Lucine Z. Kinoian's talk is on the circumstance and luck that allowed her paternal great-grandparents to survive the Armenian Genocide in spite of the demoralizing suffering they endured, and the looming, inevitable fate that took the lives of their relatives and loved ones. Kinoian's talk will focus specifically on her great-grandmother, whose story is that of abduction and abuse. Kinoian believes that who we are as individuals is a product of all those who came before us, and that we have an obligation to ourselves, to our society, and to the world at large, to know, acknowledge, and learn from the stories of our past. Over a century has passed since the events that mark the start of the Armenian Genocide, and in telling her great- grandmother's story, Kinoian hopes to be the voice of a generation that is long gone and in danger of being forgotten.

Lucine Z. Kinoian is a third-generation Armenian-American who is active in the respective New York and New Jersey Armenian communities. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Literature and Philosophy from Rutgers University and a Master’s degree in English Education from Columbia University. Kinoian currently works as an English teacher in the Tenafly, NJ school district.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx