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The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 6; Feb. 16, 2008
AYF Section:
1. Feeling the Spirit, Reading the Words of Hampig Sassounian
2. AYF Alumni Spotlight: Arsineh Khachikian
3. A Fun-Filled Weekend in the Snow
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1. Feeling the Spirit, Reading the Words of Hampig Sassounian
NEW YORK-On Feb. 3, the New York Hyortik AYF connected with the ideas and
spirit of a soul whose body is trapped: They read a letter from political
prisoner Hampig Sassounian, received in response to a Christmas and New
Years card they had sent him.
During this past holiday season, the New York AYF prepared Christmas cards
for distribution to family, friends, community organizations and regional
bodies. However, after learning the story of Sassounian’s incarceration,
some members decided it was important to show him that he, too, is still
remembered.
In the letter, Sassounian tells members to "remain active and unrelenting,
like bees, in our pursuit of justice for the Armenian Cause." He goes on to
say that he follows the developments in Armenia and the diaspora very
closely, encouraging the group to visit Armenia and help it prosper.
Finally, he notes that the AYF must work with other organizations to achieve
these goals.
The correspondence with Sassounian had a profound effect on all the members
of the chapter. "I was overwhelmed with emotion when I heard the words of
the 25-year political prisoner," said Hyortik member Toros Asadourian.
In 1982, Sassounian was accused of being a gunman in the assassination of
Turkish consul general Kemal Arikan in Los Angeles. Although pleading not
guilty, the Court convicted him of first-degree murder and sentenced him to
life in prison, a decision that was later changed to 25 years to life. Even
though the case has been revisited, the sentence has yet to be overturned.
Along with Sassounian, there currently are three other Armenian political
prisoners still incarcerated in Canada. These men chose to serve the idea of
the nation without having visited the homeland; it was only a place for them
to sense, feel and hear about.
Despite this, they gave up everything in order to bring the Armenian Cause
to the forefront of political minds, to show that Armenians would no longer
stand to have their rights pushed aside.
To write to Sassounian, send letters to:
Hampig Sassounian
CDCR# C-88440
Cell # 1167
California Men’s Colony
State Prison
P.O. Box 8101
San Luis Obispo, CA
93409-8101
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2. AYF Alumni Spotlight: Arsineh Khachikian
>From an early age, Arsineh Khachikian had become involved in the AYF and
Armenian-American community affairs. As a Washington Sevan AYF Junior, she
regularly attended Camp Haiastan and went on to volunteer there several
times as a counselor. She also served on the Washington Ani Senior
Executive, was elected to the AYF-YOARF Central Executive, worked on
numerous central councils, directed the AYF Internship Program in Armenia
and helped found the Eastern Region’s quarterly publication, "Hoki."
By the time she was 23, Arsineh became an active member of the ARF. In that
same year, she decided to move to Armenia for a nine-month stay, wherein her
ties to the homeland and commitment to moving there solidified. Although she
returned to the U.S. and worked for two years as the director of the ANCA
Capital Gateway Program, her sights were set on establishing herself in
Armenia as soon as the time was right. That time ultimately came in 2006,
when Arsineh picked up and moved to Armenia for good.
Upon arriving, she teamed up with fellow repatriate Raffi Niziblian to start
Deem Communications, a comprehensive marketing and public relations agency.
With a staff of 11 (all locals except Raffi and Arsineh), Deem is quickly
approaching a tremendously successful two-year anniversary. Arsineh actually
credits her AYF experience for being part of the secret to her success. "I
run my business with the skills I learned in the AYF," explains Khachikian.
In addition to staying busy with Deem, Arsineh is involved in various
organizational activities and pursues photography as an active hobby. She is
scheduled to launch a new book of photographs in May, titled My Nation: The
Trails and Trials of an Armenian Repatriate, documenting her experiences in
the Armenian community. You can find out more about her book by visiting
Arsineh has succeeded in making Armenia her home and cherishes her move
there as one of the most fulfilling decisions she has made in her life. "I
moved to Armenia after a lifetime spent appreciating its history and culture
through the AYF," says Khachikian. "It was a foundation for my life that set
the stage for many great things to come, and I’m forever grateful for my
chance to be a part of it all."
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3 . A Fun-Filled Weekend in the Snow
For over 10 years, the New York Hyortik AYF has been organizing an annual
ski trip weekend for Armenian youth to come together and enjoy the fun of
the winter season. This year, the "Winter Weekend Getaway" took place in the
confines of Pennsylvania’s Jack Frost and Big Boulder Mountains.
>From Feb. 8-10, over 40 participants took up six cabins and enjoyed one
another’s company in a fun-filled weekend of skiing, snow tubing and
snowboarding. AYF members from chapters such as New York, New Jersey,
Philadelphia and even California were in attendance, as well as various
non-AYF members who came to socialize with other Armenian youth. Sevag
Parsehian, chair of the Hyortik Chapter, explains how "the weekend serves as
a great tool for making friends and acquainting new faces interested in
joining the AYF to the organization’s membership."
Retreating to the mountains provides an especially ideal environment for
participants to bond and interact. From the onset, those who did not know
each other were encouraged to go around and introduce themselves, quickly
creating an atmosphere of genuineness and camaraderie.
"The people…the atmosphere… the experience is something that cannot be
expressed, only experienced through a fun-filled weekend in the snow," says
Hyortik member Justin Kaladjian.
With this year’s winter getaway a resounding success, participants are
already gearing up for next year’s ski trip. "I can’t wait for next year,"
exclaims Parsehian. "I recommend this event to all Armenians, whether they
are AYF members or not."
For information about next year’s annual ski trip, e-mail hyortik@gmail.com.