We Are All Armenian: Voices from the Diaspora

by Aram Mrjoian (Editor)

A collection of essays about Armenian identity and belonging in the diaspora.

In the century since the Armenian Genocide, Armenian survivors and their descendants have written of a vast range of experiences using storytelling and activism, two important aspects of Armenian culture. Wrestling with questions of home and self, diasporan Armenian writers bear the burden of repeatedly telling their history, as it remains widely erased and obfuscated. Telling this history requires a tangled balance of contextualizing the past and reporting on the present, of respecting a culture even while feeling lost within it. We Are All Armenian brings together established and emerging Armenian authors to reflect on the complications of Armenian ethnic identity today. These personal essays elevate diasporic voices that have been historically silenced inside and outside of their communities, including queer, multiracial, and multiethnic writers. The eighteen contributors to this contemporary anthology explore issues of displacement, assimilation, inheritance, and broader definitions of home. Through engaging creative nonfiction, many of them question what it is to be Armenian enough inside an often unacknowledged community.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays

224 pages, Hardcover

Published March 14, 2023

About the author

Aram Mrjoian is the managing editor of Michigan Quarterly Review, an editor-at-large at The Rumpus, and a 2022 Creative Armenia-AGBU Fellow. Aram has previously worked as an editor at the Chicago Review of Books, the Southeast Review, and TriQuarterly. He is also the editor of the anthology We Are All Armenian: Voices from the Diaspora. His writing has appeared in the Guardian, Runner’s World, Literary Hub, Catapult, West Branch, Electric Literature, Gulf Coast, Boulevard, Joyland, Longreads, and many other publications. He holds an MFA in creative writing from Northwestern University and a PhD in creative writing from Florida State University. He lives in Michigan

Reviews

[Anna Vardanyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully curated anthology of Armenian authors, each of whom explores what it means to be Armenian today. As an Armenian, who has always appreciated her roots yet often shunned them, having grown up in a hostile environment where Armenians weren’t welcome, and embracing her Armenianness in full only in her twenties, it’s tough to put into words how much this book means to me. Although some of the perspectives featured in this book could not have been more distant from the way and the place I had grown up, I felt like this book saw right into me. I especially appreciate the voices of many Black and queer Armenians being uplifted in this book.

[Սամուէլ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit that I entered this anthology with a bit of skepticism, perhaps after having read so many seemingly repetitive Armenian Weekly articles about individuals' insecurities vis-à-vis their Armenianness and self-perceived lack of competence in the Armenian language.

HOWEVER, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that I connected with some element of literally every single piece included. I think it goes without saying, but merits repetition that this anthology is very North America-centric (which the editors admit, despite the title seeming to indicate otherwise), but nevertheless, within that framework the contributors provide an impressive variety of experiences of North American Armenianness, from the families of the first wave (Fresno, Watertown) to recent immigrants from the Republic and the Middle East (Little Armenia, Worcester, New York , Toronto, Montréal...), and everything in between.

I loved the anthology in the end and saw pieces of my own and my family's experience in every chapter. Admittedly the fact that I know multiple contributors "irl" made it all the more enjoyable, but I really think that the work as a whole does a surprisingly good job at documenting Armenianness in the "New World".

As an Armenian born in the States, who lived for several years among Ashkenazi Jews and now lives in Western Europe, the piece that really spoke to me the most was Hava Nagila by Naira Kuzmich (Աստուած հոգին լուսաւորէ). She describes so many phenomena that I have struggled to put words to: the paradox of being finally seen as American, while simultaneously being racialised even more clearly, the first real encounters with Turks (outside of Turkey), the confusing and tone-deaf pride of White Europeans in believing that they have transcended their own historical crimes...

I commend the editors and the contributors for taking on such a feat and have recommended the volume to multiple friends.


PS - For anyone interested in similar works, I would highly recommend Food for Our Grandmothers: Writings by Arab-American and Arab-Canadian Feminists, an anthology from the '90s with a few Armenian contributions as well.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to editor Aram Mrjoian for this varied and fascinating collection of essays by Armenian Diaspora writers, a number of them friends of mine. I’m proud that my essay “Language Lessons” is included.

[Adrineh · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a queer Armenian woman who grew up in Toronto's Armenian community, I felt myself reflected in many of the stories presented here—and for that I am truly grateful.

It's always a challenge compiling an anthology or a collection of essays as the very nature of a collection is one of inclusion and exclusion. So I do wonder about the many other voices not captured in this collection, while being deeply appreciative of the breadth and depth of the representation. For one thing, these stories reflect the Armenian-American and Armenian-Canadian experience (large diasporas, to be sure).

I would've also loved to see more positive, uplifting, and even humorous stories, as, Scout Tufankjian says in the essay that gives this collection its name, “The history that we reflect is so much more than our shared trauma.” Armenians are more than our shared trauma, and if you spend any time among us, you'll see that we have a great sense of humour. We need to recognize and celebrate that humour too—no doubt it's helped us survive and be as resilient as we are.

Thank you, Aram Mrjoian, for this valuable collection of essays, which will have its place in the canon of Armenian literature. I'm looking forward to the upcoming Literary Lights event to hear you discuss this book with some of the contributors: https://armenianliterary.org/literary....

[Denna Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought I would be able to purchase something that contains my soul, but here we are. Thank you all for such a special book.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

ENG/ԱՆԳ։
"We Are All Armenian: Voices From the Diaspora" is an excellent anthology of essays that ponder the meaning behind Armenian identity, and the essays are written by various diaspora Armenians from all different backgrounds. Just about anyone who knows me irl knows that I am a diaspora Armenian and a descendant of Armenian Genocide survivors, and very loud and proud about it. I'm so glad this book exists to share stories about my people.

I liked the variation in the essays, both in the writers' backgrounds/perspectives and the topics they chose to write about. Some essays tackled more issues within the community (i.e., intergenerational trauma, homophobia/transphobia in Armenia, language barriers in the diaspora), while others dealt more with issues faced from the outside (i.e., genocide denial, pan-Turkism, general Armenophobia, Orientalism); both are really important. I'll write about a few of my favorites.

-Sophia Armen's essay "Where Are You From? No, Where Are You Really From?" was a powerful story of the author's experiences as an Armenian-American who took it upon herself to embrace her roots.

-Chris Bohjalian talked about his experiences as a mixed Swedish and Armenian person when he first visited the homeland. I too happen to be mixed Swedish and Armenian and I genuinely think this is the first time I've seen my specific mixed background represented in Armenian literature.

-Naira Kuzmich wrote a really powerful line about her experience with a Turkish man in Germany. "I only wanted him to know I would never say 'Turkish Pizza,' like I knew he would never say 'Armenian Genocide.'" This was such a powerful statement of resistance, and I think it really shows the scope of the issue. She also did a really good job encapsulating the feeling of fear that many Armenians experience in or near Turkish spaces due to the lack of reconciliation from the Armenian Genocide, and the fact that to this day, the government of Turkey and Turkish nationalists deny that it ever happened and fund Azerbaijan's aggression in Armenia.

-Scout Tufankjian made a great point that "our story began thousands of years before 1915, and by no means did it end there." I enjoyed reading about her passion project that is writing about and photographing Armenians from all different backgrounds all over the world — because our story is not over.

I highly recommend this book to Armenians and non-Armenians alike; in fact, I would especially recommend it to Turkish, Azeri, and Russian people who are looking to reconcile with the Armenian community and be allies in our fight for justice and to have our history recognized. Like Tufankjian said, we have thousands of years of rich history before 1915, and we still exist today despite the many that tried to eradicate us. I encourage people to pick up this book and learn more about my people. :)

ARM/ՀԱՅ:
"Մենք բոլորս հայ ենք, Սփյուռքի ձայները" էսսեների հիանալի անթոլոգիա է, որը խորհում է հայկական ինքնության իմաստի մասին, և էսսեները գրված են տարբեր ծագում ունեցող սփյուռքահայերի կողմից: Գրեթե բոլորը, ովքեր ճանաչում են ինձ, գիտեն, որ ես սփյուռքահայ եմ և Հայոց ցեղասպանությունը վերապրածների ժառանգ եմ, և ես շատ բարձր ու հպարտ եմ դրա համար: Ես այնքան ուրախ եմ, որ այս գիրքը գոյություն ունի իմ ժողովրդի մասին պատմություններով կիսվելու համար:

Ինձ դուր եկավ էսսեների տատանումները՝ և՛ գրողների ծագման/տեսանկյունների, և՛ այն թեմաների վերաբերյալ, որոնց մասին նրանք ընտրել էին գրել: Որոշ էսսեներում ավելի շատ խնդիրներ են արծարծվել համայնքի ներսում (միջսերնդային տրավմա, հոմոֆոբիա/տրանսֆոբիա Հայաստանում, լեզվական խոչընդոտներ սփյուռքում), իսկ մյուսներն ավելի շատ անդրադարձել են դրսից (ցեղասպանության ժխտում, պանթուրքիզմ, ընդհանուր հայատյացություն, օրիենտալիզմ); երկուսն էլ իսկապես կարևոր են: Ես կգրեմ իմ սիրելիներից մի քանիսի մասին:

-Սոֆիա Արմենի "Որտեղի՞ց ես, ոչ, իրականում որտեղի՞ց ես" էսսեն: Հեղինակի՝ որպես ամերիկահայի փորձառությունների հզոր պատմություն էր, ով իր վրա վերցրեց հիմք ընդունելը:

-Քրիս Բոհջալյանը պատմեց իր փորձառությունների մասին, որպես շվեդ ու հայ խառն անձնավորություն, երբ առաջին անգամ այցելեց հայրենիք: Ես նույնպես շվեդ ու հայ եմ խառնված, և իսկապես կարծում եմ, որ սա առաջին անգամն է, որ տեսնում եմ իմ կոնկրետ խառը ծագումը ներկայացված հայ գրականության մեջ:

-Նաիրա Կուզմիչը իսկապես հզոր տող է գրել Գերմանիայում թուրք տղամարդու հետ ունեցած իր փորձի մասին: "Ես միայն ուզում էի, որ նա իմանար, որ ես երբեք չեմ ասի 'թուրքական պիցցա,' ինչպես գիտեի, որ նա երբեք չի ասի 'Հայոց ցեղասպանություն':" Սա այնքան հզոր դիմադրության հայտարարություն էր, և կարծում եմ, որ դա իսկապես ցույց է տալիս հարցի շրջանակը: Նա նաև իսկապես լավ աշխատանք կատարեց՝ ամփոփելով այն վախի զգացումը, որը շատ հայեր ապրում են թուրքական տարածքում կամ մերձակայքում՝ Հայոց ցեղասպանության հետ հաշտեցման բացակայության պատճառով, և այն փաստը, որ մինչ օրս Թուրքիայի կառավարությունը և թուրք ազգայնականները հերքում են դա։ երբևէ տեղի է ունեցել և ֆինանսավորել Ադրբեջանի հարձակումները Հայաստանի վրա:

-Սկաուտ Թուֆանկջյանը մի մեծ նկատառում արեց, որ "մեր պատմությունը սկսվել է հազարավոր տարիներ առաջ 1915թ.-ից և ոչ մի կերպ չի ավարտվել դրանով:" Ես հաճույքով կարդում էի նրա կրքոտ նախագծի մասին, որը գրում և լուսանկարում է աշխարհի տարբեր ծագում ունեցող հայերի մասին, քանի որ մեր պատմությունը դեռ ավարտված չէ:

Խիստ խորհուրդ եմ տալիս այս գիրքը ինչպես հայերին, այնպես էլ ոչ հայերին; Իրականում, ես դա հատկապես խորհուրդ կտայի թուրք, ադրբեջանցի և ռուս մարդկանց, ովքեր ձգտում են հաշտվել հայ համայնքի հետ և դաշնակից լինել արդարության համար մեր պայքարում և ճանաչելու մեր պատմությունը: Ինչպես Թուֆանկջյանն ասաց, մենք հազարամյակների հարուստ պատմություն ունենք մինչև 1915 թվականը, և մենք դեռ կանք այսօր՝ չնայած բազմաթիվներին, որոնք փորձել են ոչնչացնել մեզ: Ես կոչ եմ անում մարդկանց վերցնել այս գիրքը և ավելին իմանալ իմ ժողովրդի մասին:

[Olivia Katrandjian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A diverse collection of meditations on what makes us each Armenian, and how our identities have shaped our lives. I’m honored to be included among these talented diasporan writers who reflect on their relationship with our culture in ways at times eye-opening, at times celebratory, at times deeply painful, and in the end, unifying despite the vast array of our experiences and upbringings. Thank you to editor Aram Mrjoian for bringing us together so thoughtfully.

[Tamar Alexanian · Rating 5 out of 5]

To create a hierarchy or checklist of one's right to their ethnicity is an act of violence.

But in many ways, Armenia has chosen me, and I have chosen it to love like family. And like any family, our love is complicated. We place demands on each other that we can't always fulfill.

I learn into the resilience I learned from the Armenian community to survive the Armenian community.

It has always been a strange paradox to acknowledge the fact that the United States, a nation built by Black slaves on stolen Indigenous land, has given my Armenian family freedoms and opportunities they never could have imagined under the Soviet Union. I accept this truth while also understanding this country is stepped in systemic white supremacy.

[Sananne Wartabetian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This essay anthology is so beautiful, rich and diverse. Although it only features North-American voices from the diaspora, the last essay really brings home the message of "it doesn't matter where or how you experience Armenianness, it is all Armenianness".

I really love that the anthology ends with the correct William Saroyan quote from "The Armenian and the Armenian". We are so used to the misquoted version of Saroyan's famous short story that it has become part of our zeitgeist, a quick definition of what it means to be Armenian. It feels so powerful to end the anthology with the right quote, a reminder that our identity isn't as set in stone as we might think. This book really does feel like "a couple of Armenians talking in the world".

(Also, I would love it if churches and community centers would print out the real quote to decorate their halls. "Sons of bitches" and all.)

[George Donigian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I come from a family of those who survived the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and eventually arrived in the United States. Paternal and maternal families found ways to escape. So far, I am like many of the contributors in this anthology. My family, to survive in the new country and also in an effort to forget what happened, settled in a small industrial town of 18,000 people in segregated Virginia, far from the Armenian immigrant population centers of Watertown, Fresno, and Glendale in which multiple contributors to this volume were raised. Despite the isolation of distance from Armenian communities, we spoke Armenian inside our house until the politics of the McCarthy era brought harm to the larger family. Outside the house people knew that my father owned a grocery store and had rental houses, but he became so Americanized that local people did not know that he was born in a Lebanese orphanage while his parents made their way from the Ottoman Empire to the United States.

I offer that confession as an introduction to my perspective in reading this work. I had hoped to read of someone who grew up outside the Armenian cultural ghetto, who jumped in surprise whenever snatches of the language were overheard, who found ways to meet other Armenians in travels and at events. None of the contributors offered any experience close to mine, but that matters little to the general success of this book. Despite that, I saw myself reflected in these very different experiences. The contributors all offer perspectives on Armenian life outside and beyond the homeland. They grapple with expectations, politics, tradition, sexuality, and other constants in life. Of the many essays, I appreciate most the work of Carene Rose Mekertichyan and Scout Tufankjian. Mekertichyan offers a multicultural perception of culture and history while Tufankjian best details the widespread reality of the global diaspora of Armenian people.

And with that somewhat truncated ending to this review, I close.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of essays by Armenians of the diaspora, discussing their lives at the beginning of the 21st century. I have long been fascinated by Armenia, as it is located in the Middle East (with historic Armenian homelands stretching through much of Anatolia and the Caucasus) but is a majority Christian country. I had hoped that this book would provide insight into contemporary Armenia, as well as the Armenian diaspora. The book did contain some interesting historical information. I had not realized that the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire reached as far west as Ankara, nor that there was a significant Armenian community in Beirut. However, most of the writers were from the US, and were focused on discussing the immigrant experience, which is interesting, but I thought the book lacked true focus on Armenia. The writers also neglected to mention the title, which comes from a slogan that many Turks shouted 20 years ago, protesting the murder of Hrant Dink, an Armenian journalist in Istanbul. There was much deserved criticism of the Turkish government, for its treatment of its remaining Armenian minority and denials of the massacres that occurred during the late Ottoman period, but no discussion of efforts by more liberal Turks to promote minority rights. I realize that this cause has weakened in the recent past, but it persists and could re-emerge, given the right circumstances.

[Anxious_Millenial Bookscapades · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a native Armenian born as part of the diaspora, I felt seen for the first time reading this book collection of essays from real people in the community. I actually chose the audiobook version because of my ADHD. My ONLY complaint is I wish that the audiobook narrator didn't have such a heavy American accent on the Armenian words or phrases. It was jarring for me and hard to understand sometimes. But other than that, I am so so so glad I found a book that put into words exactly how I felt as a diasporan raised in the States. Bravo!!!