Join author Sarah Ignatius for a presentation of her debut novel, The Kaleidoscope of Destiny, a powerful coming-of-age story set during the Armenian Genocide. The novel follows fourteen-year-old Arakel, who dreams of traveling the Silk Road with his two closest friends—one Armenian and one Turkish. When the events of 1915 tear his world apart and force his family into exile across the Syrian desert, Arakel must depend on strangers from different faiths, cultures, and backgrounds to survive.
Blending historical fiction with themes of courage, conscience, trust, and human connection, The Kaleidoscope of Destinyexplores how hope and compassion can endure even during humanity’s darkest moments. Through Arakel’s journey, the novel brings an often-overlooked chapter of history to life for contemporary readers while examining questions that remain deeply relevant today.
Sarah Ignatius is a former human rights lawyer and nonprofit executive director who most recently led the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research. She taught immigration and asylum law at Boston College Law School and coauthored Immigration Law and the Family. A graduate of Stanford University and Georgetown University Law Center, Ignatius draws upon her Armenian heritage and extensive work in human rights to create a moving story of survival, resilience, and shared humanity.
The conversation will be moderated by Dr. Arpi Sarafian, an author, literary scholar, and retired professor of English Language and Literature at California State University, Los Angeles. Her publications include Endless Crossings: Reflections on Armenian Art and Culture in Los Angeles and The Second Endless Crossings: Reflections on Armenian Art and Culture. She also writes regularly for The Armenian Mirror-Spectator.
Date: Monday, October 19, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: The Center for Armenian Arts | 250 N. Orange Street, Glendale, CA 91203
Parking: 90-minute free parking is available at 222 N. Orange Street
