All-ASA Launches Armenian Student Lobby Corps to Politically Engage Youth

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LOS ANGELES ”“ The All-Armenian Student Association (All-ASA) has launched a new political lobby corps initiative for Armenian-American college students and alumni in California.

The objective of the new All-ASA Lobby Corps is to utilize the collective political agency of Armenian students throughout California to meet with elected city, state, and congressional offices. This is done in an effort to make young Armenians’ voices heard on issues ranging from localized financial and social topics that directly affect college students, recognition and reparations for the Armenian Genocide, recognition of the independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, statewide divestment from the Republic of Turkey, increased economic ties between the United States and Republic of Armenia, etc.

The form to sign up for the Lobby Corps can be found at www.tinyurl.com/AllASALobby. No former lobbying experience is needed to apply, and membership is open to students and alumni who attend, or have previously attended, any institution of higher education throughout the state.

Before meetings with legislators begin, All-ASA Lobby Corps members will engage in trainings set up by the group’s leadership in order to develop necessary advocacy tactics and skills.

Co-directors Arev Hovsepian and Morris Sarafian established this initiative, and are current fourth year undergraduates at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Both currently serve on the executive board of the Armenian Students’ Association (ASA) at UCLA, and have extensive backgrounds in lobbying government officials at the college, city, state, and federal levels on issues pertaining to the Armenian-American community.

“We are very excited to introduce this student-run, student-led initiative to our community that is the first of its kind,”