Rapid response: Ukrainian refugees need your help

Lesya landed in Brighton Beach a few days ago. She left her homeland, Ukraine, due to war. Being a Ukrainian refugee and a mom of two 12-years-old kids is not easy. But Lesya is a brave person and a wonderful mom. Just a few days ago, she joined our protest against the Russian invasion at Coney Island boardwalk, where she shared her story.

While her husband keeps fighting for his country in the special troops of the Ukrainian army, Lesya alone crossed the border of Slovakia with her two young twin kids. She drove the car to the Carpathian Mountains. Her car got stuck in a snowdrift, but a Ukrainian woman can overcome any obstacles. She pulled out of the car and managed to escape the country to find shelter for her family. She drove through the whole country and arrived in Warsaw, where she managed to board a flight to New York. Warsaw was the only location at the time that had flights to the US. Lesya was desperate to take her last chance holding the US visa to get herself and her kids to safety.

Now she stays in the «Little Odessa» of New York, the Brighton Beach neighborhood. Lesya is here alone with her kids looking for a fresh start. Having no money and only a temporary shelter, she desperately needs your help right now.*

*All donations will go to Lesya and other Ukrainian refugees who desperately need cash assistance

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RUSA LGBTQ+ is a US-based network of Russian-speaking LGBTQIA+ immigrants, their friends, allies, and loved ones. Formed in 2008, RUSA LGBTQ+ has welcomed many LGBTQ immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers from post-Soviet countries.