RALEIGH, N.C. — The United Nations has estimated that about one million people have been displaced inside Ukraine as a result of Russia’s invasion.
What You Need To Know
- UN refugee agency says about one million Ukrainians have fled internally to get to safety
- Ukrainian-American musician, Alex Gordez is using his guitar to cope with his emotions as the conflict continues
- Gordez’s friends, who still live in Ukraine, have decided to stay to fight for their country
Members of our community connected to Ukraine are finding ways to cope as the war wages on.
Alex Gordez, a Ukrainian-American musician, came to the United States 31 years ago. He says the conflict makes him sad, which is why he’s turning to his guitar to process his emotions.
“Music is pretty much everything in my life,” Gordez said. “I’m playing or I’m teaching. To me, it’s a language that helps to get out your emotions and deal with things that are really complicated. I didn’t know what else I can do.”
Gordez, who is originally from Kyiv, played a Ukrainian song at a local gig over the weekend. The outpouring of support from the audience means a lot to him.
“Recently, when I’m performing anywhere, people asking me to play Ukrainian music,” Gordez said. “So many people giving me so much support, so many people give me words of encouragement. And I am really, really grateful for everybody around here, for local community.”
It’s been hard for him to be thousands of miles away when his country is in turmoil.
“I cannot sleeping. I’m watching all the kind of news. Not only American news because I can watch Russian news and I can watch Ukrainian news,” he said.
He’s in constant touch with his friends still living in Ukraine. None have decided to leave. In fact, one friend who is a lawyer has decided to take up arms as part of a voluntary brigade set up to fight Russia.
“What happened that Ukrainians united against the enemy. They feel of camaraderie, feel of optimism, that they can overcome,” Gordez said. “They preserve their own land. It makes Ukrainians really, really come out as one nation.”
Until peace comes, Gordez will keep using music as his outlet. He teaches guitar to students from countries like Lebanon, China and Russia, many of whom have reached out to him offering their support.
Gordez says he’s also grateful that his Russian friends in North Carolina, Israel and New York are supporting the Ukrainian cause.
Gordez is involved in the local Ukrainian community’s fundraising efforts. In the past, he’s played his guitar to raise money for injured Ukrainian soldiers, and says he’s ready to participate again if asked.