The makeup of a person’s character consists of more than one’s personal experiences. Individuals are also shaped by their past. Indeed, a person’s heritage plays a significant role in that person’s sense of self and belonging. David Mashkevich’s story is an example of this dynamic. His values, goals and view of the world are deeply rooted in his heritage. This heritage is that of a close family and a powerful drive to search for a better life, which ultimately leads them to move to the United States, the land of opportunity.
The Mashkevich family’s story begins with the independence of Ukraine in 1991. The declaration ushered in a period of economic uncertainty in the nation as they were no longer a ward of the (now collapsing) USSR. The declining economy coupled with the under developed cities in this largely agrarian society, lead to the Mashkevich family, like many others, seeking a new home where their talents and passions could translate into a livelihood. For David’s mother, Veronica Mashkevich, her talent as an artist was largely underutilized as the young nation was be more focused on building infrastructure than funding the arts.
Though the nation suffered from economic struggles, the cultural roots of the land remained strong. This was especially true of the closely knit communities in the cluster of apartment complexes throughout the area. Given the homogenous nature of the Ukrainian communities, the occupants of the various apartment buildings saw their neighbors as a sort of extended family, where most of the tenants knew the details of each other’s personal lives. There were truly few secrets among the residents as gossip could easily transfer the inner networks. The closeness also permeated into the apartments themselves as many individual apartments held entire families where at times, up to 3 generations can be found living in a single apartment. The closeness meant that the departure of any one group within the community would be felt by the collective as a whole. Because of this dynamic, any departure would have to be weighed against the prospect of the lost community a family would need to partly give up.
After deliberating over several years, the family decided they needed to move not only to ensure their own financial future, but also the future of their yet unborn offspring. In order to do this successfully, the family needed to fall back on one of the core staples of a Ukrainian society, leveraging family relationships to assist in achieving a goal too large for an individual. The family did this by coordinating their move with David’s uncle, who provided them with a foundation on which to build a new life. From providing initial room and board, to giving them work and eventually helping them through the immigration process, these family connections made moving to the US infinitely simpler than having to navigate on their own. Preserving their connection to their heritage proved to be beneficial not only socially, but practically as well.
Soviet Era- Ukrainian Apartment Complex
Ozone Park Housing (Brooklyn)
Once the Mashkevich family began to settle into their new country, a critical decision needed to be made. Their core group of five (consisting of Veronica, her husband, her son [David] and her in-laws) was becoming too large for the homely New Jersey apartment they were sharing. Adding to the pressure, was the fact that Veronica now had a two-year-old son. The question of where to live emerged, centering around what type of home they would want to have. As far back as they could remember, the family had always lived in the structure and security of an apartment complex. However, because David had recently been born, the Mashkevich family was now contemplating moving into a house. Though often a natural progression for Americans, for the Mashkevich family, this transition represented an endeavor into the unknown. The group would essentially be leaving the familiarity of a close knit apartment community in favor of a somewhat isolated house (something rarely seen back home in their home country). After considering all the factors, the family settled on moving into a house not only for the added space, but also to provide creature comforts for the coming child such as a back yard to play in. This decision was a significant shift in the family’s social structure as they were not only moving away from their closest relatives in New Jersey, but would be moving into an area of New York (Ozone Park, Brooklyn) that was markedly different form the communities they had lived in before.
Settling into their new home in Ozone Park, the family immediately saw the difference in their new home from their previous one in New Jersey and the drastic difference from their home in Ukraine. Where the ethnic diversity in their part of Ukraine was almost nonexistent, the community they had moved into consisted not only of families who had emigrated from across Europe, but (according to CLR search) also contained significant numbers of African American and Asian residents. This level of diversity would require the family to adopt new approaches to forming relationships with their new neighbors, without losing the strong cultural roots that have served them for generations. In order to do this, the family embraced their new lifestyle along with the economic opportunities that their new home provided. Veronica was able to utilize her artistic skill at her job in a nursing home. Combining her personal passion with her career allowed her to form an arts program in the nursing home, providing a much needed outlet for the residents there. While embracing the new opportunities, the family never lost touch with their roots. Staying in close contact with family, the group routinely visits Ukraine on annual trips to connect with loved ones. The family also ensures the culture passes on to the next generation by ensuring their children learn to speak Russian first, then English, keeping their offspring connected to their heritage.
The Mashkevich’s story is symbolic of many who have come to this country seeking life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The amazing ability of this family to travel across the globe seeking to better their lives, while simultaneously holding on to the roots that help make them special is a symbol of how the migrant journey should work. The result of the next generation being grounded in cultural depth while attaining higher levels of scholastic achievement is a testament both to the strength of character in the Mashkevich family and the value of the American dream. Hopefully the nation will continue to support families like the Mashkevich’s who help to make the story of America a little more beautiful.
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