It’s been months since Russian forces invaded Ukraine without provocation. While there have been numerous humanitarian efforts, a woman working in Syracuse walks a less-traveled road with a unique perspective.

“When people hear Ukraine for the first time, they think about the country that is 70 to 90% white," said Linh Nguyen. "And I think that I am a very clear evidence that it is not quite true.”

Nguyen's parents were from Vietnam and found refuge in Ukraine. She was born in the capital of Kyiv, and spent years embracing all of the parts of who she is in a nation defending itself from invasion far before 2022.

“People kind of missed out on the point that we have been at war and against Russia for the past eight years,” she said.

Before Nguyen found herself in Syracuse, she worked with veterans and Ukraine's government getting firsthand accounts of the atrocities of war.

“I would go out and brief on how many people died every day, which really affected me," she said. "I was really young. That really changed my perspective on current affairs.”

Nguyen isn't sure how many friends she's lost overseas over the months. But since she's safe on American soil, she is putting every effort into what she knows, working at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University.

“I'm grateful that the universe gave me an opportunity to serve both Ukrainian vets and American vets," she said. “I take it as a mission because for me, my current work really resonates with what I value as a human being.”

She's also part of a network taking up collections, monetary or direct donations of tourniquets. More than 500 lifesaving tools have been collected, sent to western Ukraine and distributed to units in hotspots.

The key for donations is quality.

“My perspective as a person who has experienced war firsthand and who has seen people being blown up and bleeding out in less than three minutes, you can be a paramedic with a full bag of stuff," Nguyen said. "But if you have an open wounded warrior laying down there and you don't have a tourniquet, there's nothing that you can do.”

For Nguyen and so many others, humanitarian aid is appreciated, but far from the most important.

“A lot of the monies and a lot of the mindset of giving is to support something that does not contribute to death," Nguyen said. "Yet when you talk about war, you need to understand that the metric of war is death.”

Ukraine is still in the thick of it. Ukrainians like Nguyen will continue to advocate for all the help they can get.

“Don't let Ukraine fade away from your mind because right now, what my people are doing is fighting for more than just our country,” Nguyen said.

She stressed it is a wide group effort. It takes the generosity of those to donate money and tourniquets, the logistics to get them delivered and the bravery of those on the frontline who may very well have to use them.