Thousands across Southland gather to remember Armenian Genocide
Hundreds of people gathered at St. Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale on Sunday to remember the more than 1.5 million people killed by Turkish forces in World War I.
A hundred and seven years ago, the Armenian Genocide began. Armenian-Americans all across the Southland gathered to mourn those killed 107 years ago on Sunday.
"We don't just think about our fallen soldiers or our ancestors who have perished just today, it's every day but today is just something that we take a step back," Emily Minasian said.
Minasian joined hundreds of her fellow Armenians in Beverly Hills today at the Turkish consulate, as they do every year in demanding justice for the genocide.
They are celebrating some political progress - this year the LA County Board of Supervisors proclaimed this month as Armenian History Month.
Governor Newsom also issued a proclamation declaring April 24th as a "Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide."
But the Turkish government still does not acknowledge the genocide - and that is hurtful for Armenians today who believe that it's political. They told CBSLA Reporter Laurie Perez that they believe the Turkish government's unwillingness is personal.
"I'm very close to my grandparents and it's very hard to hear them tell the story of where their parents came from, what they had to go through," Araz Madenlian said.
A painful reminder of what it was like for their ancestors more than a century ago.
"It's part of humanity you know when we don't remember our past we tend to repeat it and so that's why it's very important," Hripsime Bartholomew said. "As Joe Biden said, you have to remember and it basically helps us to not repeat the past."