Heritage in Clay and Sugar

Many Slavic immigrants in the Bay Area are using the creative arts, coupled with the small business model, to carry on their traditions and keep their heritage alive. A prominent example of this trend would be Ukrainian ceramic artist Daria Davydova who fled to San Francisco as a result of the invasion. Davydova has been able to sell her beautiful and evocative clay sculptures—made up of stylized faces and bold colors—from her storefront in Inner Richmond. Davydova’s artwork symbolizes both her journey of healing through art and the enduring legacy of the artistic heritage of Kyiv.

Food is also another important medium that communicates Slavic values. Many people in the Bay Area have been introduced to traditional Ukrainian food items such as honey cakes, syrnyky, and eclairs through bakers and bakery owners from Ukraine, such as Franko & Co. and Dessee Bakery.

Franko & Co. is owned and operated by Ukrainian expat Iryna Nevozhai and recently has expanded from farmers’ markets to a full-fledged retail store location. Dessee Bakery is owned and operated by a family from Lviv who has opened the bakery to keep their friends in the Bay Area stocked with the same types of European desserts they grew up eating. While some community members have a strong emotional connection to these products, Dessee Bakery is a place that provides community members and other patrons with an authentic European dessert experience that they may not find anywhere else.

In addition to bakeries, there are many small food shops and delis in the Bay Area that also attempt to fill the cultural gaps left by the lack of local grocery stores. Many of these small food outlets provide customers with the same everyday food products found at local grocery stores. For example, Slavic Shop and Leleka in Sunnyvale offer a variety of different food products.