My Father the Imposter
When asked about my father, I usually respond, “For the longest I can remember, it was just my mom and me. I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t,” which isn’t entirely true. I have early memories of my father spoiling me with clothes so I could feel comfortable and look my best. I remember […]
Read MoreWar Transformed Our Family
Growing up, everyone in my family was afraid of my mom. When she got angry, she would turn into a tiger. She’d scream loudly, and her voice turned throaty and scary. Sometimes, she even hit my younger sister and me. Dad would also avoid mom when she wasn’t in a good mood. When I heard […]
Read More
Home in My Heart
When I was 5, I had lived my whole life in Luhansk, Ukraine. Then, in April 2014, Russia invaded Luhansk and another nearby region, Donetsk. Russia declared them independent states and renamed them Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic. These name changes are part of how the Russian government tries to erase the Ukrainian […]
Read MoreAccepting My Mom’s Limits
When I was 8 years old, I asked my mother why I’d never met her parents. She said, “My dad was a very cruel man, and every night, he would come into my room and do terrible things to me. My mother knew, and she did nothing to help me.” When she was in 4th […]
Read More