New Wave is Energizing Chicago Community

By Olena Wawryshyn

In many cities across North America, those involved in Ukrainian organizations are seeing a decline in the involvement in community life. Apathy is common among the younger generations born outside of Ukraine and the majority of newly arrived “fourth-wave” immigrants often do not participate at all. In Chicago, a new organization called Orange Wave is bucking the trend and breathing new life into the local community.

The organization was founded by a group of fourth-wavers who met in Chicago and galvanized forces during the time of the Orange Revolution. First known as the Committee 2004, under Dr. Iouri Melnik, the group initially wanted to belong to the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), says Yaroslav Zahayskiy, the current head of the Orange Wave’s Rada or Council.

However, at a UCCA meeting last May, attended by the umbrella organization’s national leaders, those present were prevented from even  participating in a vote on accepting the Committee 2004 as members.  As a result, nine UCCA members and three members of the UCCA presidium left the American Ukrainian umbrella group.  “They were angry that UCCA acted in such an unfair manner,” says Zahayskiy.  A number of disenchanted long-standing UCCA members including Lev Bodnar, Luka Kostelyna and Myron Luszczak, joined the ranks of Orange Wave.

“We respect them, and this older generation a great deal,” says Zahayskiy, who points out that they all work well together, “without paying attention to whether we are part of the older generation, the second wave, the fourth wave-it doesn’t make a difference to us.”

Since last August, when Orange Wave adopted its constitution and was thereby officially founded, its membership has swelled to approximately 140.

In its first year, Orange Wave has been involved in an impressive list of political, social and civic activities­. They educated Ukrainian citizens in the Chicago area about the importance of voting in the parliamentary elections and invited Washington University political expert Taras Kuzio to speak at their Orange Revolution Anniversary celebration.  They are also helping new immigrants get adjusted to life in the United States. For example, they are informing parents about programs to help students get funding for university and college.

“It’s very important that these young people study because this is the future of our community,” says Zahayskiy.  Orange Wave is also working to develop youth programs.

Many of Orange Wave’s activities are meant to raise national Ukrainian consciousness.  One such recent event was Sviato Heroiv, (celebration of Ukrainian Heroes) on May 21 featuring performances by the local Chicago Ukrainian Youth Association choir and the Toronto-based Canadian Ukrainian Bandurist Capella, under the direction of Victor Mishalow.

The concert-program booklet contains photos and biographies of Ukrainian leaders and activists, including Stepan Bandera, Simon Petlura, Vasyl Stus, Volodymyr Ivasiuk, Alla Horska, and Georgiy Gongadze, who were murdered for their commitment to an independent Ukraine.

Though their Ukrainian heritage has united the group, Orange Wave does not neglect its adopted homeland, the United States.  The preamble to the organization’s constitution contains the following phrase:  “We…with our will and fate live in the welcoming, and for many already dear, American country.”

In a show of their civic devotion, they recently spent a day beautifying the Ukrainian Village, a Chicago neighbourhood. “We gathered together people, gave each a garbage bag, and gloves. The neighbourhood was so dirty and neglected, so we walked around and cleaned it up,” says Zahayskiy.

When asked how other fourth-wavers in other cities can be encouraged to similarly get involved, Zahayskiy says the initiative has to come from individuals.  They “need to feel the need to unite, themselves” and to realize “that it’s important to do something for oneself, for one’s family first of all, and for their children and for the community as a whole,” he says.

Zahayskiy says that fourth-wavers have their own particular concerns so it is beneficial for them to form their own groups. Then, once they are united, they can through their groups find “common areas of cooperation” with organizations that have existed for a long time in Canada or the United States."

He stresses that organized community life has a ripple effect and eventually has “a positive impact on Ukraine.” When people band together they are able to achieve more he insists.

In addition, Zahayskiy points out that while it is important for parents to teach their children about their Ukrainian heritage at home, such lessons have a limited effect if they are not reinforced by a community. “Parents can tell a child what the Canadian Bandurist Capella is...but when the child comes and sees and hears the capella and learns what the bandura, Ukrainian costumes and culture are, this is a very strong educational moment,” he says.

Furthermore, Zahayskiy says that many new immigrants who come to North America do not fully realize the importance of forming communities where their children can participate in directed activities and meet their peers.  “Many people come here [to North America] with a material interest,” he says. “They think: ‘I will make money and leave. But year by year goes by, and nobody goes anywhere, and their children get lost in this new world,” says Zahayskiy who has two daughters, aged one and two, of his own. 

According to Zahayskiy, without proper parental supervision, children not only lose touch with their Ukrainian roots but may also get in with the wrong crowd. “In two, three years in America or Canada, if parents don’t give their children supervision and an intelligent upbringing, “those parents lose more than they make in terms of those few thousand dollars. Basically they lose their children,” he says.

In other North American communities, some fourth-wavers are also beginning to come to the same realization. Zahayskyi says that his group has been in touch with similar fourth-wave communities in Detroit, Wisconsin, Washington and New York.   He stresses that Orange Wave will gladly share ideas and work with communities in other cities in the United States or Canada, and he encourages interested groups to contact them.