September 5, 2008
Los Angeles, CA - 20 Armenians for Obama (A4O) activists attended the grand opening of the Southern California headquarters for Barack Obama's presidential campaign and participated in a rally of support for the Illinois Senator.
Joining roughly 750 other activists and supporters, the A4Omembers enthusiastically introduced themselves to the Senator's presidential campaign staff and established themselves as an organized and politically seasoned bunch.
Saro Haroun, an A4O activist, was eager to assist the campaign in reaching out to Armenian-American voters. "Armenians can playa strategic role in this presidential campaign, especially in Nevada. We have a chance to help elect the next President and I want to do everything I can to ensure that the only candidate who supports Armenian Genocide recognition is elected," commented Haroun.
Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti was also present for the grand opening discussed various issues with numerous A4Oactivists. Council President Garcetti stated, "Armenian-Americans have a crucial role in this election and their support for Senator Obama is vital. As we have seen in the past 2 elections, a few thousand, even a few hundred votes, can truly make the difference. I applaud your efforts and look forward to joining you in helping elect Senator Obama our next President."
Anna Nishanian, another A4O activist, was very impressed with the level of enthusiasm shown for Barack Obama. "Seeing all this energy and excitement is really powerful. It's clear that everyone here really believes in Senator Obama and what he stands for. I'm really glad I was able to attend this event and I plan on coming to these offices as much as I can to ensure that Barack Obama is our next President," said Nishanian.
Participants of the grand opening were educated on what they could do to help the Obama campaign in these last 62 days and were trained on phone banking and door-to-door canvassing. A rally at the end of the activities helped energize the crowd and ensure their return to assist the campaign.
Andrew Kzirian, the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region, was also in attendance and was very impressed with the enthusiasm and professionalism of the A4O activists. Stated Kzirian, "In all my years of community activism, I've never seen a group so dedicated and committed to a candidate. The A4O activists truly are one step ahead of the pack in terms of organizational experience and training. It's a testament to our community that we have such talented individuals representing our community."
Armenians for Obama is a nationwide voter registration, education, and mobilization effort dedicated to electing Barack Obama President. Based in Los Angeles, and with chapters and affiliates across the country, Armenians for Obama will harness the energy and enthusiasm for Barack Obama's candidacy to ensure record high Armenian American turnout in critical battleground states.