Commemorating the Circassian Genocide—I Realized We See Genocides All Wrong

Every year the Circassian community remembers May 21, 1864. The day we commemorate the Circassian Genocide. Following a 100-year war with Russia, our ancestors were defeated and forced to leave our homeland. The end of the war wasn’t the end of our suffering though. Our exodus was marked with starvation, disease, and death.

I’m not a big fan of living in the past, but I do believe in learning from history. I mention this today because I believe if we're looking at these tragedies in the wrong way, and if we change how we look at them we'll so much more positive change and personal satisfaction

Most if not all groups have tragic events like this in their history. The Jewish Genocide, the Armenian Genocide, the genocide of the Native Americans, the slaves brought to the West from Africa, and the list goes on. Including more recent tragedies like 9/11.

These commemorations bring us together, to remember and grieve. There’s also usually some blame directed at another group, and maybe even a plea for them to make things right. We then walk away for another year, with little to nothing changed.

Waiting for someone else to solve our problems is a huge missed opportunity. Entrepreneurship taught me nobody cares about me and my business more than me, whether customers or employees. Similarly, nobody cares about our traumas and genocides more than us. So, if we’re waiting for justice, we’re going to wait a long time.

Better yet why not take this time, these emotions, this desire to see the wrongs made right, and do something about it. So, what can we do to make things better? Can we launch some program or initiative to improve the situation of our communities? Can we partner with others to do something even bigger? Are others already doing great work that inspires us, that we can donate our time or money to support? There are so many options, for all types of lifestyles and preferences.

I love the idea of taking wrongs and making them right. Taking powerlessness and turning it into empowerment. Taking pain and turning it into joy and happiness.

How about you? Please share ways you’ve turned wrongs and worked to make them right?