Dear John,

For years, Pride Hub in Kharkiv, Ukraine has served as a safe space for community building, organizing, and care for LGBTQIA+ activists and community members. In the words of Women Association Sphere, the organization that ran it, “PrideHub was a cozy place with everything you need for a quality and comfortable time: free Wi-Fi, a themed library, coffee and goodies, a space to work and study and, most importantly, a lawn to sit on.” 

Sadly, when Russia invaded Ukraine, constant shelling of the city forced Pride Hub to close down. 

Women Association Sphere was intent on re-opening the space for community members. A grant from Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism made that possible this year… just in time for pride! 

This Giving Tuesday, with your help, we can continue to support efforts like Pride Hub that provide safe spaces and collective care to sustain the movements needed to fight for equity and justice. This is why I’m pleased to share that today we’re launching the Justice Rising Campaign, a chance to fund feminist activism on the frontlines.

At Urgent Action Fund, we award grants through the lens of care, providing resources that allow activists and organizations to rest and reset, seek community support, and take the space to breathe and heal. This has been essential in Ukraine, and it’s important everywhere and for all of us to continue our work.

In the year ahead, and with continued crisis and uncertainty around the world, we are going to need community. We must take care of one another and show up to support those at the forefront of feminist movements. I hope you will join us.

In solidarity,
Raisa Borshchigova
Senior Program Officer
Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism