Asking AI for an Armenian makeover: AI: "Hold my lavash." 🫓 #Armenian #AI #ChatGPT

Exploring the Armenian language offers a unique adventure, especially given its two main dialects and hundreds of regional accents. From the bold tones of Gyumri's barbar to the poetic cadence of Artsakh, each region embeds its essence in its speech. In this journey, we’re delving into the distinctive spirit of the Lori (Լոռի) dialect, a regional variation rich in culture and history. #ArmenianLangauge #Armenia #Lori

First-generation Armenian-American Kristina Ayanian has made it to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2024. Kristina Ayanian is the youngest executive producer and host in Nasdaq’s history. She hosts the daily finance show “Live From MarketSite,” a series where she interviews CEOs and business leaders to discuss company successes, business trends, and new innovations. Ayanian has interviewed figures like Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, trailblazer Ana Gardner, and astronaut Dylan Taylor. She has helped grow the audience to more than 50 million viewers. Her work with the series has led to business collaborations with the likes of the Deloitte Fast 500, RedPoint Ventures’ InfraRed100, and CloudNY. Ayanian also represented Miss Universe Armenia in the 71st annual Miss Universe Pageant in 2022, where she leveraged her platform to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Armenia and Artsakh, advocating for necessary actions to address the crisis. Ayanian serves on the board of Who We Are, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing cultural identity and understanding, and is the co-founder of EyeSupport, which provides crucial humanitarian aid to Armenia and displaced families from Artsakh.

Love through the eyes of Isahakyan. Narration by: @saropaparian #AvetikIsahakyan #Armenia #poetry

We extend our heartfelt gratitude and bid a fond farewell to Japanese Ambassador Fukushima Masanori as he concludes his distinguished diplomatic mission in Armenia. We honor and appreciate his dedicated service and wish him continued success in all his future. #armenia #Japan

Do you know about Raymond Damadian — the man who was snubbed from the Nobel Peace Prize? Raymond Damadian, an Armenian-American inventor and physician, notably invented magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). His work led to the first MRI scanner, revolutionizing medical technology. However, his exclusion from the 2003 Nobel Prize, despite significant contributions, sparked debates about recognizing individual efforts in collaborative scientific projects. This controversy highlights broader issues of Armenian representation in Nobel accolades, given their substantial contributions across various fields. Notably, Artem Patapoutian, the first Armenian Nobel laureate, won the 2021 Prize in Physiology or Medicine with David Julius for discovering temperature and touch receptors, later donating his Nobel to the History of Armenia Museum. #Armenian

In just four short years, Liana Ohanian has gone from being the salutatorian at Glendale High School to becoming one of California's youngest practicing attorneys. Her remarkable journey began in 2019 when she graduated from high school. Instead of taking the conventional route, she pursued a degree in psychology at California State University, Northridge, and took advantage of the "3 plus 3" program, designed for students aiming to complete their bachelor's degree in three years and then pursue a law degree at Southwestern Law School. Liana Ohanian, however, charted her own path and set a "2 plus 2" precedent by accelerating her bachelor's degree even further, finishing it in just two years. She then pursued her law degree through Southwestern's SCALE program and successfully passed the bar exam last week. At the age of 22, she is now a practicing attorney, proudly contributing her legal expertise at B&D Injury Law Group APLC.

We took a trip to Gyumri to visit Aregak Bakery - an inclusive bakery where “breaking bread and boundaries” is more than just a tagline. The cafe is a project of the Emili Aregak Centre, supporting youth with disabilities in Gyumri.

An autumn heartbreak by Vahan Teryan. Narration by: @saropaparian

BREAKING: The New York Public Library's trustees voted to rename the Center for Research in the Humanities to the Vartan Gregorian Center for Research in the Humanities in honor of Vartan Gregorian, who served as NYPL president from 1981 to 1989. Vartan Gregorian's leadership is credited with revitalizing and restoring the library, both structurally and reputationally. He was born in Tabriz, Iran to Armenian parents and developed a love for reading and libraries in his youth. At age 11, he began working part-time as a page at the Armenian library. After moving to the U.S., Gregorian pursued education and teaching, eventually becoming the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and provost at the University of Pennsylvania. However, when he was not chosen as the university's president, he accepted the position of president at The New York Public Library. Upon taking the helm, Gregorian faced financial challenges and a library in disrepair. He engaged with staff, visited branches, and launched a successful capital fund campaign to secure funding for improvements. His leadership expanded library hours, restored the flagship 42nd street location, introduced modernization initiatives, enhanced collections, and turned the library into a cultural and literary hub. Vartan Gregorian believed that libraries held a unique place in preserving memory and accomplishments, and his contributions to NYPL and libraries overall are celebrated through the renaming of the Center for Research in the Humanities in his honor.

BREAKING: Bill S. 3000, known as the ‘Armenia 2023 Protection Act,’ has been approved by the U.S. Senate. This legislation restricts the President from utilizing waiver authority specified in Section II of the 2002 Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, particularly concerning ‘Assistance to Independent States of the Former Soviet Union’ outlined in subsection (g) for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. In essence, the bill aims to nullify the President’s ability to suspend Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, thereby prohibiting military aid to Azerbaijan. Notably, the legislation includes provisions for external military financing to Armenia, the formulation of a security strategy for Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), and the imposition of sanctions on Baku for the actions of the Aliyev regime towards Armenians.

BREAKING: Citibank has been accused of illegal discrimination against Armenian Americans over several years, allegedly singling them out on credit card applications based on their surnames. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) discovered that between 2015 and 2021, Citi unfairly targeted retail services credit card applicants who were associated with Armenian national origin by its employees. The CFPB further alleged that Citi treated Armenian Americans unfairly, depicting them as potential fraudsters. During this period, the bank specifically identified applicants for certain credit card products based on their surnames, suspecting them to have Armenian heritage. To conceal this discrimination, Citi supervisors instructed employees not to discuss these practices in writing or on recorded phone lines. As a result of these findings, Citi has been ordered to pay $1.4 million in restitution to affected consumers, along with a $24.5 million penalty. Citi's discriminatory actions extended to considering Armenian Americans, particularly those in or around Glendale, California, as potential wrongdoers. Glendale, known as "Little Armenia," is home to roughly 15% of the Armenian American population in the U.S. The bank specifically targeted surnames ending in “-ian” and “-yan.” It is important to note that intentionally denying credit to entire groups of people based on national origin is unlawful and in violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Citi's actions in this case were found to be in clear breach of this law.