We seek to address several important needs and opportunities in the Russian-American community.

US Census figures show that there are roughly 3 to 4 million people of Russian ancestry in the country. Almost a million more claim Ukrainian heritage and nearly as many others indicate Slavic origins. All of them could have recognizable ties to history and culture associated with Russian-speaking peoples. Unfortunately, most Americans, even Russian-Americans, are not fully aware of the contibutions of Russians to US history and to its present. For the good of Russian-Americans, their children and indeed, their non-Russian friends and neighbors, this needs to be corrected.

Russian speaking people are as varied as Americans. They are however often disunited by several factors: the period in which they arrived in America, their ethnic identity, their religious identity, and their political perspective.

America is notable for the diversity of its people and for its ability to absorb their differences without denying their origins. To the contrary, it encourages respect for heritage and values the cultural attributes with which immigrants have and continue to enrich the American experience. Russian-Americans must recognize the opportunity and the obligation to offer and honor the best of their culture and heritage.

We believe that the separateness of the Russian-American community undermines the great importance of its contributions to the American experience. There is a need to raise awareness of the contributions of Russian-Americans, and of Russian traditions and culture, in the American consciousness.

The reality of American social and political life is that the interests of individuals become important in direct proportion to the size of the group with which they identify. We believe it is important for Russian-Americans to recognize the value of the elements that unite them over those that divide them. Their children become acculturated to American norms, but they still want to know how, when, and why their ancestors contributed to them.

Years of living with the contradictions of socialist ideals and Soviet authority have dulled the sensibilities of too many former citizens of Russia and of the USSR. They learned to shield their hearts with distrust and arm their social impulses with cynicism. They just don't "believe" and it is hard to change that perspective.

We believe that the American experience provides an opportunity, however imperfect, for Russian-Americans to take back their traditional values of regard for others and generosity of spirit. There is sufficient visible evidence in this country of true volunteerism to inspire, in the Russian-American community, a greater commitment to public service and “giving back.” Indeed, there have been, and there are today, a number of Russian-American organizations actively working to improve the lives of others. They should be better supported and more such organizations should be formed.

 

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Officers and Directors

Olga Sergeevna Zatsepina, Ph.D, President, CEO & Co-founder:  University Associate Professor, Lomonosov Moscow State University, College of Foreign Languages. Member, Board of Directors of International Council of Russian Compatriots. Main representative of MSRS to the DPI at the UN	Julio Rodriguez, MA, Secretary/Treasurer & Co-founder:  President, The Puerto Rican Heritage Foundation, Adjunct  Professor, Lehman College, CUNY.
Donald Marx, MS. Board Chair: President, The Marx Group, JF Kennedy Center Circle  Member, Washington DC., Colonel, US Air Force - Retired; President, Rotary Club- Washington DC.	Cyril Erastovich Geacintov, Ph.D, Member; President  and CEO DRG Group Worldwide, President, Board of Directors Russian Nobility Association of America.
Alexander Borisovich Rouchkin, Ph.D, Member:  Director, Russian Language & Area Studies Center of Education, Moscow

Vladimir Kirilovich Galitzine, Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
Yelena Vladimirovna Mayakovskaya, (Patricia Thompson, PhD) Professor, Lehman College, City University of New York
Igor Igorevich Sikorsky, Esq.
George Alexandrovich Sheremetev, Board of Directors, Congress of Russian Americans
Nikolai Vladimirovich Sluchevsky, President of Stolipin Foundation

Board of Advisers

Evgenia Andreeva, Head of Department of "Traditional Culture." Institute of Cultural Heritage, Russia
Galina Babkin, President, Sister Cities Association of Westport CT/ St. Petersburg, Russia
Svetlana Batrak, Program Director, Open Society Institute
Martin Collins, Community Liaison, NYS Assemblymember Adriano Espaillat
Anne Copple, Ph.D, President CAMASU (Claremont Association Concerned with the Commonwealth of Independent States), Southern California
Olga Filuyrskaya, Buisness Representative
Natalia Kasiyanova, Russian School of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the UN
Tamara Podznyakova, Cultural & Educational Affairs officer, American Russian Aid Association (OTRADA)
Lynn Visson, Ph.D, Editor, Hippocrene Books author, adjunt professor, UN interpreter
Galina Zoueva, Linguist

RACH-C Friends and Supporters

Russian-Americans, non-Russian Americans, and others who express an interest in the Russian-American experience and support the goals of RACH-C in some way are the foundation of our organization.

We deeply appreciate the support of volunteers who provide skills, resources, and money to advance our projects.

We expect that our efforts will continue to be enhanced and multiplied by these incredible, generous volunteers who have become interested and committed to the work of the organization.

Staff

Martin Collins, Goverrnment & Community Liaison
Inna Leytush, Music Director
Nery Lora, Administrative Assistant
Julio Rodriguez, Director of Development
Irina Zagornova, Director of Folklorica
Olga Zatsepina, PhD, Executive Director