For many decades Baltic Americans found refuge from Czarist and then Soviet occupation in the US. Those forced to flee their homelands were the cornerstone of grassroots activism the continuation of cultural activities through the years of Soviet occupation. We encourage the next generation of Baltic origin Americans to fully embrace the ongoing need to continue cultural and educational awareness in the United States. It is up to us to carry forward the torch of activism to ensure that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania never again lose their freedom, particularly in the face of aggression by Russia in Ukraine and threats and malign action against the Baltic states.
The League carries out its activities through public discussions, dissemination of information to the public, press and government about Baltic American concerns, seminars, meetings with government and elected officials and educational campaigns aimed at academic and political institutions.
The Baltic American Freedom League, Inc. (BAFL) was founded in Los Angeles in 1981 by a group of Baltic American political activists as a national organization to support the Baltic peoples’ struggle to regain their freedom and independence from Soviet occupation. BAFL initiated a broad-based program to inform the American government and people of human and civil rights violations; religious persecutions; cultural genocide; and ethnic discrimination carried on by the Soviet government in the three Soviet occupied Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Our Board members come from all walks of life but are united by a desire to support the Baltic countries. We are veterans, business owners, and community leaders.
The lifeblood of the Baltic American Freedom League is its members. Members not only provide financial support, but communicate issues that are important to the Baltic countries so that BAFL can act on them.
