Tweet
HER HOME IS AMERICA, BUT HER HEART IS WITH ARMENIA
Herald News (Passaic County, NJ)
December 22, 2014 Monday
by John Petrick, Staff Writer; Email: [email protected]
You don't know what homesickness is until you've looked into the
eyes of a 3-year-old, torn from his ravaged homeland, suddenly in an
American hospital bed recovering from surgery.
Alice Movsesian will never forget helping young victims of the
devastating 1988 earthquake in her parents' native Armenia by
organizing hundreds of surgeries for some and helping to arrange
adoptions for others, all right here in America.
"It was difficult because the children were so sick, and most of them
were only 3 or 4. They were more frightened than anything else. But
they learned to love us," said the long-time Armenian activist and
Cliffside Park resident. "I'm in contact with many of them today.
They're married now and have children of their own. I'm even the
godmother of a few of them. Some are not in Armenia anymore, but
in other places. We have Skype now, which makes life a lot easier,"
she added with a laugh.
The Armenian National Committee honored Movsesian at its Eighth Annual
Eastern Region Banquet on Dec. 7 at the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park Hotel
in Manhattan for her decades of dedicated service to the Armenian
community. Movsesian received the Vahan Cardashian Award, named
after the Yale-educated lawyer who put aside his New York practice
to establish the Armenian Committee for the Independence of Armenia.
Born and raised in New York City, she began her career as a bookkeeper
for a textile firm whose owner recognized her talent for business. He
insisted she go to college and even paid for her education. After she
attended Hunter College and New York University, Movsesian moved on
to several other textile and apparel firms in New York City, rising
through the ranks until she retired as a chief financial officer.
The 82-year-old said her impulse to volunteer her time and talents
toward the Armenian cause was just in her blood. Her father,
a machinist, came to America in 1912 amid rumors that turmoil was
brewing in Armenia and that it might be a good time to get out. Her
mother fled eight years later. Both lost their entire families in the
Armenian genocide of 1915. The period of 1915 to 1917 is regarded
by Armenians and most Western historians to have been filled with
state-sponsored mass killings. Turkish authorities, however, maintain
that the deaths were the result of a civil war coupled with disease
and famine, with casualties incurred by both sides. Historians estimate
the death toll ranges from 600,000 to more than a million.
"I came from a family who wanted freedom and independence. I am a
very good American. I am an American first. But I speak the [Armenian]
language. I can read and write it. I was brought up with both American
culture and Armenian culture. My parents wanted me to know where I
came from. I did come from a family that was very patriotic," she said.
Next year's 100th anniversary of the genocide cannot be underplayed,
she says. Even in her acceptance speech when honored earlier this month
by the Armenian National Committee, she noted, "We are entering into
the 100-year anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The Turks tried
to remove us from the face of the earth -- but we prevailed."
As politically and culturally aware of her roots as she has always
been, most of Movsesian's service to her community began later in
life. "I had retired. This was just the next step," she said. When
the earthquake of 1988 occurred, she said, "My people, my heritage,
were bleeding. I don't know. I just had to help them."
After the initial wave of emergency medical assistance to hundreds
of earthquake victims, Movsesian helped to coordinate more than 400
open-heart surgeries for Armenian children traveling to the U.S. By
1991, Movsesian and her team of volunteers created a pediatric
heart department at the Michaelian Institute in Armenia. Through the
institute, Armenian doctors and nurses came to America for training,
with top U.S. specialists traveling to Armenia to educate both new
and seasoned medical workers in the latest surgical techniques.
In 1993, Movsesian helped establish the Nork Marash Medical Heart
Center in Armenia, which performs surgery for both children and adults.
"Alice is a pillar to the Armenian-American community here in New
Jersey. Her lifelong commitment and dedication to the Armenian cause
should serve as an example to all those involved in humanitarian
outreach," said Karine Birazian Shnorhokian, board member of the
Eastern Region of the Armenian National Committee of America. "Whether
touching the lives of those in need of medical care, working on
legislation promoting Armenian genocide recognition, or serving as
a volunteer in some capacity with the community, she still continues
to persevere. In her eyes, the work is never done, and at the end of
the day, she continues to ask herself, have I done enough?"
While honored to receive the recognition, Movsesian said, it makes
her a little uncomfortable. "I'm not the kind of person who looks
for praise," she said. "I do these things for myself."
Herald News (Passaic County, NJ)
December 22, 2014 Monday
by John Petrick, Staff Writer; Email: [email protected]
You don't know what homesickness is until you've looked into the
eyes of a 3-year-old, torn from his ravaged homeland, suddenly in an
American hospital bed recovering from surgery.
Alice Movsesian will never forget helping young victims of the
devastating 1988 earthquake in her parents' native Armenia by
organizing hundreds of surgeries for some and helping to arrange
adoptions for others, all right here in America.
"It was difficult because the children were so sick, and most of them
were only 3 or 4. They were more frightened than anything else. But
they learned to love us," said the long-time Armenian activist and
Cliffside Park resident. "I'm in contact with many of them today.
They're married now and have children of their own. I'm even the
godmother of a few of them. Some are not in Armenia anymore, but
in other places. We have Skype now, which makes life a lot easier,"
she added with a laugh.
The Armenian National Committee honored Movsesian at its Eighth Annual
Eastern Region Banquet on Dec. 7 at the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park Hotel
in Manhattan for her decades of dedicated service to the Armenian
community. Movsesian received the Vahan Cardashian Award, named
after the Yale-educated lawyer who put aside his New York practice
to establish the Armenian Committee for the Independence of Armenia.
Born and raised in New York City, she began her career as a bookkeeper
for a textile firm whose owner recognized her talent for business. He
insisted she go to college and even paid for her education. After she
attended Hunter College and New York University, Movsesian moved on
to several other textile and apparel firms in New York City, rising
through the ranks until she retired as a chief financial officer.
The 82-year-old said her impulse to volunteer her time and talents
toward the Armenian cause was just in her blood. Her father,
a machinist, came to America in 1912 amid rumors that turmoil was
brewing in Armenia and that it might be a good time to get out. Her
mother fled eight years later. Both lost their entire families in the
Armenian genocide of 1915. The period of 1915 to 1917 is regarded
by Armenians and most Western historians to have been filled with
state-sponsored mass killings. Turkish authorities, however, maintain
that the deaths were the result of a civil war coupled with disease
and famine, with casualties incurred by both sides. Historians estimate
the death toll ranges from 600,000 to more than a million.
"I came from a family who wanted freedom and independence. I am a
very good American. I am an American first. But I speak the [Armenian]
language. I can read and write it. I was brought up with both American
culture and Armenian culture. My parents wanted me to know where I
came from. I did come from a family that was very patriotic," she said.
Next year's 100th anniversary of the genocide cannot be underplayed,
she says. Even in her acceptance speech when honored earlier this month
by the Armenian National Committee, she noted, "We are entering into
the 100-year anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The Turks tried
to remove us from the face of the earth -- but we prevailed."
As politically and culturally aware of her roots as she has always
been, most of Movsesian's service to her community began later in
life. "I had retired. This was just the next step," she said. When
the earthquake of 1988 occurred, she said, "My people, my heritage,
were bleeding. I don't know. I just had to help them."
After the initial wave of emergency medical assistance to hundreds
of earthquake victims, Movsesian helped to coordinate more than 400
open-heart surgeries for Armenian children traveling to the U.S. By
1991, Movsesian and her team of volunteers created a pediatric
heart department at the Michaelian Institute in Armenia. Through the
institute, Armenian doctors and nurses came to America for training,
with top U.S. specialists traveling to Armenia to educate both new
and seasoned medical workers in the latest surgical techniques.
In 1993, Movsesian helped establish the Nork Marash Medical Heart
Center in Armenia, which performs surgery for both children and adults.
"Alice is a pillar to the Armenian-American community here in New
Jersey. Her lifelong commitment and dedication to the Armenian cause
should serve as an example to all those involved in humanitarian
outreach," said Karine Birazian Shnorhokian, board member of the
Eastern Region of the Armenian National Committee of America. "Whether
touching the lives of those in need of medical care, working on
legislation promoting Armenian genocide recognition, or serving as
a volunteer in some capacity with the community, she still continues
to persevere. In her eyes, the work is never done, and at the end of
the day, she continues to ask herself, have I done enough?"
While honored to receive the recognition, Movsesian said, it makes
her a little uncomfortable. "I'm not the kind of person who looks
for praise," she said. "I do these things for myself."