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Abraham Tagvoryan
English 113A
Professor Lawson
27 March 2016
Project Space Little Armenia
Concentrating a vast place into one that is more easily absorbable as to its cultural
and social significance is no easy feat. For the purpose of this assignment, the place that
was chosen was the sub-region of Hollywood, CA called Little Armenia. As an
Armenian-American individual, this space not only has personal significance to me, as I
have spent a majority of my life here, but even more so it has a cultural significance to all
Armenians in more ways than one. While Glendale, CA can tout itself as being the largest
community of Armenians outside of the actual country of Armenia, Little Armenia in
Hollywood, CA can claim to be the first. It has been the place that immigrants come to
directly when migrating to the United States from the mother country. The reason for this
is because it provides a safe and familiar haven in an otherwise foreign and strange
country to which they must slowly adjust. Schools, churches, restaurants, and other
businesses with Armenian-speaking workers who prepare cultural foods and goods serve
as a draw. The fact that Los Angeles is so diverse and is so open to diversity allows for
people of all sorts to migrate here and feel immediately at ease, allowing them to adjust
slowly but surely while surrounded by bits and pieces of familiarity that make the
experience an exciting and rewarding one for all. Even before Los Angeles proclaimed
this certain region of the city as being Little Armenia, the community had already built
itself. It is likely for this reason that Los Angeles decided to honor its massive Armenian
community and name the region that they call home Little Armenia.
As an Armenian-American individual who was born and raised in Los Angeles,
traveling to and experiencing the sights and sounds of Little Armenia was not only

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inevitable, but it was a common occurrence. I remember accompanying my grandmother
to more than one small mom-and-pop grocery store where cultural goods were prepared
and sold. Whether it was the delicious eggplant caviar that we serve alongside our version
of barbeque or the plethora of pastries distinct to our culture, these stores served as a
central hub to the region of Little Armenia, much like kitchens serve as a central hub to
most family homes. It was at these stores where family, friends, and neighbors ran into
one another, caught up on one anothers lives, shared important stories, and did their
daily shopping all at once. Unlike American culture, going to the grocery store is not a
weekly or a bi-monthly event for the Armenian people, especially individuals like my
grandmother who was retired and essentially took care of her home and her
grandchildren. Shopping, then, was a daily occurrence in which the freshest meat and
produce was purchased and utilized to make dinner for the family. At the end of the
workday, when my mother would pick me up from my grandmothers house, she would
make sure to come inside, have some dinner with her mother and her son my
grandmother and myself, respectively and go home after. Though this may not seem
significant to others, it was what kept our family together, much like the Armenian
grocery stores in Little Armenia keep the larger community of Armenians together simply
by being there.
Aside from the grocery stores, other establishments like restaurants, delis, pastry
shops, and other culinary establishments that serve the community act as beacons that
remind the community of who they are, why they are here, and that they are not alone.
Walking down any street of Little Armenia would make any Armenian, especially those
whose English skills are not ideal, comfortable because of the many businesses that have
their business names in both English and Armenian, creating an inclusive environment

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for the community members to feel at ease. In other words, a newly-immigrated
individual could navigate the streets on their own and find what they are looking for with
minimal effort and without any help from anybody else. This is the very reason why the
community continues to grow and be developed in this manner. At one point or another,
everyones family member was an immigrant. If they had to experience difficulty
adjusting to their new surroundings before Little Armenia existed, why would they not
minimize the difficulty for others who come after them? They would and they do. As
such, like a mother who stands at the door with her arms wide open ready to embrace her
child returning from war, Little Armenia stands with her arms wide open to accept and
embrace all members of the community that enter its proverbial doors.
One thing about the Armenian people that everyone must know is the cultural
importance of showing hospitality to everyone. Neighbors become friends and friends
become family if Armenians have anything to say about it. Non-Armenian coworkers are
introduced to cultural foods and traditions and are accepted without hesitation, as should
be the case. As such, Little Armenia is not only a comfortable community for Armenians,
but for all people as well. Imagine, for instance, you are going out of town on vacation
but you are worried about your car being on the wrong side of the street on street
cleaning day. Good old Hakop (the Armenian equivalent of Jack) who lives next door
will be more than happy to move your car for you so you do not end up getting a parking
ticket. Another example would be if an Armenian neighbor is having a birthday party for
one of his children and you are unable to attend, expect to get a plate full of barbeque and
all the fixings so you too can share in the festivities in your own comfort. These are only
two examples of many that non-Armenians will experience in Little Armenia, for the

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most part. Knowing this, the most significant aspect of this place is its tendency to
connect people and nurture the seeds of community in more ways than one.
As communities grow and as they become more diverse, certain things begin to
change. Throughout the years, Little Armenia has grown and, in many ways, assimilated
with the American culture in more ways than one. With every new generation being born,
ways of life, traditions, and beliefs adjust. Still, the entire essence of being Armenian is
something that the Armenian people have held sacred above all else for thousands of
years. This is why we have outlived and survived all of our ancient neighbors the
Sumerians, the Babylonians, the Hittites despite having been such a small group of
people in comparison. It has been our strong bonds we hold with one another that has
made it possible for us to be alive today, despite others direct efforts to see that we are
annihilated. Whatever the case may be, it is the same strong determination that makes
sure the community of Armenians living in Los Angeles stays together as well, with each
member of the community serving as a backbone to every other member and fortifying
all it means to respect ones culture and traditions. Without Little Armenia, none of this
would have been possible. It is the safe haven that allows for our people to continue
living and existing, becoming significant members of the communities they live in and
contribute to. As such, Little Armenia is not simply a place; instead, it is where the
identity of our people derives from and is contributed back into by the community. It is
where everything begins and ends. It is both the tunnel and the light at the end of it. And
it is ours to nurture so future generations could experience all it has to offer as well. Thus,
simply calling Little Armenia a place is not enough. It is so much more than that.