Who are you? Oh, an Armenian-American? Well, what does that even mean? Are you Armenian, or American? Which country do you identify with? Both? But hold on – let’s not harp on an identity crisis here – let’s talk about it. If we’re Armenian – American, then what’s the next step in life? Where is your place? We’re glad you asked.

Well, you’ll get answers to those questions and more once you attend the ‘Homeland and Diaspora’ panel hosted at this year’s ANCA –Grassroots. This dynamic panel discusses what we (the Armenian-American Diaspora) have done so far to preserve our roots in the United States and abroad, and what we need to do tomorrow, next week and next year to keep the global web of Armenians tenacious and resolute. And, who better to have as a panelist on such a forum than a true visionary bridging the gap between the Diaspora and the Homeland, Maria Titizian.

Titizian currently works as an editor at CivilNet.TV in Yerevan. Prior to joining CivilNet, she was the Director of the Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation in Yerevan, Vice President of Socialist International, and also represented the Armenian Revolutionary Federation at the Socialist International Women. While in Armenia she has worked in the private sector, as well as in the NGO sector, including being a key gender expert for several programs. She has worked as a writer, editor, and translator and continues to be a regular contributor to Asbarez newspaper. She has served as President of the ARF’s Women’s Committee, was a founding member of the Women’s Coalition of Armenia, and served on the board of the Women’s Forum of the National Democratic Institute. Prior to moving to Armenia in 2001 she worked at the Zoryan Institute for Contemporary Armenian Research and Documentation, served as Constituency Assistant for a Member of Parliament of Canada, worked on numerous national campaign elections and served as president of the Armenian National Committee of Toronto and later as member of the board of ANC Canada.

Joining Titizian on the Homeland and the Diaspora Panel is the man with a plan to connect and give a voice to the underrepresented communities of the world, starting with his home state of Michigan, Dr. Hayg Oshagan. An Associate Professor and Director of the Media Arts and Studies Program in the Department of Communication at Wayne State University, Oshagan is also the founder and Chairman of New Michigan Media, the network of ethnic media in Michigan, whose board is comprised of the largest Arab, Jewish, Asian, Latino and African-American publishers in the state. An Armenian immigrant from Beirut, Lebanon, Oshagan earned his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and has taught at Stanford University and at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He has been editor of the Armenian Review, as well as a member of a number of boards including Michigan Governor Snyder’s Global Michigan Commission, and the Board of Directors of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, where he was also Chair of the Commission on the Status of Minorities.

To top it all off, Dr. Talar Chahinian will be moderating this dynamic panel. Chahinian, the fresh voice of the community, holds a Ph.D in Comparative Literature from UCLA and lectures in the Department of Comparative World Literature at California State University, Long Beach. Her research interests include world literature, transnationalism, politics of literary history, Western Armenian language, and questions in trauma, aesthetics and representation. She contributes regularly to the online journal, Critics’ Forum, and directs the Saroyan Project, which works to enhance Armenian language instruction in Chamlian Armenian School in Southern California. She is the assistant editor of the Armenian Review and a member of the ARF Western Region Central Committee.

“We’re thrilled to have Grassroots come back for the continuation of what we hope to be a long standing tradition of the ANCA Western Region. For that reason, we want to include as much benefit to all participants as we can to make it worth their time, and energy,” says ANC-WR Executive Director, Elen Asatryan; and we couldn’t agree more. So, when is this dynamic event taking place?

When? November 29 – December 1st – a great way to wrap up the Thanksgiving holiday and usher in the holiday cheer of the Christmas and New Year’s season.

How Much? The regular price is $79 per ticket, BUT – if you book now, you can get the Early-Bird Special price of $59 by visiting ItsmySeat.com/ANCAWR and adding in promo code GR10 or by calling 626.869.7328.

What does the price get you? Access to 3 day Grassroots conference full of interactive panels and workshops All reception events, including: Welcome Reception (Friday) Breakfast (Saturday, Sunday) Lunch (Saturday) Sunday Luncheon ANCA Professional Network Cocktail Social (Saturday evening) Grassroots Mementoes Knowledge, Networking, and a chance at Inspiration

Where? Loews Hollywood Hotel 1755 N Highland Avenue Hollywood, CA 90028. Hotel Accommodations 1-855-563-9749 Book Now and Save – $159/night