LOS ANGELES—Community activist Sam Kbushyan declared his candidacy to become the next Los Angeles City Councilmember. The bid to represent the Los Angeles City Council district 13 neighborhoods of Hollywood, East Hollywood, Thai Town, Little Armenia, Virgil Village, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Temple-Beverly, Koreatown, Historic Filipinotown, Westlake, Wilshire Center, Melrose Hill, Elysian Valley, and Atwater Village. Primary elections are March 5, 2013.
Kbushyan comes from a background of public participation. His father is a retired restaurant entrepreneur and his mother is a retired public school teacher. He is married to an extraordinary wife, Suzanna, and has been blessed with two lovely children, Maria and David. Suzanna is an English instructor with a local community based organization; she teaches ESL and GED courses to underprivileged students.
Kbushyan is the Executive Director of the IC Foundation, and is a dedicated expert in community organizing, vocational education, and business advocacy. Sam strongly believes in social entrepreneurship and civic participation—beliefs that are put into practice as an active member of many respected community-based organizations. He serves on the Board of the Institute for Continuous Education, which focuses on vocational skills training and job placement. Additionally, he is a Board Member of the LACER After School Programs and the elected Board Member of the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council.
Kbushyan has a long and successful track record working for social advocacy groups, bringing community stakeholders together to develop strategic cooperation for the betterment of the quality of life in our communities. He was the student body president at Los Angeles Valley College and later the Commissioner of Political Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles. In the community, he serves as the Treasurer of the Northeast Democratic Club and he is working diligently to organize and uplift economically disadvantaged families. He is appointed to the Executive Board of the East Hollywood Chamber of Commerce where he works directly with local small business owners on key issues related to the local economy, labor force, and sustainability.
Kbushyan is also an advocate for social and economic justice. He worked for SEIU Local 434b to organize, encourage, and empower long-term care providers for winning livable wages and access to healthcare benefits. In this capacity, Sam has helped mobilize over thirty thousand long-term healthcare providers. He has represented their interests through collective bargaining, advocacy workshops for healthcare benefits, and political education for union members.
Kbushyan studied political science at California State University, Los Angeles, where he received his B.A. He completed his graduate degree at Northeastern University in Boston. He spends most evenings and weekends participating in community events. In support of his commitment and work for the community, he has been recognized many times for civic participation and citizenship empowerment. He is a passionate gardener, committed father, and lives in East Hollywood.
All differences set aside, he must be supported !!