Marina Mezhibovsky is a Berkeley first-year student in architecture, born in San Francisco. Her parents were born in Ukraine, and they’re active in Bay Area Ukrainian affairs, so she was aware of the tension that built as Russian President Vladimir Putin massed troops on the border. But Mezhibovsky had never had a strong Ukrainian identity, and mid-terms were approaching, and she was focused on her studies. Her mother works for Nova Ukraine, a nonprofit that provides humanitarian aid; she helped organize high-profile demonstrations at San Francisco City Hall. One day soon after the invasion, Mezhibovsky finished her classes and headed into the city to join the crowd.
