AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: press@agbu.org
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

AGBU Hye Geen & Cal State LA’s 4th Annual Conference Focuses on the
Lives of Armenian-American Women

The fourth annual interdisciplinary conference of AGBU Hye Geen, in
cooperation with California State University at Los Angeles (CSULA)
School of Social Work, took place on April 18, 2009 at the University’s
Golden Eagle Conference Center. The conference was organized by AGBU Hye
Geen Young Women’s Circle with the contribution of the University’s
Alpha Epsilon Omega Armenian Fraternity. In keeping with the general
theme of the three previous conferences about "The Status of the
Armenian Communities Living in the United States," this year’s event
focused on the lives of Armenian-American women and was titled "An
Armenian Woman’s Journey."

The conference attracted a largely youthful audience, who were
interested in the challenges, hurdles and influences of the modern
Armenian-American woman from childhood to maturity through the academic
lens of education, psychology, sociology and economics.

Tamar Kevonian of AGBU Hye Geen Young Women’s Circle, who was the first
speaker, welcomed attendees to the event. She invited Dr. Karin Brown,
the director of CSULA School of Social Work, for the opening remarks.
Dr. Brown expressed her appreciation of the high standards set by joint
conferences with AGBU Hye Geen, where educators, social workers and
community groups have explored common areas of interest to Armenian
Americans. She also commended AGBU Hye Geen Young Women’s Circle for
their choice of topic, which, she explained, was "a subject not only for
women but about women."

The conference speakers were grouped into four panels depicting the
different phases of a woman’s life journey: In the Beginning (birth-age
20), Getting There (age 20-40), Are We There Yet (age 40-60) and Reaping
the Rewards (age 60+).

All panelists were presented by Tamar Kevonian, who spoke about the
conference theme and the change that has impacted women’s traditional
roles, including economic conditions that mandate two incomes and the
prominence of single-mother families in contemporary society. She
pointed out that "institutions supporting these changed roles have not
changed themselves."

The first panel featured Marina Adamian, a longtime educator, who spoke
about "The Inherent Differences in the Raising of Sons and Daughters in
Light of Social and Cultural Norms and Expectations," and Nareg
Keshishian, a teacher and student body advisor at a LA-area public
school with a sizeable Armenian student body, who spoke about "The
Educational Expectations of Armenians Versus the Culture in Which We
Live. Are Parents Reluctant to Choose the Best Education Option if It
Requires the Student to Move Away from Home?"

The second panel featured Nora Chitilian-Kalachian, a family counselor
and mental health professional, who addressed "The Difficulty of
Development, the Necessity of Preserving Individual Identity Amidst the
Many Roles Assumed by Women," and Mary Apick, an award-winning actress,
director, producer and human rights activist for women and children, who
spoke about the expectations, choices and challenges of the new role of
single women and mothers.

The third panel featured Deborah Key, an international financial
advisor, who tackled "The Importance of Knowing about Financial Matters
Concerning the Family," and Dr. Haroutune K. Armenian, a former dean of
the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut,
newly retired President of the American University of Armenia, and
currently Professor in Residence at UCLA, who delivered a presentation
on "The Necessity and Importance of a Social Network for a Woman’s
Mental and Physical Health."
The fourth and last panel included presentations by Suzanne De
Benedittis, a specialist in counseling and psychology, who addressed
"The Needs of a Mature Woman," and Mary Terzian, a former United Nations
worker and the author of "The Immigrants’ Daughter," who spoke about
"The Expanding Generational Gap: The Differences in Knowledge, Language,
Technology, Societal & Family Norms."

To conclude the conference, Armen Sarkissian, President of Alpha Epsilon
Omega Armenian Fraternity, introduced his organization for those
unfamiliar with its work for needy Armenians both locally and in
Armenia, as well as its activism for Armenian Genocide recognition.

Sona Yacoubian, founder and Chairperson of AGBU Hye Geen, was the final
speaker. She summed up the daylong conference and the annual event’s
work, which, she explains, tirelessly advocates that women should have
their rightful place in civil society. She referred to AGBU Hye Geen as
"a 15-year-young movement to encourage women and especially young women
to be in charge of changing and shaping our society today according to
the functional needs of a successful life. Professional women,
intellectual women were hardly involved in the decision making of our
communities."

The members of AGBU Hye Geen Young Women’s Circle, which helped organize
the fourth annual conference, are Teresa Hayrapetian, Cynthia Kossayan,
Azniv Shakelian, Nellie Yacoubian and Talin Yacoubian.

Since 1994, AGBU Hye Geen in Southern California () has
worked to preserve and honor achievements of Armenian women, provide a
forum for them throughout the world, promote their role in family and
society through research, education, and advocacy, and provide overall
support to empower Armenian women as carriers of the Armenian cultural
heritage.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually serving some
400,000 Armenians on five continents.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress