PRESS RELEASE
Date: August 21, 2007
Armenian National Committee of America
Eastern Region, US
P.O. Box 419, New York, NY 10108
Contact: Karine Birazian
Tel: 917-428-1918
ANCA ER DIRECTOR VISITS WITH SEVERAL ARMENIAN ACTIVISTS AND
CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES THROUGHOUT FLORIDA
Florida- Expanding Armenian activism in South & Central Florida,
Armenian National Committee of America, Eastern Region (ANCA ER)
Director Karine Birazian spent a week visiting several
Congressional offices, as well as meeting with several new Armenian
activists. Meetings with the Florida delegation included Kathy
Castor (D-11), Ric Keller (R-8), Ron Klein (D-22), Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen (R-18), and Debbie Wasserman Shultz (D-20), reported the
Armenian National Committee.
Birazian began her trip in the Fort Lauderdale area and had an
opportunity to meet with the Armenian National Committee of South
Florida team as well as the local Armenian community. Birazian also
spent time in Tampa, Orlando, and Miami where there has been a
steady growth in the Armenian population.
Traveling 180 miles north to Orlando, Birazian met with activists
and updated them on the current activities undertaken by the ANCA.
Birazian, Vagan Mikaelian, 2006 ANCA Leo Sarkisian Intern and Vice
President of the Ocala Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Chapter, and
Armenian activist John Shahinian visited Congressman Ric Keller’s
office. The 30-minute meeting provided the office with pertinent
information regarding the genocide legislation as well as the
growing Armenian community in the Orlando area. Following the
meeting, Mikaelian commented: "After having gone through the ANCA
Leo Sarkisian Internship and the plethora of congressional meetings
associated with it, I was thoroughly prepared to not only meet with
Congressman Keller, but to successfully interact with him on a
level previously unknown to me."
Traveling 90 miles Southeast to Armenia Ave. in Tampa, FL, Birazian
met with activist Dikran Kalaydjian, constituent of Congresswoman
Castor. There they met with both the District Director and
Outreach Director to discuss H. Res 106, the ongoing genocide in
Darfur, and other current issues regarding Armenia. Kalaydjian
also talked about the exhibit about the Armenian genocide at the
Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, Fl. Birazian had been working
with Kalayjian for the past few months and had met with him during
her first fieldwork trip to Florida this past January.
In the heart of the ANC of S. Florida, Armenian activists Siran Der
Bedrossian and Hasmig Eskandarian, along with ANC Chairman Albert
Mazmanian and 2004 ANCA Leo Sarkisian Intern Mike Toumayan met with
District Director Felicia Goldstein of Congressman Klein’s office.
There, constituents Eskandarian and Der Bedrossian had an
opportunity to raise awareness of the pressing issues facing the
Armenian community. Der Bedrossian shared letters she received
from Klein regarding H. Res. 106, and urged that he sign on to the
legislation and take a stand in recognizing genocide. "It is
vitally important that Congressman Klein takes a stand and co-
sponsors the legislation. As a co-chair of the newly created Anti-
Semitism task force, we’re hoping that the Congressman will also
address the rising issue with the National ADL Headquarters and
urge them to push for legislation recognizing the Armenian
genocide," commented Der Bedrossian.
Kevin Epranian-Burgoyne, a constituent of Congresswoman Wasserman
Shultz had recently gotten in touch with the ANCA to take action on
H. Res 106. Following the meeting with her District Director, Jodi
Davidson Burgoyne commented: "I really appreciated the opportunity
to meet with Jodi in Congresswoman Wasserman Shultz’s office.
Having the chance to talk in length about the Armenian genocide
legislation and other concerns we have in the district opened the
doors to creating a stronger relationship with the Congresswoman."
Interested in becoming more involved, Burgoyne was in contact with
Birazian prior to the meeting, and plans to continue working on
issues important to the Armenian community.
Birazian and Toumayan also met with Sandra Lalaian, an Armenian
activist and constituent of Congresswoman Ros Lehtinen, Ranking
Member on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. There they met
with Chief of Staff Art Estopinan in the Miami office. Lalaian had
an opportunity to thank the office for the Congresswoman’s
continued support on human rights issues, and further discuss her
support for the legislation. Birazian was in contact with Lalaian
after she responded to the first ANCA call in day that took place
earlier this year on June 27th. The call in day generated thousands
of phone calls into Congressional offices urging their support of
H. Res 106.
"Overall I view this trip to be a huge success. This trip allowed
the ANCA to build relationships with so many new American Armenian
activists and further advance the Armenian cause. We will continue
to work to strengthen Florida and build Congressional support,"
reflected Birazian following the weeklong outreach.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest
and most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues.
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Photo Captions:
Left to Right: Keri Eisenbeis, Outreach Director for Rep. Castor,
Chloe Coney, District Director for Rep. Castor, ANCA ER Exec.
Director Karine Birazian, Dikran Kalaydjian
Left to Right: Kevin Epranian-Burgoyne, Jodi Davidson, District
Director for Rep. Wasserman Shultz, ANCA ER Exec. Director Karine
Birazian, ANC of S. Fl activist Mike Toumayan
Left to Right: Art Estopinan, Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Ros
Lehtinen, ANCA ER Exec. Director Karine Birazian, ANC of S. Florida
activist Sandra Lalaian, and Mike Toumayan