2026 Award Recipient
LeahMordehai
Project Slavic Voice 4 Ukraine
Project Slavic Voice 4 Ukraine
Leah is the co-founder of Slavic Voice 4 Ukraine, an organization that amplifies Ukrainian voices through bilingual journalism, classroom education, and civic advocacy.
Leah’s connection to Ukraine runs deep. Her family’s history in the region was nearly erased: her great-great-grandfather and his brothers were murdered in a pogrom during the Russian Revolution, and many members of her family were killed in Ukraine during the Holocaust. When Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, she felt a personal urgency. Leah founded Slavic Voice 4 Ukraine with a friend who is also a Slavic immigrant, to make sure Ukrainian perspectives weren’t drowned out by disinformation or indifference.
Slavic Voice 4 Ukraine operates through three pillars: a bilingual English-Ukrainian newspaper that publishes investigative journalism, opinion pieces, and creative work; an education program delivering interactive lessons on Ukrainian history and culture to schools across the country; and an advocacy arm that translates awareness into action through policy engagement, cultural events, and civic organizing. Students don’t just learn — they write, teach, and advocate, multiplying impact through peer-to-peer engagement.
Slavic Voice 4 Ukraine has hundreds of members across 16 U.S. states and three countries. Members have delivered educational presentations to thousands of students, sent youth delegates to advocate in hundreds of congressional meetings, and successfully passed legislation in multiple states establishing Days of Solidarity with Ukraine. Leah has testified at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women speaking directly to the Secretary General.
An organization that amplifies Ukrainian voices through bilingual journalism, school-based education, and civic advocacy — empowering young people to challenge disinformation and stand in solidarity with Ukraine.
