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Torontonians Anna and Tivene are connecting diaspora and homeland through language
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Since its founding in 2005, the newspaper has been a reflection of the life of the Toronto Armenian community. Two decades later, we are still here, guided by the same mission, carrying the same sense of responsibility, and committed to serving our readers. The story of our newspaper is, in many ways, the story of our community. Our pages have recorded milestones, celebrated achievements, shared concerns, and preserved memories. From the very first issue (printed on the cover of this issue) to the redesigned and rebranded editions published today, Torontohye has remained true to its goal of being a platform for the entire community.
This journey has only been possible because of the vision and dedication of our founders. We also owe a great deal to the contributors, writers, and staff members, past and present, who have generously given their time and effort. Torontohye also belongs to the many organizations, institutions, schools, churches, and associations of our community, whose work and stories fill its pages and give it purpose. The support of our advertisers has helped make each issue possible, and the Armenian Community Centre of Toronto has been a pillar of strength as the publihser and main supporter of the publication. Above all, we are grateful to you, the readers, who continue to give meaning to every issue and every page.
There have been moments of real difficulty. The pandemic suspended our print edition for more than a year. Earlier this year, we faced the sudden closure of our longtime printing partner and had to act quickly to find a new solution. Like many community newspapers, we operate in an environment where print is often pushed aside in favour of digital. Yet each time we have been confronted with challenges, we have found ways to adapt and continue. The strength to persevere comes directly from the trust and encouragement of our community.
Torontohye will continue to serve as the tangible history of the Toronto Armenian community, a place where values, traditions, and achievements are preserved and shared. We remain committed to producing original content that reflects the daily lives, struggles, and successes of our readers. We are here to serve, and we will continue to serve.
Thank you for keeping us going. ֎
Publisher Torontohye Communications Inc. info@torontohye.ca
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Կիրակի, 19 Հոկտեմբեր 2025
Երեքշաբթի, 21 Հոկտեմբեր 2025
Tyndale University, 3377 Bayview Ave., North York, ON M2M 3S4
Yerevan woman pleads for
TORONTOHYE – An Armenian woman based in Yerevan, Tatev Stepanyan, has publicly appealed for assistance in the search for her brother, Taron Stepanyan, who she and Toronto Police Service say went missing in Toronto more than 20 months ago.
In a recent Facebook post, Stepanyan stated that her brother was last seen on Dec. 23, 2023, in Toronto, where he had been living for approximately 10 years with his wife and son.
According to her public statement, Toronto police have been searching for Taron as a missing person. "I am breaking my long silence with an important post," she wrote, describing the "hell" she and her mother have been living through since Taron's disappearance.
The Toronto Police Service publicly tweeted about Taron's disappearance on Jan. 18, 2024. It listed him as being 5'11", 229 lbs, with short brown hair, a brown/ grey beard, and brown eyes. According to the tweet, he was last seen on Saturday, Dec. 23, at 3 p.m., in the city's Morningside Avenue/Kingston Road area.
Tatev is calling on anyone who has information to contact her. She has provided a phone number (+37455228868), which is accessible via Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
She also listed a number of Armenian and Canadian
government bodies and organizations that have been notified about her brother's case, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to Canada, the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, and the Office of the President of the Republic of Armenia.
On September 18, 2025, Lawspec Professional Corporation issued a press release on behalf of the Stepanyan family. In it, the family expressed their deep distress and stated that they strongly suspect foul play may be involved in Taron’s disappearance. They stressed that Taron is a devoted father, brother, and son, and would never abandon his loved ones, especially his young child.
The statement noted the Toronto Police Service's lack of meaningful answers to date, adding that the family is now considering retaining private investigators to explore all possible avenues in the search for Taron.
The family and their legal counsel, Elina Marinosyan, Managing Partner of Lawspec, urged members of the public to come forward with any information, stressing that even the smallest detail may prove vital. They asked anyone with information to reach out directly at info@lawspec.ca or, to remain anonymous, through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. ֎
խօսեցաւ վերջերս հաստատուած «Բուժման նաւահանգիստ» (Healing Harbour) անունով
դարմանումներ (professional therapy), խմբային խորհրդատուութիւն (group counseling)
TORONTOHYE–When two young Torontonians, Anna Mouzenian and Tivene Derohanesian, first met as classmates at the ARS Armenian Private School, they could not have imagined that years later they would be working together to connect Armenia and the diaspora through a project of their own making. Today, that project—LanguageLink Armenia—is bridging communities and generations, offering free English tutoring to students in Armenia while creating meaningful bonds with volunteers in Canada and beyond.
Both Mouzenian and Derohanesian were born and raised in Toronto, where they were immersed in the vibrant network of Armenian schools, churches, dance classes, and summer camps that have sustained the community for decades. Their early experiences instilled a strong sense of belonging and shaped the way they understood their heritage. “Growing up, we were very involved in Toronto’s Armenian community,” Derohanesian recalled. “This led us to always feel a strong connection to our culture. The strength of the Armenian community in Toronto inspired us to want to contribute and build connections to the Armenian community in Armenia itself.”
That inspiration was reinforced during their university years: Mouzenian, who is now pursuing a master’s degree in medical science, and Derohanesian, who recently graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, both attended the University of Toronto. Their different academic paths ultimately converged on a shared vision for giving back.
The idea for LanguageLink Armenia developed gradually, rooted in their lifelong desire to serve the Armenian community. For Mouzenian, the spark came when she realized how much access to English could mean for young people in Armenia. “We always felt a desire to give back to the Armenian community and to strengthen the connection between Armenians in the diaspora and those in Armenia,” she explained. “Over time, we also came to realize how important English can be in opening doors to educational and career opportunities for students in Armenia. That realization sparked the idea of creating a program that could serve both purposes: supporting students in Armenia while also fostering a cultural exchange between Armenian Canadians and Armenians.”
The result was LanguageLink Armenia, a volunteerdriven initiative designed to help students develop their English skills while simultaneously reinforcing ties between homeland and diaspora.
At its core, the program provides free and accessible tutoring sessions that are structured yet flexible, tailored to meet the specific needs of each learner. Recruitment begins in Canada, where Mouzenian and Derohanesian reach out to volunteers through social media and through collaborations with community organizations such as the University of Toronto’s Armenian Students’ Association. “Each volunteer is committed to teaching and building meaningful connections with their students,” said Derohanesian, emphasizing that the effort requires more than simply showing up to a weekly class.
On the other side of the program, students in Armenia are connected through partnerships with schools and organizations that understand the demand for English-language learning. Once enrolled, learners are grouped according to proficiency level and personal goals, ensuring that the lessons are not one-size-fits-all. Sessions typically take place once or twice a week, covering a range of topics that include grammar drills, reading comprehension, and free-flowing conversations designed to build confidence. "Many students have even shared their dreams of studying abroad in the future, and how essential English proficiency would be for that to be possible,” Mouzenian said. “Our mission is to help them achieve their goals."
The founders attribute their success to partnerships in Armenia, which made this vision possible. The Armenian Missionary Association of Canada (AMAC) played a crucial role in connecting them with the Avedisian School in Yerevan, where eager students sought extra lessons beyond their classroom curriculum. More recently, MEM Academy has enabled the program to expand beyond the capital into Armenia's regions, where resources and opportunities to learn English can be significantly limited. "Our partnerships with the AMAC and MEM Academy have been integral to the success of our program," said Derohanesian. "Without them, we would not have been able to reach so many highly motivated students. Together, these partnerships help us connect with students from across the country, representing a wide range of ages and English levels." By reaching rural communities as well as urban centres, LanguageLink Armenia has been able to address some of the educational disparities that exist between Yerevan and the rest of the country.
Since its launch, the program has already supported more than 30 students, and both founders say the most rewarding part has been watching the learners grow in confidence. "The most significant change we have witnessed in the students is their growing confidence," said Mouzenian. "We prioritize creating an environment where students feel comfortable making mistakes. As a result, we have witnessed students become more willing to speak English and even share their perspectives and opinions." For many, the impact extends beyond grammar and vocabulary, as they eventually find the courage to express themselves in a second language and discover that their voices matter. That empowerment, the founders note, often translates into broader aspirations, from academic advancement to dreams of studying abroad.
Building and sustaining a grassroots program requires constant outreach, coordination, and a steady stream of volunteers and institutional partners. While Mouzenian and Derohanesian are grateful for the strong support they have received from AMAC and MEM Academy, they welcome additional connections
in Armenia to scale their impact. "Additional contacts and connections would greatly help us grow our presence in Armenia,” Mouzenian emphasized. "If you have ties to schools or organizations in Armenia, we'd love to explore opportunities to collaborate." It is a call to action not just for potential partners in Armenia but also for members of the diaspora who may be in a position to open doors, make introductions, or volunteer their time.
Looking ahead, the two young founders are determined to deepen and expand their work. "Our long-term goal is to reach more students and broaden access to high-quality English tutoring," Derohanesian explained. "We view this not only as a way to support learners in Armenia, but also as a meaningful opportunity to support Armenian communities globally, including those in the diaspora. By doing so, we hope to strengthen ties between Armenia and the diaspora while equipping Armenians everywhere with valuable language skills that can open doors to education, professional opportunities, and deeper cultural exchange."
In this sense, LanguageLink Armenia does much more than teach a foreign language; it also strengthens bonds across borders, creating networks of mutual support and offering young Armenians the tools they need to pursue their ambitions. And for Toronto's Armenian community, it is also a homegrown reminder of what can be achieved when diaspora Armenians take the initiative to invest their skills and energy in the future of their homeland.
From its beginnings in the classrooms of ARS Armenian Private School to its current reach into Armenian schools and communities, LanguageLink Armenia is a story that belongs to both Toronto and Armenia. It demonstrates how even a small group of committed individuals can make a meaningful impact by combining practical support with cultural connection.
As Mouzenian and Derohanesian continue their work, they invite others—students, volunteers, and institutions alike—to join them in shaping a program that not only teaches language but also speaks to the enduring ties that bind Armenians everywhere. ֎
TORONTOHYE—In a remarkable show of determination and compassion, two young Armenian Torontonians, Khoren Mardoyan and Raffi Demirjian, once again put wheels to work for a greater cause. This time, the pair cycled 176 km from Toronto to Niagara Falls on Sept. 6, raising $25,000 for humanitarian aid in Armenia.
Their initiative, titled 'From Real Estate to Real Aid with Vision in Motion,' aimed to deliver immediate, tangible support to vulnerable communities in Armenia, particularly families forcibly displaced from Artsakh and now rebuilding their lives in unfamiliar surroundings. The funds will support two key initiatives: the purchase of a much-needed ambulance for the Armenian-American Wellness Center (AAWC) in Yerevan, and the shipment of thousands of medical gloves— donated by GlobalMedic—to hospitals across Armenia, with distribution coordinated by the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA).
This isn't the first time Mardoyan and Demirjian have used the power of cycling to support their homeland. In 2022, the duo biked from Toronto to Ottawa to raise funds for Zinvori Tun (Soldier's Home), a rehabilitation centre in Yerevan that provides free care to soldiers wounded while defending Armenia. That effort was part of a larger fundraising campaign organized by the Armenian Relief Society (ARS).
The 2025 ride expanded on that mission, broadening its focus to address the dire healthcare needs of displaced Armenians. Mardoyan, who was born and raised in Yerevan and frequently visits Armenia, has a deep understanding of the needs on the ground. His familiarity with both the AAWC and the AMAA made him a key figure in identifying and coordinating the two-pronged initiative.
One of the central objectives was the purchase of a new ambulance for the AAWC. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of sisters Lina and Dr. Carmen Balian, who fully covered the cost, this goal became a reality. The vehicle will be used to transport patients and extend emergency services to vulnerable populations, especially in remote and underserved areas of Armenia.
GlobalMedic, a Canadian charity founded in 1998 by Toronto paramedic Rahul Singh, donated thousands of medical gloves for the cause. The organization, established in memory of Singh's late friend David McAntony Gibson, is renowned for delivering humanitarian aid to people affected by poverty, disasters, and conflict. GlobalMedic's “Right Aid to the Right People at the Right Time" ethos made them an ideal partner for this mission. With a history of responding to crises in the South Caucasus, GlobalMedic has provided over 8,000 food hampers and 1,280 emergency kits to displaced families from Artsakh in recent years.
The gloves will be distributed across Armenian hospitals through the AMAA, an organization with longstanding roots in Armenia's healthcare and social service infrastructure.
Additional support for the fundraiser came from the Armenian Canadian Medical Association of Ontario (ACMAO), Metras Shipping & Forwarding, Home Life Vision Realty Brokerage, KM Homes Signature, and many caring individuals in Toronto's Armenian community. A key contributor, Andy Lousararian, helped cover the transportation and shipping expenses, further ensuring the project's success.
This past July, Mardoyan encouraged Dr. Cyril Tahtadjian and a representative from ACMAO to visit the Armenian-American Wellness Center in Yerevan. Founded in the 1990s by Rita Balian of the Armenian American Cultural Association and supported by former Armenian parliamentarian and minister Hranush Hakobyan, the AAWC was established to tackle Armenia's devastating breast cancer crisis.
During the visit, the delegation was warmly received by Centre Director Khatchanoush Hakobyan and staff member Mary Ghazaryan, who provided a detailed tour of the facility. What began as a mammography screening clinic has since evolved into a comprehensive medical center, offering a range of preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic services to women and families—especially those who are underserved.
The Centre now includes departments for diagnostic radiology, gynecology, urology, primary care, outpatient surgery, dental services, dermatology, and postsurgical rehabilitation. Thousands of women have benefitted from early detection and life-saving treatment, and the Centre has played a major role in public health education and outreach, often through mobile medical missions in rural areas.
Despite past support from the U.S. Embassy and USAID, funding cuts have made operations more challenging in recent years. The new ambulance and medical gloves are, therefore, timely contributions, enabling the AAWC and AMAA to continue providing accessible and life-saving services.
The September 2023 ethnic cleansing of Artsakh by Azerbaijani forces forced more than 120,000 ethnic Armenians to flee their homes and seek refuge in Armenia. Most arrived with little more than the clothes on their backs. The mass displacement overwhelmed Armenia's already-strained healthcare and social service systems.
While government support has helped in some areas, many families remain in dire need, struggling to secure permanent housing, employment, food, and sometimes even basic hygiene. Initiatives like Mardoyan and Demirjian's offer not only material support, but also emotional reassurance that the global Armenian community has not forgotten them.
Mardoyan's enduring commitment to Armenia, combined with the generous support of the Toronto Armenian community and Canadian humanitarian partners, has once again shown that diaspora-led grassroots action can make a real difference.
"Let us continue our support to our sisters and brothers in our homeland," said a representative of the organizing team. "Every act of solidarity matters—especially when it reaches those who need it most. Whether on two wheels or through compassionate giving, these efforts continue to bridge the distance between Toronto and Armenia—one donation, one kilometre, and one life at a time." ֎
KOERNER HALL
with special guest Kevork Mourad
SAT., NOV. 22, 8PM KOERNER HALL
The Armenian Canadian soprano is accompanied by Kevork Mourad's live drawing to create a unique harmonization of music and art.
TICKETS START AT $65
Generously sponsored by Alexanian Flooring
Generous additional support provided from the Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund for Classical Programming
Title: A Disciplined Passion: Essays on the Works of Keith Garebian
Authors: Elana Wolff, David Bateman
Publisher: Guernica Editions (Essential Writers Series)
Publication Date: September 1, 2025
ISBN: 978-1-77183-961-7
Format: Paperback
Length: 200 pages
A Disciplined Passion is a sterling collection of 24 essays by critics, scholars, journalists, and artists about Keith Garebian, teacher, poet, critic, biographer, memoirist, polymath, and winner of numerous literary awards.
The anthology focuses on the major themes and preoccupations of Garebian: theatre, musical theatre, the deracinated life, (his father was Armenian and his mother Anglo-Indian), poetry, great Canadian actor William Hutt, cancer, sexual identity, Armenians, the Armenian Genocide and how the genocide had marked his father who was a 5-year-old orphan when the Turkish government murdered 1.5 million Armenians and deported the rest into the Syrian desert.
While Garebian is the "star" of the book, the second "star" is David Bateman, the co-editor of the book and the contributor of three probing essays.
The collection begins with the warm reminiscences of Tessa Paucha, who writes about her long-ago days at a Montreal high school where Garebian taught English. Paucha, whose article’s title is the origin of the anthology’s title, commends Garebian for his commitment to his students and for delivering university-level lectures.
Film director Atom Egoyan is another contributor. He says Garebian’s insightful but untitled poem (from Pain) about Garebian Sr. made him acutely aware of his responsibility to his own departed parents.
Brian Bartlett's "Strangers from a Vanished Land" is about Garebian’s awareness of his father's lifelong pain as a genocide victim, an exile. Garebian Sr. was born in Dikranagerd in 1910 and died in Canada in 1995. Bartlett quotes one of the many evocative words which Garebian has deployed to imagine the genocide: "Blood becoming rivers/ souls of the dead that never saw me…"
Bartlett describes the work as "father-son-poetry."
He says through his poetry Garebian is trying to understand his "difficult," "impenetrable," and morose father. Imagining the Armenian Genocide, which Garebian Sr. had witnessed at the age of five, the son has written:
Blood becoming rivers
Souls of the dead
That never saw me
My father comes from that deluge…
"Keith Garebian: An Appreciation" by Rose and David Scollard talks about their discovery of Garebian's Children of Ararat and calls it relentless and powerful.
In "William Hutt: Soldier Actor," reviewer and anthologist David Bateman hails Hutt as having one of the most compelling performing arts careers of the 20th century. He also congratulates Garebian for his thorough, two-volume opus.
In addition to writing biographies, reviewing plays, excavating his relationship with his father, and analyzing the impact of his father’s early experiences on their relationship, Garebian has written half-adozen "How to…" books about the making of "West Side Story," "Guys and Dolls," "Cabaret," "My Fair Lady," and "Gypsy."
In various styles and interests, the contributors have limned a credible and congratulatory portrait of multi-talented Garebian who has said his true home is literature.
The book has more than a half-dozen further perceptive articles ("Poetry as Tribute and Interrogation;" "Witness of the Past: Garebian's against Forgetting;" "SCAN Cancer Poems;" "Pieces of My Self;" and "Voyeur or Witness?") , but the pièce de résistance of the anthology is by co-editor Elana Wolff's scintillating 37-page interview with Garebian. It bookends the anthology. ֎
Brighter I Shine»
MEDICAL CENTRE & PHARMACY
Dr. Rupert Abdalian Gastroenteology
Dr. Mari Marinosyan
Family Physician
Dr. Omayma Fouda
Family Physician
Dr. I. Manhas
Family Physician
Dr. Virgil Huang
Pediatrician
Dr. M. Seifollahi
Family Physician
Dr. M. Teitelbaum
Family Physician
Physioworx Physiotherapy
By Sophia Alexanian
Can people tell you're Armenian without you explicitly telling them? How much information do you need before you detect the 'Armenian-ness' in someone else? How visible are Armenians in your non-Armenian spaces (workplace, school, etc.)?
I've been thinking about this a lot lately. These are rather vain and chauvinistic questions to be concerned with. Can the plebeian masses, the white Anglo-Saxons, and those they've colonized into the mainstream identify that I am not merely one of the cultureless lackeys? Can they sense that I claim an ancient culture, including direct descent from Hayk Nahapet? Are my fellow enlightened compatriots identifiable to me?
I am exaggerating, but only slightly. I'm no nationalist, and I am rather uncomfortable with attempts to categorize Armenians (more on that later). In fact, I doubt that overanalyzing visible belonging to an ethnic group is a particularly good idea. But given that a person's lived experience of 'Armenianism' varies and is dependent on whether they can be clocked as Armenian while out and about, I think we can indulge in some self-centered analysis.
I'm fairly lucky that my main non-Armenian space (the University of Toronto) is somewhat Armenian-aware, at least within my program/ year. This is best illustrated with a silly anecdote. An odar (non-Armenian) girl attempting to make small talk with my lab partner asked him if he was Armenian. He was not, but I (a real Armenian!) was standing temporarily undetected next to him. The odar girl's reasoning for asking him the question upon meeting? He had dark hair, dark eyes, and pale skin, similar to another Armenian classmate.
The fact that the ~2.745 (± 0.55) Armenians within our cohort of over 500 persons (based on the last count of blood quantum) lay claim to such a common and ordinary phenotype without much effort suggests something about our ability to gain visibility. But 'blood quantum' is an invisible and quite frankly pointless metric, and not a traditional way of measuring belonging to the Armenian community. So when we're measuring who is visibly Armenian within a non-Armenian space (including UofT), we are looking at other characteristics.
During my first year of university, a professor did an in-class exercise where students were invited to share if they spoke any languages besides
good idea to out myself to a lecture hall of 100+ people.
I raised my hand and told the professor that I spoke Armenian, so it could be added to a list that already included Russian, Turkish, and several dozen other languages.
The prof made a point to ask me if my last name ended in '-ian' or '-yan'. Satisfied that my Armenian identity was confirmed, he then moved on to the point of this exercise. Turns out, our class of first year students collectively speaks several dozen languages! But individually, even the most linguistically capable student in the class can only claim fluency in a maximum of four languages (and even that was a bit disputed). Lesson learned: Don't compare yourself to the collective. You will never manage to check all the boxes they do as a single person.
So what collective standard is set to be able to identify individual Armenians? In my personal experience, there are several key points. These include, but are not limited to: speaking Armenian; having an Armenian first and especially last name; looking stereotypically 'Armenian'; having a connection to the modern Armenian state (such as visiting Armenia in the summer or having relatives there); partaking in Armenian cultural activities (dance, music, etc.); displaying Armenian symbols (Mount Ararat, pomegranates, etc.); and participation/attendance at Armenian community hubs (Armenian churches, schools, etc.). I'm sure I missed one or two, or perhaps ten, other potential external markers of Armenian identity. Still, this list is pretty representative of what I've noticed makes other Armenians visibly Armenian.
These are all However, no individual is required to check all the collective boxes. Usually, checking one box is enough to be outed as Armenian. These checkboxes are not a moral evaluation of patriotism or a scientific verification of Armenian identity. These are just potential ways to show Armenian identity externally.
Strangely, there is not much anxiety around false positives, like in the case of my lab partner. I guess because a false positive is a harmless statistical anomaly. Neither the Armenian-assumer nor the Armenian-assumed is harmed.
Obviously, this is not the case in more hostile environments. A few years ago, I met an Armenian girl from Istanbul through a diasporan youth program. She had a very Armenian name, and she told me she made sure to never mention it when asked about it. When she was asked about its origin (because it was an unusual name in Turkey), she'd simply say it was her grandmother's name. This was a convenient lie by partial omission, in the interest of protecting her safety and comfort.
So, can we choose whether we are visibly Armenian? Is it possible to conceal our identity?
I didn't really realize how visibly Armenian I was until I got to university and was surrounded by people culturally literate enough to pick up on it.
The TAs checking my ID before grading me could tell I was Armenian from my last name. Anyone asking about which languages I speak will figure it out. Discussions about summer break itineraries and future travel plans will give it away.
Of course, we are always quick to defend against false negatives. Not all diasporans speak Armenian! Not all community members attend church! Some Armenians don't have Armenian
So to fully conceal my identity, I would need to lie about my summer plans, my future aspirations, my linguistic capabilities, and change my legal name. That's a lot of effort, and I'm fortunate that my environment is safe enough for me to avoid taking those precautions. In fact, it's often beneficial to out oneself as Armenian to find community. I've had an Armenian classmate reach out to me after noticing my profile picture in a group chat was of Neil Hauer, a Canadian journalist who covers Armenian issues on the
ground. I can confidently display Armenian symbols without fear, including Armenian data analysis projects on my resume, and Mount Ararat on my notebooks usually results in positive reactions from Armenians and allies.
There's a temptation now to begin to create categories of Armenians based on their ability to choose their visibility and how their environment reacts. It's tempting to compare the differences in lived experiences. If I were more self-indulgent, I would do a full ethnocentric over-analysis, complete with a graph: level of environment hostility in the x-axis vs default Armenian visibility in the y-axis. We could logically derive a good way to categorize the practical ways Armenian identity impacts day-to-day life.
The issue with this analysis would land me in the same quadrant as Kim Kardashian. Both of us live in diasporic communities in Armenianfriendly North America, and both of us are visibly Armenian by default. However, I'm not sure if my
everyday reality is similar to that of a billionaire media personality.
Categorizing Armenians, even when based on what seems like objective differences in lived experiences, proves to be a futile effort. I can find a million and one ways my experience of 'Armenianism' differs from the other Armenians who share my non-Armenian spaces. It reaches a point where I need to ask why I'm doing this. Is this to gain clarity, empathy, and understanding of the varied circumstances Armenians face? Or is this to isolate myself arbitrarily? In short, is this a tool to build stronger and more inclusive coalitions that cater to different Armenian realities, or is this an excuse to opt out of connecting with people who don't perfectly fit my version of Armenian experience? Am I enabling connection or killing it?
My poor lab partner has been the victim of my ethnocentric over-analysis for nearly a year. After my article on beauty culture was published, we were discussing the need to preserve ethnic
features. We agreed that external markers of identity are essential. But he claimed he could tell I was Armenian without relying on physical appearance, last name, or patriotic self-admission. Apparently, my behavior was enough to give it away.
Behaviour? We were interrupted before I could ask him to clarify.
Behaviour like the self-important over-analysis of one’s own culture? Superficial behaviour like gesturing erratically?
Are these behaviours contagious? Will you start triggering false positives if you spend too many consecutive Friday nights writing hardware description language with me?
He never gave a specific answer. It doesn't matter. I'm not going to change. The boxes will be checked. I will be identifiable. I will raise my hand to be sure of it. And I'll include everyone else in my vision. ֎
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Հորիզոնական
3.(գոյ.) գոհութիւն,
6.(գոյ.)
11.(անուն) մեր
12.(գոյ.)
13.(գոյ.)
1.(անուն)
2.(ածական)
4.(գոյ.)
5.(ածական,
7.(գոյ.) թերթի
8.(ածական,
9.(գոյ.) աշխատակից
10.(գոյ.) առեւտրական
(հայերէն sudoku)
While cleaning out their basement, Talin and Raffi discovered an old crate containing 33 coins. The coins were a mix of nickels (5 cents), dimes (10 cents), and quarters (25 cents). As they began counting, they noticed something interesting: the number of quarters was exactly twice the number of dimes. After adding up the total value of all the coins, they found it came to $5.25 (or 525 cents, since 1 dollar equals 100 cents). Can you figure out how many quarters they found?
20th anniversary! (answers on pg. 22)
Armenia is known for its sunny provinces and their abundance of fruits. Farmers put their heart into cultivating the land, which may explain why Armenian produce—especially apricots and pomegranates—has such an exceptional taste.
In a recent survey at the ARS Armenian School, high school students were asked about these two fruits. The results we follows:
• 30% of the students did not like apricots.
• 36 students did not like pomegranates.
• 60 students liked both fruits.
• 48 students liked exactly one fruit (but not the other).
• With this information, can you figure out how many students didn’t like apricots and didn’t like pomegranates?
In Tribute to Armenia, as symbolized by Holy Mt. Ararat, and to the Armenian people who were the first to embrace and adopt Christianity as a State religion in 301, and the first nation to be crucified in 19151923 falling victim to the first genocide of the 20th century. For the glory of a reborn free Armenia world-wide, whose generations of sons and daughters continue to believe in justice world-wide.
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Email: rcrogn@mountpleasantgroup.com
Maria Larin Tel: 647-909-1881
Email: mlarin@arbormemorial.com
4164 Sheppard Avenue East Scarborough, Ontario MIS 1T3
Contact: Tracy Burton
Tel: 416-293-5211
Email: directors@ogdenfh.com
42 Goodmark Place, Suite 1a Toronto ON M9W 6S2
Contact: Fabian Di Maria
Tel: 416-566-6486
Email: orders@thefabhavengroup.com
