Martin Luther King Jr. once famously said, “In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” How can we, in the Armenian diaspora, cope with the silence of the world as our homeland is under attack? We are outnumbered, outgunned, and dealing with forces much more powerful on the world stage. Azerbaijan (and their ruthless attack on Artsakh) is backed by Turkey, whose President Erdogan has said that they intend to “finish what our grandfathers started,” alluding to the Armenian Genocide of 1915. We, second and third generation survivors of this genocide and inheritors of the trauma of our parents and grandparents, are dealing with emotional and phsysiological burdens that are both seen and unseen wounds that are now being torn open anew. How do we build resilience in these trying times? And how do we protect future generations from the same fate? Dr. Christie Kederian, who wrote her doctoral dissertation on the transfer of intergenerational trauma and resilience, through her analysis provides validation and hope for our ability to not just to endure but also to thrive.

You can reach Dr. Christie on IG at @thedatedoctorchristie or on her website at www.drchristiekederian.com

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