Volodymyr Rafeyenko is a multilingual, international award-winning author, translator, and literary and film critic from Ukraine. He was invited to Pittsburgh in 2023 by City of Asylum, a residency program for artists living in exile under threat of persecution. For almost 30 years, Volodymyr wrote his works in Russian but dedicated himself to fully Ukrainian expression as an act of resistance.
Volodymyr began pursuing English as an additional language through Literacy Pittsburgh in April 2024. He explains that his classes have been a "window into the English language" for him. He especially appreciates his teacher Amanda's positive attitude, incredible patience, and sincere desire to teach.
“Language is a necessity to me,” he says. “My classes with Amanda are a joy, although it is a difficult joy for me."
In November 2024, Volodymyr informed his teacher that he would be missing a day of class to go to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to see his novel, “Signals of Being,” brought to life on stage.
Here's an excerpt from the introduction:
Ophelia: Dear audience, readers and everyone involved! These loud but completely symbolic rounds are engaged to demonstrate the general theme of our artistic statement.
Kazymyr: It is tied to the war.
Danylo Andriiovych: Begun by Russia against Ukraine.
Ophelia: Like every war, it has millions of faces, hundreds of thousands of victims and thousands of true heroes.
Kazymyr: About which we know almost nothing.
Ophelia: So we’ll tell you about the ones that we know.
Playwright is a new title for Volodymyr, but it is a necessary channel to carry the weight of dialogue between his characters. He states, “I felt prose would not be adequate. Only in drama would it be possible to create and to hold, in the palms of my hands, not only the dialogues between the characters, but also Ukraine itself.”
“Signals of Being” is based on Volodymyr’s experience of fleeing the Russian occupation of Ukraine. “My wife and I found ourselves under Russian occupation for the second time, except this time, we were in a small summer cottage in the forest near Bucha and Borodyanka,” Volodymyr says. “A few days after the full-scale invasion, we lost power and mobile phone connection. However, we were lucky to discover that in the morning, in certain places in the forest, you could get a mobile signal and talk to your family and friends in Kyiv for a few minutes.”
Volodymyr describes the play as a documentary based on the dialogue and observations between thirty characters trying desperately to connect. “Many of the people would come out at once and yell into their cell phones, trying to say or ask something. They laughed and cried; they were joyful and openly grieving. It was then that I realized I had to write a play about what I had seen, what I had heard, and what I had felt during those days.”
Volodymyr’s published numerous books across multiple languages and three are available in English including his first Ukrainian novel Mondegreen: Songs About Death and Love.
He advises his student peers not to lose heart when desired results do not come quickly. Language learning as an adult is no simple undertaking, whether foreign or native, so be systematic and consistent in pursuit of your dreams. Volodymyr's tenacity is certainly a worthy example to follow.
Literacy Pittsburgh (formerly Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council) helps create better lives through learning. Recognized as a national leader in adult and family literacy, Literacy Pittsburgh is the largest provider of adult basic education in Allegheny and Beaver Counties. Last year, Literacy Pittsburgh helped more than 4,000 individuals acquire the skills needed to reach their fullest potential in life and participate productively in their communities. Literacy Pittsburgh provides free, personalized instruction in workforce readiness, high school diploma test preparation, digital literacy, English language learning, math, reading, and family literacy through one-to-one and small class instruction. Founded in 1982, it serves local adults through numerous neighborhood locations and its Downtown Pittsburgh Learning Center.
