GLENDALE, CA – The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) staff and board gave a mid-year report to an overflow audience of grassroots supporters and donors on Thursday, May 23, 2002. At the event ANC officials outlined the organization’s many accomplishments during the last six months.

Among the organization’s most significant accomplishment is the creation of ANC-TV, a popular news broadcast operated and managed by a team of 20 college-age volunteers. The ANCA-WR has also recently expanded its Congressional outreach program, its email outreach program, and its internship program for aspiring Hai-Tahd activists who are interested in public service and the field of political science. The ANCA-WR is currently working on a number of other initiatives to broaden the base of Armenian-American political activists living in the Western United States.

Souzi Zerounian-Khanzadian, an ANCA-WR Board Member, was the evening’s emcee. She began by thanking those in attendance for their generous support of the Armenian National Committee’s advocacy on behalf of the Armenian-American community. Mrs. Zerounian-Khanzadian also presented a video that documented the ANCA-WR’s impressive public policy accomplishments. The crew of the Armenian-American news magazine program ANC-TV prepared the video presentation.

Vicken Sonentz-Papazian, who is a current member of the ANCA-WR Board and a former ANCA-WR Executive Director, spoke after Mrs. Zerounian-Khanzadian concluded her remarks. He emphasized the crucial role the ANCA plays in producing future leaders for the Armenian-American community. In that regard, Papazian took the opportunity to recognize Greg Keosian, a longtime community activist and current Chairman of the East San Fernando Valley ANC Chapter, who was recently appointed Judge to the Los Angeles Superior Court by Governor Gray Davis.

Ardashes Kassakhian, Government Relations Director for the ANCA-WR provided the evening’s closing remarks by stressing the vital role grass roots supporters play in advancing the ANCA-WR’s public policy agenda on the federal, state, and local levels. Kassakhian was pleased to announce that legislation (SB1657) providing for the creation of a California Trade Office in Yerevan had been passed unanimously out of the State Senate’s Budget Committee earlier that day. The ANCA-WR and its many chapters have long made passage of legislation creating a California Trade Office in Armenia a political priority.

The event, which was held at Kix Restaurant in Glendale, served to create added momentum for the busy slate of upcoming activities the ANCA-WR has planned for the remainder of the year.

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.