advice would your 14-year-old self-give you in return?

Try to tell the truth, as much as possible; it really does set you free. Truth also tends to set you free from certain people in your life as well, but If they can’t handle it, do you really want them by your side? I wish my 14-year-old self would give me advice to stay young at heart and excited. It becomes harder and harder these days.

21. What are you reading now? (What books do you gift most and what are your favorite reads?)

I used to enjoy books about WWII, but after russia attacked Ukraine, I no longer can handle any more grief in my life. Since the beginning of the war, it took me a year to begin to read again. I gravitate toward something a little more light, such as suspense or romance.

22. Who is a WOW WOMAN in your world who inspires you and why? Can you nominate three (or more) women you know who perfectly fit WOW WOMAN description? What would you tell them, if you had an opportunity, about why you admire them?

WOW Women are Ukrainian women who risk their lives on the frontlines or volunteer to support and rescue Ukrainians affected by the russian aggression; they are soldiers, medics, rescuers or volunteers. I only aspire to be brave, strong and determined as they are.

23. Where can others find you/your work (links to websites, blogs, etc.)?

Instagram: @J_luv_a and @brighter_ukraine_craft

1. Where were you when the attack took place (last year, but, of course, you can write about the first seizure of land, and about Maidan, and about Crimea)? Did you believe in the possibility of the RF attacking key cities of Ukraine and continuing full-scale aggression?

I have been living in the US for the past 20 years. Therefore I watched the beginning of russian aggression in 2014, from afar. However, I was in Ukraine a month before the full-scale war in Ukraine, and I remember everyone talking about the possibility of the attack, however, no one appeared to believe it would actually happen. Everyone seemed to think russians are just bullying and scaring us. After all the terror and death they brought upon so many countries, for so many years, I cannot believe that majority of Ukrainians were so naïve to believe that they will not proceed.

The world better not to make this mistake again as russia cannot be trusted. Not in my lifetime.

2. What was your experience of the day the war started? Where did you go and what do you recall was your plan?

It was the worst day of my life. I though the pain in chest will suffocate me and my heart would literary shatter into pieces. The first minutes of war, I was in my safe and peaceful home in Long Beach, California. It was about 6PM LA time, when I began receiving the first messages and news that “it has began”. I began to pace back and forth in complete despair. Calling everyone I know in Ukraine, sending and receiving messages from every American who knew I am Ukrainian.

That night, noone inside Ukraine and no Ukrainians around the world slept; nor did they sleep the next night and many nights after that. I was a total zombie for at least the first two weeks. I do not even remember how I got to work and back, how I cooked dinner, how I went though the motions of life. It was surreal. It was an out-of-body experience. Even though my physical body was thousands of miles away from Ukraine, my heart and my thoughts were with my home land. As everyone ran from Ukraine, all I wanted to do was go there. I never did; instead I began to act. I vowed to do everything in my power to help as much as possible. It has been over 460 days of war and I have not stopped.

3. How are your family and friends doing? How often are you in touch?

My father as well as my father-in-law are in still in Kyiv, Ukraine. Many of my female friends have fled Ukraine overseas, to seek shelter for their children. Many of my male friends are fighting in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and giving their lives and health away in order to protect my home and my family from the russian enemy. I am in constant contact with many of them. I call my father every single day and check on my friends on the frontlines regularly. I worry about everyone, every second of the day.

4. What are some ways you are supporting Ukraine now, from abroad?

Since the first days of war, my husband and our close friends, Anna and David, joined forces to raise money to support refugees as well as our defenders. It all started from us desperately setting up a table with a flag and a box with a sign “CASH”. We stood on a busy beach walkway in Los Angeles, collecting donations from passers by.

“We started to organize fundraising events throughout the city of Los Angeles and Orange County. Our local group of Ukrainians continuously brainstorms and develops fresh ideas on how to engage people (Americans) and what to offer in return for their support - Fundraising dinners, master classes, charity concerts, as well as handmade Ukrainian crafts made by the brave women in Ukraine. We also started making crafts for sale. I’ve learned how to create Ukrainian-themed jewelry.”

We then joined forces with a non-profit organization, Brighter Ukraine Foundation, founded by Arina Gerasimova. Together we continue to fundraise and provide help to the elderly, people with disabilities, children, single mothers, Ukrainian defenders as well as animal shelters. We work together with Ukrainian community in South California to bring awareness about the ongoing russian aggression in Ukraine.

5. What do you want the world to know/realize/understand/appreciate about Ukrainians and Ukrainian women in particular?

Ukrainian women are not only beautiful, they are strong. Ukrainian women, at least the ones I surround myself with, are full of ambition, talent and determination; from cooking the best borsch to fighting on the frontlines in Bakmut, and everything in-between. I am proud of our women, our strength and dedication.

6. What will be the first thing you'll do when Ukraine wins?

I will cry. I will hug everyone who has been by my side through this terrible time. I will have to pay for many drinks, because I already promised too many people that when we win, drinks are on me. And then I will continue to work on rebuilding Ukraine.

Bonus Quick Round Qs:

1. What and who is worth suffering for? Freedom. Freedom from tyranny, discrimination and abuse. Animals! I love animals and I strongly believe we can and need to do so much better for those who can’t defend themselves.

2. What would you do if you knew that nobody would judge you? I am not usually afraid of people’s judgments. I do like to be liked by others and it really hurts my feelings when someone does not like me for some unknown to me reason, or due to an assumption or misunderstanding/miscommunication. I try to do the right thing and be honest. When I do the right thing, I am not worried about others’ judgement.

3. If you didn't have to work anymore what would you do with your days? Knowing myself, I would probably still find work, sigh. Ideally, I would like to travel, but with a mission; whether it is to support animal rescue/shelters, teach a skill to those that cannot afford to access it or any other volunteering/fundraising activity that makes a change. I think I am addicted to trying to make a positive change; one of the few things that gives me a truest and the most long-lasting satisfaction.

5. If you could relive one year in your life, which one would it be? I would relieve any year of my life that has my husband and all my family alive and together, in peaceful Ukraine. I think that was the last time when I was truly happy.

6. What bothers you most about people? What do you love most about people? Self-centered people who live their lives only by having their own interests in mind at all costs. I just can’t relate to this type of human. Yes, we all have a degree of selfishness inside us, as we should for some self-preservation, but there needs to be a balance. Do something for someone or for this world!