I was born and raised in Bulgaria by Armenian parents and grew up under the Communist regime. My father had a textile trading business. Any successful business owner was tagged as a member of the “old bourgeoisie,” and the family faced discrimination. My father often referred to the Communists seizing large amounts of money from him. I was not able to go to summer camp with my classmates, and my sister, who graduated from high school with honors, would not have been admitted to university.