EDITORIAL: Questions lead to a summit (01/27/02)

EDITORIAL

Questions lead to a summit

It was almost three months ago that The Ukrainian Weekly asked its readers: "Where have all our students gone?" and only last week that Andrij Wowk, writing in our "News and Views" section, asked "Where have the young professionals gone?" With this line of questioning one could assume that our Ukrainian "hromada" is slowly disappearing.

All joking aside, this would be a hard point to argue, considering that the 2000 U.S. Census showed an increase in the number of Ukrainians living in this country of more than 100,000 people over the past 10 years. Perhaps a more realistic explanation for the questions posed above is that a growing apathy among young Ukrainian Americans, in regard to social, professional and civic organizations, is contributing to a declining willingness among this group to participate.

Mr. Wowk, president of the Ukrainian Engineers' Society of America, said that a recent survey of the UESA showed that "the age of membership was heavily skewed towards the higher end of the age scale, while younger members were largely under-represented. This age distribution does not appear to be limited to our organization ..."

We can clearly see evidence of the similar demographics in other Ukrainian organizations. For example, although an exact statistic is not recorded, upon a casual glance across the convention hall one could assume an average age of 60 to 65 for those participating in a convention of the Ukrainian National Association.

If we are trying to maintain and strengthen the viability and influence of our many Ukrainian social and professional organizations, what is required is the infusion of a younger generation passionately and eagerly willing to move the Ukrainian American hromada forward. Without this next generation's activity, and upon the current leadership's passing, there will be a void - a lack of knowledgeable and qualified individuals capable of pursuing the work that such organizations as the Ukrainian American Professionals and Businesspersons Association of New York and New Jersey, The Washington Group and the UESA, among many others, have been doing to inform, educate, benefit and advance the Ukrainian American community.

Indeed, there are many other valuable reasons to actively participate in a Ukrainian professional or business association, or other community groups. Aside from the benefits of networking or socializing, these organizations, when well organized, can be a voice for and an advocate of our Ukrainian community.

When The Ukrainian Museum unveils its new $7.6 million state-of-the-art home, it will act as the ambassador for Ukrainian culture not just to the city of New York, but to the world when one considers the countless tourists who annually visit New York.

Or, for that matter, when The Washington Group hosts its annual Leadership Conference - which regularly attracts the attention of international diplomats, politicians, scholars and various other members of the elite - participants reap the benefit of new contacts, insight and information.

In an attempt to address the problem of our youths' and young adults' apathy toward participating in our community organizations despite their many benefits, Mr. Wowk said the UESA board of directors is "organizing an informal meeting of Ukrainian organizations and other interested parties ... to address this very issue."

Therefore, we here at The Weekly urge leading young Ukrainians of America to contact Mr. Wowk (wowk@e-mail.com) and participate in the UESA's community summit, tentatively slated for March, and let others see your interest, motivation and passion for your culture and heritage. Above all - let our community know you're here so that no one need ask: "Where have the young professionals gone?"

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