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What the AYF Means to Me

By Joseph Kaskanian

In the past three years, my life has been substantially influenced through my membership in the AYF. Prior to joining the AYF, my involvement in the Armenian community was very limited, and basically consisted of attending the annual April 24th protest on Wilshire Blvd and reading about other annual events. I was that one Armenian who was constantly struggling to find myself in a sea of others. As much as I had learned about my culture through my family and through word of mouth, nothing could substitute for the genuine understanding of my true identity. The AYF has allowed me to gain that understanding by learning about my culture and realizing that our struggle is worth fighting for.

After graduating high school in 2010, I went to Armenia with Hamazkayin forum, a trip that my parents decided to give me as a graduation present. I didn’t quite know how to feel; I didn’t know too much about my heritage and had no idea what to expect, but I was excited to go. When I first stepped foot in Armenia, I saw Mount Ararat. The image that was framed and hanging in my house since I was a little kid stood right before me. I just stood there and thought back on being a kid and saying, “wow, I can’t wait to see this in real life.” At that moment, it finally hit me that I was in Armenia, and that was the moment when my life began to change.

My memory of the experience I had in Armenia will never change or lose its meaning. The friends I met, the places I went… it was as though the stories I read about were alive. I walked around Armenia not as a tourist, but as an Armenian who is temporarily living away from his homeland. Those three weeks truly helped me rediscover my identity. When I came back to the States, I wanted to join an organization that could help me touch base with my roots and through which I could have an impact bring about positive change. I knew about the AYF but never joined because I hadn’t had an interest or a solid understanding of the organization. Looking back, however, I wish I could go back 5 years and yell at myself for not joining sooner.

 

I don’t know where to begin. The AYF has given me the best three years of my life. The knowledge and skills I have gained from AYF has turned me a whole different man. I am currently the chairman of the South Bay “Potorig” Chapter; we are a relatively small chapter, but we manage to get serious work done in our local community. Because of the AYF, I have developed a strong working relationship with my Congresswomen, State Senator, State Assembly member, and local city councilmembers. My networking skills and social skills have improved, my understanding of politics and its inner workings has developed, and my Armenian language skills have improved significantly.

As Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Gandhi brought change to his community and the entire world, and I want all our youth to follow that example by becoming the change they want to see around them. The Armenian Youth Federation has a positive impact not only on the Armenian homeland, but also on the local community. This is important so that we as Diasporans can remember our past and effectively use that memory to work for a more prosperous future for our community. We are one big family with a vision for change, and it’s time we begin acting like one.

The message that I want to get across to the Armenian Youth is that you should never wait to create the change you want to see in the world. When you have a chance to join an organization that has the potential to change your life in so many ways, you should take full advantage of that opportunity.

As the youth, we are the most effective and important catalyst for positive change around the world. We can’t simply sit back and allow others to make decisions for us; we must become that change by turning our ideas into action. We Armenians are few in number, but we are strong in will and in action.

Now let’s prove it.

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Orange County Community Hosts ‘With Our Soldiers’ Forums

During the month of March, the Orange County Armenian community hosted two events aimed at increasing awareness of AYF’s ‘With Our Soldiers’ campaign.  Both gatherings featured presentations on the progress made by the initiative since its launch last year, with the goal of helping address the medical needs of the veterans of the Artsakh Liberation struggle.

The first event, a community forum open to the public, was organized by the local AYF ‘Ashod Yergat Chapter’ on Sunday, March 3rd at the Orange County Armenian Center.  About fifty activists and members of the public were in attendance to hear reports from the ‘With Our Soldiers’ task force chairman, David Arakelyan, and Artsakh War veteran Balabek Barsamyan, who shared personal stories about his participation in the liberation struggle and answered questions pertaining to the current situation on the border between Artsakh and Azerbaijan.

In his presentation, Arakelyan reported that approximately 50 freedom fighters and members of their families were given medical assistance through AYF’s initiative.  He informed the audience about the procedures implemented by the ‘With Our Soldiers’ task force to verify the identity of the veterans and the types of treatments and surgeries being funded through the program.  During the Q&A session, Arakelyan answered questions regarding the financial aspects of the campaign, including the total funds raised and spent during the course of the year.

“Our community is very supportive of this initiative,” said Hrache Novruzyan, the chairperson of the AYF ‘Ashod Yergat’ chapter.  “This event was organized at the request of our friends and supporters, who have been closely following the activities of the ‘With Our Soldiers’ campaign and are very excited about the work that is being done to help our veterans.”

On March 15th, another presentation about the Artsakh Liberation struggle and the state of veterans in Armenia was delivered by the task force to the Orange County AYF Juniors Serop Aghpiur chapter.  The members were informed about AYF’s work aimed at bringing vital medical aid to our veterans and were given an opportunity to ask questions about the campaign.  During the open discussion session that followed, the youth voiced concerns about the conditions of veterans in the Homeland and talked about ways in which the Diaspora can assist Armenia in solving some of the problems that the country is facing.

“It is very important that we tell our kids about the issues and difficulties our people are encountering in our Homeland at an early age,” stated Nairy Cherchian, the advisor of the Orange County AYF Juniors chapter.  “These stories are very powerful, and they will hopefully motivate our youth to work hard to keep their culture alive and to continue the efforts aimed at strengthening our nation, both in Armenia and in the Diaspora.”

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

 

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Pilibos Students Educated on With Our Soldiers Campaign

Over 150 students from grades nine to twelve gathered at Pilibos Armenian School’s gymnasium on Friday, May 4th to hear a presentation about AYF’s ‘With Our Soldiers’ campaign and its ongoing efforts to deliver vital treatments to wounded Artsakh War veterans.  The event marked the end of the Hye Tahd month that is traditionally held at the school in April with the goal of raising awareness and activism levels on campus.

During the 45-minute presentation, students were informed about the historical background of the Artsakh Liberation movement and its implications for Hye Tahd and our people’s quest for justice.  David Arakelyan, speaking on behalf of the ‘With Our Soldiers’ task force, discussed the reasons for the launch of the campaign and spoke about the variety of health issues faced by freedom fighters in Armenia.  A number of videos featuring veterans who had received assistance from the campaign were shown and were received with great enthusiasm by the students.

“We thought that hosting a presentation about the work that the AYF does for our veterans in Armenia and Artsakh would be a great way to end our Hye Tahd month,” said Natalie Bezdjian, a member of Pilibos’ Parent Hye Tahd committee.  “This is a really important initiative, and we hope that the information shared today will inspire our students to learn more about our past and our people’s struggle.”

Throughout the course of the presentation, the students were asked to answer questions based on the content of the videos and their general knowledge of Armenian history and the Artsakh movement.  Those who were able to give correct responses received gifts in the form of various campaign materials, including Roger Kupelian’s “Dark Forest in the Mountains” DVD and the ‘Always Faithful’ campaign T-shirts.

“These presentations and community lectures are a part of our effort to increase awareness about this campaign and inform as many people as possible about the impact it is having on the lives of our freedom fighters in the Homeland,” said David Arakelyan. “We place a special emphasis on making sure that our youth are both aware of and engaged in these kinds of initiatives, since the nation depends on them to lead our struggle forward.”

The ‘With Our Soldiers’ task force remains committed to sharing information on the progress of the campaign with the community, and will continue its efforts to host similar events in the future with various community organizations, schools, and youth groups.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

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‘With Our Soldiers’ Task Force Releases Financial Update

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In the spirit of accountability and in order to ensure transparency of the work that is being done to assist our veterans in Armenia, the Armenian Youth Federation’s “With Our Soldiers” Task Force has made public the financial information pertaining to the campaign. The information includes the total amount of funds raised and spent, as well as a delineation of the income sources and the expenses that were incurred as of April 30, 2013.

According to the data released, a total of $69,084.93 has been raised through various fundraising activities, as well as contributions from supporters. The bulk of the funds, about 40%, has been donated by individual sponsors and ARF Gomidehs during the main fundraising event for the campaign, which was held on August 18, 2012 at the Pasadena Armenian Center. Contributions of AYF Chapters, which have organized fundraisers of their own throughout the 2012 and 2013 calendar years, have brought in an additional 31% of the funds. The AYF chapters that contributed to the campaign include South Bay, Pasadena, Phoenix, San Francisco, Valley, Glendale, and Burbank. The remaining 10% of the funds came from the sale of promotional items, such as T-shirts and DVDs, as well as ticket sales for various fundraising events, like “Sushi for Shushi” (May 2012) and “Azadamardik Dinner” (August 2012).

To date, $52,062.94 has been spent by the “With Our Soldiers” Task Force to deliver treatments to freedom fighters and to provide the necessary funding for the operations of the campaign. The bulk of the funds was spent on medical treatments (59%) and providing direct assistance to freedom fighters and their families (12%). These services include the purchase of specially retrofitted vehicles for disabled veterans and payments to the family of Hrach Muradian, an azadamardik assassinated in Armenia in April. Thus, the task force has remained committed to allocating no less than 70% of its budget to providing direct help to the veterans in need. It is important to mention that 50 freedom fighters and members of their families have received assistance from the WOS campaign, and the goal is to increase that number even further in the months ahead, as funds permit.

Among other big expense categories are employee (7%) and transportation (4%) costs. The task force representative in Armenia and a doctor at the Yerevan Medical Center have received a small compensation for gathering the necessary documents, arranging treatments, and coordinating the operations of the task force on the ground. Since many freedom fighters are in dire economic conditions, the task force has also provided the funds they needed to reach Yerevan and get the necessary medical checkups and treatment. Some azadamardiks had to make the trip from distant regions such as Tavush, and quite a few had to get to the capital for more than one checkup and/or procedure. They would not have been able to do that without assistance from the campaign.

The other two expense categories, public relations (10%) and veteran videos (7%) are the costs associated with ensuring proper publicity for the campaign. The AYF has partnered with Yerkir Media in Armenia to produce video reports for a number of freedom fighters who have been treated in order to share their stories with the community. The cost of each video is $150, which is a discounted rate received by the “With Our Soldiers” Task Force for the three-stage taping (before, during, and after treatments) and the editing of these clips. PR costs include the creation of the campaign website, the design and printing expenses for brochures and flyers, and the costs of various promotional materials, such as T-shirts. Most of these expenses were incurred in the beginning stages of the campaign with the aim of increasing the awareness of the initiative among the public. Lastly, a samll fraction of the total spending (1%) is the campaign’s administrative expenses, such as the wire transfer fees for sending money to Armenia and the costs of utilities, such as telephone bills, for maintaining the constant communication with the hospital staff and our employees in the Homeland.

To ensure proper accounting, the campaign employees in Armenia send copies of all receipts for medical treatments directly to the task force and submit a monthly report on the expenses that have been incurred during the previous months. Then, those receipts and expenses are matched with the funds that were transferred to Armenia during the course of the month to ensure that there are matching records for every dollar that is spent. All of that information is compiled by the task force and submitted to the AYF Central Executive for review and compilation.

“We are doing everything to make sure that all of the funds are spent in a responsible manner and that our supporters’ contributions are impacting the largest number of freedom fighters possible,” says Caspar Jivalagyan, a member of the “With Our Soldiers” Task Force. “We have tried to get the best prices for all services, medication, and treatments that have been provided, and we have made a lot of effort to partner up with various hospitals and doctors to make sure that we are getting the best deals available.”

The task force will continue to update the community on the progress of the “With Our Soldiers” campaign and will release a final update on both the finances and the total numbers of freedom fighters who have been assisted in the coming months as the treatments are completed and the remaining budget is spent to help an even larger number of veterans in need.

“The AYF has always been committed to ensuring that all of its financial operations are transparent. The ‘With Our Soldiers’ Task Force intends to continue that same tradition as we work to bring vital treatments to our veterans in Armenia and finish the campaign in the coming months,” adds David Arakelyan, the chairman of the “With Our Soldiers” campaign.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

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Thousands Demands Justice for Armenian Genocide

LOS ANGELES – The Armenian Youth Federation – Western Region organized its annual protest demanding recognition of the Armenian Genocide in front of the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 24.

Thousands gathered in protest, demanding the United States and Turkish governments to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide that took place beginning in 1915.

Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian addressed those present, calling for every nation in the world to recognize the Genocide.

AYF members Shant Meguerditchian and Rafi Orphali also gave speeches in English and Armenian, respectively.

“Even though the truth is on our side, this doesn’t mean we should stand idle and let the political system take its course,” Meguerditchian said. “We are here not only to remember the Armenian genocide but all genocides that have occurred thereafter […] We must demand recognition in order to bring justice to the culprits, so that history doesn’t repeat itself anymore.”

The event concluded with the singing of the Armenian National Anthem by the crowd.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

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Intern Spotlight: Joseph Kaskanian

Meet AYF Future Leaders Program intern, Joseph Kaskanian. Joseph is a student of International Business, and will be attending California State Polytechnic University, Pomona this Fall. He has been an AYF member for 3 years, and is currently serving as the chairperson of the South Bay “Potorig” Chapter.

Joseph’s internship will focus on outreach. He has worked tirelessly to strengthen outreach on a local-level in South Bay, and we are excited to have him apply and develop those skills on the central level. He will be researching and making contact with various non-profit organizations, with the aim of strengthening our ties and establishing grounds for new and mutually beneficial relationships.

“What I hope to gain from this internship is a first-hand knowledge of how our organization works on a central level, and the ways in which we can network with other organizations,” states Joseph. He is also excited to gain important leadership skills, through working closely with the Central Executive and Executive Director.

We’re very happy to have Joseph on board for the Future Leaders Program, and we wish him the best of luck in the coming weeks.

Joseph can be reached at Joseph@AYFwest.org.

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AYF Calls on USC to Retract Invitation of Turkish Vice Consul

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) has raised concern regarding the University of Southern California (USC) Center for Public Diplomacy’s decision to invite Tolga Arslan, Turkish Vice-Consul, to speak at the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars (APDS) Conference on Friday, May 3, 2013.

The conference is held annually and has four panels this year focusing on Public Diplomacy’s Domestic Dimensions, Public Diplomacy in Conflict Zones, and Diasporas and Consular Diplomacy. Togla Arslan has been invited to speak on the subject of Diasporas and Consular Diplomacy in order to share his public diplomacy strategies and the most effective ways of engaging with their diasporas. Arslan is not only a representative of a government that actively denies the Armenian Genocide, but he also actively works with organizations in the Diaspora that advocate for the denial of genocide.  This concern should not only be a concern to the Armenian community and to human rights advocates, but to the USC faculty and students as well. Inviting a representative of a government that does not engage in just practices in diplomacy reflects negatively upon the department and its credibility.

It is important that those attending this conference are educated and aware of the ongoing human rights violations by the Turkish government. USC should not allow representatives of foreign governments that have one of the worst human rights violation records to influence our education in the United States. It is important that we be critical and that we speak out when we see individuals like Arslan, through his government, attempting to influence our educational system.

The Armenian Youth Federation calls on the USC Center for Public Diplomacy to retract its invitation to Tolga Arslan, and to be truly critical of the representatives that they invite for future panels.

On November 17, 2012, Arslan was invited to be the keynote speaker at the UCLA Bruin Model UN conference, where he was supposed to deliver the introductory speech to the conference participants. Arslan canceled his appearance at the last minute due to the combined efforts of the Armenian Youth Federation Western Region (AYF-WR), Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR), and the UCLA Armenian Student Association (ASA). (“Vice Consul of Turkey Cancels Model UN Appearance at UCLA”) The BruinMUN organizers thanked the Armenian community for their steadfast commitment to the principles of truth, justice, and human rights.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

 

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AYF’s ‘With Our Soldiers’ Campaign Offers Support to the Family of the Slain Hero

Armenian Youth Federation’s ‘With Our Soldiers’ task force members are shocked and saddened by the news of Hrach Muradian’s murder in Proshyan village in Armenia on April 2nd. A long-time ARF activist and Artsakh War veteran, Unger Hrach was a true patriot, whose contributions to both the national liberation struggle and the state-building efforts after the war have been invaluable.

Having served as the head of Proshyan village in the Kotayk Province since 2005, Hrach Muradian played an important role in assisting the AYF with the organization of its summer ‘Youth Corps’ program in that region. One of the three camps that the program runs every summer for kids from low-income families has been based in Proshyan for the past three years.

‘Through both our cooperation on the Youth Corps program and the daily encounters with Unger Hrach during our summer camp, we had come to appreciate his commitment, modesty, and determination to help us in every way possible to ensure the success of our initiative,’ says Caspar Jivalagian, a former Youth Corps team leader and a member of the WOS task force.

Hrach Muradian’s military path included service alongside the legendary commander Petros Ghevondyan and participation in a number of important battles. He was awarded the Military Cross and several medals for his service to his country and heroism on the battlefield in Artsakh.

“On behalf of the ‘With Our Soldiers’ campaign, we express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Hrach Muradian,” adds Tro Krikorian, a community activist and a member of the WOS task force. “This murder is a big loss for our country, and we call for a thorough investigation of this crime and a just punishment of those responsible.”

The ‘With Our Soldiers’ task force made a decision to allocate funds from the campaign budget to assist the Muradian family in these difficult times. Though no amount of money can relieve the grief of the family, the task force believes that it is important to show support for those who have sacrificed so much for our country and for Artsakh’s freedom.

“This murder is a result of the atmosphere of lawlessness that has been created by the ruling elite in Armenia and that is destroying our country from inside. Once again, our citizens are witnessing the same old tactics being used to instill fear and trepidation in those who have defeated our external enemies and never succumbed to the pressures of the internal foes,” stated the chairman of the With Our Soldiers task force, David Arakelyan.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

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