Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, political scientist from the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock School of Public Affairs specializing in human rights and conflict-affected societies, and Dr. Marta Cieslak, director of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown and historian studying East Central Europe, reflected on how social sciences can help us understand the ongoing conflict.

They were joined on the panel by Dr. Oleksiy Gudz, vascular surgeon and assistant professor at the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (糖心Vlog传媒MS), and Dr. Kateryna Pitchford, professor of business at Central Baptist College in Conway, who represented the Arkansas Ukrainian community. Dr. Jess Porter, executive director of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Center for Arkansas History and Culture, moderated the discussion.

The panelists covered a wide array of topics, from the differences in news coverage of the war between the US and Eastern European media, how the war has affected Ukrainians鈥� understanding of their own national identity, President Vladimir Putin鈥檚 use of history to justify the invasion, and the changing position of the US Congress on the issue of aid for Ukraine.

Gudz and Pitchford shared their personal experiences on how the war has affected their lives and the lives of their fellow Ukrainians. Gudz, who before joining 糖心Vlog传媒MS in 2023 lived and worked in Ivano-Frankivsk in Western Ukraine, recalled being woken up by the Russian missile attack at 5 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2022, the day the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began.

Pitchford, who comes from Dnipro in Eastern Ukraine, stressed the unprecedented nature of the attack. She noted that few expected a major global power to violate the integrity of national borders in the 21st century, especially in Europe.

In response, Wiebelhaus-Brahm reflected on the limits of international law. He pointed out that the United Nations (UN) is not able to do much because of Russia鈥檚 veto power as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. He also discussed the weaknesses of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which holds individuals accountable rather than nations. While ICC indicted Russia鈥檚 President Putin and some of his collaborators, the organization has limited means to hold the Russian leadership accountable for the country鈥檚 documented violations of international laws. More hopefully, actions to hold Russia accountable, however futile, may create legal precedent that constrains other countries in a future conflict.

Cieslak commented on how Russia uses history to justify the invasion by presenting a version of Eastern European history in which Ukrainians are not a separate nation, but what Putin calls 鈥淟ittle Russians.鈥� Consequently, that version of history undermines Ukraine鈥檚 right to exist as an independent state. Gudz added that Putin often claims Ukraine has been taken over by fascists and thus explains the invasion in terms of Russia鈥檚 supposed attempt to 鈥渄enazify鈥� Ukraine. Wiebelhaus-Brahm concluded that such false narratives 鈥渉elp Russians come to terms with what they are doing.鈥�

The panelists also discussed the changing sentiments towards Ukraine and Ukrainians in the US. Shortly after the invasion, the US Congress welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky; today, the fate of US aid for Ukraine is uncertain. Gudz, Pitchford, and Porter specified that a huge part of the US aid for Ukraine stays in the US and boosts the American economy because the funds are direct investments in the defense industry. Camden, Arkansas, has been one of the largest beneficiaries of this trend.

Audience members in the fully packed room asked how they could support Ukraine. The panelists stressed that any help, not only financial, matters, including small individual actions. Wiebelhaus-Brahm pointed out the importance of staying informed by reading a variety of sources to discern between credible news coverage and misinformation surrounding the war.

Cieslak emphasized the significance of education. She noted each audience member could help their communities understand how the war affects us all now and how it may affect us in the future. She pointed out that the international community should be paying close attention to the war. Cieslak mentioned that Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, which states an armed attack against one NATO member is considered an attack against all members, has never been tested, and it remains uncertain if and how the war may escalate beyond Ukraine鈥檚 border.

Pitchford encouraged the audience to call their representatives in Congress and express their support for Ukraine. She also stressed the importance of spreading awareness about how Ukrainian people feel and what they experience on a daily basis, both in Ukraine and in the US where Ukrainian refugees are trying to establish new lives. She noted that some of the people in the audience were recent refugees who could use help with simple things, such as learning English language skills or finding a job.

Gudz stressed the importance of international solidarity and thanked the audience for attending the panel and supporting Ukrainians.

鈥淔or the Ukrainian people, it is the most important thing to know that we are not alone,鈥� Gudz said.

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The next Woman to Watch at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock of 2024 is Dr. Marta Cieslak, director of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown!

Tell us about yourself and your background.

I grew up in 艁臋czyca, a small town in Central Poland. After high school, I moved to Warsaw, Poland鈥檚 capital city, to attend the University of Warsaw, where I got my bachelor鈥檚 and two master鈥檚 degrees, one in Polish Studies and one in American Studies. After graduation, one of my MA advisors encouraged me to apply to a Ph.D. program in the United States. I didn鈥檛 even know where to start but my professor was very supportive. That鈥檚 how I ended up at the University at Buffalo (UB), where I got my Ph.D.

At UB, I studied both American and Polish history. While working on my doctorate in American Studies, I was a graduate assistant in the Polish Studies Program for three years. Being able and encouraged to study both helped me develop a transnational perspective on the history of both regions. I wrote my dissertation on the migration of Polish peasants to the US after the abolition of slavery in the US. I specialize in transatlantic history, which means different things for different scholars, but in my case, it鈥檚 studying connections between the US and Poland, and more generally, East Central Europe.

What is your current position and professional duties at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock?

I serve as director of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown is a community engagement unit of our university, and I鈥檓 responsible for all aspects of our operations. I organize and coordinate events and programs that aim to connect the University with the community, our state, and beyond. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown is also home to a mural that Joe Jones, a St. Louis artist, painted at Commonwealth College in 1935. The college was an experimental educational institution that trained labor leaders. One of the most interesting aspects of my job is to co-serve as a steward of the mural by researching its history, developing programming around it, and making it accessible to the public.

I wouldn鈥檛 be able to do what I do every day without another 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock woman, Emily Housdan, our programming and administrative assistant, who is a graduate of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Public History program.

What brought you to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock?

I moved to Little Rock in late 2016, when my partner took a position at 糖心Vlog传媒MS. I was in a new city, where I didn鈥檛 know anyone, with no job. I started applying for open positions but also contacting various institutions that I thought might use people with my credentials. One of them was the Department of History at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Dr. Jess Porter, who was at the time chair of the history department, responded politely that they didn鈥檛 need anyone. Sometime after that, he called me to ask if I would be interested in teaching as an adjunct professor. I wasn鈥檛, because I was already doing contract-based jobs and needed something more stable, but Jess convinced me to meet with him. When I walked into his office, he said their Eastern European history professor had just resigned to take a different job. That meant the department was now looking for a full-time visiting assistant professor. He encouraged me to apply and I got the job. One year turned into a recurrent position and in January last year, I transitioned to my current job. I still occasionally teach at the History Department and feel lucky I can remain connected to teaching and our students.

What are some of the exciting projects that you are working on at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock?

Our biggest project at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown right now is an exhibit titled 鈥淪lavery and Freedom: Journeys Across Time and Space.鈥� It examines the history of modern slavery from a comparative perspective. The inspiration for it is a traveling exhibit, 鈥淭he Surprising Story of Furcy Madeleine,鈥� created by the Mus茅e Vill猫le, R茅union Island, France. The exhibit explores the life of Furcy Madeleine, an enslaved man who in 1817 launched his freedom suit in the French colony of Isle Bourbon (today鈥檚 R茅union). 鈥淪lavery and Freedom鈥� will build upon Madeleine鈥檚 story. It will feature panels from the R茅union exhibit and original panels that will add a comparative context of slavery and freedom in Arkansas. The original panels will focus on the story of Abby Guy. Guy, who lived as a free person until a man named William Daniel enslaved her, launched her freedom suit in Arkansas in 1855. We received a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council to fund this project and the exhibit should open to the public starting on May 3.

On March 12, we will host a panel on the current state of affairs in Ukraine, in light of the second anniversary of the Russian invasion. Another event we鈥檙e planning is a storytelling workshop that will take place on April 27. This event, which we鈥檙e working on in partnership with the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), is part of a Big Read series inspired by Tommy Orange鈥檚 book “There There” that CALS is coordinating. We鈥檙e also working with social studies and art educators to develop lesson plans around the Joe Jones mural that we will make available to teachers.

In the fall semester, I鈥檓 scheduled to teach a course on the Holocaust at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown. As all classes taught in our space, it will include a community engagement component. Dr. Barclay Key, History鈥檚 chair, and I agreed it鈥檚 important we offer this course right now, when once again we鈥檙e seeing surveys suggesting shockingly limited knowledge of Holocaust history among American students.

What woman has inspired you the most and why?

My maternal grandmother, Zosia. She finished five grades of elementary school and spent most of her life working as a small-scale farmer. She gave birth to seven children, two of whom died at a young age. Her experience was quite typical for an Eastern European peasant woman whose life spanned through most of the 20th century. She was also an avid reader. She especially enjoyed historical novels. She loved reciting poems in public and she knew many by heart. She also loved nature.

When she was older and losing stamina, she once went for a walk to the woods that was around a mile away from her house. She decided she was too tired to walk back home so she slept in the woods and walked back in the morning. My grandma lived through two world wars and many personal struggles and labored very hard. And she always appreciated whatever she could in life. I aspire to develop that kind of gratitude. And to have the courage to break into poetry in public without worrying what others will think, or to sleep in the woods overnight alone.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Surround yourself with people from whom you can learn. Smart, compassionate, and empathetic individuals will be your greatest network, whether in your professional or personal life. A good mentor can change your life, and you would be surprised how many people would be willing to support you. Don鈥檛 ever be afraid to ask for help or advice.

One of the greatest things about 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is the program for students over 60 years of age. These students are typically retired professionals. They don鈥檛 have to be in college and, yet, they choose to come to our classrooms. And they bring the wealth of knowledge and experience. This is to say that your mentor may be sitting next to you in your class right now if you are a 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock student. These life-long learners are retired nurses, doctors, lawyers, teachers, editors, etc. Some are women who had successful careers in male-dominated fields. Just pay attention.

Name something about yourself that most people would be surprised to learn.

I really didn鈥檛 want to be a teacher. It鈥檚 a long story but when I was young and making decisions about my future, teaching repeatedly presented itself as a career path, and I always tried to run away from it. I took my first teaching job because I needed to pay my bills. I had no license or experience but the shortage of teachers was so acute, it didn鈥檛 matter. Once I started teaching, I immediately fell in love with it. I鈥檝e done many things as an academic, and I鈥檓 grateful for all the growth opportunities but I will always consider myself a teacher first.

What is your favorite quote and why?

I don鈥檛 have a favorite quote, but one quote from my favorite historical figure, Rosa Luxemburg, resonates with me: 鈥淲e will be victorious if we have not forgotten how to learn.鈥� But the truth is I don鈥檛 walk around quoting great East Central European thinkers and revolutionaries. Much more often I quote Arrested Development, because, you know, 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 allow you to have bees in here.鈥�

Is there anything else you鈥檇 like to add?

If you can, get a dog. Dogs make life infinitely better.

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The panel discussion, 鈥淭wo Years Later: Past, Present, and Future of Ukraine,鈥� is being held in light of the second anniversary of Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. The event is scheduled from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown (333 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock).

Experts Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, professor of public affairs, and Dr. Marta Cieslak, director of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown, will offer their perspective and insights on the current situation in Ukraine as well as their experiences teaching topics related to the ongoing events.

Two special guests from the local Ukrainian community, Dr. Oleksiy Gudz (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) and Dr. Kateryna Pitchford (Central Baptist College), will share their first hand experiences with the war, including how it has impacted their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Dr. Jess Porter, executive director of the Center for Arkansas History and Culture, will moderate the panel.

The event is free and open to the community. Parking will be available in the Central Arkansas Library System 鈥淟ibrary Square鈥� parking garage, situated behind 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown. Attendees are asked to bring their parking tickets for validation.

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The Center for Arkansas History and Culture, which is housed in the Bobby L. Roberts Library in partnership with the Central Arkansas Library System, is a unique and reliable resource center that explores and promotes Arkansas鈥檚 rich history through identifying, collecting, and preserving records that are of enduring value to the state.

In this role, Porter also oversees 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Downtown and the Sequoyah National Research Center, which constitutes the largest assemblage of Native American expression in the world. He supervises around 25 full-time employees, interns, and student researchers throughout the three centers.

Porter took over the position from Dr. Deborah Baldwin, associate provost of collections and archives, who has become the interim dean of the College of Business, Health, and Human Services.

鈥淚 was absolutely thrilled at this opportunity,鈥� Porter said. 鈥淭his is a job that I would argue may well be the best at the university. Dr. Baldwin has run this shop successfully for a number of years and has built an incredible organization. They have a success rate at over 70% at writing grants and have built some enduring partnerships. All of these things set the stage for me, assistant director Laura McClellan, our archivists, and students to continue to build on that success.鈥�

The staff has recently finished archiving the Congressional collection of Rep. Vic Snyder, and the Center for Arkansas History and Culture has some exciting projects on the horizon. They are now working with Congressman French Hill to archive his collection of papers as the center continues to bolster its formidable array of political collections.

The center is also working on processing the collection of the late Dr. Raye Montague, an internationally registered professional engineer with the U.S. Navy who is credited with creating the first computer-generated rough draft of a U.S. naval ship. Montague鈥檚 son, Dr. David Montague, serves as the associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

鈥淲e also have a collection of Ruth Coker Burks, author of 鈥楢ll the Young Men,鈥欌�� Porter said. 鈥淗er story is remarkable. She is sometimes known as the Cemetery Angel of Arkansas. During the height of the AIDS epidemic, she provided care and dignity for many men that were sick with AIDS. Many of the men were interred in her family cemetery.鈥�

Porter said the center also strives to continue to be a resource for teachers and educational partners, especially as online education remains popular and vital to student success.

鈥淲e have excellent resources available that are beneficial to teachers and students, including lesson plans, study guides, and assignments,鈥� Porter said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a true service that we can provide to the community and our teachers.鈥�

Porter holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in geography and environmental studies from the University of Colorado as well as a master鈥檚 degree and Ph.D. in geography from Oklahoma State University. Porter started at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock as an assistant professor of geography in 2009 and has served as the chair of the Department of History since 2017.

Prior to joining 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Porter taught at Oklahoma State University, where he developed and implemented geospatial technologies curriculum for rural schools. He also worked as an environmental analyst and mapping specialist in the oil and gas industry, and managed an adventure tourism company in Colorado.

His research on the Dust Bowl was featured in an episode of The Weather Channel鈥檚 鈥淲hen Weather Changed History.鈥� He is co-curator of a National Endowment for the Humanities traveling exhibit about the Dust Bowl. His current research utilizes geospatial technologies to analyze historical Chinatowns of the US-Mexico borderlands.

He looks forward to getting the word out about the resources and activities of the Center for Arkansas History and Culture.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not just for academic researchers. We have so much to offer the citizens of our state and beyond,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he story of Arkansas and its people is fascinating, and no one knows Arkansas like we do!鈥�

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