Anasheh Tahmasian wanted to intern at USC Shoah Foundation, the Institute for Visual History and Education, as soon as she learned about the work it does. She toured the Institute’s facilities with fellow Armenian students during Genocide Week and recalls, “I was fascinated by the Visual History Archive and immediately recognized the impact it will have on genocide education for future generations.”

Growing up in Iran, Tahmasian learned about the Armenian Genocide as a child, listening to survivor stories. She is gratified that many others now have the opportunity to experience similar stories through the testimonies made available worldwide by the USC Shoah Foundation. “I am passionate about educating anyone and everyone about genocide, because it is the only tool we have for preventing such atrocities from happening again,” she says. “The reason the Visual History Archive is so influential to genocide education [is that] it educates individuals through the lens of the survivors.”

Tahmasian, who moved with her family to the United States when she was 10, is pursuing her own education by studying psychology and marketing at USC. Intrigued by human behavior, she says she always pays close attention to the displays of emotions while watching survivor interviews. “Nonverbal communication is the most accurate way to perceive emotion,” she says, “which makes the archive even more powerful.”

At the USC Shoah Foundation, Tahmasian is interning in the communications and research department. “My background in social media marketing has allowed me to help the team with all things social,” she says. “I think social media is a great way of starting and continuing the conversation about the different genocides and their impact on cultures.”