Liana Aghajanian
"The dispersion of any people from their original homeland"
is the dictionary definition of diaspora, but it doesn't do much to
capture the complexity, challenges, nuance and difficulty of what it
means to function outside of the place you originally came from.
When
you're involuntarily dispersed across the world, forcibly losing
culture, you sometimes spend a lifetime trying to get it back. Sometimes
there is success, but you often end up with more questions. You try to
find your grounding, but end up permanently stuck in limbo.
It is not easy being part of a diaspora, no matter your
background. Things feel fragmented — your identity, your loyalty, your
language and family.
Armenians have been part of the American
fabric for centuries, having contributed to society in ways that are
often unseen — from medical advancements, law, art, entertainment and
politics. These contributions are often ignored or unknown, but
important. They offer a complex, three-dimensional glimpse of our legacy
in this country.
