As the ANCA Endowment Telethon approaches, we are, along with early donations from across the country, also receiving hundreds of very thoughtful suggestions about how we can better serve our community and our common cause.
A consistent theme of this feedback, in recent weeks and also for the past several years, has been that our success as a community hinges in great measure on having more Armenian Americans working inside the American political system, where the real policy decisions are made.
We’ve taken this advice to heart.
And produced real results.
Our Capital Gateway Program – funded by donations to the ANCA Endowment – provides a platform for a new generation of talented, young Armenian Americans to start careers in government, politics, international affairs, and the media.
We owe a special debt to the Cafesjian Foundation, which helped launch officially this innovative program in 2003, and, of course, to the vision and generosity of the Saghdejian family. This proud family, from Fresno, established the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Memorial Fellowship in 2004 in memory of Hovig, who, though he died far too young, served during his lifetime as a powerful role model of Armenian American dedication, civic responsibility, and public service. We are, as well, appreciative of major gifts from the family of Frank and Barbara Hekimian and the Armenian American Veterans Post of Milford, Massachusetts.
With the continued financial support of our community, we can build on this ground-breaking success.
Your generosity to the ANCA Endowment Fund Telethon on May 31st will allow us to open the door to hundreds of new Armenian Americans to pursue full-time positions as government and political leaders, journalists, foreign policy experts, and elected officials. Please help our youth realize their dreams and strengthen our community’s voice in the nation’s capital.
Here are some examples of our track record of helping Armenian Americans get started in Washington, DC on the ladder of professional success:
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Vahan Callan get his start at the U.S. Export-Import Bank.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Shant Mesrobian get his start at Congressional Quarterly.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Etienne Kechichian get his start at the World Bank.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Ani Bedrosian get her start in Congressman Frank LoBiondo’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help David Abrahamian get his start in Senator Barbara Boxer’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Steve Karapetian get his start in Congressman Eric Cantor’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Veronica Siranosian get her start at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Angineh Kzirian get her start in Congressman Frank Pallone’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Eric Oganessian get his start in Senator Peter Fitzgerald’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Nora Keomurjian get her start in Congressman Steve Rothman’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Vasken Kassakhian get his start in Congressman Adam Schiff’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Gohar Galyan get her start at the PR firm Fleishman-Hillard.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Vazrik Sabounjian get his start in Congressman Xavier Becerra’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Mary Vardazarian get her start at the international NGO Chemonics International.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Shant Nahapetian get his start in Congressman Lloyd Doggett’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Shooshan Boyrazian, Michael Gedjeyan, and Robert Khatchadourian get their start at the prestigious consulting firm, Booz Allen Hamilton.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help George Kivork get his start with the Kerry-Edwards campaign.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Tsoghig Hekimian, Megan Khatchadourian, and Astine Suleimanyan get their start with the ACLU.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Andrew Gregorian get his start in Congressman Earl Blumenauer’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to Tamar Kazarian get her start in Congressman Peter Barca’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to Kris Demirjian get his start at the U.S. House Transportation Committee.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to Nora Demirjian, Karine Shamlian, and Lara Manuelian get their start at the U.S. House Commerce Committee.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to Aram Sirabionian get his start at the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Mane Beglaryan get her start with the international NGO Development Associates.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to Ara Bedrosian get his start in Congressman Porter Goss’ office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to Levon Shahabian get his start at an international television company, Layalina Productions.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Hovik Shirikian get his start at Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey’s office.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Dan Stepanian-Bennett get his start at Political Media, Inc.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Aleek Kahramanian get her start at the American Lung Association.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Mikail Kourinian get his start at the Civilian Research and Development Foundation.
— The ANCA Capital Gateway Program lent a hand to help Grigor Hakobyan get his start writing for the Central Asia and Caucasus Analyst.
To learn more about the ANCA Capital Gateway Program, contact Garo Manjikian at garo@anca.org or (202) 775-1918.
To make a financial gift today to support the vital mission of the ANCA Capital Gateway Program, visit our secure online website:
http://www.2009telethon.org/donate.php
Go ANCA go. You are on the right path. Getting our youth involved in politics is the only way to achieve our objectives and long term goals. Armenian politicians will not betray us. They will work much harder than our so-called Congressional friends and they will not change their mind the last minute under pressure.