UCLA Armenian Student Association
405 Hilgard Ave.
Kerckhoff 146
Los Angeles, CA. 90095
Contact: Arpine Hovasapian
Email: asaucla@ucla.com
Web:

Feb. 28, 2005
Contact: Public Relations Director, Arpine Hovasapian asaucla@ucla.edu

UCLA Armenian Students Raise Awareness through the Music of the Apex
Theory

Westwood, California -Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005 marked the first annual UCLA
ASA Awareness 2005. Over 100 students and activists gathered at Bruin
Plaza, UCLA’s outdoor concert venue, to hear the sounds of indie rock
band the Apex Theory. The purpose of the event was to raise social and
political awareness about issues of concern all over the world -past and
present.

`What a better way to spread awareness then through the medium of music,’
asserted UCLA ASA president Raffi Kassabian. Over ten different student
cultural and political advocacy groups were present tabling and passing
out educational material concerning issues such as the current genocide
in Sudan to feminist rights issues around the globe. Organizations
present included, Amnesty International, UNISEF, Hillel, Darfur Action
Committee, Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), Progressive Jewish Student
Association, Feminist Majority, Social Justice Alliance, Axis of Justice,
Hellenic Student Association, and the UCLA Armenian Graduate Student
Association.

The event was in line with one of UCLA ASA’s main goals of the academic
year – to collaborate and network with the various student groups on
campus. After hosting a panel on `The Armenian Experience in Iran’ with
the Iranian Student Group last quarter, the ASA knew that working with
other student groups was beneficial for the campus community. `We are
incredibly fortunate to be at a university that is so diverse. Each
student should take the time to exchange ideas and learn more about one
another,’ asserted third year Communication Studies major and ASA member
Zella Panossian. And that was exactly what was done at the event.
Students read up on issues such as the current genocide in Sudan, the
Armenian Genocide, Holocaust, among other social and political issues.

The concert opened up with percussionist Danny Shamoun on the dumbek and
the poet/rapper Knowledge from Axis of Justice. The Apex Theory performed
a slew of songs off their self released EP titled
`intheskysomethingiswatching,’ including `Glue Me.’ `Music always carries
a certain essence which translates to a vibe and a message. I feel what we
do as the Apex Theory is a bit progressive in all sense of the word. This
progressiveness, to a degree, is dervived from being socially aware and
trying to push forward as humans in a society” bassist David Hakopyan
asserted.

Awareness 2005 is just one of a series of events the UCLA ASA has planned
with other organizations. On, February 28, 2005 the organization will be
hosting a panel on Genocide Denial with Hillel, Progressive Jewish
Students Association, and the Darfur Action Committee. It is one event of
a series of week long events for awareness wek current genocide in Sudan.

For more information on the Apex Theory visit And for
more information Darfur Awareness Week visit.

The UCLA ASA is one of the oldest Armenian-American student groups in the
United States. This year marks the 60th anniversary of its existence. The
UCLA ASA seeks to cultivate a true understanding and appreciation of
Armenian history, heritage, and culture through cultural, social, and
recreational activities.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UCLA Armenian Student Association
405 Hilgard Ave.
Kerckhoff 146
Los Angeles, CA. 90095
Contact: Publicity Relations Director Arpine Hovasapian
Email: asaucla@ucla.edu
Web:

For Immediate Release~ March 7, 2005

UCLA Armenian Student Association Co-Sponsors Panel on Genocide & Denial

Westwood, CA. – On February 28, 2005 the UCLA Armenian Student Association
continued its week long of programming by co-hosting a discussion panel on
genocide denial, dubbed `Genocide & Denial: Past, Present, and Future.’
The event was the first in a series of events for `A Week of Awareness, A
Call to Action’ for the current genocide in Darfur. The panel was a joint
effort by the UCLA ASA, Hillel at UCLA, Progressive Jewish Students
Association, in coordination with the Darfur Action Committee.

Over 130 students and faculty gathered in the Kerckhoff Grand Salon to
listen to various renowned professors and researchers from all over
California speak about four major genocides in the 20th century,
including the Armenian Genocide, Holocaust, Rwandan Genocide, and current
genocide in Sudan. Speakers included, Professor Levon Marashlian from
Glendale Community College, Mr. Richard Eaton from the Simon Wiesenthal
Center, Professor Alexander Kimenyi from Cal State Sacramento, and Edmond
Keller from UCLA.

`This event tonight serves as an exceptionally uplifting symbol of how
powerful our collaborative energy can be, as cultures that are linked by
our shared experience of genocide,’ asserted Hillel president Rona Ram.
The event brought in students from all different backgrounds to learn
about the various genocides and how to take action with the current
genocide in Sudan.

The speakers discussed each genocide in the context of how others use
denial tactics to undermine such historical facts. Video presentations as
well as lectures were provided by the speakers. Furthermore, Professor
Keller gave background about the current genocide in Sudan. The event
ended with question and answer from the audience. `The program served as
a really purposeful foundation for the week of programming. I am pleased
with the fact that people want to see change happen so immediately’
[situation in Darfur] proclaimed Progressive Jewish Student Association
co-chair Sarah Novick.

This event illustrated one of the UCLA ASA’s major goals of the academic
year, to network with other student groups on campus. `I was amazed to
help put together this collaborative event and see the supporting
membership turnout. It is essential that we as people living in such a
diverse community not only teach others about our history but learn from
others history as well,’ asserted UCLA ASA president Raffi Kassabian.

The UCLA ASA is one of the oldest Armenian-American student groups in the
United States. This year marks the 60th anniversary of its existence. The
UCLA ASA seeks to cultivate a true understanding and appreciation of
Armenian history, heritage, and culture through cultural, social, and
recreational activities.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“

UCLA Armenian Student Association
405 Hilgard Ave.
Kerckhoff 146
Los Angeles, CA. 90095
Contact: Arpine Hovasapian
Email: asaucla@ucla.com
Web:

For Immediate Release ~ March 6, 2005
Contact: Public Relations Director, Arpine Hovasapian asaucla@ucla.edu

UCLA ASA Draws in Capacity Crowd at Annual Spring Banquet

Tujunga, CA. – The last two weeks has been filled with high caliber
programming for the UCLA Armenian Student Association (ASA). The ASA
first invited Vahe Berberian for a night of cultural comedy and then the
Apex Theory for a live concert in Bruin Plaza. This was just the
beginning of more quality programming by the organization. On Friday,
March 4, 2005 the UCLA ASA hosted its annual spring banquet with
internationally famous, Persian-Armenian singer Andy.

The event was held at SIS Palace in Tujunga, California, where a capacity
crowd of 600 students from all over California attended the event. The
evening started with dinner and remarks by the UCLA ASA officers, and
then a night of entertainment by Andy, guest singer Shaynee, and DJ Diran
Productions.

`These past two weeks have been incredible for the UCLA ASA. The ASA
continues to push the envelope and take the organization and the Armenian
student community to the next level,’ proclaimed ASA and ASBA member Shant
Taslakian.

Portions of the proceeds for the event will be donated to help build a
school in Armenia – a year long effort the organization has decided to
take on. Other portions will be geared towards ASA programming on campus,
specifically for Genocide Commemoration and Culture Week.

ASA and ASO’s from all over California supported the event, including USC,
CSUN, UCLA Armenian Student Business Association, UAS, GCC, Cal State Long
Beach, UCR, UCI, Stanford, ARF SSA, Cal Poly, BFA, among others. `It is
amazing to have such ample support from our sister ASA organizations. The
turnout of the event was highly successful because of all their efforts
and hard work,’ asserted ASA Social Director Maral Karagozian.

The UCLA ASA is one of the oldest Armenian-American student groups in the
United States. This year marks the 60th anniversary of its existence. The
UCLA ASA seeks to cultivate a true understanding and appreciation of
Armenian history, heritage, and culture through cultural, social, and
recreational activities.