History
Becoming an Armenian Citizen
On August 14, 2019, I swore an oath to become a citizen of the Republic of Armenia. It was a decision that felt so natural to me, but many of my friends and family wondered […]
Family Histories
History
Too Young to Die
On December 24, 1924, when the rest of the world was celebrating Christmas Eve, Charles and Mary Terzian, an Armenian couple living in Los Angeles, California, were celebrating the birth of twins—Samuel and Dorothy. Like […]
Reflections
A Dedication to my Dad
I have never written anything about my dad—Nishan Salibian. In fact, I don’t think anyone has. That’s why when his only granddaughter Leeza asked me to write a tribute in his memory for Father’s Day, […]
Family Histories
An Extraordinary Birthday During Extraordinary Times
I never visit my mom on her birthday, and my mom is just fine with that. Mom’s birthday is at the end of May. And since Mother’s Day is the second Sunday in May, there’s […]
Family Histories
My Grandfather’s Story
I recently spoke with a friend of mine. I learned that he is working on ‘triage’ at a Boston hospital in this pandemic. I didn’t know what that meant and looked it up. It read […]
Family Histories
Our Land: Finding My Family’s Village in Western Armenia
This is a sequel, long overdue, to my piece Mascots and Flags: Thoughts from a Genocide Amusement Park. That piece was written in a couple of hours, fueled by the raw horror of finding my […]
Family Histories
You Can’t Escape Destiny
I was never one to believe in destiny. But, as the Armenian proverb says, you can’t escape it. Earlier this month, I randomly googled my mother’s maiden name. In the list of search results, “Charles Mooshian” […]
Family Histories
Long Lost Cousins
It was a very busy day in May of 2016, as I was trying to come to terms with what had happened a few months ago. I was so tired, but for some reason I […]
Reflections
The Children of That Generation
“April 24, 1915, what once bore Western Armenia has been wiped off the map,and from the blood of one and a half million Armenians the flowers once again were lit with a furious flame and […]
History
A Letter to an Armenian Hero
Dear Harry, In the early twenties, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, a little Armenian boy was playing with his brother and sisters in the snow. That little boy was you, Harry. Like so many Armenians, your […]