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Ukrainian Americans to Rally in Philly Saturday for Kamala Harris
PA Ukrainian Community Larger than Victory Margin in Last 2 Presidential Campaigns
What:
A former State Department official who advocated for Congress to pass a multi-billion military aide package for Ukraine in February, a month before her retirement, Victoria Nuland, will speak at a rally organized by Ukrainian Americans in support of Kamala Harris will take place on Saturday, October 26, in downtown Philadelphia. The event is sponsored by the Harris Walz Campaign and was initiated by “Stop Trump Save Ukraine,” an ad hoc group of Ukrainian American citizens formed to inform and educate the community about the repercussions to Ukraine of a second Trump administration.
Why:
Pennsylvania has the largest Ukrainian American population of any battleground state in the presidential election. About 120,000 people of Ukrainian descent live in the Commonwealth, more than the margins of victory in both the 2016 presidential election and the 2020 presidential election. The significance of this community in the current race has been highlighted in recent articles in the Washington Post and other media outlets.
The two candidates’ differences on the Ukraine and the Russian invasion are clear and stark. Kamala Harris has pledged to continue aid and said, “Ukraine must prevail,” while Donald Trump has said he “will not give a penny for Ukraine.” Trump’s attempted extortion of Ukraine was also the subject of his first impeachment.
When:
Saturday October 26, 2024, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
A group of Mummers in Ukrainian-themed costumes will lead off the event with a lively and musical walk/march starting at 1 p.m. from the Philadelphia Museum to Aviator Park at 19th and the Parkway (southside, across from Franklin Institute at 20th Street). The program will continue with speakers starting at approximately 2 p.m. and live music, including the Ukrainian folk band “YiYi” from New York, and more Mummers to conclude the program.
Where:
Start: Philadelphia Museum of Art (2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy)
Walk to Aviator Park (1900 Parkway)
Philadelphia PA 19130
Who:
Amb. Victoria Nuland, former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs (May 3, 2021-March 22, 2024), Ulana Mazurkevych, United Ethnic Women for Harris Walz/Ukrainian Americans for Harris Walz Roman Petyk, Chairman of the Ukrainian Community Foundation of Philadelphia Gary Wasserson, President, Ukrainian Children, inc. Onile Sestokas, Chair, Lithuanian Americans and Allies for Democracy Janis Chakars, President, Latvian Society of Philadelphia Olga Livshin, Ukrainian Jewish Poet Matthew Connolly, Stop Trump Save Ukraine Tom Malinowski, former U.S. Congressman (NJ) tentative
Contact:
To arrange interviews before or at the event, please contact Mary Kalyna at [email protected] or 215-776-1004.