My FATHER the SUPERHERO

DASHA NAVALNAYA, the daughter of the late POLITICAL ACTIVIST ALEXEY NAVALNY, on how he dedicated his LIFE to ENDING INJUSTICE in his native RUSSIA—and still always made TIME for HER

- 

One of the earliest times I remember realizing the significance of my dad's political work was when the police first raided our apartment in Moscow in 2011. I was 10 years old. I distinctly recall getting a text message from my mom, Yulia, while waiting for the bus at school. She said, "Don't freak out. There are police officers in our house. Come home as soon as you can and try to hide your electronics." In Russia, the police officers who conduct politically motivated raids hunt primarily for phones and laptops, even those belonging to children. This is done to complicate and slow down the person's political work; in reality, these raids really more closely resemble robberies.

As I stepped into our hallway, I was "welcomed" by two masked policemen guarding the door. It looked like a hurricane had swept through our home. There were books and papers all over the floor. The furniture had been moved or flipped over. DVDs were scattered across the living room. People were running around. There was even a search dog sniffing through our belongings.

The confusion, fear, anxiety, and helplessness I felt were overwhelming. My dad was talking with his attorneys, while my mom and brother, Zakhar, who was then three, sat on the couch. The best plan my panicked 10-year-old brain could devise was to shove my laptop under my school uniform. Then, I quietly sat and read by my mom's side. The entire time, my dad was calm and collected, joking with us about school or our favorite TV shows to make me and my brother feel safe and comfortable. That's what he did.