Ramsen Shamon: ‘The News Industry Needs to Employ Marginalised Indigenous People’ – Assyrian Newsweek Journalist Helps Platform Voices

Assyrian American journalist, Ramsen Shamon, was born and raised in Chicago, US, where Assyrians have resided since the early 1900s.

Ramsen’s parents are from the town of Amadiya in northern Iraq, located on top of a mountain, though not many Assyrians remain there today.

He has an older sister called Rema who he has always admired throughout his life as well as his parents.

“I absolutely loved my childhood. I never wanted to grow up,” Mr Shamon said.

“My parents made sure to instil a love for my Assyrian culture as a child, which I am thankful for—sometimes people think I was born in the Middle East because I always talk about my heritage, to everyone, everywhere.

“They emigrated at separate times and married in Chicago, where I was born.

“I admire them for their resilience and hard work in having to start over in a new country. Neither of their schooling transferred once they came to the US.

“I also admire and aspire to be like my older sister Rema, who has always been a role model for me growing up.

“If it wasn’t for her, my life trajectory would be very different, and I am thankful for her wisdom and guidance throughout the years.”

There were many ways Ramsen connected with his heritage growing up with the encouragement of his parents.

“I am thankful that my parents did not give up on our culture while trying to establish themselves in the West,” he said.

“Growing up, my parents would always take me to Sunday school at the Assyrian Church of the East, where I was enrolled in Assyrian language classes.

“I was also taken to Assyrian weddings in my adolescence, where I was introduced to traditional Assyrian line dancing and music.

“I speak Assyrian and dance khigga whenever I get the chance. My family history set me up to be who I am today.

“My full name honors both my Assyrian heritage and Christian religion. My first name is derived from the name of the ancient Mesopotamian King Naram-Sin and my last name translates to ‘Simon’ from Aramaic/Assyrian.

“I hope Assyrian parents in the West continue to give their children Assyrian names as my parents did! It’s a great way to keep our culture alive.

“I thank my ancestors for not giving up the Assyrian identity when they could have easily done so under numerous, unceasing waves of persecution.”

Food is another way Ramsen’s family maintained their Assyrian culture.

“I grew up eating traditional Assyrian foods thanks to my mother who cooked them,” he said.

“Whether it was dolma, pacha (you either love or hate it and I love it), rizza ou shorba, kubba, keleche, or the other many foods Assyrians eat, I was always eager to eat Assyrian food growing up.

“Looking back now, it was a way for me (and still is a way) to connect to my ancestors despite being thousands of miles away from where they lived and died.

“As a child, my parents always brought my sister and me along with them to celebrate Assyrian events, whether it was weddings, a khyaptit kitna (the groom’s last ‘washing’/shower before marriage), church services, picnics, Assyrian New Year parades, or any other community events.

assyrianjournalists

2,483 followers

View more on Instagram

“They felt it was important for us to stay connected to our Assyrian roots even though we were born and raised in the diaspora.”

Ramsen is the only journalist in his family and has worked as a deputy opinion editor at Newsweek for nearly five years.

“My path to journalism was unconventional,” he said.

“Both my parents were interested in math and science, and I naturally thought I would follow in their footsteps.

“As a child, I didn’t know that journalism was a career one could pursue. A classmate in my high school English class mentioned that I should become a journalist because she enjoyed reading my writing.

“I wasn’t familiar with the career at that point, but it must have stayed in my mind subconsciously. I eventually earned my undergraduate degree in political science (politics) and then my master’s degree in journalism.

“I now work in opinion journalism, where I publish op-eds written by heads of state, celebrities, professors, and other notable people on topics of importance.

“I also write articles that highlight the work of Assyrians, like the recent award-winning play that debuted in Chicago, ‘Iraq, But Funny’ by playwright and actress Atra Asdou.”

Ramsen shared his proudest moments as a journalist and his personal project of raising the profile of Assyrians.

“My proudest moment as a journalist is whenever I am able to elevate voices of those who are disenfranchised or persecuted,” he said.

“Whether that be Assyrians in the homeland, Nigerian Christians suffering in Africa, the Indigenous Yanomami in Brazil, or any other persecuted peoples, I feel that I am doing a small part in helping share their important story with the world.

“I am always looking to share Assyrian stories on the @AssyrianJournalists Instagram page that I created specifically for this reason.

“I also feature Assyrians on Newsweek, my employer, when relevant. The world needs to know that Assyrians are still here and that they are excelling in their respective fields!”

The media industry still has a long way to go when it comes to ethically reporting on Assyrians and other marginalised indigenous groups, Ramsen said.

“The news industry needs to listen to and employ journalists of color (BIPOC), especially Assyrians, to share their stories.

“Even when other SWANA/Middle Eastern journalists report on Assyrians, they often get nuances wrong. If anything, Assyrians need to tell their own stories. And what better time to do it than now, in this digital age we live in?”

Chicago is known as the ‘hub’ for Assyrians.

“There are lots of Assyrians in Chicago, but often they focus on their own careers and families and only congregate during big holidays like Assyrian New Year or Christmas,” Mr Shamon said.

“For instance, for how long Assyrians have lived in Chicago, there still is no school that teaches the Assyrian language, which exists in Australia (they even have a university!).

“At the same time, we do not have an Assyrian museum to showcase our rich heritage to the public.

“The average Chicagoan may be familiar with who the Assyrians are, but there’s still a lot of work to be done when it comes to educating the general public about our heritage.”

These are the misconceptions about Assyrians that Ramsen would like to dispel.

“Assyrians are not Arab, not Muslim, and are Indigenous to West Asia/the Middle East,” he said.

“Often, people generally think Arabic is our native language, or that we practice Islam, which are both incorrect. Christianity started in the Middle East, after all!

“We speak a modern version of Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ, and are descended from the ancient Mesopotamians.”

Social media has had a positive impact on Ramsen, and he has suggested ways Assyrians in the diaspora can keep their culture alive.

“The internet has been a great tool in keeping Assyrians in contact with one another, even if we are so far apart,” he said.

“I also find myself learning more about my heritage through posts and videos online made by other Assyrians I would have otherwise never met.

“I’m glad we have the internet keeping us all connected in the diaspora. I often find myself enlightening non-Assyrians about Assyrian heritage, whether on social media or in real life. No topic should ever be taboo. We all have learning to do!

“As a first step, the internet is the best way for Assyrians to stay connected in the diaspora.

“They should follow Assyrian personalities and organizations to stay up to date on Assyrian issues and events.

“Next, joining local Assyrian organizations or attending Assyrian conferences nationally or internationally can help keep the culture alive—as would learning Assyrian since our language is unfortunately classified as dying.”

When asked which Assyrian businesses in Chicago he would recommend, Ramsen said: “The Assyrian Cultural Foundation in the Chicagoland area is a great resource for Assyrians!

“They offer home care services for older adults in need, as well as tutoring and music classes for young Assyrians.

“They also have an adult painting class that I partake in once a week and value greatly.”

He added: “There is so much to love about Assyrian heritage, history and culture! I cherish our ancient history deeply.

“Seeing Assyrian artifacts in museums across the globe fills me with pride. I traveled to Budapest recently and was pleasantly surprised to see Mesopotamian artifacts showcased in one of their prestigious museums.

“I also love hearing our music and dancing our dances at parties—a tradition that also goes back generations.

“It’s always important to celebrate each and every culture. I often think about how many Assyrian traditions have been lost over generations due to genocide and displacement.

“Will Assyrian culture survive in the next 50 years? 100 years? I sure hope so, but all Assyrians have to act to ensure that it does survive in the future.”