LOS ANGELES—The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region on Saturday participated in an Interfaith Celebration of Migrants and Refugees hosted by California State Senator Anthony Portantino, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and a diverse group of local community organizations and leaders.
The event was a celebration of the incredible contributions of migrant and refugee organizations to the 25th Senatorial District which includes Pasadena, Burbank, Glendale and the foothill communities. The celebration featured a range of local community organizations including the ANCA-WR, AAAJ, Bend the Arc California, Buen Vecino, POP! Pasadena Organizing for Progress, the Knox Presbyterian Church Immigration Team, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), San Fernando Valley Young Democrats, the Immigration Resource Center of the San Gabriel Valley, Planned Parenthood, Mountainside Communion and CAIR California.
The celebratory event included remarks from local elected officials including State Senator Anthony Portantino, the Mayor of Pasadena Victor Gordo, Burbank City Councilmember Nick Schultz, and Alhambra City Councilmember Adele Andrade-Stadler, as well as speeches from local community leaders including Joel Perez, Executive Director of Immigration Resource Center and Justin Ching, a community activist who was transferred into ICE detention during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ANCA-WR Government Affairs Coordinator Edward Barsoumian also addressed the audience, noting the many significant contributions of Armenian-American migrants to the diverse cultural fabric of the district and California over generations; including refugees who survived the Armenian Genocide in 1915, and those who fled the Revolution of Iran and Lebanese Civil War, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the First Artsakh War in the in the early 1990s.
“Over generations, our community has become enlaced into the fabric of this great city, and despite the generosity of most, like so many of you, we have also been victims of racism and hate crimes,” Barsoumian remarked. “As victims of genocide and refugees displaced by war and ethnic cleansing, we know all too well the struggles of so many people who fled or were forced from their homes with nothing more than the clothes on their back. Too familiar with the struggles of racism, violence, and discrimination, we stand firmly alongside all of you, advocating for peace, prosperity, and security for all communities; combatting hate in all its forms, and ensuring that our communities are heard, represented, and honored,” Barsoumian concluded.
As the leading Armenian-American grassroots community organization in the Western United States, the ANCA-WR is committed to highlighting the indelible impact Armenian-Americans have made, as well as working with a diverse range of coalition partners to highlight the rich contributions migrants and refugees have made to our communities.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.
