Upheaval in Ukraine

Reflections on the plight of the refugee.

The brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine and seige of Kyiv and Kharkiv has created a humanitarian crisis faster than you can make a bowl of instant ramen. By some estimates, more than 500,000 refugees have already poured into Poland and other sympathetic neighbors, and with a nation of more than 44 Million, Europe and Western nations should expect far more.

Philanthropic leaders should initiate a massive and immediate response scaled to meet the near-term demand of relief providers. For those of you who know me well, this presents yet another ideal time for donors to liquidate their cockamaimie Donor Advised Funds, which are otherwise doing a whole lotta nothing sitting in custodial accounts at Fidelity “Charitable” and the like.

(Note, there is nothing “charitable” about Fidelity Charitable. But I digress.)

And of course the scale of this crisis demands our immediate attention. The urgency of the situation demands a response. The brutality of this situation demands our collective outrage. Refugees should be offered the right to resettle, have access to food, water, shelter, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

They’re people after all.

And let me tell you, refugee life is no fun. After Hurricane Katrina, my wife and I moved to Boston and were homeless for 4 months, bouncing between my brother’s couch, friend’s homes, and housing provided by the Newton Housing Authority (which at the time allowed my wife to continue her law studies uninterrupted). I lost my job after staff cuts at Tulane and we lived off of FEMA checks for the latter half of 2005. We declared “financial hardship” so I could defer student my student loan payments. We borrowed my mother-in-law’s Nissan because our car was stuck in airport parking in New Orleans.

But we had family, friends, and our personal networks so we made out OK - but most of our friends - American friends, the native New Orleaneans - weren’t as lucky as we were.

So while reflecting on the scale of the Ukranian refugee and humanitian crisis, I was reminded of that time after Katrina, when Peg and I were homeless and broke and unsure about our future. But I am also reminded that people everywhere are forced from their homes in response to horrific conditions, often fearing for their lives, just looking for an ounce of stability. In Europe, we read about capsized boats full of migrants from Africa, who “contract” with unscrupulous smugglers to get them to the relative safety on the European continent. Refugees closer to home come from countries like Columbia (50M) and El Salvador (~7M), Guatemala (16.8M), and Honduras (10M) - the latter combined is about the same population as Ukraine. And in my mind, Hondurans, Columbians, Guatemalans, and El Salvadorians should be able to escape their narcotics-fueled wretched war zones and be welcomed as refugees.

According to the Pew Research Center, US Border Patrol reported 1,659,206 encounters with migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border last year, narrowly exceeding the prior highs of 1,643,679 in 2000 and 1,615,844 in 1986 (this is not total people, but total encounters - many times people try to cross more than once, only to be sent away).

Think about it. When we apprehend people at our border, we are sending our fellow human beings back to drug-fueled war zones. Back to misery. Back into the breach.

Check this out, according to World Population Review, these are the murder - MURDER - capitals of the world (per 100,000 people):

1. El Salvador (61.7)

2. Honduras (41.0)

3. Venezuela (49.9)

4. United States Virgin Islands (49.3 [2012 data])

5. Jamaica (56.4)

6. Lesotho (43.6 [[2016 data]] per 100k people)

7. Belize (37.8)

8. Saint Vincent And The Grenadines (36.5 [2016 data])

9. Saint Kitts And Nevis (36.1 [2012 data])

10. South Africa (35.7)

Now, I am not an immigration expert, nor do I pretend to be one. But I have enormous sympathy for anybody, anywhere who is forced to uproot their lives on short notice or decides to leave behind their entire lives to start someplace anew. And I think fleeing one of the “murder capitals of the world” should qualify you as a refugee.

So while my heart breaks for the people of Ukraine, I am also hopeful that it helps shed more light on the plight of refugees the world over.

Because all refugees are human beings, and deserve our help.

p.s. If you are curious about how to support the Ukrainian cause, below is a thoughtfully curated list of charitable opportunities courtesy of fellow blogger Timothy Snyder:

• NGO that arranges life-saving equipment for Ukrainian soldiers: https://lnkd.in/dfc_RSrg

• Hospitallers working at the frontline: https://lnkd.in/dg9hZtkb

• Ukrainian Women’s Veteran Movement: https://lnkd.in/dRRDp4kG

• NGO that assists internal refugees: https://lnkd.in/dzqbsy_8

• NGO that assistants internal refugees, especially from Crimea: https://lnkd.in/ddbMzTeH

• NGO that aids traumatized children: https://voices.org.ua/en/

• Foundation that assists healthcare and education in eastern Ukraine: https://lnkd.in/dVFtTAyu

p.p.s. And if activism is your thing, here's a clear and well-articulated option for anybody looking to encourage full economic divestiture from Russia:

https://lnkd.in/dm7ej9Rd

Please consider showing your full solidarity with the Ukrainian people by reading this letter and then emailing your name, title, and professional affiliation to haltrussianinvestment@gmail.com.