I'm part of a tribe of centuries-old tradition,

Keeping heritage alive is our driving mission.

Armenian music, food, prayer fill our days,

Hard work and service earn us praise.

 

We gather in church each and every week,

Decorate at holidays, floor to peak.

Ancient rituals greet us each year.

Festive occasions fill us with cheer.

 

Like us, our foods have zest and flavor,

Eating kebab is a moment to savor.

 Pilaf and dolma are the best,

Try them and you’ll be impressed!

 

Vibrant like our country’s banner,

We walk proudly in a colorful manner,

From traditional to modern, our clothes say it all,

In red, blue and orange, we stand proud and tall.

 

It wasn’t always such a happy tale,

My grandparents came here alone and frail,

Their siblings and parents were tortured and killed.

In the 1915 genocide, their blood had been spilled.

 

But faithful we remained, Armenian Orthodox,

One of Christianity’s many building blocks.

Our services, sometimes hours long,

Always begin and end in song.

 

Music fills my family’s soul,

It helps to keep Armenians whole,

Through times of turmoil and despair,

Gomidas, Aznavour lead us in prayer.

 

I draw on a long history, courageous and strong,

To pursue my studies, to work hard and long,

History, civics, language, and math,

Sports, service line my academic path.

 

My Armenian identity defines my life,

Faith, hope, tradition conquer strife,

I face my future with purpose and might,

To pave a course that’s happy and right.