Over a Hundred Activists Join ANCA-WR in Unprecedented Advocacy Day in
Sacramento
By Asbarez
Apr 16th, 2010
ctivists-join-anca-wr-in-unprecedented-advocacy-da y-in-sacramento/
The California State Legislature Commemorates the Armenian Genocide
Majority Leader Calderon Advances Legislation to Highlight the
Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument on State Highway 60
AYF Members with Assemblymember Portantino
Hygo Ohanessian, Assemblymember Arambula and Father Gosdanian
SACRAMENTO- Over a hundred activists from across the Golden State
joined the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
(ANCA-WR) on April 15th for the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide
in the State Legislature. Following the commemoration ceremonies, the
ANCA-WR held its annual advocacy day in the State Capitol, educating
legislators about issues of concern to the Armenian American
community.
The State Assembly, in a moving ceremony led by Assemblymember Anthony
Portantino (D-44), began its floor session with an invocation by
Father Gosdanian, parish priest at Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic
Church in Fresno, representing the Western Prelacy of the Armenian
Church. The Walnut Creek `Gars’ Chapter of the Homenetmen Scouts led
the flag procession on the Assembly floor.
Earlier in the day, the Senate Commemoration, led by Senator Simitian
(R-11), began a flag procession by the Santa Clara `Ani’ Chapter of
the Homenetmen Scouts, and was followed by an invocation by Archbishop
Hovnan Derderian of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church.
The Senate and the Assembly unanimously adopted SJR 26, authored by
Senator Joe Simitian, during their floor sessions. The resolution
designates April 24th as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day in
California and calls on the United States Congress and President to do
the same. Several legislators rose in support of the resolution,
including Senator Carol Liu, and Assemblymembers de Leon, Smyth,
Lowenthal, Arambula and Ammanio and urged their colleagues to support
the measure.
Assemblymember Kevin de Leon, Raffi Kassabian and Lerna Shirinian.
`Denial of the Armenian Genocide or any genocide sets a dangerous
precedent that makes future genocides more likely,’ stated
Assemblymember Anthony Portantino (D-44). `Let’s continue our
tradition of this annual remembrance and send this resolution to
Congress and the President to encourage them to do the same,’ he
added.
The ceremony in the Assembly included the recognition of those in
attendance from the Armenian American community, including members of
the ANCA-WR, Armenian Youth Federation, Homenetmen Scouts, Krouzian
Zakarian Vasbouragan Armenian School in San Francisco and Sahag Mesrob
Armenian School in Pasadena.
`I am glad to have had this opportunity to participate in the State
Legislature’s commemoration of the Armenian Genocide and to take part
in the ANCA-WR Advocacy Day,’ said ANCA-WR State Affairs Committee
Member Lara Garibian. `It’s important to make our voice heard in
Sacramento and continue to educate legislators on issues of concern to
our community.’
During the same floor session, the State Assembly also voted
unanimously in favor of ACR 148, a resolution authored by Assembly
Majority Leader Charles Calderon (D-58), which highlights the Armenian
Genocide Martyrs Monument on State Highway 60. ACR 148 calls on the
California Department of Transportation to erect signs on State
Highway 60 directing motorists to the Armenian Genocide Martyrs
Monument at Bicknell Park in Montebello. This important legislation
highlights the Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument as a beacon of
awareness for all crimes against humanity.
Lerna Shirinian, Assemblymember Fuentes, Lara Garibian and Aida Dimejian
In addition to the ceremonies in the State Legislature,
Assemblymembers Anthony Portantino (D-44) and Kevin de Leon (D-45)
co-hosted the iWitness Photo Exhibit, a photographic project by
artists Ara Oshagan and Levon Parian, during which they documented
survivors of the Armenian Genocide. The iWitness Exhibit will be on
display in the second floor rotunda of the Capitol building through
April 30th of this year.
`With activists from all over the Los Angeles, Central Valley, San
Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento regions, Armenian Americans across
California worked together with the ANCA-WR to ensure that California
continues to be a leader in promoting human rights and genocide
awareness,’ stated ANCA-WR Chairwoman Aida Dimejian.`
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress