A century after the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, Turkey still won’t recognize it occurred and President Obama won’t press the issue either. But a filmmaker raised in Sarasota wants to make sure the event is not ignored on this important anniversary. Professional vlogger Datev Gallagher has spent the past seven months working on the short film I Am Armenian, a 26-minute documentary telling the story of the genocide through its impact on her own family. “It’s a part of history that is not officially recognized, but over 1.5 million died and suffered,” Gallagher said. “I’m just trying to do justice for these people.”

Gallagher, of Armenian descent on her mother’s side, graduated from New Gate School in 2007 before studying film at Florida State University, where she graduated in 2010. Today, Gallagher lives in Nevada, accomplishing the impressive feat of paying her bills through daily video blogging on the YouTube channel ladiedottie.

I Am Armenian, though, was released ad-free, a passion project intended to raise awareness of the genocide. April 24 is recognized in Armenia as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, with today serving as the 100-year anniversary. Most states recognize the day, though alliances with Turkey have made the federal government wary of recognition, with presidents from Gerald Ford to Barack Obama avoiding any acknowledgement of the event as a genocide.

Watch the entire film 'I Am Armenian' at SRQ Backlot.