Diaspora Mobilization

Abstract

Between 31 October and 1 November 2020, thousands of Armenian Americans gathered in Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles to call attention to and draw support for Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan over the disputed border region of Nagorno‐Karabakh. Southern California is home to the largest Armenian population in the United States, with a neighborhood in East Hollywood which was designated Little Armenia in 2000. The protesters waved the Armenian flag and carried signs that said “End the Cycle of Genocide,” “Artsakh Is Armenia,” and “Defend Armenia.” In the same city, during the annual celebration of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Uyghurs joined Hong Kongers in a demonstration in front of the Chinese consulate in Koreatown. With yellow umbrellas that have become the symbol of Hong Kong resistance, they played “Do You Hear the People Sing” from the musical Les Miserables . Uyghur and Hong Kong communities overseas have united in campaigns, such as the boycott of the movie Mulan , and constructed a collective identity based on defiance toward Beijing. And in December of the same year, the Romanian diaspora played a central role in the election of the right‐wing political party Alianța pentru Unirea Românilor (Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR)) to the legislature. AUR's message of unifying all Romanians “wherever they are” resonated with emigrants, who felt disenfranchised in their countries of settlement and demanded protection from the homeland state and representation in its affairs. The demonstrations of Armenians, Hong Kongers, and Uyghurs in California, as well as the participation of Romanians abroad in the elections, are all instances of diaspora mobilization.