USC began its second year of Armenian History Month celebrations at Hahn Plaza on Tuesday. The kick-off event featured several keynote speakers, including USC President Carol Folt, former L.A. City Council President Paul Krekorian and students from the Armenian Student Association, or ASA. Traditional Armenian dancers performed, and members of the ASA offered a variety of Armenian foods for those attending.
The festivities were a chance to celebrate culture, community, and Armenian pride. The theme of “Armenian excellence” resounded in the speeches given, which spoke to both the successes of Armenian Americans as well as the political and social conflicts in the country today.
Folkloric dancers took to a makeshift stage formed by three walls of hanging Armenian rugs. The female dancers were adorned in maroon and gold dresses with sparkling gold jewelry, while the male dancers wore maroon tops and black pants. The groups performed both separately and together, and concluded with three men standing on the shoulders of others while rotating in a circle. Audience members cheered and joined the dancers as the traditional music continued to play.
“I think community and togetherness are a very universal concept, and I don’t think that that has to change because of whatever situation we may be facing in the country,” said Mane Berikyan, the president of ASA. “I think emphasizing the fact that we are here, we matter, our voices matter, and we’re part of this campus, and celebrating that rich culture and history is all we really can do.”
Krekorian, the former L.A. City Council President is also a USC alumnus and a proud Armenian-American. He reflected on the community’s growing presence on campus and the event’s impact as a former first-generation college student.
“When I was growing up here, it was not common to go to Armenian events, or there weren’t the same number of Armenian institutions as there are now. There wasn’t a very large Armenian community like there is now,” Krekorian said.
Krekorian, alongside others, emphasized how encouraging it was to see students come together to learn about and celebrate the culture, history, and pride of the Armenian people.
Throughout the month, many different Armenian events will take place on campus. From a conference to game nights and a candlelight vigil for Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.