Armenian Enough

Episode 71 - The Fear of Large and Small Nations with Author Nancy Agabian

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Award-winning author, feminist, and activist Nancy Agabian, speaks about her groundbreaking novel, The Fear of Large and Small Nations. Steeped in ri...

Episode 70 - Olympic Gymnast Houry Gebeshian

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Armenian-American Olympic gymnast, Houry Gebeshian, speaks about her unlikely path to the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Beyond her positive, upbeat attitude, ...

Episode 69 - The Fight for Inclusivity with Erik Adamian

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On the precipice of the 2024 Election year (in the U.S.), LGBTQ & Trans rights are in the crosshairs of the alt-right, political conservatives, and ha...

Episode 68 - Sorry, Bro... with Author Taleen Voskuni

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We couldn't be more excited about the release of the very first book (that we know of), featuring a bisexual Armenian woman as its protagonist - by a ...

Episode 67 - The Root of Addiction with Srab Haroutounian

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The causes of addiction have been pondered for ages, but there is an ever-growing consensus that a sense of belonging (or lack thereof) may play an im...

Episode 66 - On Grief & Joy with Co-Host Armen Menechyan, Part 2

10 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Co-Hosts Lara Vanian-Green and Armen Menechyan have an unscripted, free-flowing discussion on the topic of grief & joy: their interconnectedness, the ...

Episode 65 - On Grief & Joy with Co-Host Armen Menechyan, Part 1

10 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Co-Hosts Lara Vanian-Green and Armen Menechyan have an unscripted, free-flowing discussion on the topic of grief & joy: their interconnectedness, the ...

Episode 64 - Arrii Parrii with Tigran Grigoryan

30 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, I heard someone refer to New Year's Resolutions as New Year's Revolutions - and I'm all in! In this episode, we introduce Tigran Grigoryan's...

Episode 63 - Inside The Armenian Dating Show with Vanessa Ansoorian and Shant Nazarian

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we get a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to be a "Main Dater" on the first ever Armenian dating show. Vanessa and Shant ta...

Episode 62 - Making The Armenian Dating Show with Anthony Abaci & Zoe Malhotra

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Armenian Dating Show is one of those ideas whose time has (thankfully) come! Showcasing a variety of diasporan Armenians is arguably the hallmark ...

Episode 61 - Modeling Intersectionality with Yasmin Almokhamad Sarkisian

25 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The task of discovering our individual identity is made that much more challenging when our very foundation is built upon shifting sands. Yasmin was r...

Episode 60 - Artisanal VegCheese Entrepreneur Lori Sroujian

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most meaningful things we can do with our one precious life on Earth is to leave this world better than we found it. Bravery born of love &...

Episode 59 - On Being Aboriginal and Armenian with Kya Branch

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do the people currently living on ancestral Armenian lands give any thought to the indigenous people of that land? Do they know they're living on Arme...

Episode 58 - Funny Armenian 'Girl' with Mary Basmadjian

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Serving up truth with humor is an insidious and brilliant way to make oneself understood on the most intimate level. Humor is a balm to our weary soul...

Bonus Episode 8 - Conversation with My Daughter, Samantha

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode provides a behind-the-curtains view of my most cherished relationship, the one with my only child. Hear her speak candidly about her life...

Episode 57 - Freedom Through Individuality with Paul Abrahamian

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our greatest freedom lies in the full acceptance of who we genuinely are, even if the world at large fails to understand or endorse our unique individ...

Episode 56 - On Being Armenian and Jewish with Alyssa Zakaryan

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is it like to be Jewish and Armenian? Aside from inheriting intergenerational trauma from both sides, it is also something that has provided Alys...

Episode 55 - Femme on Film with Natalie Shirinian

20 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Representation matters. It allows us a glimpse into the world of possibilities and rescues us from societal erasure. It's difficult to put into words ...

Episode 54 - Comedy and Self-Reflection with Andy Kenareki

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The old adage of laughter being the best medicine still holds true - laughter strengthens the immune system and boosts feel-good chemicals in our brai...

Episode 53 - Unity Through Activism with Aram Majian Bowen

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The passion required for sustained activism is one that is born neither of blood nor soil, but a deep inner conviction in one's soul that each of us i...

Episode 52 - Sexual Assault Trauma & Healing with Aram Ronaldo

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are few life events more damaging to the soul than being a victim of sexual assault and/or rape. Survivors often struggle with feelings of shame...

Episode 51 - Exploring The World of Asexuality with Sarah Elgatian

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to be asexual? Aromantic? How do people who identify as Ace [asexual] establish intimate relationships which suit their needs as wel...

Episode 50 - Managing Anxiety in Children with Dr. Regine Muradian

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Even people who never suffered from anxiety probably got to experience some over the last year. A global pandemic can do that to us! As adults, we gen...

Episode 49 - On Being African American and Armenian with David Djanikian

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we explore the experience of being African American and Armenian from a different vantage point than our previous episodes on this to...

Episode 48 - Armenian Adoption & Brave Love with Mandy Breitenstein

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How much would you have to love someone to spend years in their pursuit, travel across the world during a global pandemic, and brave living in a forei...

Bonus Episode 7 - Equality Armenia with Founder Armen Abelyan

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Armen Abelyan, founder of the NGO Equality Armenia, discusses the importance of embracing our LGBTQ community and its members while drawing on the ric...

Episode 47 - Sustainable Minimalism with Author Stephanie Seferian

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do our possessions foster a sense of happiness and peace or can over-accumulation of material goods itself lead to anxiety and discomfort? What happen...

Episode 46 - Armenians from Turkey with Tamar Purut

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

One of the least acknowledged populations in the Armenian community are Bolsahyes or Armenians from Istanbul. Armenians from Turkey are often subject ...

Episode 45 - LGBTQ in the Church with Reverend Tory Topjian

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The church can be a great source of comfort and support for many individuals. It forms part of a culture that we are often born into and from which we...

Episode 44 - Spirituality & Metaphysics with Intuitive Energy Healer Ani Carla Kalafian

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the midst of turbulent times, we are confronted with the reality that we neither control nor fully understand the forces of destiny. What often app...

Bonus Episode 6 - ARPA International Film Festival 2020 with Maral Kazazian & Sonia Keshishian

07 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

ARPA Film Festival Director Maral Kazazian and Jury Liaison Sonia Keshishian tell us everything we need to know about this year's festival and the not...

Episode 43 - "Dear Armenian People" - Reimagining Education with Teacher Armen Menechyan

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine the power that future generations of Armenians could harness if all aspects of their being were supported by teachers and parents alike? Join ...

Episode 42 - Story Coach Anna Darian Interviews AE Host Lara Vanian-Green

22 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In our first official episode of Season 3, we turn the tables and allow story coach Anna Darian to interview Armenian Enough host, Lara Vanian-Green, ...

Bonus Episode 5 - Intergenerational Trauma & The War in Artsakh with Dr. Christie Kederian

09 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Bonus Episode 4 – 100 Years from Home with Lilit Pilikian and Jared White

20 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

100 Years from Home, airing on PBS SoCal on September 1, 2020, is a documentary about an Armenian woman returning to her ancestral homeland on the cen...

Bonus Episode 3 - On Being Black and Armenian with Isis Ani Mack

09 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last Fall, when we featured a two-part episode on racism in the Armenian culture [episodes #25 and #26], it was intended to be an ongoing conversation...

Bonus Episode 2 - On Being Black and Armenian with Levon Brunson

02 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last Fall, when we featured a two-part episode on racism in the Armenian culture [episodes #25 and #26], it was intended to be an ongoing conversation...

Bonus Episode 1 - On Being Black and Armenian with Carene Rose Mekertichyan

30 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last Fall, when we featured a two-part episode on racism in the Armenian culture [episodes #25 and #26], it was intended to be an ongoing conversation...

Episode 41 - Canines & Armenian Culture with Oknooshoon's Nairi Krafian

28 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the United States, as in many other countries, dogs are considered treasured companions and frequently pampered (more than some humans). However, t...

Episode 40 - Parallels within Armenian & LGBTQ Communities with Dr. David Alajajian-Fox

14 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Being Armenian and gay are largely thought of as incompatible identities in contemporary Armenian culture. However, Dr. David Alajajian-Fox posits tha...

Episode 39 - Balancing Motherhood with Dr. Jenn & Dr. Sarine from Is It Bedtime Yet? Podcast

30 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The journey into motherhood is at once uniquely personal and deeply universal. It is full of moments of profound love and fear, in turn. Some women ar...

Episode 38 - Connecting South American and Armenian Roots with Soledad Rodriguez Yernazian

16 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we weave our way through South American and Armenian cultures, and the unique ebb and flow of belonging to several cultures simultane...

Episode 37 - Artsakh Ultra Stage Race with Ultramarathon Runner Armen Sarrafian

02 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we traverse beyond the physical challenge of running long distances and delve into the spiritual strength required to do so successfu...

Episode 36 - Life After Suicide - Finding the Warrior Within

19 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The death of a loved one is always difficult to bear, but when someone you love dies by suicide the effects of grief are multiplied. Suicide remains a...

Episode 35 - Exploring Armenian Journalism with Anna Kachikyan

05 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Where do we get our news? Who do we trust to tell us the truth about what is happening in the world? Is all media created equal? Anna Kachikyan talks ...

Episode 34 - Infertility & Miscarriage with Therapist Margrit Boghosian

20 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Few things in life hurt so deeply as watching (what seems like) everyone else experience that which you so deeply desire, what society expects you to ...

Episode 33 - Series on Dating, Part 3 - with MikedUpPod's Mike Gabriel

06 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

At long last, we bring you the third episode in our ongoing Series on Dating! Mike Gabriel hosts his own podcast called MikedUpPod and is a co-host of...

Episode 32 - Eating Disorders & Body Image with Elizabeth Megrabyan

23 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do we, as a society, measure a woman's value? How should it be measured? How do we treat women who don't look the way society says they should? An...

Episode 31 - Wilderness Living and Survival Skills with Dr. Nicole Apelian

09 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Diasporan Armenians often go to great lengths to "stay connected to our roots," but there are many different kinds of roots, one of the most fundament...

Episode 30 - Greenbar Distillery with Co-Founder Melkon Khosrovian

26 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Armenian wine making dates back 4000 years BC, so it's safe to say that our people have a long history of experimenting with intoxicating beverages an...

Episode 29 - The Naghash Ensemble with Conductor John Hodian

12 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the greatest gifts we can bestow on our culture is to make our historical past relevant by merging it with the present day. Composer John Hodia...

Episode 28 - Armenian Paganism with Vazgen Barsegian

28 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Universally, Armenia is recognized as a Christian nation, but what were we before then? Armenian history goes back thousands of years. What did our an...

Episode 27 - How to Have Impossible Conversations with Dr. Peter Boghossian

14 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In America and across the globe today, people have been experiencing an intense sense of polarization. It's happening on social media, TV news, and in...

Episode 26 - Racism and the Armenian Community with Sonia & Brandon Pierce, Part 2

31 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 2 of our episode on racism in the Armenian community, Sonia and Brandon speak frankly about the challenges they face as a mixed family and the...

Episode 25 - Racism and the Armenian Community with Sonia & Brandon Pierce, Part 1

17 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When we talk about marriage in Armenian culture, we tread on sacred ground. Most of us grow up knowing we are expected to marry one of our own, anothe...

Episode 24: Armenian Autism Outreach Project with Taleen Khatchadourian

03 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us are in the habit of making snap judgments about others with very little information. It's a shortcut our brains frequently use to conserve ...

Episode 23: ARPA International Film Festival - with Founder Sylvia Minassian

19 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We begin our second season by highlighting the underlying theme of our podcast - that all our stories deserve to be told. There is arguably no better ...

Episode 22: Substance Abuse, Part 2 - with Author Erin Khar

16 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The second part of our double-episode on substance abuse is focused on the American experience of addiction and the cultural norms surrounding the rec...

Episode 21: Substance Abuse, Part 1 - with Counselor Suzy Eskilian

16 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The first part of our double-episode on substance abuse takes a look at the Armenian perspective and explores what role cultural dynamics play in addi...

Episode 20: Reconciling Armenia with USC Institute of Armenian Studies Director Salpi Ghazarian

02 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When we talk about Armenia or being Armenian, what is it that we really mean? Is it possible that we are paradoxically divided by a common culture? Wi...

Episode 19: Teaching The Armenian Genocide with Activist Laura Michael

18 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most valuable treasures each one of us owns is our stories, both personal and collective. It's what we endeavor to pass on to the generatio...

Episode 18: Birthright Armenia Experience with Lavash Life's Aris Mardirossian

04 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For those in the diaspora who yearn to forge a personal connection with our ancestral homeland of Armenia, there's nothing quite like the Birthright A...

Episode 17: Working In A Family Business with Guest Hrag Kalebjian of Henry's House of Coffee

21 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hrag Kalebjian speaks candidly about what it takes to be a part of a successful family business and how to maintain family harmony by navigating the d...

Episode 16: Artist Profile - Arpi Krikorian

07 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When you follow the path that is your true calling, the road opens up before you. Artist Arpi Krikorian talks about returning to her first love, how h...

Episode 15: Surviving Childhood Abuse with Author Melineh Petrosian

21 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In Armenian lore, perhaps to a greater degree than in many other cultures, Mothers are revered figures. The Armenian Mother is selfless and devoted to...

Episode 14: Series on Dating, Part 2 - with Matchmaker Christie Tcharkhoutian

07 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you're single and looking for love, you've come to the right episode! Discover how we often stand in our own way on the path to Happily Ever After....

Episode 13: Being Armenian and Lesbian in the UK with Guest Linda Riley

24 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most powerful things any human being can do is stand in the full embodiment of all aspects of herself. The world often tries to compartment...

Episode 12: Series on Dating, Part 1 - with Guest Narine Galstian

10 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 11: Vegan Armenian Kitchen with Lena Tashjian

27 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 10: Artist Profile - Vahe Berberian

13 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Are artists born or created? What sacrifices must be made in order to produce art that resonates with others? What role does fear play in an artist's...

Episode 9: Early Childhood Education with Dr. Natalie Berberian

30 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 9: Early Childhood Education with Dr. Natalie Berberian

30 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If we want a better society, we need to build a better foundation. Few people are in a position to exert more influence over our children than their t...

Episode 7: Statelessness with Guest Karina Ambartsoumian Clough

29 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to be a person with no home country? A stranger in every land. Imagine living your life unable to open a bank account in your own na...

Episode 8: Armenian Women and Ambition with Guest Dr. Sandra Thomasian

15 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Are Armenian women encouraged to be all that they can be? Do we consciously or unconsciously treat people differently based on their perceived gender?...

Episode 6: Armenian Food with Suzie from Dream Bakery

18 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Food plays a powerful role in human memory. The smell, texture, and taste of a particular dish can instantaneously take us back to our first encounter...

Episode 5: Trans Armenian with Guest Rudy Akbarian

04 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The prefix trans in its purest form refers to crossing a boundary, like an ocean, as in the word transatlantic. In this episode of Armenian Enough, Ru...

Episode 1: Culture Shock with Guest Ara Kasparian

21 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It was really exciting to have this opportunity to speak with my father about what it was like for him to come to the United States from Syria at the ...

Episode 4: Armenian Coffee Readings with Guest Pauline Harmandjian

20 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

One of my all-time favorite ways to connect with people is through sharing a cup of Armenian coffee and a reading! In this fun episode, Pauline and I ...

Episode 3: Being Korean-Armenian with Guest Adina Babaian

19 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Are we limited in our notions of what it means to be Armenian, particularly in the diaspora? Adina Babaian walks us through the experience of being a ...

Episode Zero: The Introduction

19 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Armenian Enough is a podcast exploring life and identity in the Armenian diaspora. 

Episode 2: Coming Out with Guest Ara Babaian

19 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What is it like to be Armenian and gay? Ara Babaian speaks candidly about his experiences as a young immigrant growing up in the United States amidst ...