May 11

May 11 Ukrainian Moms Speak

Chicago, Demonstrations, Flowers, Protest, Public Declarations

“I don’t know why all the trees change in the fall
But I know you’re not scared of anything at all
Don’t know if Snow White’s house is near or far away
But I know I had the best day with you today”

— The Best Day, Taylor Swift, from Fearless (2008)

“(This is for)
For all the mothers fighting
For better days to come
And all my women, all my women sitting here trying
To come home before the sun
And all my sisters coming together
Say “Yes, I will,” “Yes, I can”
(Why is that?)”

— Superwoman, Alicia Keys, from As I Am (2008)

“Through the phone
I could hear my mom’s voice clearly (Hello?)
The thing I remember
My mom’s strength at the time was a breaking ball to me
Really
I was determined to succeed
With that promise alone
I became the son I am now”

— Mama, BTS, from Wings (2016)

I arrived at Jane Byrne Park—the site of Chicago’s old Water Tower—shortly before the announced 11:30 AM start time for today’s demonstration by Chicago’s Ukrainian mothers. When I didn’t see a single demonstrator or sign in the park, I thought the Ukrainians were in big trouble. While someone in the community had sent me a press release on Thursday or Friday informing me that the time had been moved to 1:00PM, I focused on the speakers’ bios rather than the start time. My mistake. Fortunately, I kept the text.

So I grabbed a cup of coffee, finished Chapter 16 in James Joyce’s Ulysses—possibly the worst book ever written—and returned at Jane Byrne Park at 1:00 PM. Uh-oh, only seven or eight people. Not much better. When I asked, I was told people were stuck in heavy traffic; the reason why would become apparent an hour or two later.

As the minutes passed, Ukrainian women clad in white dresses and holding signs began to stream into the park. By the time everyone arrived, there were couple of hundred women and children congregating in the shadow of Chicago’s historic water tower, together with some men. I didn’t do actual calculations, but I would not be surprised if the ratio was eight women for every man. Next time the single guys might want to show up.

One banner said it all; “Around 195,000 Ukrainian Babies Were Born in Bomb Shelters Because of Russian Aggression.” Although a ‘bit’ of an overstatement, I suspect just as many Ukrainian babies have been born in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village since the start of the Russian invasion. The mothers were accompanied by kids and baby strollers. If the war goes on much longer, I’ll be attending college graduations for some of these kids. After all, the kids who were in Daley Plaza sliding down the Picasso’s base two-and-half years ago during one of the first Ukrainian rallies are now shaving.

Nobody does demonstrations and rallies better than Chicago’s Ukrainian community. Like Chicago’s Palestinian community, the Ukrainian community has witnessed an invasion of its homeland by a hostile power, resulting in way too much death and destruction. But unlike the Palestinians, the Ukrainians manage to keep their anger in check, always sounding an upbeat note.

The organizers of today’s rally and march had three messages for the American public and their representatives. First, Russia has committed many atrocities against Ukrainian children. The banners said it all: (i) at least 545 Ukrainian mothers will never hug their children again because Russians killed them; (ii) 1,296 Ukrainian children have sustained injuries due to Russian aggression; and (iii) over 19,000 Ukrainian children have been kidnapped by the Russians.

Second, every American should “call your representatives; [because] sav[ing] Ukrainian kids today = sav[ing] American kids tomorrow.” The mothers used children as the framing device, but the message was loud and clear. America should support Ukraine because Ukraine is on the frontlines, fighting a battle that if lost, will become America’s battle when Russia inevitably extends its march westward into the parts of Europe that Americans visit every summer. As for me, I am anxiously awaiting the opportunity to travel to Ukraine.

Third, the Ukrainian mothers extended thanks to America for its support, including the recent appropriation of funds by Congress for additional military aid.

As usual, the organizers don’t rely exclusively on signs to get their message across. Leaders of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America-Illinois Division took to the podium, with President Dr. Mariya Dmytriv-Kapeniak, Vice-President Marta Farion, and Lillia Popovych taking their turns holding the blue and white bullhorn. Also on hand was Maya Sylenko, who is in Chicago with her son, Ivan Povnenkyj, who is receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained during a 2022 Russian bombing raid. The two can seen in 20 Days in Mariupol, an Academy Award winning documentary about the war in Ukraine.

The documentary is an exciting one because it is told through the eyes of the videographers who captured the footage in very active and dangerous combat zones. They then took more death-defying risks as they smuggled the footage that they had captured through Russian checkpoints.

Those who have not attended one of the Chicago Ukrainian community’s rallies or marches may be surprised that Ukrainian War veterans are being treated in Chicago. Today, I didn’t see any veterans at the rally, but at past demonstrations, veterans with visible shrapnel wounds and other life-changing injuries were visible. From what I understand, the community runs and funds something akin to a Ronald McDonald House for injured Ukrainian warriors. At the community’s expense, the veterans and their family members are given access to a house where they can stay while the warriors receive medical treatment. They may be Ukrainian soldiers, but they are the local community’s heroes.

But as interesting as all those speeches were, I wanted to hear what Maria Berlinska would have to say. Known as the “Drone Mother of Ukraine,” Berlinska is a true force of nature. In 2014, she was a college student pursuing a degree in Jewish history. Then Russia invaded the Donbas. Berlinska wanted to serve in the Ukrainian military, but the opportunities for women were limited.

Her persistence, however, paid off. Berlinska found a position with the Ukrainian Army’s Aidar Battalion, where she became an aerial reconnaissance pilot, flying drones. She apparently liked this form of warfare. In 2015, she founded the Ukrainian Centre for Aerial Reconnaissance.

In addition to being a pioneer in the use of drones for combat, Berlinska also is a fierce advocate for women’s rights. She helped author the Invisible Battalion, a report that highlighted the role of women in the Ukrainian military. Her efforts changed the Ukrainian policy that had severely limited women from serving in the Ukrainian military. Thanks to those efforts, women now can serve as snipers, intelligence officers, and commanders of military hardware.

Berlinska continues her work in supplying Ukraine with drones. I don’t know for sure, but I suspect she was in town because there may be a Chicago group that assembles drones or acquires parts that will find their way to Ukraine’s frontlines. Unfortunately, Berlinska delivered most of her speech in Ukrainian, but the web is filled with articles detailing her impressive career to date.

After the speeches wrapped up, the group assembled a human chain that ran along Michigan Avenue, starting at Chicago Avenue and ending at the Wrigley Building. As shoppers paraded up and down Michigan Avenue, they saw the Ukrainian moms lining the walkway holding their signs. This is a clever and highly effective way to communicate the community’s vital message to Americans—’By supporting Ukraine, you assure that your own kids won’t find themselves battling Putin.’

I should add: the Ukrainians do not march in or shutdown streets. In fact, aside from a few CPD officers at the rally, I saw no CPD officers along the route’s pathway. The women don’t need the police to close intersections. They wait patiently for the “Walk” sign before crossing the street.

Many lucky shoppers who encountered the “chain” were greeted by a small brigade of little girls from the Ukrainian community. The kids were handing out flowers to all the moms. These kids have an obvious future in sales or diplomacy.

During this portion of the rally, I learned why the demonstrators had been delayed by heavy traffic. Michigan Avenue was jam-packed with people. Winter is over, so people were out.

The Ukrainians were suppose to march to Daley Plaza for the concluding portion of the rally. I decided to get a head start, which turned out to be a mistake. When I arrived, Chicago’s Palestinian community was in the plaza for a ceremonial raising of the Palestinian flag. While the community turned the event into a pro-Palestinian rally, other “heritage” groups also participate in ceremonial flag raising in Daley Plaza throughout the year. In other words, the City of Chicago was not endorsing the Palestinian cause. In fact, there will be a ceremonial raising of the Israeli flag on Tuesday.

Much to my surprise, the Ukrainians never showed up, so I missed the end of their rally. Fortunately, I saw the two best parts—Berlinska’s speech and those kids handing out flowers on Michigan Avenue.

[I generally don’t take positions regarding the events I cover. I make an exception for Ukrainian and anti-Putin Russian demonstrations. There is only one correct viewpoint.]

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]