Presenter: Liyah Babayan

Author Liyah Babayan will be our guest speaker this Sunday. Liyah is a refugee from Armenia who settled in Twin Falls, Idaho, USA several years ago as a child with her parents. Her book, “LIMINAL: a refugee memoir” is a reflection of her life.

Liyah is a dedicated social entrepreneur with a passion for giving back to her adoptive community and country. After surviving the anti-Armenian ethnic killings in Azerbaijan, Liyah and her family experienced homelessness and after 4 years were resettled in Twin Falls, Idaho through the CSI Refugee Program.

Liyah became an entrepreneur at age 22, served on the Twin Falls School Board and was the first refugee to run for Twin Falls City Council election. Liyah has been recognized as one of Idaho’s Women of the Year, received the ACLU’s Civil Rights Service Award and featured in The New York Times. Social justice is not a political option for Liyah, it is a spiritual practice grounded in her Armenian Orthodox faith, culture and tradition.

Liyah prioritizes the principles of humanitarian mercy, compassion in action and reverence for divinity in her role as a Mama to her two children Dominic and Angeli. Her book “Liminal a refugee memoir” was published in November of 2018, is now being translated into Russian, Armenian and Spanish. Currently, Liyah is touring and sharing her book with universities, book clubs, book stores, bloggers and pod-casters and co-authoring a second book of Idaho refugee chronicles and narratives.

Liyah may bring extra copies of her book, “LIMINAL: a refugee memoir” should anyone wish to purchase one.

Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys. Unitarian-Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street in front or the side of the building. Child care is available.