The New Generation>>>>>

[Guest]

The New Generation

Taking Cues from their Ancestors,

Young Armenians are Shaking the Scene

by Lisa Boghosian Papas

 

Who cares about being Armenian?

It’s the 90s. Our careers are on the upswing, the economy is booming and we are

busy enjoying more cultural activities, sporting events and gastronomic delights than

ever before. We are consumers of luxury, quick-hit indulgers and virtual adventurers.

We can juggle several roles at once and still cope with the demands of our overly

busy lives. What we don’t have time for is blowing off the dust from our past to bring

our culture up to speed. We are too busy pacing like panthers throughout the major

cities in the world trying to get ahead.

Hardly true.

These days, as intense a passion as youth have for their personal and professional

lives, the next generation of Armenians is realizing that “blood is thicker than water.”

In futuristic terms it is called Clanning—spending time with those who share your

values, beliefs, and interests. Whether its been brought on by a desire to leave behind

the stress of their daily lives, or search for more meaning and fulfillment, the outcome

is the same: Armenian youth are rediscovering the importance of their heritage and

are making it a point to commit themselves to the well-being of their community.

“In the past, Armenian organizations, like AGBU, have organized numerous

programs for youth through the college level,” explains AGBU president Louise

Simone. “The challenge has been to keep this segment of the population interested in

their heritage between the time they start their careers and they turn forty. In the last

several years, we have seen that trend change. Now young adults, who were once

part of an AGBU school, Camp Nubar, or were a recipient of a loan or scholarship,

are taking claim to their heritage–committing themselves to leadership positions and

financially backing programs–despite their busy schedules and monetary restraints.”

With a new generation of Armenians engaging themselves in their heritage, AGBU

is fulfilling its mission to preserve the Armenian identity with its youth. Many come to

AGBU knowing little about the culture aside from the fact that they have an “ian” at

the end of their names. These same young adults generally exit their AGBU

experience with a much stronger understanding of who they are. For those who have

had a more extensive Armenian family experience, a new level of awareness is often

achieved through their involvement.

Several examples of the “new Armenian” are listed below. Each one came to AGBU

with varying backgrounds, beliefs and talents. Each one now shares a mutual desire

and commitment to his/her heritage.

<img height="94" width="64" src="http://www.agbu.org/images/krekorian.jpg" align="left"><b>

Paul Krekorian's Armenian Revival

In the heart of the “90210” glamour-land, business

and entertainment litigation attorney Paul Krekorian has

mingled with the stars—at least within his own

universe. A law degree from the prestigious Boalt Hall

Law School at Berkeley, several years of experience

with powerful Wall Street firms, and, currently, a

position with the entertainment law firm of Leopold,

Petrich & Smith, have put Krekorian at the top of the

top. But in the last few years, Krekorian’s goals have

driven him into a new direction. And in more ways than

one, this all-star lawyer is looking more like a renaissance man than ever before.

As the grandson of Armenian immigrants, Krekorian grew up in a fully assimilated

American-Armenian household. As Krekorian tells it, his father, like many

first-generation Americans, made such an effort to assimilate and be accepted that

he lost touch with many aspects of his Armenian heritage, including the language.

“My dad gave me a lot of pride in our heritage, but we really weren’t involved in the

Armenian community or exposed to the culture. I always felt sad not to speak

Armenian,” says Krekorian.

Krekorian began to become reacquainted with his heritage when Armenia was

struck by the earthquake. Motivated to help, Krekorian began raising funds for relief,

which led him to be acquainted with the Armenian community in Los Angeles. He

then began learning about and promoting Armenian interests in the political arena. As

a long-time Democratic activist, Krekorian worked to educate many elected officials

about issues of importance to Armenians. “When our community unites with

consensus, we have a powerful voice,” Krekorian says. “In addition to our international

concerns, I think we must be politically involved to improve the lives of our Armenian

neighbors here at home.”

Through his involvement in politics, Krekorian was introduced to the AGBU-Young

Professionals in Los Angeles (AGBU-YPLA). Having been invited to be one of the

panelists at the event Let Your Vote Count, Krekorian, impressed with the

organization and the event, decided to become an active member of the group. Last

year, he took on the challenge of chairing the AGBU-YPLA Annual Fund, and this

year he serves as vice chair of development.

“One of the extraordinary things about the YP’s is our unity. We have young people

from many countries, backgrounds and professions, and we are all working arm in

arm for the same thing. Participating in the AGBU has given me the sense of being

part of the Armenian community that I lacked before. Now most of my free time is

spent with friends from the YP’s...they are like an extended family.”

 

Mary Setrakian Lights Up The Stage

Mary Setrakian took the express train to New

York. Not literally. This Broadway performer grew up

in Tentfield, California near San Francisco, studied

music at Stanford University in Palo Alto, then

logged in training at the New England Conservatory

in Boston in pursuit of a career in musical theater.

Since then, her name has been in lights (or listed

in production Play Bills). Starting in the chorus of the

light opera of Manhattan, Setrakian subsequently

has performed in Les Misérables, toured with Evita in Germany and Paris, and was

an understudy in Hello Dolly with Carol Channing. She’s starred as Trina in Joseph

and the Technicolor Dream Coat, as Madame Giry in Phantom of the Opera, and was

Fanny Brice in Funny Girl.

With a wealth of experience behind her, Setrakian’s most recent

accomplishment—one that is still in progress– includes developing and starring in her

own one woman musical. In 1994 she got the idea to put together a melange of love

songs–using opera, pop, Broadway, jazz, rock and rap. With the expertise of an

off-Broadway producer and the financial backing of the AGBU, Setrakian assembled

an hour production which ran off-off Broadway. Four years later and a few changes to

the act, The Mary Setrakian Show is back on stage—this time in Los Angeles for a

seven week run. With rave reviews from critics all over, Setrakian modestly admits

“the show works.”

Grateful for the backing of the AGBU, Setrakian admits that her involvement with

the organization has brought her closer to her heritage. “I’ve always felt that it is

something very special to be Armenian, and I have a great sense of pride in my

heritage,” says Setrakian. “But growing up with few Armenians around me, my initial

experience with my culture came mainly through food.

“Since I’ve been to New York, I am more involved with Armenians. If I see an

Armenian name, I am interested to know who that person is. One time when I was on

tour in Ohio, an Armenian man left a note back stage saying that he had a young

daughter interested in musical theater. I called him and gave them a tour of the

theater. It’s connections like that which are real special.”

As for the future, Setrakian hopes to be a powerful artist in the world. “To be a

powerful Armenian artist—like Cher or Eric Bogosian would be really special,” says

Setrakian. “I hope to be a voice that will do something more for us–to make a

difference in the community.”

 

Michael Agbabian Puts AGBU Young Professionals Into Production

“I don’t know if it’s made me more Armenian,” says Michael Agbabian.

“I am as Armenian now as I was before. I guess I am more aware of

being Armenian.”

What Agbabian is referring to is his involvement as chairperson of the

AGBU Young Professionals in Los Angeles (AGBU-YPLA). Having been

involved since the onset of the program when a group first gathered to

discuss the idea in his parent’s home in 1995, Agbabian has been one of many

instrumental professionals dedicated to building the group from the ground up.

The success of the organization has been unprecedented. From the time they

started, the mailing list has grown from 80 to 800 names, and the group has earned a

sterling reputation for its work on ARVEST—a cultural event featuring the works of

famous Armenian artists, musicians and writers. This year was no exception as they

prepared for the largest Armenian world music concert called Uniquely Armenian. In

addition to these large scale events, the AGBU-YPLA conducts special lectures,

gatherings and discussions, created and is supporting a mentoring program to help

troubled Armenian youth, and actively fund-raises for special projects in Armenia.

As an independent film and television producer, and graduate of the prestigious film

school at the University of Southern California, Agbabian spends close to 15 volunteer

hours a week outside of work on business for the AGBU-YPLA. “My position has

given me the opportunity to do something I might not have done otherwise–like

manage personalities,” says Agbabian. “There are a lot of people in the group who

want to be involved in the community and do good. But our biggest challenge is

demographics. We are young, working people whose careers are in their prime. Many

of us don’t have the time to devote to an Armenian organization now. The challenge of

AGBU-YPLA is to maintain the support level, but cut back on the time it takes to

accomplish things.”

Agbabian says that he became more involved in his heritage when Armenia became

independent. “The first really Armenian thing I did was go to Armenia in 1988,” says

Agbabian. “Then in 1989, I did the AGBU Internship Program and in 1990 the

Armenian Assembly Internship Program. Having been to Armenia three times, I have

the advantage of seeing the huge improvements in the country. Compared to other

former communist countries, Armenia is doing well and the Diaspora has a lot to do

with it. The only thing that I think we could improve on is attracting more tourists.

Armenia needs to be more welcoming to outsiders.”

 

Dr. Linda Darian Karibian: Brings Smiles to the Faces of Many

Dr. Linda Darian is in the business of helping others—she keeps her

patients’ smiles healthy and beautiful. Outside her dental business her

practice is the same—contributing to the welfare of her community.

As a first generation American, Darian’s family emigrated from Iran to

Detroit, Michigan in 1956. When Darian was in the 7th grade she

began attending the AGBU Alex and Marie Manoogian School in

Southfield, Michigan, and graduated as valedictorian in the school's

first senior class in 1978. After that she completed her undergraduate

studies at the University of Michigan and graduated from dental school in 1985. Since

then, Darian has worked as an associate and now is in business for herself.

Darian maintains her link to the AGBU school, not only through her involvement

with the school board, but also by visiting the school to discuss oral health and check

the children’s teeth. “When I was invited to join the board,” says Darian, “I was

honored and agreed to do it. I think it is important to give back to one's

community—Armenian or non-Armenian. I’ve been very connected with the school

throughout the years. Not only are most of my closest friends from the school, but

my 4-year-old daughter, Ani, is attending pre-school at AGBU. The fact that she is

learning about our rich language and culture and is making Armenian friends is

important to my husband and me. I also think it is good for Ani to see my involvement

giving back to the school.”

As recording secretary and head of the marketing and public relations task force

this year, Darian keeps very busy. “We have a very cohesive and focused board,” she

says. “Our chairperson gives us specific responsibilities and direction. We see

results and don’t feel like we’re spinning our wheels. It is also easy for me to spend

countless hours for the school because I believe in the inherent importance of an

Armenian day school in the Diaspora. It is easy to assimilate–our students are proud

of their heritage and will carry this pride through adulthood and will be the community

leaders of tomorrow.”

 

Jerry Misk: Chief Camper

At age 11, Jerry Misk was just a happy Camp Nubar camper. The

thought never crossed his mind that 20 years later he’d be the leader in

charge.

Marshaling the people skills he’s honed as an attorney, Misk, for the

last three years, has served as the chairman of the AGBU Camp Nubar

committee. As such he is responsible for hiring camp staff, monitoring

capital improvements and upgrades, and promoting and supporting all camp activities.

Under his leadership, camp attendance is up more than 10 percent, a computer lab

has been initiated, a new recreation and dining facility as well as several new cabins

have been constructed, all the existing buildings have been upgraded, and $1.5

million has been raised.

Misk’s position as chairman marks the pinnacle of his participation with Camp

Nubar. His leadership involvement spans more than 10 years and countless hours.

“It’s hard to say how much time I spend on Camp Nubar,” Misk explains. “Last year, I

was spending close to 40 hours a week. This year, the load has subsided since we

hired a Director for the Camp.”

Born in Lebanon, Misk is of Armenian and Lebanese descent. His Armenian side

was revealed to him through Camp Nubar he explains. “When I was growing up, my

parents spoke Arabic and my last name was Misk. I really didn’t know I was

Armenian until I started going to camp.”

Earning a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law, Misk currently

works as an attorney in New York City specializing in personal injury litigation. In

addition to his involvement with Camp, Misk recently took on the challenge of

co-chairing the 100- year celebration at the Diocese resurrecting the One World

Festival, and is serving on the AGBU auditing committee. “I take great pride in my

culture and my ancestry,” says Misk. “When you are Armenian, everything

relates–friends, religion, traditions. Most of my friends today are friends I made

through Camp Nubar. That is also how I met my wife.”

 

Krista Mooradian Makes Charity a Living

More Americans are making gifts to charitable institutions than ever

before.

That’s good news for Stephen Dunn & Associates president, Krista

Mooradian, an AGBU loan recipient and recent donor herself. A publicly

owned company that is now traded on the NASDAQ small cap stock

exchange, Stephen Dunn & Associates works with many of the major

performing arts organizations in the country to develop strategies and implement

membership, annual fund, special gift, corporate, capital and subscription sales

campaigns. Some current clients in New York include Carnegie Hall, the New York

City Ballet and the New York Philharmonic.

With economic times a-booming, Mooradian says her biggest challenge is filling

the shoes of the founder himself. At 30-something, Mooradian never expected to be

the person responsible for taking the company to the next level. Stumbling upon the

firm in an advertisement in the newspaper, Mooradian began as a marketing

associate and quickly rose up the ranks to account executive, vice president of

marketing, vice president and now president.

How does she do it? Well for Mooradian, leading others is natural. Attending the

University of Vermont majoring in political science, Mooradian was the first woman

elected as student body president in the college’s history. After college, she worked

for various non-profit organizations managing hundreds of volunteers, events and

proceeds. “I worked on a Christmas pageant for United Way— an event for the

American Cancer Society and recruited volunteers for the Midsummer Music Festival

in Minnesota,” she explains. “I moved to California after being hired to manage a

training simulation program for Glaxo Pharmaceutical sales representatives. Since

1991, I’ve been working at Stephen Dunn & Associates.”

Growing up in Lewiston, New York in a half Italian and half Armenian home,

Mooradian recalls that the brightest and most hardworking students in her classes

were Armenians. “I always have found there to be a level of respect given with my last

name,” she says. “Though I definitely grew up more American, I always keep an eye

out for Armenians. I am very appreciative to AGBU for the loan they gave me in

college, and hope my financial contribution now and in the future will make a

difference to students like me.”

 

Harry Dikranian: On the Front Line

Shortly after working as an assistant editor for the New York Port

Authority Magazine, as part of the AGBU Summer Internship Program in

1986, Harry Dikranian got to test out his skills as a journalist on the

battlefields of Nagorno-Artsax.

As part of the Canadian Youth Mission to Armenia, an organization

which Dikranian helped found, Dikranian and three Canadian journalists

were sent to Yerevan and Stepanakert to report on the war. As a result of their efforts,

several stories were published in the Toronto Globe & Mail, Maclean’s, the Montreal

Gazette, and broadcast by the BBC in England, confirming Azeri shooting into

Armenia and Nagorno-Artsax. That started the trend for most major news

organizations to send their foreign or Moscow correspondents to Yerevan instead of

reporting from Turkey or Baku.

Though he didn’t continue with journalism, Dikranian, now an Attorney practicing

commercial litigation at Sternthal Katznelson Montigny in Montreal, remains

committed to serving the Armenian community. In fact, his enthusiasm led him to

participate on the board of the AGBU school in Montreal, to actively participate in the

Canadian Armenian Business Council, complete various projects for AIM Magazine

and the Armenian Bar Association.

“I believe it is important to live an Armenian life and be as inclusive as possible,”

says Dikranian. “But just because we are born to Armenian parents does not make

us Armenian. Everyone has a comfort level for community involvement and our

identification with our inherited culture should lead us to constantly increase that

level.”

For Dikranian, cooperation is the key to our future. “The Diaspora is a vanishing

breed and we need to work together. Many inter-community disputes are often based

on a lack of communication and cooperation at the personal level. The fact that our

communities are shrinking is in some measure attributed to that. Issues of

assimilation and inter-community disputes need to be seriously and continuously

addressed.”

As a first generation Canadian, Dikranian is uncomfortable with the labels

Armenians have created for each other based on where they were born or socialized.

“I couldn’t tell you whether I was more Canadian or more Armenian despite being

perfectly fluent in Armenian, English and French,” he says. “For me, it is not so much

where you come from or if you speak Armenian–but how you exercise your belief in

the culture. Like William Saroyan once said ‘language is not what makes us who we

are.’ I believe this is true.”

 

“Brailling” the Next Generation Culture

While the evidence points to the fact that the new Armenians are beginning to fill

the shoes of their predecessors, an AGBU survey conducted by Harris Polls

Research Group in July 1995 points out the significant finding that a generation gap is

growing between Armenian youth and the older generation.

Young Armenians were polled as to their views about their predecessors, and

described their ancestors as “stuck in the past,” “guilt-driven” and “difficult.” Harris

Polls concluded that “the Armenian community might meet with some real difficulties

unless proactive steps were taken to bridge the gap.” It was also recommended that

AGBU provide leadership roles to young people to forge the generational bonds. “Not

providing leadership could be a lost opportunity.”

Through the many conversations conducted with the next generation, Armenian

volunteers express their frustration at the glass ceiling above. One volunteer notes,

“Everyone wants young people to be involved in the culture, and then when they do

get involved they are not willing to give up positions.

We are brought on as tokens, but the older generation does not trust us to help. It

is a difficult problem. But the facts are that the community has alienated a lot of

people who could have strengthened it. When young people get involved, they can’t

tell the 65 year-olds that they have to change. We are little fish in a big pond.”

Another young volunteer notes the resentment faced by older generation groups as

a result of volunteer activity. “When you are young with fresh ideas, that can be

threatening to people who are used to doing the same thing the same way. I think

sometimes we feel like the enemy, instead of people on the same team.”

“I sense a morality ceiling within the community,” another notes. “A kind of

provincialism. There seems to be a denial and a resistance to ideas that are outside a

certain moral code. I have found many older generation Armenians not wanting to face

issues like gangs or drugs within the community. But these are serious issues that

need to be addressed. Unless the attitude changes, we could very well lose the next

chunk of the future generation.”

Still other young professionals hold strong to the fact that generation has nothing to

do with it. “Basically,” says one of our profilees, “whether you are old or young, I see

that it is the same problem. There are two types of Armenians, or people for that

matter. One who goes out of their way to donate their time and money, and the other

who doesn’t feel that their contribution will matter. I think the groups are fairly split.”

 

Filling the GAP

Since its inception, AGBU has held steadfast to helping Armenian youth prosper.

From Armenian schools, scholarship grant and loan programs, Camp Nubar, the

Summer Internship Program and the young professional groups, AGBU has been

present throughout the lives of thousands of young people. It is through the many

levels and layers of initial involvement that most new generation volunteers have come

to be active with AGBU. However, many new-comers to the organization have

become active having never heard of AGBU before.

“We are constantly searching for ways to increase involvement from this new

generation,” says AGBU Chapter Director Anita Anserian. “The challenge is to create

an environment of camaraderie, enthusiasm, and work without burden. Our most

recent program is a professional program in Armenia. For six to eight weeks,

Armenians from around the world can work in Armenia in the offices of government

ministries, international institutions and organizations, private enterprises as well as

in the fields of their expertise. We’ve had tremendous interest in the program

already–and its only just started.”

 

 

[This message has been edited by JanFedayi (edited June 20, 2000).]

[Guest]

I'm glad you opened this topic.

 

It's true what was said: no matter how feverishly we pursue our careers, we're going back to our roots. This is especially true in the Diaspora. But it can sometimes be so darn difficult finding a balance between these two sides of ourselves. Which is why Armenian role models help. Recently, I saw a special on PBS on Armenian-Americans. I sat there glued to the TV (and I normally don't watch TV all that much) for more than 4 hours. It was a totally surreal experience. Here were these people, who are just like me, on American television (sorry, the people on Armenian Teletime don't do it for me..lol). It was unbelievable, really. They had attained positions of prestige and were respectable members of the community, yet they had also retained their Armenianness. It was one of those life changing moments for me; I wish it had come earlier.

 

My dad recently left for Yerevan (visiting his family, etc) and he asked me what I wanted, what he should get for me. So when he asked me what I wanted, the answer was so quick it surprised even me. I asked for a hand made tapestry from a village in the South of Armenia, a tapestry that featured a scene that's traditionally Armenian (i.e. village girls getting water from the spring, etc). Just goes to show, you can't escape being Armenian. You always long to come back.

 

Gayane

[Guest]

Extremely impressive!!!

 

I have to admit that while I was reading this article I could think how directly it applis to me. I work in a financial services industry and we don't have many Armenians in there. Every time an Armenian name appears I feel kind of different. Mi tesak vonts vor aryune kanchuma. I don't know what it is but it feels so different. A few days ago when I was negotiating a major deal, I came across an Armenian, and you won't believe it, but I got goosebumps from it. He called me up and asked me in his broken Armenian, "Tun Hye es"? I think once people get to certain position they long more toward their roots. Also, it helps a lot to be Armenian. We support each other and one someone applies for a job we always have the prejudice toward one of our own. It really feels special. Being Armenian is similar to being a member of a special club, whose member get priviledges that many envy.

 

Unfortunately a lot of people do not realize this, especially in a densely populated Armenian areas in Southern California. That's why there is this joke which is very true.

 

-Ape Hye es,

-Ha

-Ba khi kaki hame ches hanum,

-Eh, vonts hanem, akhr menak em.

[Guest]

wow...an armenian chick in the financial services industry..must be tough, which is why my hat's off to you )

 

lol..the joke totally applies...lol...

[Guest]

You are right about everything, except the chick part.

 

But there are some Armenian chicks in financial services. I know some in Andersen Conculting and Merryll Lynch.

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gayancho:

 

wow...an armenian chick in the financial services industry..must be tough, which is why my hat's off to you )

 

lol..the joke totally applies...lol...

---

[Guest]

oops..sorry, alpha...hope the email explains )