Author: Emma Nadirian

SACRAMENTO—Senator Anthony J. Portantino sent a letter to the California Department of Education detailing his concerns regarding the current draft of the department’s Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. While the Senator appreciates the attempt to represent California’s diversity in the creation of the United States’ first ethnic studies curriculum, he believes that the current draft does not properly represent the contributions made by many ethnic communities. In particular, concerns have been brought to his attention by the Legislative Jewish Caucus as well as from leaders within the Armenian and Italian American communities.

“Representing an ethnically diverse district within an ethnically diverse state, I strongly support the concerns raised by representatives of California’s proud Armenian, Italian and Jewish American communities with respect to the draft curriculum. Recent efforts in Sacramento to oppose our state’s support of Artsakh, annual Armenian Genocide recognition, and the horrific tragedy at the Poway Synagogue underscore how topical the ethnic studies curriculum is to the future civil and human rights approaches for the students in California,” said Portantino

Senator Portantino looks forward to continued discussions with the Department of Education to ensure that all people have their history and contributions appropriately represented in California’s school curriculum. As California is the most diverse state in the nation, it would be unfortunate to exclude groups and nuances that have helped shape our shared California experiences.

GLENDALE—The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region announced Gevik and Peter Baghdassarian as the sponsors of the 2019 ANCA-WR Annual Gala Banquet, in memory of their father, lifelong community leader and benefactor Hacop M. Baghdassarian. This year, the gala banquet will take place on Sunday, October 20 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

“Hacop Baghdassarian was a major pillar not only in our Southern California community, but his visionary leadership transcended Armenia, Artsakh, Javakhk and beyond. Our Board of Directors decided to pay special tribute to his memory in recognition of decades-long service to the advancement of the Armenian Cause,” remarked ANCA-WR Board Member Lina Davidian, Esq. “We’re grateful to the Baghdassarian Family for their generosity and, more importantly, for carrying forward Hacop Baghdassarian’s legacy of patriotism, philanthropy, and leadership.”

Baghdassarian’s decades-long and storied efforts in advancing Armenian education, culture and the just aspirations of the Armenian Nation both here in the United States and in Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk made him an exemplary Armenian and a passionate humanitarian who, with humility and dedication, changed many lives due to his generosity.

In March 2017, Baghdassarian and his wife, Hilda, were honored and recognized for their service in the community by the Armenian Cultural Foundation and Baghdassarian was named ACF Man of the Year. In 2011, Baghdassarian was bestowed with the ANCA-WR Legacy Award at the organization’s annual gala.

Baghdassarian’s contributions to varied organizations earned him numerous accolades from the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region, the Armenian Relief Society, the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Educational Foundation, through whose programs he rebuilt schools and cultural facilities in Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk.

His contributions have enabled the Vahan and Anoush Chamlian school to be endowed with a state-of-the-art gymnasium, Armenia’s and Artsakh’s rural village to have top-notch schools and cultural centers and the ARS to advance its activities in Javakhk and the ANCA to advance its pursuit of the Armenian Cause.

In 2016, during a pontifical visit to Los Angeles, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia bestowed the “Prince of Cilicia” medal to Hacop and Hilda Baghdassarian.

Baghdassarian was born in Tehran, Iran on March 30, 1948 to Petros and Marous Malek Baghdassarian. He grew up in Tehran with his four sisters – Nora, Emma, Rima and Asieh. He attended Kooshesh Armenian School in Tehran until the age of fifteen when his father Petros unexpectedly died from a heart attack. Baghdassarian cut short his educational aspirations to attend to his father’s paint supply business. He maintained his father’s reputation as a fair and honest entrepreneur and was sought out by young Armenians arriving in Tehran looking for work.

In 1973, Hacop married Hilda Voskanian and later had two sons, Peter and Gevik. In 1979, leaving behind the turmoil of the Iranian Revolution, Baghdassarian and his family immigrated to the United States. In Los Angeles, Baghdassarian followed his entrepreneurial inclination and opened the first of several restaurants patriotically named “Massis Kabob” in Glendale. For over four decades, Baghdassarian worked tirelessly to make his businesses successful–his motivations always being providing for his family as well as contributing to the Armenian community to the best of his ability.

Baghdassarian often traveled to the rural villages in Armenia to review plans for the renovation of dilapidated elementary schools. Baghdassarian has been responsible for the construction or renovation of several schools in rural Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk. In 2005, Baghdassarian’s philanthropy and dedication were officially recognized when he received the Yerakhtagitutiun Award for his humanitarian services from then President of Artsakh Arkady Ghoukassian.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.,—A measure to establish a trade office between Armenia and California passed the State Assembly’s Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee on Tuesday.

The bill, known as SB 302, was authored by State Senator Anthony J. Portantino and seeks to reestablish the trade office which was ended in 2008. Ambassador Armen Baibourtian flew to Sacramento to offer his testimony in support of SB 302 as it would be the first international trade office reestablished since California ended the program.

“I am very happy to be in a position to foster strong economic ties between California and Armenia which can be formalized under SB 302. California is an international economic driver, and home to the largest Armenian American Community in the country that has a large presence in our business community. We should seize upon the opportunity presented by our healthy economy and these inherent advantages, and use the trade office to help both economies. I am looking forward to watching the momentum behind this effort build and to the success it will inspire,” commented Senator Portantino.

SB 302 is coauthored by Senators Scott Wilk (R- Santa Clarita) Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), Scott Winer (D-San Francisco), Henry Stern (D- Calabasas), Assembly Members Autumn Burke (D- Inglewood) and Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley). Portantino, Wilk, Stern, Low and Burke have all traveled to Armenia.

“These are exciting times in California and in Armenia. I am very pleased with the progress of the Trade Office and I look forward to the work ahead to make it a success. The Armenian community and I are grateful to Senator Portantino for his friendship and his stewardship of this laudable effort,” commented Ambassador Baibourtian.