On March 23, 2025, Hoki and Kaitzak co-hosted ZapTalks: Reclaiming Narratives, a seminar exploring story telling's role in promoting well-being within the Armenian community. The event featured speakers André V-Boghossian, Sarah Artin, and Mariam Vahradyan, co-founder of Kaitzak. Together, they highlighted the intersection of positive psychology and Armenian narratives, emphasizing resilience, identity, and cultural preservation.
Sarah introduced Hoki, an organization promoting mental health awareness within the Armenian community.
Mariam presented key research findings on the impact of storytelling on well-being. She used the metaphor of an Armenian mosaic to describe how collective memory evolves through generations. Her insights highlighted how combining positive and negative emotions within narratives strengthens individual and community resilience. Mariam stressed that embracing detailed and complete narratives—rather than fragmented ones—enhances well-being.
The speakers explored practical strategies for individuals and communities to reclaim and reshape their stories, emphasizing themes of personal agency, strength-based narratives, and collective responsibility. They encouraged attendees to practice self-reflection and empathy when engaging with cultural narratives.
The seminar concluded with a Q&A session, where audience members asked about aligning storytelling efforts with modern community growth while maintaining cultural awareness.
