—Hello Bea! I am sincerely grateful to you for taking your time to speak with me today. The first thing I am curious about is the origin of your family. I ask this question of every person I interview, because I remember that we are all immigrants here.

—Hello Olena. I couldn’t agree more! Both of my parents were born in the United States, but my grandparents emigrated from Europe to America. My grandparents from my mother’s side came fromBurdujeni, Romania, and those from my father’s side were fromLomza, Poland. I have been married a very long time, so I consider my husband’s family to be also mine. All four of those grandparents came fromKyiv in Ukraine or small villages in Russia. All eight grandparents arrived in the period between 1890 and 1910.

—What a variety of places your ancestors originated from! Have your grandparents ever shared their immigration stories with you?

—Three of my four grandparents died when I was a teenager; only one passed before I was born. Although they were in America for nearly 50 years, my father’s parents never spoke English, they only spokeYiddish. My father would interpret for us when we visited them. They were married 60 years and lived to be in their 80s. That seemed so old back then. One thing I still remember is that they would always give me a Hershey’s chocolate bar when I visited. I now have come to understand that was their way of wanting to communicate with me. I knew my mother’s father much better. He spoke English and would visit our house often. I think that their generation, in general, and the experience of leaving behind their families, culture and livelihoods resulted in making them want to assimilate here and not look back. They really weren’t interested in talking about the immigrant experience. 

Now my mother-in-law, who died about a year and a half ago at the age of 98, loved talking about her family’s journey to the United States! She and her sister were born here, but her two older brothers were not. One of her brothers was born in a train station while they were fleeing to America. That’s quite startling when I think about it today! My mother-in-law’s mother was able to bring some things with her. She brought some wine goblets that remain in the family today. I have a brass menorah that her mother was able to bring over. She also sewed some valuables into her clothing hems. We bring these treasures out as ritual objects when we celebrate holidays. I never lose sight, though, that they were under so much stress, leaving behind family and friends and most of their belongings. That is part of the deep beauty of having these cherished items. 

It’s only more recently that I really have started thinking about how they ever boarded ships to come to America back then. I don’t know if I would have had as much courage as they did. 

—I wonder if the immigration stories of your and your husband’s families motivated you to help immigrants as a volunteer?

—Yes, as I am getting older and my grandchildren are getting older, I think a lot about our family in terms of past, present and future. My dad, when he retired, devoted many, many hours to volunteering. He often said, “There’s a time to take and a time to give,” meaning that when you have the time, it’s important to give back to your community and others in need. After the election of 2016, I knew I had to do something. I was drawn to helping immigrants because I felt that there was a clear shift in the U.S. immigration policy toward being unwelcoming to immigrant communities, those trying to enter then as well as immigrants who had been here all along but may look, dress, speak or celebrate differently than the majority of Americans. That’s why I chose to volunteer to help new immigrants. Honoring my grandparents’ journeys to America became very important to me.

—I think it’s a great reason! I think I can make an assumption about your political views judging from your answer to my previous question, but I will ask you, just in case. Are you a member of any political party?

—Yes, I am. My values align closely with the Democratic Party.

—I know you volunteered during this past Presidential election,  in November 2020. What are your personal expectations from Joe Biden’s administration?

—That is a great question, Olena. I am expecting two things. First, to make America a more aligned place to live for everyone. And second, to undo some of the chaos that was perpetrated on this country by the last administration. 

The other thing that I am extremely pleased about so far in the Biden administration is how diversified his Cabinet is. He is bringing in people with different backgrounds and perspectives, not people who will “Just Say Yes” to him. 

—Why have you chosen to volunteer for the Welcoming Center, and not for any other nonprofit organization?

—Like I have said, after the election in 2016, I felt the need to reach out to the immigrant community. I wanted to not only talk the talk, but to walk the walk to let immigrants  know that they are welcome here, and that not everyone is against what I consider the bedrock of America, our identity as a Melting Pot. I knew I needed to find a right direction for my eagerness to help immigrants. One of my friends was involved in various volunteer activities. She gave me a list of multiple nonprofit organizations that serve the immigrant community in Philadelphia. The Welcoming Center was the first nonprofit I called. I submitted my resume and was interviewed. After the interview, I felt that volunteering for them would be a good way to contribute with my skills, primarily helping with writing resumes and cover letters that confirm with the American style for these documents. The goal is to help make them competitive in the job market. 

I also have appreciated forming relationships during my time working with groups and individuals who are in the Welcoming Center’s IPP (International Professionals Program), a section that serves people with at least a bachelor’s degree. One time, I went into a specialty gluten-free bake shop in theItalian Market section of Philadelphia. Someone working there in the back saw me on a security camera and came to the front. “I know you,” he said. He recognized me from the Welcoming Center IPP program I had been part of the previous year. It was great to catch up in an everyday setting. I’m smiling now just thinking about it. 

—Why do you think a large number of American-born citizens feel that immigrants are a threat to them? 

—I believe that people who feel threatened are those who are fearful of otherness. If you don’t speak my language, if you don’t share my values, if you don’t look like me, then you are something else. It seems to me that’s a way people elevate themselves in their own minds.

—Is there a way to bridge this gap between the new immigrants and the supporters of anti-immigration policies?

—I believe that the way of bridging the gap between immigrants and supporters is twofold. The first would be education and the second would be to implement a “one person at a time” model. For example, in my case, I cared about this issue of immigration but stayed on the sidelines. I needed to become aware of the need and more specifically, how I could help. That initial interview at the Welcoming Center helped to educate me that I was needed, and I was able to choose an area in which I thought I could best contribute. The second emerges from in person contact, whether it’s in a shoppe, waiting at a bus stop or working together on a regular basis. These interactions do not necessarily take a lot of time and energy, but being exposed to others helps dissolve any fear or feelings of otherness. 

—I agree. What advice would you give to the immigrants who are going through tough times in the US?

—It would be the same advice I would give anyone who is having tough times: you are not alone! Try to identify what you are struggling with, and then identify friends or family, or colleagues, find somebody to reach out about your problem. It often just takes courage and resolve to reach out. I know it’s hard when facing adversity, but it’s important to always remember that you are not alone.