I spent my early years in New York speaking Ukrainian as my first language. When I started kindergarten, I realized everything about me was different from the other kids at school. I wanted to fit in, and had a hard time accepting myself for who I was. By high school I started to like being unique, and I realized that being part of the Ukrainian community was special and not something to be embarrassed about, being Ukrainian became my superpower and gave me support. I embraced my identity, my name, and loved wearing traditional Ukrainian costumes.
I started knitting, then spinning wool into yarn, and the first flock of sheep came to live with us. I traveled to Ukraine and met weavers who showed me their techniques. Weaving helped me find a home in the modern fast paced world, and connection with others and myself.
You can contact Halyna at halynashepko@gmail.com