Brighton Beach, Brooklyn

Brighton Beach, or "Little Odessa" in Brooklyn, New York, remains a snapshot of the early 1990s post-Soviet era. Cyrillic signs adorn storefronts, and traditional Russian foods like pirozhki and pelmeni are sold just as they were decades ago. Daily life here mirrors the social and cultural patterns of the old world, with conversations in Russian and folk music floating from record shops. Despite Russia and post-Soviet states undergoing immense changes since the 1990s, Brighton Beach stands as a testament to the resilience of immigrant communities in preserving their culture. This neighborhood is a bubble seemingly immune to time, providing a sense of belonging to the immigrant community. Brighton Beach, preserving 1990s post-Soviet culture, serves as a living memory and a bridge between past and present.