Armenians abroad

🇦🇲 Emik Avakian was an Armenian American inventor and owner of numerous patents including breath-operated computer, a mechanism that facilitates putting wheelchairs on automobiles, and a self operating robotic wheel that converts manual wheel chairs into automatic. Many of his inventions were geared towards the improvement of disabled people's lives, and he won many awards recognizing these efforts.
♦Of Armenian descent, Emik Avakian was born in Tabriz, Persia in 1924. Avakian was born with a severe case of cerebral palsy, but this did not affect his cognitive abilities. In order to seek medical assistance for Emik, the Avakian family traveled from Persia, to Russia, to Germany, and finally settling in New York City. By the age of thirteen, Emik was already fixing many electrical engineering problems around the household. Although he suffered considerably, Avakian graduated magna cm laude from Eureka College with a degree in physics and mathematics. He later earned his master's degree at Columbia University. Throughout his years as a student, Avakian had trouble communicating with typists who would write down notes for him.
ℹ️ In order to overcome many of the difficulties he experienced in life, Avakian created a series of inventions. One of his more notable inventions was a typewriter that would produce letters from breath rather than typing. The typewriter would operate according to breath measurement and sound that would be blown into four microphones. Although the mechanism was slow, it was still more cost effective to use the device than to hire an assisting type writer.
Another significant invention was the "information retrieval and storage apparatus," which was a machine that could display library and archive information more quickly than other methods.
He resided in Massachusetts with his wife Anne until his death in 2013.

https://www.facebook.com/abroadarmenians/photos/a.107948921793697/132750139313575/

🇦🇲 Emik Avakian was an Armenian American inventor and owner of numerous patents including breath-operated computer, a mechanism that facilitates putting wheelchairs on automobiles, and a self operating robotic wheel that converts manual wheel chairs into automatic. Many of his inventions were geared towards the improvement of disabled people's lives, and he won many awards recognizing these efforts.

♦Of Armenian descent, Emik Avakian was born in Tabriz, Persia in 1924. Avakian was born with a severe case of cerebral palsy, but this did not affect his cognitive abilities. In order to seek medical assistance for Emik, the Avakian family traveled from Persia, to Russia, to Germany, and finally settling in New York City. By the age of thirteen, Emik was already fixing many electrical engineering problems around the household. Although he suffered considerably, Avakian graduated magna cm laude from Eureka College with a degree in physics and mathematics. He later earned his master's degree at Columbia University. Throughout his years as a student, Avakian had trouble communicating with typists who would write down notes for him.

ℹ️ In order to overcome many of the difficulties he experienced in life, Avakian created a series of inventions. One of his more notable inventions was a typewriter that would produce letters from breath rather than typing. The typewriter would operate according to breath measurement and sound that would be blown into four microphones. Although the mechanism was slow, it was still more cost effective to use the device than to hire an assisting type writer.

Another significant invention was the "information retrieval and storage apparatus," which was a machine that could display library and archive information more quickly than other methods.

He resided in Massachusetts with his wife Anne until his death in 2013.

🇫🇷🇦🇲 Patrick Devedjian was a French politician of the Union for a Popular Movement party. A close adviser of Nicolas Sarkozy since the 1990s, he was Minister under the Prime Minister in charge of the Implementation of the Recovery Plan.

By his efforts, France recognized the Armenian Genocide. In the court, Devedzhyan defended the participants of A.S.A.L.A.

In 1995, Jacques Chirac nominated himself for the presidency of France and appointed Devejian as his personal adviser.

After Chirac won the election, Patrick Devejyan received the post of personal presidential adviser on political issues. At the same time, Patrick always remained a faithful and active member of the Armenian diaspora, defending the interests of his compatriots at the highest level. The community’s agenda included the official recognition of the Armenian Genocide by France.

In a short period of time, Devedjian was able to prepare a bill, which was adopted by the French National Assembly in 2000. Thanks to Patrick, the bill was finally passed in 2001. In 2004, Patrick Devedjian was appointed Minister of Industry and held this position until 2005.

In August 2006, he was appointed vice president of the European Movement. This was an important position - through the efforts of Devejyan, EU official bodies linked the issue of Turkey’s European integration with the recognition of the fact of the Armenian Genocide. In the same year, a bill was prepared on the “criminalization of the denial of the fact of the Armenian Genocide” in France, providing for criminal prosecution and a high fine. Then Patrick Devedjian was dubbed “the headache of Turkey”, which the deputy himself received with a smile: “If they think so in Turkey, then my work really brings results.”

Patrick Devedjian, was a part of the Armenian community in France, of which he is a member, is fighting especially for the political recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey. This is on the agenda of the parliamentary review, on the other hand, after 8 years of unsuccessful attempts by the leftists, which referred to 2006. The law passed by France in October 1945 recognized the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

Thirty-five years ago, in 1985, Patrick Devedjian described Asala's actions as "resistance", which in 1975-83. During this period, it took a number of actions to force Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide by the international community. By the way, he was the lawyer of some members of Asala.

In the night of 28 to 29 March 2020, he died of COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.facebook.com/abroadarmenians/photos/a.107948921793697/132159639372625/

🇫🇷🇦🇲 Patrick Devedjian was a French politician of the Union for a Popular Movement party. A close adviser of Nicolas Sarkozy since the 1990s, he was Minister under the Prime Minister in charge of the Implementation of the Recovery Plan.

By his efforts, France recognized the Armenian Genocide. In the court, Devedzhyan defended the participants of A.S.A.L.A.

In 1995, Jacques Chirac nominated himself for the presidency of France and appointed Devejian as his personal adviser.

After Chirac won the election, Patrick Devejyan received the post of personal presidential adviser on political issues. At the same time, Patrick always remained a faithful and active member of the Armenian diaspora, defending the interests of his compatriots at the highest level. The community’s agenda included the official recognition of the Armenian Genocide by France.

In a short period of time, Devedjian was able to prepare a bill, which was adopted by the French National Assembly in 2000. Thanks to Patrick, the bill was finally passed in 2001. In 2004, Patrick Devedjian was appointed Minister of Industry and held this position until 2005.

In August 2006, he was appointed vice president of the European Movement. This was an important position - through the efforts of Devejyan, EU official bodies linked the issue of Turkey’s European integration with the recognition of the fact of the Armenian Genocide. In the same year, a bill was prepared on the “criminalization of the denial of the fact of the Armenian Genocide” in France, providing for criminal prosecution and a high fine. Then Patrick Devedjian was dubbed “the headache of Turkey”, which the deputy himself received with a smile: “If they think so in Turkey, then my work really brings results.”

Patrick Devedjian, was a part of the Armenian community in France, of which he is a member, is fighting especially for the political recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey. This is on the agenda of the parliamentary review, on the other hand, after 8 years of unsuccessful attempts by the leftists, which referred to 2006. The law passed by France in October 1945 recognized the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

Thirty-five years ago, in 1985, Patrick Devedjian described Asala's actions as "resistance", which in 1975-83. During this period, it took a number of actions to force Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide by the international community. By the way, he was the lawyer of some members of Asala.

In the night of 28 to 29 March 2020, he died of COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic.

🇦🇲 Soghomon Tehlirian was an Armenian revolutionary and soldier who assassinated Talaat Pasha, the former Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, in Berlin on March 15, 1921.

He was entrusted to carry out the assassination after having earlier killed Harutian Mgrditichian, who had worked for the Ottoman secret police and helped compile the list of Armenian intellectuals who were deported on 24 April 1915.

Talaat's assassination was a part of Operation Nemesis, a revenge plan by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation against members of the Ottoman Imperial Government responsible for the Armenian genocide during World War I. Talaat Pasha had been convicted and sentenced to death in absentia in the Turkish courts-martial of 1919–20, and was viewed as the main orchestrator of the genocide. After a two-day trial Tehlirian was found not guilty by the German court, and freed.

Tehlirian is considered a national hero by Armenians

https://www.facebook.com/abroadarmenians/photos/a.107948921793697/129543039634285/

🇦🇲 🔹Soghomon Tehlirian was an Armenian revolutionary and soldier who assassinated Talaat Pasha, the former Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, in Berlin on March 15, 1921.

🔹 He was entrusted to carry out the assassination after having earlier killed Harutian Mgrditichian, who had worked for the Ottoman secret police and helped compile the list of Armenian intellectuals who were deported on 24 April 1915.

🔹 Talaat's assassination was a part of Operation Nemesis, a revenge plan by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation against members of the Ottoman Imperial Government responsible for the Armenian genocide during World War I. Talaat Pasha had been convicted and sentenced to death in absentia in the Turkish courts-martial of 1919–20, and was viewed as the main orchestrator of the genocide. After a two-day trial Tehlirian was found not guilty by the German court, and freed.

‼️ Tehlirian is considered a national hero by Armenians

🇦🇲Arthur H.Bulbulian - invented the A-14 oxygen masks, used by the US Air Force during World War II🇺🇸

Born in 1900 in Caesarea, the Ottoman Empire, Bulbulian moved to the United States in 1920. He attended Middlebury College where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He did more graduate work at the University of Iowa, as well as at Brown University. In 1928, Bulbulian enrolled in the School of Dentistry at the University of Minnesota and received a doctoral degree in dental surgery. In 1931, he was appointed instructor of orthodontics at the same school.

His work in the Aero Medical Unit of the Mayo Clinic led to the creation of the A-14 oxygen mask for the US Air Force in 1941. The A-14 mask for combat pilots was frost-resistant, included a microphone for radio communications, and allowed pilots to talk and eat with the mask on.

Arthur Bulbulian was a member of the development team that included Drs. W. Randolph Lovelace and Walter Boothby. The team developed the BLB mask (Boothby, Lovelace, and Bulbulian) – an orinasal and nasal oxygen mask that would be used in medicine, as well as by aviators at high-altitude flights. The BLB and A-14 oxygen masks were used during WWII by the American and British armies.
Dr. Bulbulian was also the first director of the Mayo Medical Museum, the first medical museum in the United States. As such, he developed its exhibits along with staff doctors. He also designed and created exhibits for the Mayo Clinic in 1933 for the “A Century of Progress Exposition” exhibition at the Chicago World Fair.

Born in 1900 in Caesarea, the Ottoman Empire, Bulbulian moved to the United States in 1920. He attended Middlebury College where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He did more graduate work at the University of Iowa, as well as at Brown University. In 1928, Bulbulian enrolled in the School of Dentistry at the University of Minnesota and received a doctoral degree in dental surgery. In 1931, he was appointed instructor of orthodontics at the same school.


https://www.facebook.com/abroadarmenians/photos/a.107948921793697/128923923029530/

🇦🇲Arthur H.Bulbulian - invented the A-14 oxygen masks, used by the US Air Force during World War II🇺🇸

Born in 1900 in Caesarea, the Ottoman Empire, Bulbulian moved to the United States in 1920. He attended Middlebury College where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He did more graduate work at the University of Iowa, as well as at Brown University. In 1928, Bulbulian enrolled in the School of Dentistry at the University of Minnesota and received a doctoral degree in dental surgery. In 1931, he was appointed instructor of orthodontics at the same school.

His work in the Aero Medical Unit of the Mayo Clinic led to the creation of the A-14 oxygen mask for the US Air Force in 1941. The A-14 mask for combat pilots was frost-resistant, included a microphone for radio communications, and allowed pilots to talk and eat with the mask on.

Arthur Bulbulian was a member of the development team that included Drs. W. Randolph Lovelace and Walter Boothby. The team developed the BLB mask (Boothby, Lovelace, and Bulbulian) – an orinasal and nasal oxygen mask that would be used in medicine, as well as by aviators at high-altitude flights. The BLB and A-14 oxygen masks were used during WWII by the American and British armies.

Dr. Bulbulian was also the first director of the Mayo Medical Museum, the first medical museum in the United States. As such, he developed its exhibits along with staff doctors. He also designed and created exhibits for the Mayo Clinic in 1933 for the “A Century of Progress Exposition” exhibition at the Chicago World Fair.

Born in 1900 in Caesarea, the Ottoman Empire, Bulbulian moved to the United States in 1920. He attended Middlebury College where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He did more graduate work at the University of Iowa, as well as at Brown University. In 1928, Bulbulian enrolled in the School of Dentistry at the University of Minnesota and received a doctoral degree in dental surgery. In 1931, he was appointed instructor of orthodontics at the same school.

🇦🇲Stephen Stepanian - invented in 1935 a mobile concrete mixer on the chassis of a truck, which gave a huge boost to the entire global construction business.🇺🇸

https://www.facebook.com/abroadarmenians/photos/a.107948921793697/128672719721317

🇦🇲Stephen Stepanian - invented in 1935 a mobile concrete mixer on the chassis of a truck, which gave a huge boost to the entire global construction business.🇺🇸

Stephen Stepanian (February 28, 1882 – October 1964) was an Armenian American inventor and owner of numerous patents including the Elevator and Conveyor, Compound Tool, and the Wrench. He is also accredited as the inventor of a self-discharging motorized transit mixer that was the predecessor of the concrete mixer truck. Stepanian is often called the "father of the ready-mix concrete industry."

Of Armenian descent, Stepanian moved to Grandview Heights, Ohio, in 1906. He is credited with rescuing 13 people from a tree using a makeshift raft during the 1913 flood in Columbus, Ohio. They had been in the tree some 48 hours when Stepanian used a raft he made from floating timbers and a pole to navigate them, 2-3 at a time, to safety. He resided on Glenn Avenue near Bluff. Stepanian became president of Marble Cliff Quarries and the Central Ohio Concrete Company. Eventually, Stepanian founded the Arrow Concrete Company, a company that is still in service today. He was elected as an honorary member of the board of directors for the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association.

Stepanian was honored by the 1954 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association annual convention which named him an honorary lifetime member. In 2004, Stepanian was selected as one of the Top 100 Transportation Private Sector Professionals by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.

Stephen invented a self-discharging motorized transit mixer that was the predecessor of the concrete mixer truck and applied for a patent in 1916. However, the patent was rejected in April 1917 by the patent office because it was believed that a truck could not support the weight of a concrete mixer on top of it. The patent office also noted that there was no previous patenting information that proves integration was possible with both the mixer and the design of the truck. Other sources suggest that the patent was rejected because Stepanian was not an American citizen. However, on December 21, 1928, Stepanian reapplied for the patent and received approval on November 21, 1933.

🇨🇴 City of Armenia - is the capital of Quindio Department. Armenia is a medium-sized city and part of the "coffee triangle" with Pereira and Manizales.

📍 The Colombian city of Armenia was named in 1880 after an estate owned by Armenians who came to South America. It received the status of a city 9 years after its foundation. The population was growing rapidly. On October 14, 1889, the authorities recognized Armenia as a functioning city.

The new settlement was originally named Villa Holguín in honor of then-President Carlos Olgin Mallarino. Impressed by the news of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey in 1915 after the Hamidian massacre that swept the world, the city was soon renamed Armenia in honor of the martyred Armenians.

Like other Colombian cities that traditionally had double names, Armenia also has a second name, the ''Miracle city'' (ciudad de los milagros), which it received for its extraordinary, rapid development, aided by its inhabitants. Poverty is practically absent in Armenia, although the locals do not like too much luxury. At present, Armenia is the youngest of the capitals of all the Colombian states, the center of the most economically prosperous region of the country.

🇺🇲 Anna Ter-Vartanian - The first female master chief petty officer in US NAVY

♦️Anna Der-Vartanian was the first woman in the United States to achieve the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer, the highest rank for enlisted personnel in the U.S. Navy.

🛑She was born and raised in Detroit in 1920, Michigan, and joined the Navy through the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) program during World War II. Although she faced challenges during her military service because she was a woman, her steadfastness and discipline gained her the respect of her peers, ranking officers and subordinates.

🧰 The military career of a young girl was rapidly moving forward. In 1959, Ter-Vartanian entered US history by becoming the first and last woman to be awarded the title of officer of the highest category in the US Navy.

In 1964, her career in the Navy ended and the brave Armenian woman joined the CIA as a counterintelligence specialist. In particular, Ter-Vartanian worked in Europe and the Middle East. In one of her interviews, the woman admitted: “I cannot tell you about this work of mine. I traveled a lot and it was very interesting. That's all I can tell you."

🥇She was awarded the National Defense Medal, as well as many other military awards, for her service. As an exemplary female soldier, she is remembered for blazing a path for women in the United States military.

📍 Anna was fluent in French, English, Armenian and spoke a little German.

🇦🇲 “I am Armenian, but I have never been to my homeland. I really hope that someday I will fulfill the dream of my parents and go to Armenia, ”Anna once admitted. But she never managed to visit Armenia.

✝️ Having devoted her whole life to her career, she never married. She had no children and lived the last years of her life with her nephews. Anna Ter-Vartanian passed away in 2011 at the age of 90. She was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

🇷🇺🇦🇲 Artur Chilingarov - a man who conquered the Arctic and Antarctic.Why Artur Chilingarov became a hero of both the Soviet Union and Russia.

There are only 4 daredevils in the world who became both the heroes of the Soviet Union and Russia. One of them is the famous polar explorer, the conqueror of the Arctic and Antarctic, Armenian Arthur Chilingarov (Արթուր Չիլինգարով).

Artur Chilingarov was born back in 1939 in Leningrad. His father was a well-known party leader from Armenia, who moved to work in the northern capital.

Arthur Chilingarov, who survived the blockade as a child, dreamed of conquering the seas and icy latitudes from his youth. He graduated from the Leningrad Higher Marine Engineering School with a degree in oceanography. He worked on scientific expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Artur Chilingarov led a scientific expedition on the nuclear-powered ship Siberia to the North Pole, was responsible for the transcontinental flight of the Il-76 aircraft to Antarctica. He tested helicopters and airplanes in the central regions of the Arctic Ocean and at the South Pole. And he even personally lit the Olympic flame at the North Pole during the Olympic torch relay in Sochi-2014.

Artur Chilingarov became a Hero of the Soviet Union back in 1986. He completed the most difficult task. At the risk to his health and life, he led the most difficult work of rescuing the crew of the Mikhail Somov research ship from the 133-day ice captivity of Antarctica.

But Arthur Chilingarov received the Gold Star of the Hero of Russia in 2008. For the masterful leadership of the Arktika-2007 expedition.

As part of this expedition, people, including Artur Chilingarov himself, for the first time in history, plunged to the ocean floor directly at the North Pole. To a fantastic depth of 4300 meters!

“I always miss Armenia very much,” Artur Chilingarov himself says in an interview. - When they broadcast songs for polar explorers on the radio, I always asked to put on the Armenian one - “Ov, sirun, sirun”.

Such is the hero, the Armenian who conquered the Arctic and Antarctic! Deserved pride of Russia and Armenia!

🇹🇷 We mark 15 years since the assassination of Hrant D**k

January 19, 2022 marks the 15th anniversary of the assassination of prominent Istanbul Armenian journalist Hrant D**k.

Hrant D**k - the editor-in-chief of Agos, the only weekly published in Armenian and Turkish in Turkey -was shot dead from the three gunshots fired to his head from behind by Turkish ultra-nationalist Ogun Samast on January 19, 2007, in front of the then office of this newspaper — and on national grounds. In 2011, Samast was convicted of D**k's assassination, but questions still remain about the involvement of Turkish state security forces in the case.

In June 2007, Hrant D**k was posthumously given the award of the President of Armenia.

🥊 Arthur Abraham is a true boxing hero of 🇦🇲Armenia, 🇩🇪Germany and the whole world

ℹ Arthur Abraham (real name - Avetik Abrahamyan) - this legendary Armenian became one of the best boxers in the history of Germany.

Artur Abraham was born in Yerevan in 1980. From a young age, he was drawn to big sports. True, at first he was fond of bicycles - he even managed to become the champion of Armenia in cycling.

In 1995, Arthur's family was forced to move from Armenia to the ancient German city of Bamberg. Here, fifteen-year-old Abraham seriously and for a long time became interested in boxing.

Interestingly, Arthur did not break ties with his native country. Artur went to Armenia to train - there has been an excellent boxing school since Soviet times.

In 1999-2003, Artur fought about 90 fights as an amateur, winning 81. Our hero became the champion of Armenia in boxing among amateurs three times. And he even served military service in the Armenian army.

In 2003, Arthur made his debut as a professional boxer - already in Germany. Won 12 fights in a row. And in 2005 he won the IBF middleweight world title. In addition, Arthur became the world champion in another boxing version - WBO.

I don't like weak opponents, - said Arthur. - Only the strong. Because I box fight a belt, not for money.

Arthur was recognized three times in Germany as a boxer of the year. And in 2006, he even received German citizenship without parting with an Armenian passport.

It is curious that one of his most famous fights, against Colombian Edison Miranda, Arthur won in 2004 with a broken jaw. After surviving on painkillers for six whole rounds and winning by unanimous decision.

It is better to fall in a fight than to give up and fall on your knees, - says the famous Armenian boxer.
For his incredible boxing success, Arthur Abraham received from the German fans the speaking nickname ''King Arthur''.

By the way, few people know: Arthur Abraham also has a higher education - he is not only a professional boxer, but also a professional lawyer. And he mastered the German language so well that he even worked as a sports commentator on the German channel ARD.

Armenia also does not forget its famous native boxer: Arthur Abraham was awarded the Andranik Ozanyan Armed Forces Medal, the 1st Class Medal for Services to the Fatherland. He is an honorary citizen of his native Yerevan.

Arthur Abraham had his last professional fight in 2018, defeating Patrick Nielsen on points. In total, he has 53 fight pros, 47 wins.

🇺🇸🇦🇲 How and when the Armenians appeared in California

ℹ The Armenian community of the US state of California is one of the largest Armenian diasporas outside of Armenia proper.

📍 It is believed that according to various estimates, up to 3 million Armenians from different waves of migration can live in California. As descendants of Armenian refugees from the Ottoman Empire in 1915, as well as recent economic migrants from Armenia itself and the entire former USSR. As well as Armenians who arrived from the eastern countries - Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Syria.

California attracted Armenians with its special warm climate, very reminiscent of the climate of his native Armenia. Here it was possible to do business calmly, to establish the most diverse production. To make, for example, fine wines or to make films.

Not surprisingly, California's largest city, Los Angeles, is in the top 5 largest places in the world with the largest Armenian population. Along with Yerevan, Sochi, Marseille,Beirut and Moscow.

Interestingly, the first Armenians arrived in California at the end of the 19th century, when the Mexicans had just conquered this land from Mexico. At first they were Armenian gold diggers, industrialists, merchants. For example, the famous carpet merchants, the Pashgyan brothers.

The first Armenian settled in Los Angeles in 1900 - according to archival data, he was a university student who came here on vacation from New York. And by 1923, about 4 thousand ethnic Armenians lived here.

Now Armenian schools operate in California, Armenian shops are open. Services are being held in Armenian Christian churches, apostolic and Catholic. There are Armenian newspapers and Armenian television.

Armenian George (Gurgen) Deukmedjian also reached the highest post in California - he became the governor in 1983 and until 1991. By the way, the most successful in history, according to most Californians. It is interesting that Deukmedjian loved California so much that he did not want to move from the chair of its leader even to the post of Vice President of the United States!

Among other well-known Californian Armenians are Hollywood actress Angela Sarafyan, legendary rocker from the System of a Dawn group Serj Tankian, cult television personality Kim Kardashian, world pop music icon Cher Sarkisian.

In California, in his declining years, the legendary Armenian chansonnier Boka (Boris Davityan) lived and ended his days in the summer of 2020. The famous Armenian musician Arsen Petrosov, the author of the immortal restaurant hit "Kaifuem", lives and works here permanently.

The University of California (in San Francisco) also graduated from the second Armenian Nobel laureate - molecular biologist Ardem Pataputyan.

The famous Armenian suburb of Los Angeles, Glendale, is rightfully considered one of the safest and cleanest areas of the main city of California.The Armenian language is fixed here as an official language - for example, you can pass an exam for a driver's license in Armenian.

California today has the highest honor of being home to the largest Armenian community in US. The largest Armenian community outside of Armenia, - the ex-governor of the state, the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger, said in his speech. - This community itself and its current prosperity in and for the benefit of all of California is a constant proud reminder of the courage of the Armenian people, their fantastic ability to survive even in a situation of extreme injustice in their historical homeland.