Bridges of Memory Community Dialogue: The Holodomor

This community dialogue is part of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the University of Minnesota's "Bridges of Memory" Project. This talk includes a facilitated discussion between Luda Anastazievsky, Stefan Iwaskewycz and Nikoleta Sremac. The video is introduced by Alejandro Baer, Stephen C. Feinstein Chair and Director of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology.

The talk was presented in partnership with the Ukrainian American Community Center.

Speaker Bios:
Luda Anastazievsky is the Chair of the MN Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee, which represents over 14,000 Ukrainians in Minnesota. The Advocacy Committee, working in conjunction with national Ukrainian-American organizations, seeks to amplify the voices of Ukrainians in Minnesota and build support for Ukrainian issues in Minnesota and nationally. As Programming Director for the Ukrainian American Community Center, Luda's goals are to promote Ukrainian culture, history and current events, with a special focus on building awareness of the Ukrainian Genocide, Holodomor. Luda has successfully collaborated with the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington DC, the Ukrainian Consulate in Chicago, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Ukrainian National Women's League of America, and many Minnesota non-profit organizations to achieve those goals. Luda’s articles on the Minnesota Ukrainian community have been featured in Kyiv Post, the leading English language newspaper in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Weekly, an English language Ukrainian newspaper in the United States, and Ukrainian People Magazine, the leading Ukrainian language magazine in the USA. A Minneapolis Public Schools educator with over 27 years of experience, Luda successfully taught English and literacy skills to hundreds of immigrant students. In 2015, Luda was nominated for Minnesota Teacher of the Year for her demonstrated achievement in producing outstanding student outcomes and applying equitable instructional strategies to address disparities in academic achievement among diverse student groups. In 2018, Marcy Open School EL program, led by Luda for 10 years, was ranked in the top 5th percentile of all Minnesota schools demonstrating highest student growth for three years in a row. Luda holds an MA in Language Arts and MN state K-12 licenses in English as a Second Language and Literacy Education. A native of Ukraine, Luda is fluent in 4 languages.

Stefan Iwaskewycz is the grandson of a Holodomor survivor and a recent participant in an oral history project entitled, “Holodomor Impact on Minnesota’s Ukrainian Community.” Stefan is active in local Ukrainian community life, having served on the board of directors of the Ukrainian American Community Center, Maidan MN, and the Ukrainian Heritage Festival. He studied history and cultural studies at the University of Minnesota and worked as an undergraduate research assistant at the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. Stefan lived in Ukraine in 2004, during which time he was a firsthand observer of and participant in the Orange Revolution. He’s recently started work on a manuscript about his family’s history - part oral history, part memoir. As the drummer in the Twin Cities premier Ukrainian wedding band, the Ukrainian Village Band, Stefan enjoys sharing his Ukrainian heritage with a wide Twin Cities community.

Nikoleta Sremac is a sociology Ph.D. student at the University of Minnesota. She studies gendered power relations in post-conflict countries, including her native Balkans.

The Ukrainian Center was founded in 1964 by Ukrainian immigrants who found a new life and homes in Northeast Minneapolis and formed a community and cultural center to call their own. It became a non-profit in 2009. It sponsors Ukrainian cultural programming, youth activities, and other events.