SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Bay Area Armenian National Committee (Bay Area ANC), in partnership with the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region, hosted a reception for Commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries and Congressional Candidate Brad Avakian on Sunday, August 7.
More than 75 community members attended the event to hear about Avakian’s background and his bid to represent Oregon’s 1st Congressional District. This was the second such event for Avakian in the Golden State over the week.
“It is nice to have a member of Congress that will be a reliable vote on your issues, but I plan to go to Congress and be the flag bearer for Armenians every single day,” stated Avakian to the San Francisco Armenian community. “My grandparents came to this country fleeing oppression and seeking opportunity. It is my pledge to never forget where I come from or why my family came to this country.”
Brad Avakian was born in Fresno, CA before moving to Oregon. His grandfather had moved to Fresno from Moush in 1898 and his grandmother had moved to Fresno from Bitlis in 1900. He graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Psychology before receiving his Juris Doctorate from Lewis and Clark Law School. He was a Civil rights attorney before being elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 2002 and was elected to the Oregon State Senate in 2006. In 2008, he was appointed by Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski to be the Commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. In April of 2011, Avakian announced his intention to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Brad Avakian is a proven public servant who will make a great addition to the growing number of friends of Armenian Americans in Congress,” stated Bay Area ANC Board Member Matt Senekeremian. “We are honored that he took the time to visit our community to share his plans for this seat.”
