GLENDALE, CA – Dozens of inner-city youths from the City of Los Angeles had an opportunity to learn more about the Armenian Genocide this week by attending a screening of the movie “Screamers.”

The student’s attendance at the movie, which features the genocide awareness of the rock band System of a Down, was made possible by a generous grant from the Armenian National Committee of America — Western Region (ANCA-WR).

The tenth graders from Watts watched the movie as part of a week-long curriculum that was focused on crimes against humanity in the 20th century and the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Led by Hrag Hamalian, a biology teacher at Locke High School in Watts, the students learned more about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and the Turkish campaign of genocide denial against the Armenian people. Hamalian, a New Jersey native, teaches at Locke High School as part of the Teach for America program. Locke High School’s student body is comprised primarily of African-American and Latinos.

“The ANCA-WR is proud to be part of an effort to educate inner city youths on the horror of genocide,” remarked ANCA-WR Community Relations Director Haig Hovsepian. “We need to focus on making sure that all Americans, rich and poor, young and old, know that genocide in our time must end,” he added.

“By bringing an expanded curriculum of genocide education to these students who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to be exposed to this dark chapter in history we help honor the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide,” noted Hamalian. “I hope that the experience, as seen in the film, speaks for itself and that these students share the lessons learned with their family and friends.”

The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a broad range of issues.

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