We live in a diverse world filled with varying sounds, words, and tastes of hundreds of cultures. These differences are the joy of being human and of experiencing the variety of life. Beyond the joy and interest of different food, music, art, and literature there is a deeper difference that penetrates our souls and becomes something we can all learn from: history. I believe it is the understanding of our history which has the strength to build bridges between people and to help them realize the similarity of our backgrounds, many shrouded in tragedy, war, and darkness.

As the son of Polish immigrants, I am part of the first generation of Americans in this country, building their life in the midst of opportunity and my very own cultural background.  And it was when I started working with and volunteering for a prominent Armenian-Argentine writer and her work to get the Armenian genocide recognized here and in the international community that I realized the profound paradox, and even oxymoron, of commonality in diversity. Although I am not Armenian, the tragedy of the Armenian genocide hit me as if I too were an Armenian. Perhaps I could empathize with the writer because of my own Polish cultural background rich and deep in history, yet clouded by wars, World War II, the Nazi invasion and the subsequent communist takeover and silencing of Polish culture. Therefore, I related to the writer’s cause and even now am working with her and the community to help raise her message that the Armenian genocide cannot be forgotten and that justice has been denied.  There are many ways to be involved in a community and in a cause, and our press with the help of local bookstores and a small team are in the midst of marketing campaigns, sending the writer’s book and message to journalists, celebrities, press and venues to be heard. There are always cover letters to be written, press releases to be sent, new contacts to be made, events to hold and all of it in order to bridge the gap between nations, cultures and to ultimately show how the world is one. We cannot live in a just world if there is injustice. This work has shown me the value of grass roots campaigning and how in the midst of change and revolution we can only hold fast to our dream, the hope for change, and the power of our ideals. Nothing is too crazy or to unrealistic molding a dream into reality.

Furthermore, the work has also taught me a lot about Armenian culture, the April commemoration of the Genocide, the rich history going back thousands of years and even a little about the Armenian language, which always seemed so difficult for me! Above all, this work has shown me how a group of people from completely different cultural backgrounds, who speak different languages and who are even different ages can ultimately come together for a cause greater than any difference. The hope for justice and peace is the blending ingredient which does not make us blind to differences, for they are what make us unique, but enhances them and strengthens the human identity. This amazing lifetime experience proves, and I can attest to the fact, that a group of people do not need anything but a passionate cause together to transcend physical differences and create lasting positive differences in our world.