2009_05 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper May 2009

              8
Hye Sharzhoom
May 2009
L to R.: Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Hagop Ohanessian, Stepan
Kyutunyan, Councilman Borgeas, and Yeghig Keshishian.
Advocacy, From page 1
grassroots lobbying and its importance in the political process.
Keshishian also presented some
of the top i ssues f o r A rm e ni a n I ob-
byists in Washington D.C.: U.S.
assistance to Armenia, Section 907
of the Freedom Support Act, elimination of blockades and regional
cooperation and energy security
for Armenia, U.S. assistance to
Karabagh, Turkey and Article 301,
the Karabagh peace process, and
the Armenian Genocide.
The Armenian Students Organization organized the workshop
as part of the activities associated
with Armenian Genocide Commemoration week at Fresno State.
Following the workshop, ASO
President Stepan Kyutunyan and
Vice President HagopOhanessian,
together with ASO Advisor Barlow
Der Mugrdechian and Keshishian,
pa i d a vi sit to offi ces of three pol i-
ticians: Fresno County Supervisor
Debbie Poochigian, the office of
United States Senator Barbara
Boxer, and Fresno City Councilman Andreas Borgeas.
Debbie Poochigian is a Fresno
County Supervisor for District
Five, located in eastern Fresno
County. She is married to former
State Senator Chuck Poochigian
and her father was former Fresno
County Supervisor DeranKoIigian.
Poochigian graduated from Fresno
State where she received her
bachelor's degree and two teaching credentials.
Poochigian discussed a variety
of issues dealing with her work in
the County. She has been an active
voice in efforts to have the Arme-
Photo: ASP Archive
nian Genocide recognized and she
emphasized that political involvement was important and that students should consider working as
volunteers or as interns in political
offices, focusing on the broad local
issues. At the conclusion of the discussion she presented the Armenian Students Organization with a
Certificate of Recognition for"cul-
tivating a spirit of appreciation toward Armenian history, culture, and
the Armenian language."
The delegation then visited the
offices of United States Senator
Barbara Boxer in the Fresno Federal Courthouse. Tom Bohigian,
State Director, Ameen Khan, Director of Central and Eastern Cali-
fo rn ia, a nd i n te rn Ma ri ssa Ka la shi a n
greeted the Fresno State group. As
State Director, Bohigian is responsible for supervising Boxer's California operations and has worked
for Senator Boxer since 1993. A
lifelong residentof Fresno, Bohigian
holds a degree in Journalism from
Fresno State.
A productive conversation revolved around how politics were
practiced in the nation's capital.
Senator Boxer has been at the forefront of efforts to pass a Genocide
resolution in the United States Senate. Bohigianemphasized thatBoxer
will continue to support the issue
and call on the President to fulfill
his campaign pledge to support affirmation of the Armenian Genocide. Bohigianalsoemphasizedthat
student involvement in the political
process was key to making changes
in the political process.
The final visitwas to Fresno City
April 24, From page 1
Armenia, was placed in frontof the
speaker's platform. With the sound
of the duduk playing in the background, people gathered around the
Free Speech area at noon.
This year the ASO and the Armenian Studies Program invited
the Arax Armenian dancers of
Fresno to perform two dances dedicated to the genocide, "Moush,"
and"Adana." The dance ensemble
consisting of Arevik Stepanyan,
Flora Mirijanian, Ani Mirijanian,
Faten Myaznih, Michael Rettig,
Kevork Gevorkian, and leader
Zaroohi Der Mugrdechian, wore
traditional Armenian costumes.
They performed elegantly and every member in the audience applauded for their fantastic performance.
Students from the Keyan Armenian Community School of
Fresno recited poetry in Armenian
that had themes of Armenian culture and identity.
Armenian Studies Program Director Barlow Der Mugrdechian
presented a historical overview of
the Genocide, while Hagop
Ohanessian, Vice-President of the
A SO recounted two survivor testimonies about the terrible events
Hall and a meeting with Fresno
City Councilman Andreas
Borgeas, newly elected to the Second Council District of Fresno.
Councilman Borgeas discussed
with the group some plans for upcoming activities in Fresno, that
involve Armenians. On June 5 and
6 the City is coordinating HyeFest,
a festival of Armenian culture in
downtown Fresno. Efforts are also
underway to increase ties with the
Republic of Armenia through a
variety of initiatives.
Councilman Borgeas is active
in supporting Armenian efforts to
recognize the Armenian Genocide
and in general issues of interest to
Armenians. He presented students
with a Letterof Commendation for
their "...commitment and desire
tostrengthen political outreach and
efforts of the Armenian community in cultivating relations with
elected officials..."
The workshop and visits to political offices provided students
with an inside view of politics and
the importance of participation in
the political process..
Some of the students and guests on April 24.
perpetrated by Turkish generals.
At the conclusion of the commemoration, those in attendance
placed flowers at the base of the
Martyrs Monument.
At 7:30PM on Thursday, April
23, the ASO and the Armenian Studies Program invited students and
members of the community to a
screening of the movie "Screamers." In the film, director Carla
Garapedian follows the rock band
"System of a Down" as they tour
Europe and the U.S., pointing out
the horrors of modern genocide that
began with the Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire in 1915, up though
Darfur today. Following the movie,
there was a march and a candle
light vigil to the Martyrs Monument in the Free Speech area.
Fresno State's Collegian covered the Genocide commemorative events with a full front-page
cover in the Monday, April 27,
issue of the newspaper. See the
article at
http:collegian.csufresno.edu/
2009/04/27/a-day-of-remembrance/.
The ASO thanks everyone for
their support in the Commemoration of the 94th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.
Students of the Keyan Armenian School on April 24.
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