LIFE BEYOND FARMING: THE NEW BREED

by David Zenian


Doug Davidian is not a farmer, and neither was his father-both products of the changing trends in the Armenian community of Fresno County, the number one producer of agricultural products in the United States.

Unlike the early pioneers, Davidian's generation started leaning more toward education, science, technology, medicine, business and other professions.

"When my grandfather lost all his land in the Depression, my father became a television repairman. He made some good investments and retired at the age of 48," Davidian said.

As for himself, at 44 he is the current Chairman of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce and owner of a national award-winning office furniture and interior design company.

Born, raised and educated in Fresno, Davidian is only one example of a new breed of Fresno Armenians.

"From what I see, not much more than five percent of my generation is involved in farming, compared to 90 percent during my grandfather's days. The decline had already started with my father's generation.

"Armenians are still associated with farming, but that is because of the old traditional families which have remained faithful to the land," Davidian said.

As a child, Davidian remembers the harsh treatment of Armenian kids in school. But he also recalls how anti-Armenian prejudice made him work harder.

"I had to achieve more. It was a choice between success or failure. The prejudice strengthened Armenian pride ... the ability to change the negative to a positive ... and all new horizons," he said.

After obtaining a degree in education and teaching in an elementary school for six years, Davidian moved into the office furniture business, and today employs 70 people and his company ,"California Business Furnishings," is one of the - if not the - largest in the Fresno area.

But somewhere along the way, Davidian and many others in his age-group began drifting away from the Armenian community. "The Armenian influence was strong until I was about 10 years old ... then it sort of began fading away," he said.

In his case, Davidian said, it was a combination of the changing influences of the 1960's, television, and "the constant struggle to do better than the other kids who were ridiculing us."

In the case of others, it was a trend to marry outside the community.

According to a study prepared by Matthew A. Jendian of California State University, Fresno, the rate of Armenian-American intermarriage has dramatically increased between the years 1930 and 1990 in Fresno County - a phenomenon that has also contributed to increased assimilation.

"It appears as though the losses of the community, as a result of intermarriage, far outweigh the gains. In other words, as a result of intermarriage more people seem to be leaving the Armenian community than identifying with it," Jendian said in a published report.

Regardless of the reasons, Davidian's generation began taking shape - young professionals who were giving a new meaning to their ethnicity, and in the process, trying to define their new Armenian identity.

"For me, being an Armenian revolves around a set of real ethnic values like hard work, ethics, honesty and motivation. I don't speak Armenian, but that is not a key factor," he said.

"I am not involved in the various Armenian organizations or groups in Fresno, but I am very interested in the independent state of Armenia.

"I want to learn more about my Armenian roots," he said.