An Expat Heads Efforts to Improve Diasporan Relations

The plans for the diaspora issues gelled only in February, DerGrigorian said.

“We are gearing effort to get that message out. The press conferences have been effective, speaking to the diasporan press and meeting with diasporan leaders when they are in the country,” he said. “It is not closing but being transformed.”

Family History

DerGrigorian’s family history crisscrosses continents. His parents are from Iran and he was born in Paris. His family then moved to Los Angeles, where he grow up. After finishing his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, he moved to the UK, where he received two master’s degrees from the London School of Economics and Politics. He came back to the US to work for the presidential campaign of Barrack Obama in Florida for six months.

That experience, plus his time with Birthright Armenia, helped propel him deeper in the realm of activism in support of a government for all in Armenia.

He decided to give Armenia a try and moved there in April 2012.

“It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it was the best decision of my life,” he said.

In Armenia he worked at several organizations., including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office, Open Society, HALO Trust as well as Transparency International.

“One thing led to the next,” he said. “Life has been more interesting.”

There were also ups and downs in his early and eager involvement with activism in Armenia. “I was arrested a number of times but it was all worth it,” he recalled.

Yet even he was surprised by the success of the Velvet Revolution. “I think anyone who says they predicted the revolution is lying,” he said. The protests were getting bigger and people learned from Electric Yerevan, the previous wave of protests for the rising cost of electricity. In fact, he said proudly that he coined the phrase Electric Yerevan.

DerGrigorian is brimming with optimism. “Armenia is the land of opportunity now,” he said. “Even before [the revolution] it was good place to be. Whatever you set your mind to, you can accomplish,” he said. Now, he added, “people feel they can contribute to society.”

Now, post-revolution, with the demonstrators in office, they have to work within the system and Pashinyan and his band of revolutionaries have to deal with reality in the face of the many promises they have made before getting into office.

“The bar is set very high. I think it should be very high. There are dedicated people who have been looking for change. I think especially once the government structure is changed, there are big changes that will happen quickly,” he said.

The government is not flawless, he said, but added, “what you finally have is a legitimate government that is genuinely interested in making Armenian reach its potential.”

“The important thing is for the diaspora to feel that the new government is very invested in engaging the diaspora,” he said.

So does this child of Los Angeles miss anything from home? “Maybe In and Out Burgers,” but not much else, other than family, of course, he said.

His mother is still in Los Angeles and his sisters in the UK. His wife, Karena, is also an Angelino and happy in Armenia.

“We plan to slowly bring everyone,” he said. “The important thing is for the diaspora to feel that the new government is very invested in engaging the diaspora,” he said.