Metro Atlanta uplifts Ukrainian children’s art, inspiring empathy and action
On Oct. 22, when a kindergarten was bombed in Kharkiv, Ukraine, I couldn’t sleep. I was crying. My heart was heavy, but also full of love for everyone who reached out to me with words of care and support.
You see, my family is in Kharkiv and Kyiv. I have two little grandkids who go to kindergarten. When I saw the news that a Kharkiv kindergarten had been hit in a drone strike, I couldn’t stop thinking that it could have been them. I prayed for every parent and child in the city.
Nearly every day, Russian attacks kill firefighters and injure civilians, including children. For Ukrainian families who have endured years of war, there are no words for this heartbreak.
But even in moments like this, I remind myself why I believe in our mission. I remind myself that kindness and compassion can still heal.
Art studio created a vital refuge and creative space for children
I came to the United States five years ago after marrying my wonderful husband.
And now, as an American citizen, I continue to maintain my family relationships in Ukraine while I serve as volunteer CEO for HelpingUkraine.US.
At HelpingUkraine.US., we support children in Kharkiv, Odesa and Kryvyi Rih, all living through unimaginable fear. We fund programs that nurture these children, providing them with art, learning, and therapy.
Perhaps the best example is Kharkiv’s Aza Nizi Maza art studio. Since 2022, Aza Nizi Maza has acted as a vital refuge and creative space for children impacted by the war in Ukraine.
The studio, founded in 2012, was forced to move to a basement facility when the war began. It now acts as a bomb shelter from the destruction overhead.
The art created within this shelter is stunning. These children have shown so much strength and courage, digging deep within themselves to express the loss and horror of the conflict.
These children have all experienced intense trauma. In their elementary school classes, many did not speak at all. They came to school, but they couldn’t learn. They were stricken with grief and frozen in shock.
But as they began painting, they started to heal. They started communicating with each other. Creating art allowed them to open their hearts back up to the world.
Benefit concert hosted by Lawrenceville Arts Center
To support these children’s programs, we have decided to build a fundraising concert called “A Song for Ukraine.”
We were thrilled to receive 24 stunning images of Aza Nizi Maza art. Each image features a caption written by the child artist. Some are charming (“Cats, please keep all of your nine lives!”), others heartbreaking (“Let no one die today, not mom, not dad, not even our goldfish”). All have been deeply moving.
The benefit concert will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Lawrenceville Arts Center and will feature sales of limited edition prints of these paintings, along with music by Grammy-nominated folk musician John McCutcheon, a lifelong activist whose career spans six decades.
This volunteer-led concert brings together people giving their time, talent, and hearts to help children affected by the war in Ukraine. A ticket purchase through the Lawrenceville Arts Center supports HelpingUkraine.US, a volunteer-run nonprofit (Visit https://www.lvilleartscenter.com/eventer/song-for-ukraine/).
The song by John McCutcheon and Tom Paxton, “Ukrainian Now,” unites talented folk musicians from across the United States, singing together in harmony to support Ukraine.
This reminds me of other profound expressions of hope from years past. Think of “We Are the World,” the iconic song that united musicians from across the world to raise money for the Ethiopian famine.
In desperate times, we look for moments of hope and inspiration. We can see this in the art for sale, children reaching for clarity in a world full of confusion. Isn’t it amazing that art and music can bring us together to experience joy while helping others?
‘Every act of kindness you show brings light where it’s darkest’
As we near the holiday season, we often think of things we are thankful for. We think about the family around us. We think about the gifts we give one another.
In just three short years, HelpingUkraine.US has benefited from so many kind Atlantans. It fills my heart and makes me realize that the culture of Atlanta, a city “too busy to hate,” I am told, is truly special. There is a culture of giving and participation in this city.
I just hope that the kind of artistic expression being nurtured at Aza Nizi Maza can continue, even in such devastating circumstances. I know this column is emotional, but that’s because it’s real.
These are my family, my people, my country. But beyond that, it’s also about our shared humanity. Every act of kindness you show brings light where it’s darkest.
Olga Gorman is the volunteer CEO of HelpingUkraine.US. She immigrated from Ukraine to the United States in 2022. Gorman was born in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, which has been occupied by Russian military forces since 2014. With the help of Ukrainian volunteers, Gorma has organized events including art exhibitions, film screenings, fundraisers, rallies and benefit concerts.
