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Hovhannes Davtyan - New Year Lemonade in Glendale, CA. December 22 and 23, at 7:30 PM. Call: (818) 265-0506 Annie Totah: Woman, Armenian, Warrior
WASHINGTON — When Annie Simonian Totah fights for Armenian Genocide recognition on Capitol Hill, the dispiriting thought of her parents in an orphanage takes centerstage.
The daughter of Genocide survivors, Totah has made it one of her life’s missions to obtain worldwide recognition for the first human rights exodus of the 20th century, which claimed the lives of close to 1.5 million Armenians during the crumbling of the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
It is with that determination and passion in mind that she has dedicated 40 years of her life for advocacy work and philanthropic missions. In recognition of this milestone, Totah will be honored by the Armenian Assembly of America on Tuesday, September 25, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington, DC.
Among a wall of family portraits in Totah’s sprawling home in Potomac, Md., are photos of familiar faces, from a succession of royalty to presidents to world leaders. Her house has served as more than a residence for her four children and now her grandchildren — it has also been the site of countless fundraisers for political, humanitarian, medical, cultural and social causes, where many esteemed figures are invited, from Empress Farah Pahlavi of Iran to Hillary Clinton, on whose campaign for President Totah served, along with Congressional leaders and heads of major non-profit organizations.
While she has become well-known over four decades of service to Washington, D.C., her heart remains with Armenians and bolstering the homeland. When Armenia emerged as an independent nation, Totah took spirited action and organized groups of Diasporans to set sail with them toward the homeland under the banner of the Armenian Assembly of America; for many it was the first time they would step foot on Armenia’s soil. While she had supported her homeland from afar, since her days as a tenacious youngster in Beirut, Lebanon, to her relentless advocacy work in Washington, she sought to connect Diasporans with a free and independent Armenia, recognizing the importance of building that integral relationship early on.
“My goal on these missions was to connect Armenian-Americans with their homeland and to help them see first-hand what is happening in the country and give them the chance to do their share to help,” she said.
It is a commitment that continues to the present day, as Armenia evolves and focuses on arming the next generation with astute knowledge. Recently, Totah became a Pillar of the American University of Armenia, a leading Western-style academic institution in Armenia, through the Sami and Annie Simonian Totah Foundation.
“I am impressed with what AUA is doing in Armenia by preparing and educating future leaders and giving them quality academic opportunities with excellent first-class professors,” said Totah. “Upon graduation, these young individuals will excel on their own turf by becoming well-informed, well-educated Armenians so they can help the country advance and grow.”
Her first foray into politics was through the Armenian Rights Council of America (ARCA), where she informed, educated and organized political fundraisers for members of Congress. Witnessing her activism, the Armenian Assembly of America, the largest Washington-based non-partisan organization that promotes awareness and understanding of Armenian issues, invited her to serve as a Board Member and later as chair of its Board of Directors — the first and only woman to have that honor.
She is well-versed in the geopolitics of the Caucasus, stating in her signature candor that Turkey “needs the US more than the other way around.” Case in point, Totah recounts when French President Jacques Chirac formally acknowledged the Armenian Genocide in 1998 and in retaliation Turkey recalled its ambassador and threatened to cut off diplomatic relations.
“After three months, Turkey’s ambassador was back in France and trade between the two countries not only resumed but increased by 130 percent,” said Totah.
While she acknowledges Armenia’s limitations, she always stresses the positive side, particularly during meetings with government officials and sees Armenia becoming a great friend to the US in the Caucuses, similar to how Israel is in the Middle East.
“Armenia is not part of the problem,” said Totah. “On the contrary, it is part of the solution.” While it has shortcomings being landlocked with a lack of natural resources, Totah highlights the country’s brainpower and its status as a Christian nation in that region that can become a “guiding light in the South Caucasus.” She hopes that with the post-Velvet Revolution, under the leadership of the new Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, corruption will be curtailed, the economy will improve and new jobs will be created for its citizens, particularly for the young and educated Armenians to stay in the country.
“Our homeland cannot afford anymore brain drain because it is one of the most precious resources Armenia has,” said Totah. “We are on the right track and I am hopeful once we have democracy instilled in the country, along with transparency, justice, rule of law and employment opportunities, the citizens of Armenia will thrive.”
Roots in Beirut
As the saying goes in Armenian, the first teacheristhe home, and it was through her family unit that Totah’s character was shaped early on while growing up in Beirut, Lebanon.
The youngest of four siblings, who are all immensely active in the Armenian community and supportive of charitable causes, Totah attended AGBU’s Tarouhy Hagopian Secondary School, where she was the top student in the academic institution for six years while being involved in a myriad of activities from Girl Scouts to dancing to serving as editor of the school newspaper. As a principal ballerina with the Beirut Ballet Ensemble, she had the chance to perform on stage with Rudolph Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn, dancing with the Royal Ballet of England at the Baalbeck Festival. She also danced as a soloist with the AGBU Antranig Dance Ensemble in Lebanon. Education remained a priority in her life and she received her master’s degree from the American University of Beirut, where she met her husband, Sami.
The guiding influence in her life have been her strong-willed parents, particularly her mother, whose compassionate work had a deep impact on Totah. She aspired to live up to the principles and values her mother instilled in her.
“My mother was a dynamic lady,” said Totah. “Even though she was an orphan, she was ambitious, hard-working and received her education in a British orphanage.” She became a registered nurse at the American University Hospital (AUH) in Beirut and expressed compassion for her patients, traveling with families to Europe so they could get proper treatment that was not available at AUH.
“We were taught to always do our best in everything we undertake and to leave this world in a better place than we found it,” said Totah. This was a mantra that guided Totah and her siblings, Cecil, Rita and Simon, who give of their time, energy and resources not only to the Armenian community, but internationally on a global level.
Through her generosity, the Executive Wing of the Johns Hopkins Sibley Hospital in Maryland is named in honor of the Sami and Annie Totah Family Foundation and thanks to her wide-ranging network, she has raised millions of dollars for significant organizations, such as the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Best Buddies with Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Washington Performing Arts Society, The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington Ballet, among many others.
Her contributions to the Diaspora, too, have been multi-pronged, led by efforts for worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
“One of my strongest dreams was to have the Armenian Genocide acknowledged by the United States during the lifetime of my parents,” said Totah. “Unfortunately I failed because the State Department vehemently opposes to acknowledge that reality, instead always succumbing to pressure from Turkey.”
Source: https://mirrorspectator.com/2018/09/13/annie-totah-woman-armenian-warrior/
