Community

Peachtree Corners shows support for Ukrainians

Published

3 years ago

March 3, 2022

Arlinda Smith Broady

Lights on the Pedestrian Bridge are shining blue and yellow in solidarity with a war-torn country half a world away.

Peachtree Corners has joined the throng of cities and governments throughout the world showing support for the country of Ukraine as is battles against an unprovoked invasion by Russia.

City officials unanimously agreed to shine the colors of the Ukraine flag on the pedestrian bridge.

“The reasons why we had the bridge built was to give people a sense of place,” said City Councilman Alex Wright. “When you see it, you know you’re in Peachtree Corners.”

But in designing the structure, the city had the foresight to add a feature that could make it even more special.

“There are four lanterns that can be lit with different colors to commemorate different events or holidays,” Wright said. “We used red and green around the end of the year and different groups have asked us to shine different colors like pink for breast cancer awareness.”

Although it was Wright’s idea to stand with the second largest country in Eastern Europe as it defends itself against the superpower, he admitted it was really a no-brainer.

“We built this to engage our constituents and from the reactions on social media, it looks like everyone agrees with our decision.”

Scores of passers-by have commented on the blue and yellow lights.

Wright disclosed that he has a personal reason too for wanting to advocate for the cause of freedom. His mother-in-law is a descendant of Ukrainian immigrants.

“That makes my wife and daughters all Ukrainian, too,” he said.

Local Ukrainian Faction

Familial ties with Ukraine are much more prevalent in this area than many would suspect.

Liliya Makhlaychuk-Sharma, a founding parting of Bair, Wilson, Sharma, a law office located in Peachtree Corners

Attorney Liliya Makhlaychuk-Sharma, a co-founder of Peachtree Corners-based law offices of Bair Wilson Sharma was born in the former Soviet Socialist Republic.

“I’m one of the lucky few in that my parents are here, and at least that part of the worry is a little bit easier on me. However, all the rest of my family and friends are still in Ukraine,” she said. “And as far as communication goes, it’s really it’s on and off. We kind of have to live by their schedule, because you never know when the air raid will begin again. So, they have to go into shelters. And obviously, the communication there is not great. They are also busy, busy saving their lives, busy watching what’s going on busy rebuilding little things, looking for food and everything.”

Even with spotty communication, Makhlaychuk-Sharma is overjoyed with the progress her countrymen are making.

“It’s definitely going bad for Russia, because as of the seventh day of the war, they lost more soldiers than in two years of the first war with Chechnya,” she said. “But we’re not overconfident. … And keep in mind that since the war started, there were 42 newborns. … Ukrainians are strong. Ukrainians keep going. But even when Ukraine wins, and when the war is over, we would need a lot of help on all fronts.”

How Can I Help?

Nataliia Onyskiv, president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Georgia Branch which is headquartered in Peachtree Corners, said she’s heavily involved in passing along information about loved ones and raising funds and support for the war-torn country.

Nataliia Onyskiv (pictured in traditional Ukrainian outfit), president of Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Georgia Branch which is headquartered in Peachtree Corners.

“Being in America, we do have ways to help. However, just shipping supplies is not the most effective way, because we are far away. … There are already established structured funds that have their volunteers in their warehouses on the border with Ukraine. So what we do here we as UCCA, we started a fundraiser on the first day and we transfer money as we receive them to this reliable foundation. And these foundations, they take care of the rest. They purchase everything they need, directly from factories and plants in Europe.”

With the conflict, there are already reported scams and Onyskiv wants donors to know their money is going to do some good.

“We offer one easy way so you can take your credit card or debit card and we collect money and direct it to the people who need it. The website is ukrainianatlanta.org.”

The organization has planned a “Stand with Ukraine” rally for noon Saturday near the CNN Center at the corner of Marietta Street and Centennial Olympic Park. There are several similar protests staged across the globe in the hopes that more countries will support Ukraine and force Vladimir Putin to call off his troops.

At last count, Onyskiv said there are nearly 20,000 Ukrainians in the state of Georgia. Her organization has several hundred active members, but after living under Soviet rule, many aren’t keen to “join” anything.

“We come together to enjoy our language and our culture,” said Makhlaychuk-Sharma. “We don’t force people like back in the days of the Soviet Union to ‘belong to the Communist Party.’”

The freedom and unity felt here in the United States is something both women hope their country can rebuild.

“We have a great and trustworthy government,” said Onyskiv. “We were in peace up until the invasion.”

While many are fleeing Ukraine for foreign borders, coming to this country isn’t an option for most.

“Unfortunately, there is no refugee war refugee status for Ukrainians right now in the United States. So, Ukrainian people cannot just come and claim refugee status. It’s not in place. And I’m not sure whether that’s going to be in place soon. So it’s not as easy,” said Makhlaychuk-Sharma.

But Onyskiv is hopeful that it will come about eventually.

“I received a lot of phone calls from American citizens. And I feel huge, huge help and support. People call and ask, ‘What can I do? How can I help?’ They offer their housing. And believe it or not, I have a note where I write down all the phone numbers, it looks it looks very messy, but I’m keeping track of every contact,” she said.

At the end of the day, Ukrainians near and far are uniting and are grateful for the worldwide efforts to keep them free from a Russian takeover. This area has shown that it is living up to the words of one of its greatest native sons.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” Martin Luther King Jr.

Contact Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Georgia Branch: ukrainianatlanta.org, 404-259-0824 or 6460 Spalding Drive Suite B Peachtree Corners, GA 30092

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Arlinda Smith Broady

Arlinda Smith Broady is part of the Boomerang Generation of Blacks that moved back to the South after their ancestors moved North. With approximately three decades of journalism experience (she doesn't look it), she's worked in tiny, minority-based newsrooms to major metropolitans. At every endeavor she brings professionalism, passion, pluck, and the desire to spread the news to the people.

Community

Olympian Jasmine Jones Visits Her Local Alma Mater

Published

1 week ago

September 25, 2024

Shawne Taylor

Olympic athlete standing with a school mascot

Olympian Jasmine Jones, a standout alumna of Greater Atlanta Christian School (Class of 2020), returned to her alma mater on September 12 to speak to and inspire the next generation of students there.

GAC staff interviewed Jones and also took questions from the students during a Q&A session that included every grade level.

Female Olympic athlete being interviewed onstage — photo courtesy of Greater Atlanta Christian School

As a member of the U.S. Olympic team and a 12-time Georgia state individual champion during her time at GAC, Jasmine’s visit was a homecoming filled with motivation and reflection. She spoke passionately to the students about the importance of perseverance, goal-setting, and embracing challenges, drawing from her journey from GAC to the University of Southern California and the global stage of the Olympics.

Jones qualified for the Paris Olympics on June 30 and made the U.S. team in women’s 400m hurdles after placing third. She went on to place fourth in the women’s 400m hurdles final at the Paris games.

Female Olympian meeting members of the audience in a school auditorium — photo courtesy of Greater Atlanta Christian School

Students and staff at GAC cheered Jones on during the Olympics. And they cheered her again as she took to the school’s stage to address the audience. Before and after the event, Jones posed for photos, gave high-fives and took time connect with some of GAC’s enthusiastic students and faculty.

Female Olympian meeting students at her alma mater — photo courtesy of Greater Atlanta Christian School

Her words — and her accomplishments — left a powerful impression on the crowd, reminding everyone of the heights that can be achieved with dedication and faith.

For more about GACS, visit greateratlantachristian.org.

Community

Miyabiya Japan Brings Kabuki ‘Lion Dance’ to Life for Students at ICAGeorgia

Published

2 weeks ago

September 20, 2024

Shawne Taylor

kabuki performers in front of an audience of K-6 students

The renowned performers wowed the audience with a thrilling presentation of dance, drama and fun.

Staff, students and board members of the International Charter Academy of Georgia were given a short-but-thrilling taste of Kabuki when dancers from Miyabiya Japan stopped by the school on September 16 for a special performance.

Offering a preview of the full show they’d prepared for center stage at JapanFest 2024, the troop presented a special short section of a dance titled “Renjishi: The Two Lions.”

Miyabiya Japan Kabuki performers — photo credit: Shawne Taylor

Considered one of the most famous pieces in Kabuki, Renjishi is known for its powerful choreography and dramatic expression. It tells the story of the relationship between a father lion and his young son. The powerful movements, dramatic expressions and percussive sound effects symbolize the passing of strength and legacy from one generation to the next.

How the show came about

Miyabiya Japan last appeared at JapanFest in 2016 to great acclaim. This year, with the excitement of their return, the performers made plans to offer a few shorter performances at other places around town in the week leading up to the festival.

School faculty and board members with performers from Miyabiya Japan Kabuki troop — from left: Takahiko Fujima, Miki Ito, Junko Jones, Aki Nozawa Felecia Tucker-Jones, Carol Freeman, Daniela Britton, Yuriko Evett, Annie Varghese, Robert Johnson and Yukimasa Futamura

Robert Johnson, an advisory board member of ICAGeorgia and a long-time friend of JapanFest and the Miyabiya troop, knew the dual-language, Japanese immersion school would be a great place for one of the shows. He helped organize the day’s demonstration and was on-hand to talk to the crowd and introduce the performers.

The performance

It was the first time having a Kabuki performance at ICAGeorgia. And, as students filed into the school’s gym, the excitement was palpable. The room was humming with happy voices before the show even began.

Johnson greeted the kids with a smile before introducing the award-winning Kabuki troop in both English and Japanese.

Kabuki dancers in motion during performance — photo credit: Shawne Taylor

“This special group from Japan will be performing at JapanFest, but today they’re performing here for you,” he told the excited crowd.

He went on to explain, “Kabuki is a special form of very dramatic and traditional Japanese dance. Two dancers today will do the Lion Dance.” The youngest children in the crowd shrieked with delight when they heard the name.

“The Lion Dance is like the story of the Lion King,” he continued, “with an otousan (father) lion with a long white mane and his son with a bright red mane.”

Kabuki performer with an audience of K-6 students — photo courtesy of ICAGeorgia

After the short explanation of what to expect, Johnson instructed the students (and the adults in the audience) to call for the performers to come out. To the sounds of “Miyabi-ya, miyabi-ya,” from the crowd, the dancers bounded out into the room, onto the space set up for their performance. They greeted Mr. Johnson and the students before getting into the story.

An interactive experience

The show started with a brief instruction of Kabuki movements that got the audience on its feet, following the red lion’s lead. It ended with a bang of confetti that thrilled (and surprised) everyone there.

Kabuki performer at a school — photo courtesy of ICAGeorgia

In between, the story of the two lions was beautifully expressed through the performers’ detailed costumes, traditional kumadori makeup, exaggerated expressions and dramatic movements. At times, the dancers even made their way into the audience. Students and adults alike were riveted from start to finish.

“I’m happy to have the performers come to our school,” said Junko Jones, a founding board member and CFO of ICAGeorgia. “Not all of the students will be able to go to JapanFest. So, it’s nice that they can experience Japan here.”

Kabuki performers in front of a K-6 audience — photo courtesy of ICAGeorgia

About ICAGeorgia

The International Charter School of Georgia is a K-6 Japanese immersion school located in Peachtree Corners. They currently have 250 students, with plans to expand the school to offer Grades 7–8 in the future.

Eighty-one of the students will sing onstage at JapanFest September 21 at 1pm. This will be school’s sixth time performing at the festival, having been there every year since the school opened. The students also performed at the state capital in January for Japan Day.

For more information about ICAGeorgia, visit internationalcharteracademy.org.

For more about JapanFest and Miyabiya Japan, visit japanfest.org

Community

JapanFest Weekend 2024 Celebrates Ties Between Georgia and Japan

Published

4 weeks ago

September 9, 2024

Anna Delvillar

crowd of people walking through a large red arch at JapanFest

Live performances, shopping, food and fun are the highlights of this annual event celebrating Japanese culture

Georgia’s close ties to Japan span decades. The State of Georgia opened its first international office in Tokyo in 1973 to promote trade and tourism. A year later, the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta was established.

Now, Georgia and Japan share a sister state-prefecture relationship and 10 sister city connections. Georgia is also regarded as the center of Japanese business activities in the southeastern United States as over 600 Japanese-affiliated companies have invested over $10.4 billion.

Two girls in kimonos standing under a Japanfest balloon banner — photo from JapanFest 2023

To celebrate this connection, JapanFest Weekend 2024 will be held on September 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and September 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Gas South Convention Center.

Organized by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia and The Japan-America Society of Georgia, the festival is designed to promote friendship and cultural exchange between the Japanese and American communities in the Southeast.

Live performances

JapanFest 2024 will feature a lineup of performers coming from Japan. Miyabiya Japan is set to showcase the mesmerizing blend of traditional and modernized Kabuki theatre, a performing art proclaimed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

kabuki theatre — Miyabiya Japan Kabuki, photo courtesy of JapanFest

Broadway performer and Rakugo master storyteller, hailed as the “King of Kimono Comedy,” Katsura Sunshine, will bring the laughs, as well as a captivating rendition of classic Japanese tales.

There will also be performances by the Matsuriza Taiko Japanese Drum Troupe and Samurai Sword Soul, as well as sumo, karate, kendo and kyudo martial arts demonstrations.

Food, fun and arts & crafts

On top of that, local Japanese restaurants will offer a tantalizing menu of bento boxes, rice bowls, ramen noodles, sushi, yakisoba, shaved ice and more at the Japanese Food Court and Beer Garden. Cultural exhibits and workshops include calligraphy, Bonsai, Ikebana flower arranging, Kimono fitting, origami, a tea ceremony and more.

hands folding origami — photo credit: Pat Fahey

Kids will have a fantastic time experiencing Japanese culture firsthand. At the festival’s Children’s Area, they can make their own Japanese crafts and toys. They can even take part in carrying a traditional Japanese portable shrine at the o-mikoshi parade.

Visitors can also purchase an amazing array of Japanese goods, including kimono, Japanese tea, dolls, hand-made crafts, anime and manga goods and much from over 100 vendor booths.

Japanese paper umbrella — photo credit: Joy Rogers, JapanFest

Many of the over 600 Japanese-affiliated companies based in Georgia will display their products at the Japanese Businesses in Georgia (JBiG) exhibition. Interactive exhibits also include the latest in Japanese technology, including automobiles, tractors, electronics, video games and virtual reality.

The details

Join over 20,000 visitors at this year’s JapanFest.

Advanced Tickets: $16 (available until September 20th)
Tickets at the Door: $20
Family & Friends Package: $70 for 4 tickets or $90 for 5 tickets (available at the door)
Children aged 6 and under: FREE

Military personnel and seniors can purchase tickets at a discounted rate of $16 at the door.

Group tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available for organizations looking to support the festival and gain a larger presence in the Japanese American community.

JapanFest would not be possible without the help of over 150 volunteers. To fill out a volunteer application, please visit japanfest.org/participate and click on “Volunteer.”
For more information, call 404-522-6938 or email: lendon@japanfest.org.