DIANA’S DIASPORA: Diana Der Hovanessian’s Influence on Armenian-American Writers

DIANA DER HOVANESSIAN, a renowned poet, translator, mentor, and cultural leader, passed away on March 1, 2018. She published over 25 books of poetry & received prizes from the NEA and the Poetry Society of America. She was the longtime president of the New England Poetry Club. She opened a door for many Armenian Americans to read and write themselves into being.

In this panel, Armenian-American writers will read and discuss her work, share insights about her character through anecdote and memory, and analyze her impact on American poetry, translation, and Armenian culture. A year after her death, they will look at her legacy to inspire the future of Armenian poetry, including her emphasis on poetry by and for women. This tribute to her service as a poet and translator, who connected poets across cultures, will offer a model to all writers.