Ukrainian people of colour seeking refuge

[Doable]

Not sure where to ask this.

I want to look into the possibility of offering support.

Does anyone know if there is a way to connect with people of colour seeking refuge or offering support to UK families who would like to bring family members to join them and could use some support?

Feel free to tell me IABU if that's how you see it but what I'm really hoping for is some practical information.

Thanks for reading 🌻

Excellent

Sorry no useful information, there is a black mumnetters board. Maybe someone there might be able to help you out.

I don't think there'd be many Ukranian people of colour. Eastern Europeans are white, and Ukraine is not a country many foreign people immigrate into. There might be some foreign students who were living in Ukraine though.

I think most people are reaching out to Ukrainians on Facebook so that could potentially be an option. I don't think that there is an official way of doing it?

Thank you for responding. All ideas most welcome.

Tbh I think most 'people of colour' in Ukraine were students who would have tried (despite the racism, beatings and hate) to return either to their home countries or countries where they have relatives in Western Europe.

It's a good question but nonetheless and I hope you do find an answer. PoC in that part of the world must go through hell daily for being non-white.

Why just people of colour?
Will you still assist if only white people need help?

I can't vouch for this, but a member of a local women's Facebook group shared this: linktr.ee/noirsociety?fbclid=IwAR24kOx_m2GbTq2bBL6nY4fKeOC4KYePFqwqHzql6wfx4feL2QvkaqX3_6E
I don't know the lady who posted it personally but do know she's supporting African students who were studying in Ukraine.

It seems that for some political or historical reason Ukraine had a lot of university students from African countries, and they faced extra problems fleeing the country.

sorry my hidden post was a link an acquaintance shared to a group supporting African students who were studying in Ukraine and who've fled Ukraine.

I just googled people of colour in Ukraine and this Washington Post article by a Fulbright scholar has quite an interesting photo which I couldn't copy on it's own. There certainly are people of colour born in Ukraine it seems, not only students from elsewhere.

www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/01/02/a-cop-in-ukraine-said-he-was-detaining-me-because-i-was-black-i-appreciated-it/

@Buttercup54321 do you think it is unreasonable to assume there are people of colour and seek to offer support to them when there are white people very visibly in need of great help?

I realise that might seem an unkind question and perhaps I am being oversensitive.

@Buttercup54321

Why just people of colour? Will you still assist if only white people need help?

Because people of colour fleeing the war are having an even harder time than white people, as they are also facing racism while they do it. They were held back at the borders when trying to escape and sadly I suspect there are plenty of racist 'helpers' who will be less willing to welcome them into their homes. So their needs are particularly acute.

But sure, let's imply it's the people wanting to help this group who are racist!

What a stupid post, Buttercup

OP, I haven't read the entire thread but myself and many others are looking to host POC from Ukraine. Please let me know (directly if possible) what you find out as we're very keen to help especially as they are being so disgracefully discriminated against. I guess despite the bombs dropping there's always time for racism!

@ThatsNotItAtAll thank you for that link to a group supporting Bipoc refugees from Ukraine in Munich. Is your acquaintance based there or in the UK? Or elsewhere?

Doable yes - I'm in the south of Germany too and the group the link is from is an international women's group for our part of Germany. Several members have taken African student refugees into their homes and post sometimes asking for others to do the same or for specific items that they need. I haven't looked into the organisation itself, I just check to see whether we have something specifically being asked for (shoes or clothes in specific sizes, an old laptop etc).

@Buttercup54321

Why just people of colour? Will you still assist if only white people need help?

Behave

Ask one of the larger groups, such as sunflower sisters.

The majority of non white people from Ukraine will have a white partner, you may be likely to find. Particularly in areas with universities. Many will be former students who have married a fellow student. Some others will be from mixed families, like the Kiev MP who has been speaking out who had a Rwandan student father. That will be something to be aware of.

I don’t know if people are eligible under British visas rules to travel under the homes scheme if they only have residency, but not a passport. Ukraine doesn’t allow dual nationality, so many have residency rights but don’t apply for citizenship if they are living there. I don’t know what the position is at the British end on that, if they only have another passport.

A number of groups in Ukraine may have less family ties and find it harder right now, as well as immigrant families also queer people for example. I can’t see anything wrong in reaching out to particularly vulnerable groups.

Also, my uncle is a Ukrainian university professor- for students he is sharing a lot of offers from European nations who will let Ukrainian students continue studies with them. I hope most of the students are also accessing these offers for students, and the UK at this point I don’t believe is offering. It may not be the best destination for a student.
In short, the UK offer isn’t the most attractive. Though I understand your offer is from a good place. It’s a long way from anywhere, there’s a complicated visa system, less offered and a particularly significant level of barriers.
I say this as someone whose one family has turned down my offers and moved to western Ukraine rather than join me

OP, a Ukrainian woman with three mixed race children has just posted on the "Accommodation, Help & Shelter for Ukraine" facebook group, looking for a place in the UK. She seems very genuine, PhD in maths and quite a solid career behind her.

Ok, I will look at that and try to contact her.

Thank you @forinborin