By: Shahan Goenjian

Yerevan is one of the oldest cities in the world.  It is full of culture and an intangible majesty.  Then there is Los Angeles, a bustling world city.  It is wide-encompassing in terms of its size and population.  We have Hollywood, Glendale, Beverley Hills, Santa Monica, and South Central just to name a few.  Armenians, Hispanics, Asians, Blacks, and Whites have carved out individual enclaves throughout the city.  People are able to maintain the culture and values of their families, although many face economic hardships. Armenians are a great example of this.

Many Armenians moved to Los Angeles in the 1970’s.  Glendale has been settled by most Armenians.  Thousands of Armenian businesses operate throughout the city.  A great part of the LA culture is associating Glendale with Armenians.  Executive intern Christine Feghali has shared that, “If it weren’t for Glendale, my parents would never have met, and I would not have been conceived, and I would be missing out on this executive internship!”  What touching insight, and one which must be undoubtedly true for many other young Armenians in LA.

Los Angeles has treated Armenians very well.  Even a portion of East Hollywood has even been officially deemed Little Armenia.  This has helped thrust Armenians into a spotlight on the ethnic fabric of LA.  Whether it be a line about an Armenian body shop in a Hollywood movie or a drive to the Griffith Observatory, you cannot skim through the Hollywood facade without catching a glimpse of something Armenian.

Los Angeles and Yerevan are sister cities.  On February 23, 2007, the two cities made this official through the Sister Cities International – a diplomatic, non-profit organization founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.  Its purpose is to form cultural and commercial ties between two cities.  That is certainly what has occurred in Los Angeles.

For those of you who have recently flown from Yerevan to Los Angeles, I present you… Tata Simonyan!

Thank you, ANCA-Western Region.

Thank you, Los Angeles.