On April 25, 2025, the Armenian-American community gathered at Holy Martyrs Ferrahian Armenian High School to mark the passing of 110 years of the Armenian Genocide. The event, organized by the ARF “Rosdom” Gomideh’s Genocide Commemoration Committee and the ANCA San Fernando Valley West Chapter, brought together local officials, activists, and community leaders to honor the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians killed during the 1915 genocide while also addressing ongoing struggles, particularly in Artsakh and Armenia.
The event, themed “Unity and Hope for the Future,” included powerful remarks from the keynote speakers and elected officials.
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Dr. Kevork Hagopjian, Esq., an ANCA-WR Board Member and keynote speaker, delivered an intense address that connected past atrocities with the ongoing suffering of Armenians. “We dream of a future where children learn their identity not only through stories of loss, but through stories of victories, invention, justice, leadership, and renewal,” said Dr. Kevork Hagopjian. “A future where ‘genocide’ is universally acknowledged, condemned, prevented, and justice is served through reparations and restitutions—not something we must defend or prove. A future where the peoples of our region—diverse in faith and culture—build lasting peace, reconciliation, mutual respect, and shared prosperity.”
Dr. Hagopjian reiterated the importance of true unity with a clear definition of the notion: “Let us be clear: unity is not built on denial, political convenience, discrimination, or distortion. We are not called to unite with those who justify injustice or revise the truth. We are not asked to reconcile with the rewriting of our history, and we cannot speak of true unity while those in power turn their backs on the very people who bore the heaviest cost.”
Dr. Katia Karageuzian, Chairwoman of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Committee, echoed this sentiment, urging unity within the Armenian community. “Our enemies are not only working to erase our collective memory, but are collaborating to dismantle our very identity from within. They are subjecting the entire Armenian people to psychological warfare. The answer we seek lies where the enemy labors the hardest against us: our unity.” Karageuzian stated. “We remain steadfast in our fight for justice, no matter who is at the helm. They want to spread their lies, we will push harder with our truths. We are our symbols, our ancient history, and our resilient culture. We are unshakeable like Ararat. Leaders come and go, the nation is its people.”
Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) also spoke at the event, reaffirming his unwavering commitment to the Armenian cause. “In my 28 years in Congress, I have fought for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and will continue to do so,” Sherman declared. “Denial of genocide is the first step toward further atrocities. We must ensure that Armenia and Artsakh are never forgotten, and that justice is served for the victims of the past and present.”
Sherman continued by calling for a more robust U.S. response to the ongoing threats against Armenia, including providing Armenia with the defense capacity needed to protect itself from further aggression.
The Armenian Youth Federation’s San Fernando Valley Chapter’s message was delivered by Vaughn Melkonian. “This time, the genocide doesn’t feel like a 100-year-old scar. It feels like a wound that never closed. One that still bleeds in Artsakh. It feels like a betrayal we’re reliving in real time. And worst of all, it feels like a fight that we are losing. Not just because of our enemies, but because of our own leaders…” mentioned Vaughn poignantly. “We are done begging for justice that never comes. We are done hoping that one more resolution, one more march, and one more ‘never again’ will make this stop. It’s on us now to be louder, to be sharper, to be unafraid. We must take the fire of 1915 and turn it into fuel. Fuel for resistance, fuel for action, fuel for unity. Because let’s be honest, no one is coming to save us.”
Vaughn concluded his speech with this simple yet compelling message: “We are all we have, and that has to be enough. We must fight with our voices, our votes, our stories, our influence, and our truth. We must fight in classrooms, in courts, in media, in diplomacy, in every single space we enter. This is not just about remembering the past, it’s about refusing to repeat it. We do not have a choice.”
The commemoration concluded with a moving candlelight vigil led by the AYF in front of the Armenian Khachkar, a symbol of resilience and remembrance. As the candles flickered in the night, the youth sang powerful hymns of the Armenian Revolution, their voices echoing the spirit of resistance and the unbroken strength of the Armenian people. The vigil served not only as a solemn tribute to the lives lost during the genocide, but also as a testament to the commitment of the next generation to continue the fight for justice and the preservation of Armenian identity. In a moment of shared reflection, the community reaffirmed its pledge to ensure that the memory of the genocide lives on, not as a tragedy of the past, but as a driving force for a future of unity, justice, and peace.
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