April 18, 2012 - 14:04 AMT
ANCA member Raffi Hamparian to speak on Armenian Cause on April 22

Raffi Hamparian will be the guest speaker on “The Armenian Cause in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities for Armenian Americans” at Armenian Apostolic Church of Crescenta Valley, California, on Sunday, April 22.

Asbarez reports that Hamparian, a member of the Armenian National Committee of America’s national Board of Directors and a lifelong ANCA activist will discuss specific ways in which Armenian Americans of all backgrounds can play a decisive role in advancing the Armenian Cause. He will discuss the ANCA’s leadership role in working on the Return of Armenian Churches confiscated by the Republic of Turkey and its efforts with respect to Armenia, Artsakh and Javakh. He will also focus his remarks on the organization’s successful efforts to engage a new generation of Armenian Americans to continue participating in America’s democratic process to advance issues of special concern to Armenian Americans.

Born in New York City and raised in the New Jersey, Hamparian is a graduate of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. At this school he earned both an undergraduate degree and a Masters in International Relations. Hamparian has worked for a number of members of Congress, handling budget, tax and trade issues and also serving as a key staffer for international relations work related to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Most recently, he worked as the chief foreign affairs aide for New Jersey Congressman Steven R. Rothman.

Currently, Hamparian is the Government Relations Director for Los Angeles Metro, where he works to increase the $600 million that agency annually receives from the federal government for major transportation projects.