Tamara's Story "You wouldn’t be reading this in English if it weren’t for the Y."CHINATOWN YMCANEW AMERICANS INITIATIVEWhen I arrived in New York in 2020, I couldn’t speak English. I had just left Russia with my daughter after a painful divorce and a long career as a journalist. I had no family nearby, no community, and no idea how to start over. Even a simple question at the grocery store felt overwhelming.A colleague offered me a job with a Russian-language media outlet here, and I took a leap. But I knew if I wanted to truly belong in this country, I had to learn English. That’s when I found the Y.Through the New Americans Initiative at the Chinatown Y, I joined a language class taught by Matthew, a teacher who truly cared. We didn’t just study vocabulary—we shared stories, laughed, and built real friendships. Slowly, I found my voice again.Today, I still work in media, now helping immigrants understand their rights. I dream of producing documentaries about the many cultures and communities that make up this country. I’m not just surviving here—I’m building something new. The Y believed in me when I didn’t yet believe in myself.