Peter Balakian sent me this article he has written and I asked him if we could share it with our group as it deals with various issues that continue to concern us. With his approval, here are a few words from Peter about context, and the article is attached to this post.

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In May of 2015 I gave a reading in Diyarbakir Turkey---the Kurdish center of culture---this is the home city of my grandmother whose family were all massacred there in august of 1915. Such an event could not happen today given the harsh climate of repression. May 2015 was a moment of joy that was followed by horror and the Turkish government's crack down on the Kurds led to violence, displacement, and repression. The two brave sponsors of my event that evening are now either in prison ---the extraordinary philanthropist Osman Kavala--- or in exile, the talented literary force, Kurdish poet, and translator Kawa Nemir. My 87 year old mother Arax, also plays a central role in this journey. 

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Peter Balakian --- essay published in: Agni Magazine 98, Fall 2023, attached below

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