Liana Aghajanian is journalist who writes for various print and online publications in addition to being Editor-In-Chief of ianyanmag. She has written for the Glendale News-Press, Bitch, Paste and Ararat magazine and currently also works as an editor. She takes her chai without sugar, but her dolma with lots of yogurt.

Armenians Up in Arms With Eurovision Song Selection

After an evenly divided vote by an expert jury and televoting by citizens, Armenia chose “Boom Boom” as the song to send with Emmy to the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest in Germany, much to the dismay of fans everywhere, who have  since expressed their disappointment and frustration with the choice through several social networks and [...]

Envoy Hostel Recognized as Armenia’s Best

Armenia’s  relatively new Envoy Hostel, where guests can learn Armenian and participate in games and movie nights in addition to receiving an affordable stay, won “Best Hotel in Armenia” at the Hostelworld.com annual HOSCAR Awards in London earlier this month. It was the first time a category was created for Armenia at the HOSCAR Awards, [...]

Genocide Recognition: There’s an App For That

Motion graphics animator Alex Nisanian had already spent $800 of his own money on developing on app dedicated to recognition of the 1915 Armenian Genocide as well as vigilance for current human rights violations like the genocide in Darfur. But when he got laid off and freelance work slowed down, he had to put the [...]

Jack Kevorkian Connects With Armenian Fans at Sold Out Show

On a recent unusually warm Saturday night, UCLA’s Royce Hall was packed to the brim with an anxious audience, waiting to catch even just a glimpse of right to die activist, painter and pathologist Jack Kevorkian. And as the hoards of eager fans – many of them Armenian – piled into the sold out show, [...]

Elle Turkey’s Fashion Faux Pas Stirs Controversy

Elle Turkey’s December editorial spread in which models Ana Zalewska and Karolin Machova prance through and pose in the now ruined and abandoned Armenian city of Ani has been met with criticism from Armenians angry at the use of the 5th century medieval capital whose population was slaughtered by Seljuk Turks and now has been [...]

The Armenia Diaries: Stories Beyond Stones

Even as far back as the humble dirt road that leads up to it, Zvartnots Cathedral commands itself to be seen. The 7th century monastery, declared a UNESCO world heritage site is more than grand, making it a must-see attraction to tour groups, who are regularly bussed in and take their time absorbing as much [...]

Silence Is Not a Solution: Armenians March Amid Increased HIV/AIDS Infection Rates

While at least 56 countries have either stabilized or decreased rates of new HIV infections, rates in Armenia have increased over the last decade by 25 percent, according to a new report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). With the marginalization and discrimination of people living with HIV and AIDS from society [...]

Revelations: Wikileaks and The Caucasus

Wikileaks, the international organization publishing confidential and unavailable documents from anonymous sources released more than 250,000 classified US diplomatic cables to  El Pais, Le Monde, Der Spiegal, Guardian and the New York Times news organization today and has so far released a miniscule 220 documents on their own site, with more on the way. The [...]

Armenian Taxi Drivers Rally Against Santa Monica’s Cab Ordinance

Despite a bevy of Armenian taxi drivers rallying at Santa Monica’s City Hall last night against a city proposed taxi limit that would leave them unemployed, the City Council approved the ordinance after hours of deliberation and several public comments from community representatives and drivers. The ordinance was proposed after a study determined that the [...]

The Epiphany: A Recount of Armenian Christmas

The culture, tradition and overall craziness involved in Christmas Eve, one of the most important nights of the year for Armenians is legendary. So when young filmmaker and NYU student Ella Hatamian decided she wanted to write and produce a fictional account of the feast, having her family star in the production was the obvious [...]