Hye, What's Your Story?: Recent Episodes
Tatevik Kohli
A podcast sharing the stories of Armenians from all around the world. We talk to our guests about their childhoods, family roots and upbringing, while also exploring the social and cultural issues that are found in Armenian communities.In this podcast, we normalize earnest conversation about the things that have been historically and culturally difficult to talk about openly. Things that we all experience because we are all human beings, but that are usually hushed up and swept under the rug.
Garen Kazanc comes from a long line of Armenians who lived in their ancestral lands in Turkey. Born in Paris and moved to Los Angeles at a young age, Garen is an active member of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society as well as the Armenian Poetry Project. He has contributed articles to various Armenian newspapers and media outlets, such as The Armenian Weekly and The Mirror Spectator.
In this episode, Garen and I discuss the experiences he had while growing up as an Armenian with roots in Turkey, and how the war in 2020 affected Armenians who are still living in Turkey. We talk about the Armenia-Turkey relationship, problems with extreme nationalism on both sides, and discuss ways in which the rest of us Armenians not from Turkey can change our biases and extremist views in order to open up the possibility of a peaceful future for our younger generations.
"Entanik, the Armenian word for “family,” is a chosen family of queer Armenians and allies dedicated to coming together in inclusive unity. They are dedicated to uplifting and showcasing people in queer, Armenian, and allied communities through fundraising, events, social media, and other outreach programs. The organization was established in January of 2021 and is using social media and virtual platforms to build a global community."
In this episode, I sit down with co-founders Anahit and Araxie Cass, where we share our stories of growing up Armenian in the Diaspora. We look at the issues faced by the queer Armenian community and discuss ways in which we can change our views and biases in order to bring more acceptance within our society.
In this brief introductory episode, I will share with you my story and the reasons why I decided to start this project.