Michael Alexan YounanPosted: Wednesday, September 02, 2026 at 07:33 PM UT “Our Assyrian language is the symbol of our entity. We must keep it alive.” — Michael Alexan Younan
Mishaeil, the son of Alexan Younan and Yasmeh Chaikho, was born in the Khabour region of northwestern ancient Assyria (located in modern-day eastern Syria). When he was four years old, his family relocated to Beirut, Lebanon, where he later graduated from the École des Arts et Métiers de Sanayeh in 1962. He is multilingual, with proficiency in Assyrian, English, French, and Arabic. In 1979, Mishaeil immigrated to the United States. After residing in Chicago for a year, he settled in San Jose, California. He continued his education in the U.S., studying architectural design and construction detailing at West Valley College in Saratoga in 1982, and later studying political science at San Jose City College in 1993. This foundation led to a long career at an architectural firm in Milpitas, California, where he worked from 1983 until his retirement in 2011. A proud Assyrian, Mishaeil has devoted much of his life to preserving and promoting his heritage. From 1983 to 2014, he taught the Assyrian language at the Mar Narsai Malpana School (Mar Yosip Parish of the Assyrian Church of the East) in San Jose, eventually serving as the school's principal. He also taught the language at the Assyrian American Association of San Jose (Shotapouta). As a writer and creator, Mishaeil authored several books beginning with the textbook The Book of my Language (Assyrian), published in 1989, and has made them freely accessible to the Assyrian communities:
From 1987 to 1989, he also served as the editor and art designer for the Assyrian Star Magazine, a publication of the Assyrian American National Federation. Since 1980, he has been a foundational member of the Assyrian American Association of San Jose, serving in numerous leadership roles including Secretary, language educator, Board of Advisors member, and committee member for both Education and the Constitution & By-Laws. Today, Mishaeil continues to dedicate his time to teaching and celebrating Assyrian culture and history, proudly stating, “Our Assyrian language is the symbol of our entity. We must keep it alive.”
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The Book of my Language (Assyrian) 1
