Event to Feature IALA in Two Panel Discussions, Exclusive Offsite Event, and Shared Exhibit Space with Anamot Press
The International Armenian Literary Alliance announced its participation in this year’s AWP Conference & Bookfair, one of the largest literary gatherings in North America. IALA will host two engaging panel discussions featuring esteemed writers, editors, and literary professionals, as well as a special offsite event designed to foster deeper community connections among writers and industry leaders.
Additionally, IALA will share an exhibit space with Anamot Press at the AWP Bookfair, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about both organizations, explore their latest literary initiatives, and connect with representatives. The shared space will serve as a hub for networking, access to exclusive literary resources, as well as an opportunity to purchase signed books.
Featured Panel Discussions
A featured panel discussion, titled “We Are Still Here: A Reading for Palestinian & Armenian Solidarity,” is set for Friday, March 28,, from 1:45 to 3 p.m. in Room 501ABC, Level Two at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
This multigenre reading, presented by IALA, brings together writers of Palestinian and Armenian descent whose works in prose, poetry, and nonfiction examine culture and heritage in the diaspora. In the face of ongoing campaigns of silencing by colonialist and fascist governments, this panel highlights the resilience of these communities and the power of literature as an act of resistance and survival.
Panel participants will include:
- Gina Srmabekian, Moderator/Speaker
- Nancy Agabian, Speaker
- Mai Serhan, Speaker
- Priscilla Wathington, Speaker
- Raffi Wartanian, Speaker
A second panel discussion, titled “Behind the Acronym: Empowering Ethnic Voices – Launching a Literary Non-Profit,” will be held on Saturday, March 29, from 9 to 10:15 a.m. in Room 515A, Level Two of the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Organized by Jen Siraganian, this discussion brings together arts administrators from the International Armenian Literary Alliance and Mizna to explore the role of literary nonprofits dedicated to specific ethnic communities. Panelists will discuss the importance of visibility, diversity, and the practicalities of launching and maintaining a successful nonprofit in the literary world.
Panel participants will include:
- Shahé Mankerian, Moderator/Speaker
- Ellina Kevorkian, Speaker
- Arthur Kayzakian, Speaker
Following the AWP 2025 conference, the IALA Los Angeles Chapter will host a special offsite event, titled “Gata & Gartal: A Taste of Armenian Literature,” on Saturday, March 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Lark Musical Society in Los Angeles. Open to all, this evening of literature, community, and conversation will feature powerful readings from talented IALA members. The event will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Lark Musical Society of Los Angeles. Cocktail Hour is from 6:30 to 7 p.m., and the readings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Suggested Donation: $25 or more (event is free of charge).
Attendees can enjoy food and drinks during the cocktail hour before the readings commence. This intimate gathering will provide a space for networking, creative exchange, and celebrating literary voices within the Armenian and larger literary communities.
Featured Readers: Nancy Agabian, Lory Bedikian, Armen Davoudian, Tina Demirdjian, Alec Ekmekji, Mashinka Firunts Hakopian, Armine Iknadossian, Arthur Kayzakian, Nancy Kricorian, Shahé Mankerian, Aram Saroyan, Jen Siraganian, Gina Srmabekian, Alene Terzian-Zeitounian, and Raffi Wartanian.
AWP 2025 will take place from March 26-29, 2025 in the Los Angeles Convention Center, drawing thousands of writers, educators, and literary professionals from across the world. IALA’s participation reflects its ongoing commitment to supporting and amplifying diverse literary voices.
“This year, as AWP takes place in Los Angeles, home to the largest Armenian community in the diaspora, IALA embraces the opportunity to showcase its mission on an even grander stage,” says IALA Board Member and Mentorship Program Director Shahe Mankerian. “Our presence at AWP is especially exciting as it allows us to introduce a wider literary audience, one deeply engaged with the written word, to the richness of Armenian authors who illuminate our heritage through the English language.”
The International Armenian Literary Alliance is a nonprofit organization launched in 2021 that supports and celebrates writers by fostering the development and distribution of Armenian literature in the English language. A network of Armenian writers and their champions, IALA gives Armenian writers a voice in the literary world through creative, professional, and scholarly advocacy. Learn more by visiting the website.
