Chris Benis

Los Angeles

Journalist at The National Herald

LMU '24 Greek American BBA, Marketing | Sports Journalist

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Articles

The Greek Diaspora Can Help Solve Greece’s Alarming Population Decline

1 month ago | thenationalherald.com | Chris Benis

You’ve seen the grim headlines announcing Greece’s burgeoning demographic crisis: one of Europe’s lowest fertility rates combined with the nation’s youth fleeing the country for greater economic prospects elsewhere spells the need for serious reform, and fast. Greece’s population dipped below 10 million for the first time since 1984 this past January. It’s not an exaggeration to say the country’s long-term future hangs in the balance if these trends continue.
They’re Exchanging Globalism: Why Eurovision Should Return to its Roots

1 month ago | thenationalherald.com | Chris Benis

You’ve probably already heard of Eurovision: Europe’s grandest stage for international music exchange and celebration. The competition has a storied history, with humble beginnings dating back to the 1950s and later serving as a device for fostering Pan- European identity throughout the Cold War and in more recent years. It’s also never been more popular, drawing in 163 million television viewers in 2024 and another 81 million in unique YouTube views.
Why Easter Is the Best-Kept Tradition in the Greek Diaspora

2 months ago | thenationalherald.com | Chris Benis

This year’s Easter Sunday is unique in that Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox Christians will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the same day – April 20, 2025. It’s a convergence that only occurs about once every four years, due to the ecclesiastical differences between the Gregorian and Julian calendars, which differ in their calculation of Easter.
Top American Universities Offering Hellenic Studies

Dec 17, 2024 | thenationalherald.com | Chris Benis

When I was busy choosing a college to entrust with my postsecondary education, picking one that taught Hellenic Studies was far from my mind. It’s surprising, because I grew up in a strong Greek-American household and embracing my Greek identity took center stage all throughout childhood. Then, a funny thing happened. I signed up for a core requirement class during my freshman year of college and, luckily, the professor happened to be Greek.
How Greek Orthodoxy Healed Me from Depression

Nov 5, 2024 | thenationalherald.com | Chris Benis |Achilleas Kouremenos

When I experienced mental health issues for the first time at age 22, it swiftly knocked the wind out of my sails and completely blindsided me. I eventually figured out my depression was tied to deep anxiety over graduating from college, but the effects permeated through all aspects of my life and significantly impacted my Greek Orthodox spirituality.
Understanding What Greek-Americans Can Do for Greece

Oct 20, 2024 | thenationalherald.com | Chris Benis

When I think of solving the problems that Greece has today, my solutions almost always include the capacity of the Greek Diaspora to help Greece return to its former economic, social, and cultural glory. Everyone knows the economic hardships affecting Greece right now. One of them is the Greek government’s allowance of foreign national corporations to buy up land, inflate the cost of living, and siphon profits back to their home countries.
Why Young Greek-Americans Should Go to Ionian Village (Part III)

Oct 5, 2024 | thenationalherald.com | Chris Benis |Achilleas Kouremenos

(Why Young Greek-Americans Should Go to Ionian Village – Part I(Why Young Greek-Americans Should Go to Ionian Village – Part II)This is the third of three articles about Ionian Village (IV) – the Greek Orthodox summer camp held near Patras, Greece, for young Hellenes. Ask thousands of Greek-Americans over the years about Ionian Village (IV) and they will use phrases like “life-changing” and “the best summer of my life” to describe it.
Why Young Greek-Americans Should Go to Ionian Village (Part II of three articles)

Oct 2, 2024 | thenationalherald.com | Chris Benis

This is the second of three articles I have written about Ionian Village (IV) – the Greek Orthodox summer camp held near Patras, Greece, for young Hellenes. Ask thousands of Greek-Americans over the years about Ionian Village (IV) and they will use phrases like “life-changing” and “the best summer of my life” to describe it.
Why Young Greek-Americans Should Go to Ionian Village

Sep 11, 2024 | thenationalherald.com | Chris Benis

Ask thousands of Greek-Americans over the years about Ionian Village (IV) – the Greek Orthodox summer camp held near Patras, Greece, for young Hellenes – and they will use phrases like “life-changing” and “the best summer of my life” to describe it. We can attest to having the same priceless experience, and a whole lot more. Between us three Benis brothers, we’ve been fortunate to go to the camp eight times. That pretty much makes us experts on the matter.
With Mental Health, Greece Is My Medicine

Aug 14, 2024 | thenationalherald.com | Chris Benis

Greece is my medicine. Many other Greeks living abroad know what I mean when I say this – I need to visit the homeland of my ancestors regularly to reconnect with the culture, language, and spiritual traditions I have admired all my life. Diaspora Greeks are part of a uniquely split identity between the Greek heritage we treasure and the Western environment our relatives willingly sought out.