MEET TETIANA

My name is Tatiana, I am a graphic designer and brand strategist from Ukraine. My daughter Daryna and I came to New York from the city of Bucha. My husband, an officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is serving in Ukraine now.

We were under occupation at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. A few weeks without light, heat, communication between tank battles and artillery explosions. We evacuated under mortar shelling before Ukrainian troops de-occupied our territory. I think this is a real miracle. And this day is the second day of our birth.

We were able to return to our home. The walls of our house survived, the neighbors were less fortunate. 70% of houses in the city are destroyed. The daughter's school and music school were partially damaged and only recently resumed work. My company, where I have been working for the last 4 years, is bombed to the ground. This is 22 hectares of the resort area, a country club with restaurants, hotels, spas, boutiques, children's recreation camp, cultural park. All this no longer exists now. And I, along with 400 employees of the resort, were left without work.

The infrastructure of the city is destroyed, shopping centers, shops, post offices, restaurants - everything is either bombed or burned: walking in the forest or on the field near the house is also dangerous. Because there are still mines there. In addition to the lack of elementary conditions for life: it is difficult to live there psychologically.

Therefore, we decided to come here for a while to recover from the stress experienced, so that our daughter has access to education and culture to be in a safe place.

We are looking to return as soon as its safe for us to do so.