Assyrian American Association of Southern California

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We regret to inform you that our language class is canceled this evening. Classes will resume next Wednesday, November 11th at 7pm in the Association office. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Election Day is here and we have an important message from Peter Warda, President of AAASC. #election2020 #electionday #vote #assyrian

We’re excited to virtually kick off our Annual Gala this year. In place of an in-person live auction, AAASC has worked to create an online auction that will be taking place all month long! Now is the time to shop exclusive offers on vacations for the whole family and check back later for unique Christmas gifts!

AAASC was pleased to host our Halloween trick-or-treat drive thru. We thank everyone for coming out and supporting our event! Given the pandemic, we were pleased to have been able to host this event and ensure our community that the uncertainty around us will not prevent us from upholding our duty of bringing joy to our distinguished community.

Our next message comes from Daniela Nazar Envieh who is currently serving as a Board of Director. She also served as this position during the last administration. Wow it’s basically November and what we thought was going to last a few weeks has now has taken over most of our year... Looking back at 2020, I see so many things that made me angry, upset and frustrated but I also see things that stopped me in my tracks and brought a tear to my eye. ... I can’t tell you I was going crazy at home because I've work throughout the entire quarantine at an office, but with that being said, I see how it has affected other people. From fear to panic, aggression to compassion and aid... I’ve seen it all. What this time has taught me is that even though we can be upset because people aren’t doing what we think is right or fair, there are amazing humans out there. Yes, I know you are all thinking Duh, we are Assyrians of course we are amazing but in all seriousness, I have seen our community band together to build infrastructures for aid and help immensely in a moment's notice. I have seen so many people be willing and eager to share their time to help someone that cannot do for themselves or offer a service that might be helpful in this very unique time. HELP WITHOUT HESITATION is what I have seen and it inspires me to do the same everyday. I am reminded of this quote: You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. I am so amazed by the generosity care and love our people have shown for not just each other, but our brothers and sisters in Lebanon and Armenia. I know we have all kept our loved ones close (in person or virtually) but time and time again I was witness to people who tried to reach out and lend a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to just listen. We, my people are amazing and I have faith that we will walk through the rest of 2020 with kindness, compassion, and respect for each other, our beliefs, and our values. We will come out of this stronger and our metaphorical ocean more beautiful than ever before. I can’t wait for that time and to hug you all once we are on the other side of this. Until then...cheers!

Two days until our Trick or Treat Drive-Thru Bash! Bring your little ones for a fun filled event with candy, movies, costumes, photo opps, prizes and so much more! We hope to see you there!

AAASC has offered a non-partisan voter guide for California propositions for the upcoming election. Here are propositions 20-25! As a reminder Election Day is next Tuesday, November 3rd. It is so important for Assyrian Americans to exercise their right to vote and make their voices heard!

Assyrian Language Class - 10/28/2020

Methods to vote in CA & propositions 14-19!

On this Monday morning, we are saddened to announce the passing of another Assyrian soldier. 19-year old Yukhana Avdishoev from the village of Arzni is the 5th ethnic Assyrian to give his life bravely defending Artsakh and Armenia. #artsakhstrong #armenian #assyrian #solidarity #stoperdogan #stopaliyev

One week from today! Join us for our Trick or Treat Drive-Thru Bash! Contests, prizes, candy, costumes, and so much more! 10/31 from 1-5pm. We hope to see you there!

Our next message comes from Deeana Betsamo who currently serves as a Board of Director. Prior to this, she served as the Executive Secretary in the 2018-2020 administration. Hello everyone and happy Friday! I can't believe October has almost come to an end and we're about to enter November. This year has been difficult, to say the least, for many of us... but amidst all of the negativity in the world, I want to remind you how important it is to not lose sight of the beauty... life has to offer. Every day you're able to leave your home and walk freely and safely is a blessing. Every time you share a moment of laughter with a loved one is a blessing. Each morning you open your eyes and take a breath is a blessing. The point is, even if it may feel like there is nothing worth smiling about, life itself is something to smile about. For us, we're fortunate because we belong to a community that feels like family. I may meet someone I never knew and find out our dads were neighbors growing up. I may come across a long-lost cousin I never knew existed. Or I may meet a friend who later feels like family. I know this is possible because I've experienced it all firsthand. During this tumultuous year, a moment that truly inspired me was when I saw the amount of people who came through for Lebanon. In less than 24 hours, we collectively raised over $10,000 for those in need. In that moment I knew how much power our community had and while the circumstances were grim, I realized this small positive. Life throws a lot of curveballs at us and while most hit us where it hurts, a few show us that even on the darkest day the light is still possible. If I had to identify my takeaway in this message it would simply be: we're lucky to be alive and free, we're lucky to be Assyrian and we're lucky for this strong sense of community. I want to remind you all that if you ever feel alone and in need of a friend, AAASC's doors are ALWAYS open to you and we will welcome and embrace you. I look forward to the day we're all together and celebrating all the beauty life has to offer. Until then, be safe and be well.