During the first weekend of March, I participated in the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Youth Connect Program for the first time. I knew the dense city of New York had a lot to offer to any adventure-seeking 20-something, but instead I found myself fully immersed in conversation with fellow diasporans, dreaming of being somewhere else—in Armenia. At first glance, the group of more than 50 students, half of whom are involved in the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), had the excitement of the city crawling on their skin, but this quickly turned into a passion for our identity and culture.
Hungry for discussion and education in a conference room at New York University, the day full of panelists featured Nancy Kricorian, activist and writer since elementary school; Raffi Khatchadourian, writer at the New Yorker; Talin Avakian, filmmaker; Antranig Kasbarian, executive director of the Tufenkian Foundation and Central Committee member of the ARF Eastern Region; Kristi Rendahl, writer and advisor of the Center for Victims of Torture; Alex Sardar, activist and vice president of programs at Counterpart International; and Khatchig Mouradian, editor of the Armenian Weekly and professor of genocide, conflict resolution, and human rights at Rutgers University. These “titles” may give brief insight into the panelists’ talents, but do not do justice to the wealth of information they shared with us.
The morning panel began with a brief showing of “Demi Pointe,” an Indie Soul Best Picture by Talin Avakian, which highlighted the struggle and gift that we as an ethnic minority have in fighting for our identity. Raffi Khatchadourian then provided insight into his professional career as a journalist working for one of the leading publications in the nation. Meanwhile, Nancy Kricorian discussed her writing and involvement in various activist organizations that work for dignity, justice, and equality. Captivated by the panelists, the audience had a stream of questions ranging from professional tools to personal experiences.
Following the discussion of the “Armenian-American Experience,” Mouradian shared photos and stories from his travels to Western Armenia (present-day Turkey). It’s safe to say that everyone in the room was making a mental note to look for their passports, as we lived vicariously through Mouradian’s encounters with the “hidden Armenians,” living a stone’s throw away from where our ancestors were killed. Although some of the experiences of the past cast shadows so far that we still cannot talk about them, Mouradian reintroduced our history and identity in a manner most had not experienced.
Last, but certainly not least, the afternoon panel took us across the globe as we focused on the “Challenges Facing Armenia.” Alex Sardar talked about the lack of institutions in Armenia and what they should and can be doing. Antranig Kasbarian elaborated on his work in the United States, Armenia, Artsakh (Karabagh), and with the Tufenkian Foundation. He brought light to the ongoing struggle of keeping Armenians Armenian, for those exiled from Western Armenia, or those forced to live under Soviet rule in Eastern Armenia. The terms for involvement and engagement are changing for diasporans, he said. We must be idealistic and pragmatic, as our challenge is that we don’t have faith in the system. Finally, North Dakotan Kristi Rendahl saw our jaws dropped as she began her introduction in Armenian; everyone inched closer in their seats as soon as her first few sentences spilled so naturally. Most impressively, however, Rendahl discussed her involvement in the Peace Corps, NGOs (voch garavaragan gazmagerbutyun), and non-profit organizations (voch shah-hedabndogh gazmagerbutyun). She made us realize that we cannot take large leaps; instead we must be ready for incremental change, and must take ownership of projects with the locals in Armenia and include their voice.
The panelists’ words triggered something different in the group of students. Complete strangers, with only the common thread of being Armenian, we approached each other afterwards with our thoughts and questions. We realized that as diasporans, essentially outsiders in our own homeland, we can’t go somewhere and immediately implement change. Nevertheless, the group was hopeful. Hopeful to stay rooted, to bring about incremental change, and ultimately see a better Armenia. A room full of youth, all studying different fields and with different experiences and knowledge to bring to the table, was now brainstorming strategies and actions we could take in the future.
The success of the ARS Youth Connect Program should not be measured by the wide range of panelists, large number in attendance, or the exciting city we were in, but instead by the various actions and initiatives triggered in each of us. We may not know where we’ll end up in our various studies and projects, but ARS Youth Connect certainly gave us a place to start.
Carnie Armenian
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Thanks Carnie for an excellent descriptive of the event. Not only the panelists were fascinating and inspiring but also the attendees engaged and smart. Great job ARS Connect! Hopefully there will be more such events throughout the region for the youth.