GLENDALE—An energetic and excited crowd of young professionals convened in support of their mentor, colleague, fellow community activist and dear friend Elen Asatryan’s candidacy for Los Angeles County’s Democratic Central Committee. The event was held on Monday, February 24 at Eden on Brand’s chic rooftop bar.
The event was hosted by three of Asatryan’s former interns and mentees: Talar Khrlobian, Tatev Oganyan, and Tamar Thomassian. The three women are all accomplished professionals and leaders in their respective communities and all three credit Asatryan for providing unparalleled mentorship and coaching throughout their respective political advocacy, legal, and marketing careers. While more than a decade has passed since the three first met Elen, they have worked with her throughout the years on various causes and initiatives and are now, more than ever, inspired by Elen’s unwavering commitment to engaging civic participation in the community through her campaign.
Tatev Oganyan welcomed and thanked the guests for their continued support throughout Asatryan’s campaign, which kicked off on December 26, 2019. Oganyan, Khrlobian, and Thomassian each took to the microphone and voiced their admiration of Elen’s dedication to forging a truly inclusive Democratic Party that best reflects and advocates for its diverse constituency.
“Elen has this incredible talent to ignite a fire in all of us. Just looking around the room at all these people who have come together shows you how far her reach truly is. There is no limit to where Elen is going and I encourage you all to be part of her journey,” stated former ANCA-Glendale 2008 intern and now campaign manager/attorney Tatev Oganyan.
From left: Tamar Thomassian, Tatev Oganyan, Elen Asatryan, and Talar Khrlobian
“I was really shy back in the day, and Elen took me out of my comfort zone. She is one of those people that pushes you. She will expand her resources to everybody. She will be fearless, she will care about our community, and she will take us to the next level and where we need to be,” expressed former ANCA-Glendale 2007 intern and now law student/real estate specialist Tamar Thomassian.
“I am a testament to Elen empowering young women to become stronger women. I was 15 when I walked into her office with my mom for my interview and I remember through that process her empowering me to go to my interviews alone and eventually having the confidence to face every milestone, in my career and my personal life, with the confidence to know that I could walk into a room without needing anything but myself and being okay with that,” shared former ANCA-Glendale 2008 intern and now business unit director Talar Khrlobian.
Asatryan was then invited to speak to the crowd who had all been mingling and sharing their personal connections with Elen, her work, and advocacy.
“I can’t help but feel a little emotional as I look around the room,” remarked Asatryan. “Many of you came through my office doors as interns and I have had the privilege of watching you all embark on successful careers and in turn become trailblazers in your communities. Your support means so much and I truly feel humbled that you are all helping my efforts to serve on a committee that I regard as crucially important for the future of our Democratic Party.”
Asatryan has been attending numerous hosted gatherings, both at the homes of supporters as well as in local coffee shops across the neighborhoods she frequents. Asatryan is committed to bolstering dialogue among not just herself and the attendees but among the attendees who might only be meeting one another for the first time.
The event served as the campaign’s final hosted gathering, though its buzz is still circulating on social media. Asatryan’s campaign staff and volunteers are actively canvassing and phone-banking during the stretch of active voting, which concludes on Tuesday, March 3 at 8:00 p.m. To help get the vote out, sign up or stop by the campaign headquarters at 440 W. Colorado St., Suite 211 in Glendale from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily.
The election for the Democratic County Central Committee will take place on March 3. Early voting started on February 22 at 1,000 vote centers across L.A. County. Registered Democrats residing in State Assembly District 43 will see Asatryan’s name on their ballot.
For voters who have selected the option to vote by mail, ballots started arriving in mailboxes as of February 4. Elen Asatryan’s name may be found on page 3, 4, or 5 of the ballot.
For those not yet registered to vote, same-day voter registration is available in person at any vote center between February 22 to March 3. To register to vote, update voter information and political party preference, request a vote by mail ballot, or find your nearest vote center visit the website.
The DCCC is the official governing body of the Democratic Party in Los Angeles County. It is also the largest local Democratic Party entity in the United States, representing nearly 2.7 million Democrats in the 88 cities and the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County – a population larger than 42 individual states.
The 43rd State Assembly District encompasses the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta-Montrose, and parts of Los Angeles including Hollywood Hills, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Franklin Hills, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and Atwater Village (90027, 90029, 90068 and most of 90039).
To learn more about, get involved in, and contribute to Asatryan’s campaign, visit the campaign’s website. For up to the minute updates, follow the campaign’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ElectElen.