Author: Hagop Kamalian

Asbarez: Fresno Community Marks Genocide Anniversary

Hagop Kamalian
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Alice Petrosian flanked with Dr. Vahak Aslanian, Nazik Messerlian and Alice Gureghian in front of Fresno City Hall

FRESNO—The Armenian-American community of Fresno gathered outside of city hall in commemoration of the 104th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This year marked the 15th annual Armenian Flag Raising Ceremony in front of the Fresno City Hall. The event was organized by the Armenian National Committee of America, Central California Chapter, with Alice Petrossian as the keynote speaker.

Below is her keynote address:

I would like to open by thanking the Mayor, the City council and all elected officials who are with us today. A very special thank you to the Fresno Armenian National Committee for extending me this opportunity to share some thoughts with all of you. When I was first invited to speak three questions came to my mind.

1. Why me?

2. Why Fresno?

3. Why Today?

WHY ME?

I’m a lifelong educator, with nearly 40 years of service in California’s Public schools. My passion has been serving the underserved students with special needs and my priorities have included equity and diversity issues at a time when those words were not valued.

Where did I get this deep urgency to address injustice? Unfortunately the answer is an easy one -the need for justice runs in my veins because I am the granddaughter of two Orphaned genocide survivors from Van who were thrust together under difficult circumstances, yet somehow managed to create a beautiful family. My grandfather was living in New Jersey when the Turks began to implement their pre orchestrated horrendous acts to annihilate all Christians be they Armenian, Greek or Assyrian.

While the world closed their eyes, my grandfather returned to Van to fight for and defend his homeland.

Some may think this was foolish. I see it as heroic and nationalistic.

I know that I am not the only one here today or across the globe who is an offspring of a survivor. I would like to ask all children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of survivors here today to please stand. Thank you for standing, I am grateful that you have not forgotten.

It is said “One of the most fascinating characteristics of Armenians is that they are like diamonds high quality, beautiful yet indestructible. We stand here as proof that “turkey failed” and that we will not rest until our call for justice is addressed.

Note we do not call for revenge but we call for apologies and for reparations. Together we can achieve this! Thank you for standing up in memory of those who gave their lives and those who survived. Please be seated!

WHY FRESNO?

As a student of Armenian immigration to California I learned at a very young age that Fresno was not only the fruit basket for California but it was also the cradle of Armenian civilization in California. As a child in the 1960s it gave me great joy to visit Fresno, the Church on Ventura, go cross the street for lavash, because in those days there were no lavash bakeries in LA.

But the best part was walking across the street from the church to the community center and the office of Mr. Andre Amourian-Asbarez Editor, The center was not only a place for meetings and playing backgammon but it was also the place where the first Armenian paper in California was published.

Fresno was also the home of Armenians including Williams Saroyan and Ross Baghdasarian, but the ones who were my heroes, were the farmers, the immigrants that made Fresno what it is today.

As a young girl I looked up to the Sophia Hacopian who became my role model for strength and generosity combined. I was impressed with how the Armenian community supported each other, cared for each other, and yet preserved the language and culture in their adopted homeland, the land that gave them refuge and a new start. It was this community that gave us a list of public servants and elected officials who today continue to make us proud.

Turkey Failed, we are here in Fresno and remembering the violent acts and affirming NEVER AGAIN!”

My answer to “why Fresno” would be, “why not?” This was the home that our survivors selected in America, in California, and Fresno is a huge part of the Armenian immigrant story based on the genocide.

The last Question…WHY TODAY?

I am totally frustrated and I believe many of you will join me in this frustration, when someone says that was 104 years ago why don’t you just forget and move on.

How does one forget the loss of 1.5 million men, women and children?

How does one forget the loss of a culture, the beautiful literature, music and art that were destroyed, lost, along with those who were creating all of this beauty?

How does one forget the homeland the historic churches that have been desecrated and destroyed for no reason except to erase the past and lie about the present.

How does one forget a mountain that the world knows belongs to Armenia and Armenians?

How does one forget so much pain and suffering without an apology without reparation?

How can I forget, when recently I was asked to give my family history of illnesses, and I could see others going through their linage, but I could only go back to my grandparents.

Just this year the reminder of hate acts against Armenians or Armenian establishments in California keep reminding us not to forget, to be vigilant.

Today’s turkey is as full of hate towards Christians and minorities as it was in 1915. Our monuments and history continue to be destroyed and yet we are asked to forgive and forget?

Our heroes, such as Herant Dink are killed. Garo Pylan is threatened with death, and our journalist are deprived of their rights, our Turkish friends are jailed for sharing the truth.

How can I forget when a $700 million dollar 1,000 room palace is built for president Erdogan on confiscated lands from an Armenian family lost in the Genocide?

I believe I’ve been asked to speak today to give a different answer to why not forgive and forget. Because genocide forgotten is continually repeated and the proof is globally evident today.

Criminals unpunished continue to repeat the same crimes, and the proof is globally evident today.

Churches, historic monuments, works of majestic beauty, were destroyed with no consequences and The proof is globally evident today?

Was it not enough to watch how the Armenian genocide contributed to the holocaust how about these events allowed or led to the Genocides of Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur?

How does forgetting help stop man’s inhumanity to man.

I challenge us to REMEMBER, not only remember but to teach. It is only through education, the full understanding of the cause-and-effect of hate and atrocities, that we can prevent further pain. We in California have what is called a social studies framework which talks about the values and importance of learning the Armenian genocide story in 10th grade.

THIS WAS THE HARD WORK OF ELECTED LEADERS AND THE ANC-WR.

It is now up to us to make certain that this critical content is taught in all California High Schools.

I would like to share some of the work that is presently happening to make the difference in the lives of our grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Many school districts throughout California have resolutions on the value of teaching the Armenian genocide and a commitment to provide teachers with the appropriate training. It is crucial to have the same resolutions and commitments throughout the central valley.

Glendale unified school district has already made April 24 the day of remembrance, and just yesterday Los Angeles unified school district board passed a resolution insisting on the teaching of the genocide as well as requesting a study on the feasibility of April 24 being a day of commemoration this from one of the second largest district in the Nation.

We now have age-appropriate lessons matching the California standards and frameworks for teaching the importance of cross cultural respect, understanding, and the values that are so ingrained in our national history. For middle school and high school age students we have volumes of resources available to any parent, student, teacher or administrator who would like to join us in the call, genocide never again.

We are fortunate to have volumes of resources, including Age-appropriate novels, videos films and lesson plans for any middle school or high school teacher, administrator, student or parent wishing to have the facts on the genocide taught appropriately.

We have organizations like Genocide Education, Facing History and Ourselves, the Shoah foundation, and Nearest Relief who can provide training and support for any community wishing to teach the truth.

We continue to work with or fight textbook publisher to make certain the truth is what is being published.

TODAY!

Because we have so much to celebrate, so many successes, 49 out of 50 States recognizing the Genocide. I believe the 50th State will soon see the truth and make it a 50 State recognition.

Because today we have the young minds and social media skills to make the United States finally recognize the Armenian Genocide. Some of you may even remember the doomsday comments, that those in the United States the Armenian American community will assimilate and forget, a fact Turkey keeps betting on, but today the Armenian-American youth are the ones leading the commemorations, the marches the social media battles. They are the ones that will carry this cause, until we have our justice.

Because today over 30 Nations and many more local governments or Nations have Recognized the Genocide with Strong leaders of Germany, France and Canada speaking out continually and using the Appropriate word Genocide…

Because I have faith that USA will also recognize the Genocide, and pray that it will be in my lifetime.

Because we are armed with the truth, and today is the start of yet another year of denial, but we are here, we commemorate globally and thus we do not allow the perpetrators to silently continue their work….

Let us never forget…let us teach the truth, let us prevent suffering and fight for those who suffer as did our forefathers!

Verelq: The economy is the “Achilles heel” of Pashinyan’s team

Hagop Kamalian
  • 15.04.2019

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“Araratcement” CJSC workers are on strike. they were informed a few days ago that the factory will be closed in two months and several hundred employees will be unemployed.


The new government of RA faces economic problems almost every day, which do not get a solution and force people to go to the streets. The downsizing of the state apparatus, various events surrounding business affect Nikol Pashinyan’s personal rating.


Many socio-economic problems that Pashinyan suffered from previous governments and accumulated over the past 20 years are now generating a large mass of people dissatisfied with the new government, the future electorate of those who will vote against Nikol Pashinyan.


Let’s not forget that in the conditions of the next elections, many extra-parliamentary forces will unite against Pashinyan Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan will be from the teams, as well as many other newly created spoiler parties, whose goal will be to criticize Pashinyan and steal votes.


After 5 years, there will be no revolutionary euphoria and voters will vote for specific steps and real economic results, in the absence of which a part of the electorate will either emigrate or vote for some populist parties.


Pashinyan must promptly deal with the economy, which is the Achilles heel of his team. his personal rating is high, people believe in him, but not seeing economic results and improvement of social life, they can turn into a critical mass of people dissatisfied with the government in case of active work of both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary opposition against the background of disappointment, which in the case of RA is fraught with new demonstrations, marches and clashes.


What saves Pashinyan from the critical mass of protests is the fact that the majority of society does not want the return of the former authorities. It is the only restraining factor that the society does not partially go out on the streets, but the latent dissatisfaction is even more dangerous for a country like RA, because it will eventually lead to voting with feet, the part of the society that blocked the streets in the days of the Velvet Revolution, which does not take advantage of government positions, will simply emigrate due to deep disappointment with the new authorities.


The economic agenda in RA is as important as the agendas related to security and Karabakh.

The California Courier Online, April 11, 2019

Hagop Kamalian
The California Courier Online, April 11, 2019

1 –        Armenia’s Leaders Take Strong
            Positions Against US & Azerbaijan
            By Harut Sassounian
            Publisher, The California Courier
            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2-         Anna Hakobyan Visits Armenian Communities Throughout United States
3 –        Maestro Constantine Orbelian Dismissed
            by Culture Minister From Yerevan Opera
4-         Councilmember Ara Najarian selected as Glendale mayor
5-         Two Armenians Among Candidates Vying
            for LA City Council District 12 Seat
6-         Disagreeable Distinction: Arabs, Armenians, Iranians
            Considered White in US Census

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1 –        Armenia’s Leaders Take Strong
            Positions Against US & Azerbaijan
            By Harut Sassounian
            Publisher, The California Courier
            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

Haber Turk TV recently interviewed one of the thousands of Turkish
gravediggers who try to recover Armenian treasures leftover from the
genocide era of a century ago. It is not enough that 1.5 million
Armenians were killed and dispossessed of their properties and
homeland, now some Turks are ‘proudly’ rummaging for precious metals
by desecrating Armenian graves and other ancient Armenian sites such
as churches and homes.

Here is the text of the interview on Haber Turk:

“How can Armenian Gold be Stolen?”

Host: Oylum Talu

Guest: Ugur Kulac

Guest: An infidel does not show the place of the treasure to a Turk
because we are trying to find their money. We are looking for money of
Armenians or Greeks.

Host: So you are a professional treasure hunter?

Guest: Yes, I am.

Host: You are a very interesting person. First of all, your books are
amazing. I want to give these books to the people as a gift.

Guest: Thank you.

Host: Maps, explanation of maps. It is a very amazing book. What is a
treasure hunter?

Guest: The treasure hunter is a gold digger. The only thing the
treasure hunter thinks of is gold; nothing else. Of course, they are
destroying places where they dig carelessly. The treasure hunters know
many secret places which are even unknown to archaeologists. That is a
gold finder.

Host: Wow! So cool! Gold finder! How many treasure hunters are there in Turkey?

Guest: There are more than 500,000 treasure hunters who are registered
with my company.

Host: Really?

Guest: Yes!

Host: 500,000 treasure hunters?

Guest: I am in this field for about 18 years. I have been producing
these devices and selling them. Right now, I have sold them to 25,000
people. And now we are 130 companies in Turkey. We are serving in this
field for the people. For example, if the state would ask treasure
hunters to bring all historical materials, these materials would then
be more than the materials in the museums.

Host: Wow!

Guest: The treasure works in Turkey are in three types. In tons, pots
and kettles.

Host: What are you talking about? Pots, tons and kettles?

Guest: Yes.

Host: You mean, they put all the gold into the kettle, they covered
the top because there were no banks at that time. They escaped…

Guest: Of course.

Guest: The history of this work is approx. 100 years. At the time of
the deportation, some minorities were deported out of the country.
They could not take their belongings with them. They buried them in
different places, thinking that they would return. But most of them
could not find any way to return. But their children, at a certain
time of the year, are coming to Turkey where their ancestors lived.
And then they dig and take the money where their ancestors buried.
They have the maps. They stay as a guest of their ancestors’
neighbors. When the owner of the house falls asleep, they go out and
dig the ground, take the money and leave. Treasure hunting is divided
into two groups. The first group is near term — hunting of
minorities’ belongings. The second group is composed of those who are
looking for treasures of ancient civilizations. [The guest then
demonstrates how he finds treasures through his search device which
unfortunately does not work!]. If you get caught the first time by the
state, there is no penalty! The region of Izmit was the capital of the
Roman Empire and there are very nice buried treasures in there. Of
course, there are small buried treasures which belong to minorities of
the near past. Magic must be done over there. The treasure is given to
the genies for protection. We are looking for gold coins. Gold is very
important for treasure hunters. For example, statues made of gold or
anything else or gold coins. These are very valuable. They can be sold
everywhere. They melt them and sell them or directly sell to smugglers
or can be sold to the state. Let them give me permission, I will find
the money to repay the Turkish government’s debt to the International
Monetary Fund.

Host: Why is then this gold not coming out?

Guest: Because these countries do not want this gold to come out of
Turkey! Treasure hunters are not interested in ancient cities or
areas. The only interest for them is to find the grave, dig it, and
take the valuable things and leave.

Host: Why don’t archaeologists like you?

Guest: Because we break the historical materials.

Host: So you say that “we are looking for the money of the deported
minorities in the last 60 to 90 years?”

Guest: I have parliamentarians, doctors, businessmen, professors as
customers. Now Spring is coming, the treasure hunters liven up. They
have been patient for months. They will attack now. It is always like
that every year. The materials found in the digs made this year will
be sold abroad again. We are not materialistic. We believe in
spirituality too. Muslims must be rich and powerful. Why should we be
poor? We are a special country created by Allah!

Host: Thank you very much.

These thieves are not only stealing the treasures belonging to
Armenians and other minorities, but are also breaking Turkish laws. It
is incredible that such thieves are appearing on Turkish television
and recounting their criminal activities with such brazen arrogance.
Turkey has strict laws for treasure hunters whose permits are limited
to 30 days and an area of 100 square meters. There is a long list of
“cultural areas” such as religious sites and graves where even
licensed treasure hunters are not allowed to dig.

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2 –        Anna Hakobyan Visits Armenian Communities Throughout United States

WASHINGTON—Anna Hakobyan, the spouse of Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinyan, began her visit to the United States on Wednesday, April 3,
by visiting Capitol Hill for a reception hosted by members of
Congress.

The reception was organized by Armenian American Members of Congress
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) and
attended by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone
(D-Calif.) and Vice-Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) as well as
Representatives Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), T.J.
Cox (D-Calif.), Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.), Raja Krishnamoorthi
(D-Ill.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Tom Suozzi
(D-N.Y.), and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.).

Hakobyan delivered remarks introducing Armenia’s achievements and
stating that the country is fully on the path to democracy and
ensuring real economic growth. She emphasized that any support by
Armenia’s friends to ensure success on this path is welcomed.

In her remarks, Speier stated that the Congress will take every step
to ensure economic and assistance to Armenia from the United States.

“We want to be sure that democracy in Armenia not only will be
maintained, but also will prosper, and the country will fully
develop,” said Speier.

In his remarks, Schiff praised Armenia-U.S. partnership saying, “We
need to raise the partnership of our countries to a new level in order
to help your wonderful government to succeed.”

Hakobyan also discussed her “Women for Peace” initiative through which
Armenian women call on all women around the world to raise their voice
for peace so that no soldiers are killed on the border.

Hakobyan’s visit to Washington started with a tour of the Library of
the Congress where she was acquainted with the exhibits on Armenian
literature.

She also met with members of the Armenian community, with who she
discussed the “My Step” Foundation that aims to advance the goals of
her husband’s political alliance, as well as the “City of Smile”
charity that she founded to combat pediatric cancer.

On April 5, Hakobyan visited Boston where she was greeted at St.
Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School accompanied by the Ambassador of
the Republic of Armenia, H. E. Varuzhan Nersesyan, as well as the
executive director of My Step Charitable Foundation, Hovannes
Ghazaryan and the Director of City of Smiles Foundation, Esther
Demirchian.

Hakobyan received a warm welcome by the students, teachers,
administration and the pastor of St. Stephen’s Church, Archpriest
Antranig Baljian. Two students greeted the First Lady with the
traditional bread and salt, wearing Armenian national costumes. The
rest of the students, with Armenian flags in hand, sang the Armenian
National Anthem.

In her welcoming remarks principal Houry Boyamian explained that St.
Stephen’s maintains high educational standards to encourage parents to
send their children to an Armenian school. She stated that in addition
to providing a quality education, the school passes onto each new
generation the Armenian language, culture and history, while
instilling a sense of identity and profound love for the Motherland.
For this reason, every year, in May, the school organizes the
Graduating Class Trip to Armenia. The Principal ended her remarks by
wishing Hakobyan success in all her charitable work.

The students presented a short program, then Hakobyan and her
delegation visited the classrooms and interacted with the students who
charmed them with their questions, poetry recitals and their fluency
in Armenian.

Hakobyan will visit Los Angeles, where on Saturday she will deliver a
keynote address and be honored at the Armenian American Medical
Society’s annual gala. On Sunday, she will preside over the 25th
anniversary celebration of Armenia’s Consulate General in Los Angeles.
On Monday, Hakobyan will speak at a public gathering at Glendale’s
Alex Theater.

***************************************************************************************************

3 –        Maestro Constantine Orbelian Dismissed

            by Culture Minister From Yerevan Opera

            By Polina Lyapustina

Grammy nominee maestro Constantine Orbelian was dismissed from the
post of the National Opera theatre director by the acting Armenian
Culture Minister Nazeni Gharibyan. Gharibyan justified her decision by
noting that the director cannot be engaged in other paid activities
except scientific, pedagogical, and creative work; Orbelian served as
the general director in addition to the position of the artistic
director. Gharibyan clarified that maintaining the two posts
simultaneously was unlawful since position of artistic director was
managerial, not creative.

The Actors and staff of Armenian National Opera have openly opposed
this decision and protests against the Ministry of Culture’s actions
are scheduled for April 1, 2019.

There’s also a petition to the Prime Minister of Republic Armenia
Nicol Pashinian, which was signed by more than 2,500 people as of this
writing. Lithuanian-Armenian soprano Asmik Grigorian said to
OperaWire, “I can’t believe it could happen. I know how much
Constantine (Orbelian) did for the theatre, and it finally started to
work and live the way it should. They never gave a chance to my father
(Gegham Grigoryan) to bring his ideas to life there, but Constantine
has got the ball rolling. And the biggest fear is that there’s
literally no one to replace him.”

The Grammy-nominated Orbelian became the Director and Artistic
Director of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in 2017. He is
also the chief conductor of the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra in
Lithuania since 2013.

Artists at Opera and Ballet Theater were set to protest Orbelian’s
dismissal, on Saturday, April 6, against what they describe as
arbitrary decision of the acting culture minister and to express
solidarity with maestro Orbelian. “There will be continuous protest
actions to make the culture ministry consider the concerns of the
proud citizens of Armenia and in this case, the fair cause of the
artists representing the high art,” reads the message posted on Opera
theatre Facebook page.
*****************************************************************************************************

4-         Councilmember Ara Najarian selected as Glendale mayor

GLENDALE—On Tuesday, April 2, Glendale City Council Member Ara
Najarian was selected as the City’s mayor by fellow council members.
Najarian takes over the position from outgoing Mayor Zareh Sinanyan.
This is Najarian’s fourth time serving in the position of mayor.

Najarian was first elected to office in April 2005. During his tenure,
he has served as Chair of the Glendale Housing Authority, and the
former Glendale Redevelopment Agency.

“I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to serve as Mayor,” said
Najarian. “I look forward to working closely with my Council
colleagues and staff to keep Glendale the special place that it is.”

In addition to serving on the City Council, Najarian is past chair and
a current member of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority
(MTA) Board of Directors, and a vice-chair of the Southern California
Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) Board of Directors. He is also
past chair and a member of the San Fernando Valley Council of
Governments and serves as a member of the Southern California
Association of Governments Transportation Committee. Najarian
previously served as a member of the Glendale Community College Board
of Trustees from 2003-2005. He is an attorney and has a bachelor’s
degree in economics from Occidental College and Juris Doctor degree
from USC. He is married to Palmira Perez-Najarian, and has two adult
children, Alexander and Christopher.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************

5-         Two Armenians Among Candidates Vying

            for LA City Council District 12 Seat

            By Jessica P. Ogilvie and

            Mary Plummer

When Mitch Englander resigned his L.A. City Council seat last October,
District 12—which includes Chatsworth, North Hills, Northridge,
Granada Hills, Porter Ranch, Reseda, Sherwood Forest and West
Hills—was left with temporary representation (Greig Smith, his former
chief of staff, stepped into the role) Now, a special election will be
held to find his replacement. The primary election will be held June
4. If no candidate receives 50 percent plus one of the vote, a general
election will be held August 13.

Englander was the lone Republican on the 15-member council. Even
though the body is officially nonpartisan, a win for a Democrat would
signal a significant shift for the council which has had Republican
representation for many decades.

“This may well be a historic first if it happens,” said Jaime
Regalado, emeritus professor of political science at Cal State, L.A.

Regalado said the opposite has been true: before the mid to late
1950s, the city was politically conservative, and at times was
controlled by an all Republican council.

Englander’s departure from the council is the second in the last few years.

Former Councilmember Felipe Fuentes left abruptly in 2016. Both
Fuentes and Englander left for job’s in the private sector. Fuentes
took a job as a lobbyist and Englander took a job as executive vice
president for government affairs at Oak View, an entertainment and
sports facilities company founded by AEG’s former chief executive.

Among the 15 candidates, two Armenian-Americans are vying for Englander’s seat.

Jack Kayajian (Democrat) is an administrator at City Attorney Mike
Feuer’s office. Previously, Kayajian worked as a Valley area
representative for former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. His
platform includes reducing overcrowding in classrooms, improving
public safety officers’ response times and supporting small
businesses.

Stella Maloyan (Democrat) is an executive at the Los Angeles Alliance
for a New Economy and a commissioner on the city’s Tourism and
Convention Board. Maloyan is a resident of Porter Ranch, having
immigrated to the area from Iran at age 15. Her past work includes
advocating for gender equity and equal pay, working to secure
resources for the city’s middle class and pushing City Hall to develop
affordable housing.

LAist has confirmed each of their party affiliations. Other details
regarding platforms, stances on issues and personal or professional
life, were gathered from candidates’ official websites and are
publicly available.

This article appeared in LAist on April 1, 2019.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************

6-         Disagreeable Distinction: Arabs, Armenians, Iranians

            Considered White in US Census

            By Sarah Parvini and

            Ellis Simani

Samira Damavandi knows that when she fills out her 2020 census form,
she will be counted. But it pains her that, in some way, she will also
be forgotten.

When asked to mark her race, Damavandi will encounter options for
white, black, Asian, American Indian and Native Hawaiian — but nothing
that she believes represents her family’s Iranian heritage. She will
either have to choose white, or identify as “some other race.”

“It erases the community,” she said.

Roughly 3 million people of Southwest Asian, Middle Eastern or North
African descent live in the United States, according to a Los Angeles
Times analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. No county is home to more
of these communities than Los Angeles, where more than 350,000 people
can trace their roots to a region that stretches from Mauritania to
the mountains of Afghanistan.

In past census surveys, more than 80 percent in this group have called
themselves white, The Times analysis found.Arab and Iranian
communities for years have lobbied the bureau to create a separate
category for people of Middle Eastern or North African descent.

Over the last decade, it seemed the tide would turn — the Obama
administration was considering proposals to ask questions about race
and ethnicity in a different way, shifting not only how the government
would count the Middle Eastern community, but the Latino population as
well.

In 2018, however, the bureau announced that it would not include a
“MENA” category. Instead, the next survey will ask participants who
check “white” or “black” to write in their “origins” for the first
time. Lebanese and Egyptian are among the suggestions under white.

For many, a write-in doesn’t go far enough because they identify as
people of color. The bureau’s move was seen as a blow to a group
already grappling with feelings of invisibility. Advocates say the
category goes beyond issues of self-identity and has real-life
implications for Arab and Middle Eastern communities, including the
allocation of local resources.

“We are our own community,” said Rashad Al-Dabbagh, executive director
of the Arab American Civic Council in Anaheim. “It’s as if we don’t
count.”

At stake in the decennial count is nearly $800 billion in federal tax
dollars and the number of seats each state receives in the U.S. House
of Representatives. Many of the services people rely on are tied to
funds and programs determined by the census.

In addition to those resources, advocates argue, the “white” label
could hurt universities and companies that use the information to
promote diversity and could result in the gathering of little or no
statistical data on important issues, such as health trends in the
community.

Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute, said
this lack of proper representation has “deprived our community of
access to basic services and rights,” such as language assistance at
polling places and educational grants.

“I think it’s a big disappointment to people because there was a real
effort made from the last census to create that category,” said Persis
Karim, director of the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies at San
Francisco State University. “It’s another erasure of both Middle
Eastern and North African people.”

Those communities have struggled to become visible for decades, Karim
said, especially in the post 9-11 period.

In 2015, the census bureau tested creating new categories — including
MENA. Government research showed that Middle Eastern and North African
people would check the MENA box if given the option. Without it, they
would opt for white or “some other race.”

“The results of this research indicate that it is optimal to use a
dedicated ‘Middle Eastern or North African’ response category,” a 2017
census report said. Still, census officials have said they need more
research before committing to a change, citing feedback suggesting
MENA should be treated as an option for ethnicity, not race —
something the bureau has not researched.

Sarah Shabbar grew up in Santa Barbara feeling underrepresented. In
school, she was counted among the white students and wondered why she
had to “conform to something I don’t agree with.”

“It was such a weird thing to grow up and be told, ‘You should be
proud to be Jordanian. You should be proud of where you come from,’”
said Shabbar, now a graduate student at Cal State Northridge. “None of
these forms are allowing me to feel proud of it, because I’m just
white according to them.”

Her parents would tell her to choose “white” if that’s how Middle
Eastern people were classified by the government, she said. There
wasn’t a discussion about identity, or what it would mean to properly
classify the community.

“It’s like, khalas, just put it,” said Shabbar, using the Arabic word
for “enough.” “For them it doesn’t matter. Until you apply for college
… then it’s like, there’s no money for Arabs?” the 25-year-old said
with a laugh.

Experts say that generational divide is a common split within the
Middle Eastern and North African community. For some, it stems from
the notion of being from the Caucasus region — and therefore,
literally Caucasian — and for others, identifying as white became a
means of survival in a new country.

“Our parents came as immigrants and worked with this idea of
aspirational whiteness, that if you work hard and put your head down
you’ll be successful,” said Khaled Beydoun, who teaches law at the
University of Arkansas. “But for young people, with 9/11 and now with
Trump, whiteness means something specific.”

Some worry that in the current political climate, it may be dangerous
to create a separate category.

Beydoun, who is Egyptian and Lebanese, served on a committee of field
experts that provided the Census Bureau with feedback on the idea of a
MENA box on the 2020 census. He supported adding the classification,
he said, but also worried that the information could be used to track
where Arabs or Iranians live or be used against the community “during
times of crisis.”

Prior to the 2010 census, the Arab and Iranian communities in Southern
California teamed up to spread a message: “Check it right, you ain’t
white!”

The tongue-in-cheek campaign encouraged people to choose “some other
race” and sought to combat the notion that Arabs and Iranians are
white — an idea that experts say has roots in a legal battle from the
early 1900s. Arab immigrants from modern-day Syria and Lebanon, who
were considered Asian, successfully fought to be classified as white
and thus eligible for citizenship.

That classification was cemented in the late 1970s when the Office of
Management and Budget listed all Middle Easterners as white.

“In the Arab community, there are varying degrees of assimilation,”
said Omar Masry, who was part of the 2010 census movement. “They are
categorized as white, but they aren’t treated the same as the white
guy in front of them in line when they are in an immigration line
coming back from a trip.”

For David Shams, the census question codifies a feeling he’s known all
his life: a sense of straddling two worlds, both fully American and
intensely proud of his Iranian heritage.  The 36-year-old remembers a
conversation he had with an administrator about the lack of inclusion
of Middle Easterners in diversity scholarships when he was a student
at Murray State University in Kentucky. The school official told him
Iranians weren’t considered for diversity scholarships because they
were white, and minorities needed help more than “you all do.” All the
talk did was push “the misconception that we’re white,” Shams said.

“Having the federal government label us as white, while our social
status is anything but, further stigmatizes our position in society,”
said Shams. “We have no recourse. We have no way to talk about
diversity or discrimination because if we’re white, we can’t be
discriminated against based on race. And so we’re left in this gray
area.”That wasn’t a topic Shams had delved into with his father until
two years ago. The two were sitting at a beer garden in Washington,
D.C., during the Persian New Year when they started discussing Trump’s
administration and the rise of white nationalism. The elder Shams
emigrated from Iran in 1964, more than a decade before the Islamic
Revolution.

“They hate brown people,” Shams told his father as he sipped his
favorite lager. “But we’re white,” his father replied. “I’m white.
You’re white.” “Stand up on this bench right here and say that,” Shams
said. “Nobody in this bar would agree with you.”

This article appeared in Los Angeles Times on March 28, 2019.
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Armen Sarkissian meets representatives of the Armenian community of Jordan

Hagop Kamalian
News.am, Armenia
April 7 2019
Armen Sarkissian meets representatives of the Armenian community of Jordan Armen Sarkissian meets representatives of the Armenian community of Jordan

10:23, 07.04.2019
                  

Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, who is on a working visit to Jordan, met with representatives of the Armenian community of the country on Saturday, the President’s office reported.

During the meeting, Sarkissian noted that the fact that Armenians live in the different countries of the world and scattered worldwide should be considered an advantage, as there are few nations in the world can say: “we are a small country, but a world nation”. 

“We are all Armenians, and our duty is to serve our homeland,” said Sarkissian, noting that the Armenian community of Jordan is fully integrated into the life of the country. “It is very important. Our compatriots in all communities should follow the example of the great singer, composer and poet Charles Aznavour, who said: “I am one hundred percent Armenian and one hundred percent Frenchman.” It is the model on which we should live in diaspora. To be 100% Jordanian involved in the political, economic and cultural life of the countries and at the same time be 100% Armenian. This is the formula of success, ”said the President of Armenia.

Noting that the royal family of Jordan has always supported the Armenian people, Sarkissian said that this was also demonstrated by his meeting with King Abdullah II. “We talked very warmly. They discussed the history and relations of the two peoples, noting the huge potential in different areas. Our countries have much in common, being not rich in natural resources, Armenia and Jordan value human resources, ”he said.

We have included our champions in the Armenian team Habetnak Kurghinyan

Hagop Kamalian
  • 17:36 | April 1,2019 | Sports
  • Armenian:
  • Rus

Armenia’s freestyle wrestling team head coach Habetnak Kurghinyan announced today the team’s squad that will take part in the European Championships in Bucharest.

Vanguina Matevosyan (57 kg), Arsen Harutyunyan (61 kg), Vazgen Tevanyan (65 kg), Davit Safaryan (70 kg), Varuzhan Kajoyan (74 kg), Grigor Grigoryan (79 kg) , Hovhannes Mkhitaryan (86kg), Sargis Hovsepyan (97kg) and Andranik Galstyan (125kg).

Sports: Armenian athletes brought three medals from the World Cup in Doha

Hagop Kamalian
Arminfo, Armenia
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo. Armenian athletes brought three medals from the World Cup in Doha.

According to the National Olympic Committee of Armenia, on March  gymnast Arthur Davtyan scored 15.058 points in a vault 23 and won a  bronze medal.

A day earlier, in the exercise on the rings, Arthur Tovmasyan rose to  the second step of the podium, and Vahagn Davtyan took the third  place.

Harutyun Merdinyan was content with fifth place.  The NOCA also  reported that 4 athletes represented Armenia at the World Cup in  Doha. 

South Caucasus Confronts Challenges of War and Corruption

Hagop Kamalian
EU Today


by Gary Cartwright

For many years Europe has lived with the hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan would one day resolve their differences. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, which consists of the U.S., Russia, and France, has spent thousands of hours mediating between the parties since its inception in 1994. 

Now the OSCE and its Minsk Group co-chairmen aspire that the two post-Soviet countries will settle their border issues, including the Armenian presence in Azerbaijani districts in the Lachin Corridor and a final status agreement of the Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh, in an upcoming summit.

With great power support and a new government in Yerevan, some are approaching the summit with cautious optimism. Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev are set to meet later this spring, though a date has not yet been announced.

However, both parties took steps that threaten to derail the summit before it even begins.  Armenia may have contributed to tensions by announcing its Security Council meeting in the Nagorno-Karabakh together with that Republic’s own National Security Council, having Prime Minister Pashinyan visiting the self-proclaimed republic. Armenians decided to conduct the joint meeting in Karabakh, although the body routinely meets in the capital Yerevan. 

Not to be outdone, Azerbaijan has commenced large-scale military maneuvers ahead of a meeting between President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan. Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said on March 11 that up to 10,000 troops, 500 tanks, 300 missile systems, aircraft, and other military equipment will participate five-day exercises, Radio Liberty reported.

However, the problems in the South Caucasus go well beyond security. For decades, endemic corruption undermined economic development and the rule of law in the three republics: Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Information about the Azeri abuses abounded: the Aliyev clan, ruling the oil-rich Caspian state, has amassed billions of euros in assets, including vast property holdings in Dubai by the Aliyev children.

Earlier this decade, while the Azerbaijani government arrested scores of activists and journalists, the country’s ruling circles used a secret slush fund – nicknamed The Influence Machine — to pay off European politicians and other dignitaries who promoted the country and its regime.

Many of these efforts took place within the Council of Europe, which is supposed to uphold human rights, democracy, and rule of law, according to Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. 

VIPs who received the “Azerbaijani Laundromat” funds included three former members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE): a German MP and a Slovenian politician who both went against international organizations to declare Azerbaijan’s elections fair, and an Italian politician already charged with bribery. The Bulgarian husband of the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), a high-profile supporter of Azerbaijan, also received Laundromat payments.

Information about Armenia was less readily available, but not less concerning. A recent Amnesty International Report revealed that: 

A particular feature of corruption in Armenia is the presence of so-called “oligarchs” who enjoy the fruits of a shadow economy estimated to account for around 35 per cent of Armenia’s GDP. Patronage networks and a lack of clear separation between private enterprise and public office act as an important barrier to effective anti-corruption efforts. 14 It is not surprising, therefore, that 82 per cent of people in Armenia believe that corruption in the public sector is a problem or a serious problem, with the judiciary and the civil service perceived to be the sectors most affected by corruption.

A classified report on corruption in Armenia was circulated in March this year in Brussels, the Russian Telegram channel Kompromat SNG revealed. The alleged corrupt officials are identified as Prime Minister Pashinyan and his wife Anna Hakobyan. The amount of the suspected bribery? €1.5 billion.

     Is Armenian PM’s wife Anna Hakobyan pulling off illicit financial schemes in Europe?

Armenia’s new government, which came to power under the slogans of the fight against corruption, has allegedly built its own corruption scheme.

The classified report focuses on funds and personal accounts allegedly managed by Anna Hakobyan, the wife of the current Prime Minister, the report claims. The Pashinyan government has jailed political opponents, sending a chilling message to current and potential foes. 

Vendetta: PM Nikol Pashinyan jailed a political opponent — former President Robert Kocharyan

Under threats of criminal prosecution and business ruin through threats of judicial prosecution, former officials and oligarchs transfer huge sums of money to contribute to various funds.

It appears that in the days of the recent Davos Forum, Anna Akopyan was in Zurich where she was actively involved in the setup and management of these funds. A Swiss businessman, affiliated with one very influential Armenian official, is a facilitator for these activities.

As of March 1, the accounts directly or indirectly controlled by Ms. Hakobyan mushroomed to about €1.5 billion. 

The former officials transferred funds from their offshore and personal accounts:

– Mihran Poghosyan (Former Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer of Armenia and Deputy of the National Assembly);

– Gagik Khachatryan (Former Chairman of the State Revenue Committee and former Minister of Finance of Armenia);

– Samvel Alexanyan (Major entrepreneur and former deputy of the National Assembly of Armenia);

– Gagik Beglaryan (Former Minister of Transport and Communications of Armenia);

– Vardan Harutyunyan (Former Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of Armenia);

– Gagik Tsarukyan (Entrepreneur and founder of the Prosperous Armenia Party, member of the National Assembly of Armenia).

The European political elite, the financial regulators and large businesses that hoped for a more transparent Armenia under Pashinyan are concerned that while personalities may change, systemic corruption will remain an obstacle.  

Even in Georgia, a regional leader in the anti-corruption efforts, there are still major problems in the areas of the transparency and accountability of companies, including the lack of effective mechanisms for identifying their beneficial owners, Transparency International revealed in its report. Effective integrity programs remain the exception in Georgian companies. Anti-corruption mechanisms in state-owned enterprises remain particularly weak.

True, the South Caucasus desperately needs peace, but without a crackdown on high level corruption first – in all three countries —  its economic and political future will remain bleak.



Armenian armed forces will go into the offensive if hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh resume, defense minister says

Hagop Kamalian
ARKA, Armenia
Feb 26 2019

YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. Armenian armed forces will go into the offensive if hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh resume, defense minister David Tonoyan said in a televised interview.

“Psychology is changing; approaches are changing; defending armies are always defeated. We are not going to remain in defensive positions,” the minister said yesterday in an interview with the Public Television of Armenia.

He said if there is a threat that hostiles will resume, Armenian armed forces will not linger. When asked if that means that the Armenian army will also go on the offensive, Tonoyan replied, “Why not?”

The minister agreed that Armenia has no opportunity to compete with Azerbaijan in terms of demography and economy; therefore, qualitative changes in the armed forces are necessary. He said the $100 million loan provided by Russia for purchase of arms allows Armenian armed forces to solve the problems without getting involved in a quantitative arms race.

Asked to comment on Tonoyan’s statement, Taron Hovhannisyan, an expert on Azerbaijan, said Tonoyan in all likelihood had in mind preventive offensive actions, given the aggressive and unconstructive policy pursued by Azerbaijan that gives the Armenian side the right to take preventive actions. 

According to the expert, preventive offensive actions do not always mean conducting hostilities in the enemy’s territory. “This also means suppression of the enemy’s main firing points with the help of long-range artillery systems,” said Hovhannisyan.

He agreed that Armenia cannot compete with Azerbaijan in demographic and economic aspects; therefore, without a preemptive strike it will be more difficult to defend oneself in case of an attack.-0-

Anzhela Elibekova: February 26 appears to be a good occasion to test Azerbaijanis readiness for peace

Hagop Kamalian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 25 2019
Politics 19:27 25/02/2019 Armenia

February 26 marks the anniversary of Khojaly events and the date is a good occasion to test the readiness of the Azerbaijani public for peace, Anzhela Elibekova, expert in the South Caucasus told Panorama.am during an interview. Over the past few days Elibekova has explored Azerbaijani media reports and has come to conclusion that an active anti-Armenian propaganda is conducted despite commitments to prepare the people for peace.

“They announce about readiness to get prepared for peace, yet at the same time continue ramping up anti-Armenian sentiments among the public. The peace agenda thus appears to be fake,” Elibekova said. The expert pointed to the intensity of anti-Armenian events happening both in Azerbaijan and abroad that has been the case with previous years as well. The hatred is reinforced by statements from officials and experts of various caliber that often-spread disinformation, hatred and insults.

During the time of working at the Public Relations and Information Centre SNC, Elibekova along with number of experts initiated the “Xocali.net” project that documents the real events in the beginning of the 90s and exposes Azerbaijani falsification and distortion of facts.

«A database of facts was created with documentaries and a special website “Xocali.net” that should be presented to the Armenian and Azerbaijani public as well as the international community. This should be done first of all through diplomatic channels in order to prevent Azerbaijani propaganda activities in different countries – be those protests, or adoption of various resolutions,” Elibekova said.

“Xocali.net” website discloses Azerbaijani side’s mass falsifications concerning the tragedy, in which peaceful inhabitants of the village of Khojaly were killed. The website features many materials, including photo and video, exposing the activities of Azerbaijani Propaganda Machine that had been misleading the international community over the death of peaceful citizens for many years.

This year a small group of experts have created a new publication titled “What happened in Khojaly” available in three languages that provides information about Khojaly in Q/A format and discloses Azerbaijani side’s mass falsifications concerning the tragic events.
“The tragic events definitely took place on the night of February 25-26 claiming human lives. The tragic cannot go unpunished and the real perpetrators should be held responsible instead of those who were blamed or wanted to be seen as the assailants,” the authors of the publication say.

Some inconsistencies about the Khojaly event disseminated by the Azerbaijani propaganda can be found here. . 

‘Agents for change’: The intersection of Armenian feminism and Instagram

Hagop Kamalian
Daily Californian
Feb 22 2019


ANAÏS CHAGANKERIAN/COURTESY

BY LILLIAN AVEDIAN | STAFF

LAST UPDATED 14 HOURS AGO

Translation note: The image above reads “My love shall break your patriarchy” in Armenian.

While feminist strands of thought have always existed in the Armenian community, the stigmatization of feminism that I have witnessed within Armenian culture has barred feminist ideas from mainstream dialogue. As an Armenian woman growing up amid my culture, I repeatedly heard that Armenian culture is incompatible with feminism and that gender equality somehow threatens traditional values and norms that purportedly form the basis for Armenian culture.

I believe, however, that the rise of social media has democratized the tools of storytelling, empowering Armenian women to elevate one another’s narratives and bringing feminist ideas to the forefront of public conversations. Three significant social media pages that reflect this recent trend are @anahitoferebuni, @kooyrigs and @armenian_women_artists. I had the opportunity to interview, over email, the women who launched each of these Instagram pages to discuss their diverse views on representation and gender in the Armenian community. Their responses reveal the ways in which Armenian culture is enriched when the stories of Armenian women are uplifted and feminism is used as a tool for progressing a dynamic, ever-evolving Armenian culture.

@anahitoferebuni, created by Anaïs Shahangirian, is an Instagram account that aims to celebrate the strength, resilience and wisdom of Armenian women. Shahangirian uses original artworks, largely illustrations of Armenian women, to elevate stories of powerful women from Armenian history and highlight current issues facing women in the global Armenian community.

The Daily Californian: What was your original intent in creating @anahitoferebuni? Did you have any hopes about what @anahitoferebuni would accomplish?

Anaïs Shahangirian: I created @anahitoferebuni because…I have been hoping to: 1) highlight the contribution of Armenian women to our culture and improve access to their work; 2) interview present day Armenian women from around the world in order to document what it means to be an Armenian woman today; 3) democratize gender studies and intersectionality in the Armenian community through the use of social media; and 4) promote the voices of Armenian women as agents for change.

DC: How do you understand the relationship between social media and social change?

AS: The Internet can be used as a platform where the narratives that are traditionally rejected from societies can be broadcasted and thus gain more visibility…when I started @anahitoferebuni, I was surprised to learn that there were so many feminist Armenians…it seems like social media represent a way of strengthening a network of same-minded people in order to increase their visibility and influence in their societies, hence their potential for social change.

DC: How has @anahitoferebuni evolved since it was initially created?

AS: I created @anahitoferebuni in August 2017. At the beginning, it was just an Instagram page where I would share the results of my research on historic Armenian women but it then evolved into a blog, and a space to also share my illustrations. I really wanted to not only share information but also create my own visuals to do so, and this also enabled me to sell some merchandise and make some small donations to NGOs fighting for women’s rights in Armenia.

DC: How would you conceptualize the evolution of Armenian feminism?

AS: Being an Armenian feminist means protecting a great heritage, but also identifying what we can do better as a community, and transforming ourselves in order to be more inclusive and respectful of the inherent human rights of all… As far as I know, Armenian female writers have been advocating for gender equality and education of women and girls since at least 1855. But unless you specifically research them, it is quite hard to learn about them as female writers haven’t been promoted the same way as their male counterparts… I can, however, say that social media have definitely contributed to democratizing feminism and addressing the negative stereotypes that are associated with being a feminist.

DC: What would you identify as the main problems facing women in the Armenian community?

AS: Being Armenian is one of the things I am the proudest of…(but) growing up I have felt like Armenian girls and women have a lot of pressure to be “perfect” in all aspects and as per a very traditional and restrictive definition…we bear the weight of our family’s dignity on our shoulders and this can be very heavy and unfair to carry around… I have seen many women being abused and silenced, or a lot of women being shamed and name-called, because of their life choices or because of their simple existence…it is seen as a burden to birth and raise girls, women are victims of all sorts of abuses and there are too many limitations placed on their free will.

@kooyrigs (translated as “sisters”) was launched by Karine Sophie Eurdekian with the goal of promoting education on issues affecting women in Armenia and in the global diaspora today. The account posts original art while providing a digital safe space for community members to discuss their experiences as Armenians alongside their other intersecting identities.

DC: Please provide a brief description of the origins and history of @kooyrigs.

Karine Sophie Eurdekian: Throughout my life, I have witnessed the injustices brought upon Armenian women as a result of patriarchal ideologies. While living in Armenia during the summer of 2017, I volunteered as a legal assistant and ESL teacher at Women’s Resource Center in Yerevan. I was blatantly exposed not only to the facts about women’s rights in Armenia, but was also able to connect with the very women going through such trials and tribulations…I felt the responsibility to create a platform for resilient women and allies to start having conversations and allowing our presence to be known. In November of 2018, a little over a year following my trip to Armenia, Kooyrigs was born!

DC: What was your original intent in creating @kooyrigs? Did you have any hopes about what @kooyrigs would accomplish?

KSE: My original intent in creating Kooyrigs was to create a safe space where minorities in the Armenian community could come together to connect through education, sharing experiences and helping fund NGOs in Armenia…In the future, Kooyrigs aims to have a full physical presence in Armenia, with access to resources in even the smallest villages. We hope to aid in projects involving education and human rights.

DC: How do you understand the relationship between social media and social change?

KSE: Social media allows Kooyrigs to share our message for a brief few seconds on a news feed or story…Kooyrigs believes that we are impacting social change because of the strong relationship between the Kooyrigs followers in the “Kooyrigs fam.” This family helps build a bridge between some pixels on a screen and legitimate social change. Conversation had by followers are both the catalyst and foundation. Simply put: When media incites conversation in people who desire to make a difference, social change occurs.

DC: For what audience was @kooyrigs created?

KSE: The beauty of Kooyrigs is that it was initially created for everyone. The account is inspired by fourth wave feminism movements like the Arab Spring and is visually inspired by feminist zines… Regardless of if you are in the diaspora or not, regardless if you’re Armenian or not — it all comes down to how much you care about the topic at hand. Wherever anyone may fall on the gender spectrum, however old they may be, and wherever they are from, they are welcome to be apart of the Kooyrigs family.

DC: How would you conceptualize the evolution of Armenian feminism?

KSE: Armenian feminism is very grassroots. Those who are openly feminist in Armenia still do risk condemnation. The ability to utilize social media helps empower and strengthen grassroots organizations through raising awareness and funding to help their push their initiatives — this is the goal of Kooyrigs!

DC: Do you see the Armenian feminist movement as a global one?

KSE: The Armenian feminist movement is definitely global. Though Armenians are displaced, we hold on to our culture and traditions very closely. Unfortunately, there are some negative stigmas that come along with all the good. For this reason, Armenian women internationally are forced to face a lot of the same challenges on varying levels. A successful social media community helps build bonds of support that transcend cyberspace.

@armenian_women_artists is the brainchild of Cassandra Tavukciyan, who researches and promotes the works and lives of Armenian women artists from around the world. Tavukciyan elevates the art created by these women while providing information about their biographies and their artistic styles and inspirations.

DC: What was your original intent in creating @armenian_women_artists? Did you have any hopes about what @armenian_women_artists would accomplish?

Cassandra Tavukciyan: The intent of AWA is to research and promote the works and lives of Armenian women artists, both in Armenia and its diasporic communities…contributions made by women are still relatively unrecognized in the field of Armenian art history…I was becoming increasingly uneasy with what I felt was a tendency within some strands of contemporary feminism to simplify the history of women…women have always played a vital role in the modernization of society and I wanted to look into the near past of Armenian history to find examples of that kind of agency and self-determination.

DC: How would you conceptualize the evolution of Armenian feminism?

CT: For me, I see contemporary Armenian feminism as having its roots in the broader 19th century Armenian cultural renaissance…Armenian feminists were serious intellectual and moral leaders in not just Armenian society, but in the broader societies they were a part of, be it Russian, Ottoman, Persian, American or European.

For instance, (Mari) Beyleryan, a writer, activist and public figure who was murdered during the Genocide, felt that the ideal woman was one who was educated, knew how to express herself, had a family, and asserted her right to have an input in the development of society. These women understood the interrelation between gender and nation, such that they felt neither condition could be truly improved independent of the other. I consider this conjunctive reflection on Armenianness and gender to be the essence of Armenian feminism.

DC: Do you see the Armenian feminist movement as a global one?

CT: In so far as Armenians are a global people spread and dispersed across each of the world’s continents, yes, I do see Armenian feminism as global in character. All these communities are connected to each other through their reflections on Armenianness, despite the fact everyone speaks different languages today… I see Armenian feminists thinking through Armenianness and gender in the everyday local contexts in which they live, and this is resulting in a lot of creativity!

DC: What is the role of visual art in social change?

CT: Art has variously been a catalyst for social change, but also a tool of social control.

That being said, for me, the value of visual art lies in its ability to offer a means of _expression_ that goes beyond words. I nevertheless think one has to be critical of the impact and role of art today, especially given contemporary society’s tendency to want to see everything as needing a purpose. I am not trying to instrumentalize art for feminist purposes with AWA. Rather, I think of it more as a collection of works that I am interested in learning more about, and, along the way, perhaps others will become as interested as I am in the backgrounds and works of these women.

DC: What would you identify as the main problems facing women in the Armenian community?

CT: That the Genocide remains a taboo subject to this day is a major issue. From the perspective of Armenian feminism, this matters since so many women were dehumanized, both on account of their womanhood and Armenianness. A taboo against speaking openly on this issue thus amounts to not just the silencing of Armenians, but also the silencing of women.

At the same time, however, I do not believe Armenians are defined solely by their victimhood and the Genocide. Armenian culture is rich and expressive, and AWA tries to bring light to this fact.

While each of the women interviewed expressed differing views on the roles of representation and gender in the Armenian community today, I believe their responses reveal a common thread: the emergence of new forces for change that push back against traditional, narrowly conceived conceptions of Armenian culture. Social media has proven a powerful tool for uplifting historically silenced voices and narratives, consequently bringing feminist thought into mainstream dialogue. Armenian culture and feminism are not incompatible, and these powerful social media pages and their growing popularity prove that the tide for change in the global Armenian community points toward inclusivity.