"This is where I belong"

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By Talia Oknayan

My whole life I was raised to learn about who I am and where my family came from. When most Armenians come across their family history, they discover all the heroic things their family had to overcome for us to be here today. Learning about the Armenian Genocide was one of the first things I remember in detail because of the existing pain that it caused and continues to cause many people. For over a century we have fought for recognition in remembrance of our people and the unbearable things that the Turks had done to them.

Now history is repeating itself, and we are standing together as always demanding justice. Due to the recent tragedies occurring in Artsakh and Armenia, the Detroit Armenian community wasted no time in showing their unconditional support in the best way they could. On Wednesday, October 7, the Armenian Youth Federation organized a peaceful protest between the Gomidas statue and the fist of Joe Louis in Detroit to advocate for Armenians in Artsakh. Over 350 people participated in support of their homeland in its fight for freedom. To see such strength in each person that night reassured me that not only is this where I should be, but this is where I belong.

I carry an unbelievable amount of pride in being Armenian. I’m always reminded of the many things that we can take for granted sometimes. We have a community that is supportive, friends and family to always lean on, and a history that makes us stronger and more united. In Turkey and Azerbaijan’s attempt to divide us, they have only united us to be strong for those fighting, for those who have lost loved ones and for those who have lost their homes and more. As a community we carry strength, hope and support to those who need it most. It is upsetting and unbearable to watch and have to educate those around me on an issue that we once believed was part of our history, not current events. Armenia deserves and wants peace; it is long overdue.