Local community pushing for recognition of Armenian genocide

GLENDALE, Calif. (KABC) -- Last fall, the White House unveiled a rug that had been hidden for years. It had been sewn by Armenian orphans in 1925 as a thank you to President Calvin Coolidge, whose relief agency helped them escape death at the hands of the Turks.

Yet 100 years later, the United States government still has not acknowledged what Armenians and many others call a "genocide".

Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) says he has been working on the issue for about 18 years, since his first days in the legislature.

Schiff was instrumental in getting the rug displayed and continues to push for genocide recognition.

"You look at the millions of knots in this rug and you realize that these little hands of these orphans made this rug as a thank you. It's an irrefutable part of the history of the genocide," Schiff said.

Yet the Turkish government continues to deny it was a genocide and the U.S. government, concerned about its relationship with a valuable ally, will also still not call it genocide.

It angers people around the world, especially in Glendale, which has the largest Armenian population in the U.S.

At the Glendale Fighting Club, you'll find superstars like Ronda Rousey and Travis Brown. The men who train them are Armenian and they'll tell you their toughness comes from their heritage.

"Armenians are strong people. They don't give up. They'll do anything to make sure the genocide is recognized everywhere because it has happened," said trainer Sevak Ohanjanian

In America, Martin Berberyan is known as Rousey's wrestling coach, but in Armenia, he's a folk hero.

Berberyan has a storied wrestling career, but it was one particular international tournament in Turkey that made him famous.

In the championship round, his opponent was a Turk, and of all the days, the match was on the day Armenians mark the anniversary of the genocide.

"I would bleed if I have to but I will make sure I get the victory for my country and my people," Berberyan said through Ohanjanian who translated.

And he did!

"The Armenians, they always say that Martin Berberyan, on the day of the Genocide Commemoration Day, he rose the Armenian flag in Turkey and he won," Ohanjanian said.

Edmond Tarverdyan is Rousey's primary trainer. He is in Armenia this week with his star athlete.

"She's real. She understands. She accepts that it happened and it hurts her because you know, we are a family to her. She says, 'You're a family to me and I support this 100 percent,'" Tarverdyan said.

Together, they are fighting to show the world the genocide did happen. Mass murder a century ago, yet a population still suffers. Armenians long for recognition, an important gesture to ease their pain.