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December 20, 2001
State
Majority Leader Kevin Shelley Promises To Secure
Genocide Curriculum Funds
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ANC-SF Member Haig
Baghdassarian with
Assemblyman Shelley and his newborn
son Jack |
San
Francisco, December 6 - Representatives of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of
the Armenian National Committee were in attendance as California State Assembly
Majority Leader Kevin Shelley received dozens of friends and supporters in his
bid to become the next Secretary of State for California.
The event,
co-hosted by the San Francisco Bar Pilots Association and was held at their Pier
9 San Francisco headquarters.
ANC
representatives Ani Baghdassarian and Haig Baghdassarian spoke at length with
Assemblyman Shelley and his Chief of Staff, Laurie McBride, about state support
for Armenian Genocide curriculum materials which the ANC has developed, as well
as other issues relevant to Armenian-Americans in California.
Shelley committed to working with the ANC to secure funding for the
dissemination of Armenian Genocide high school materials during the next fiscal
year.
Expressing
great concern about the significant decline over the past 40 years in the
proportion of eligible voters who vote, Assemblyman Shelley said he is on a
mission to address this problem of the electoral process.
He also emphasized the need to improve the training of poll workers and
the technology which is currently used in ballots, in light of irregularities in
last November's presidential election as well as recent polling problems in San
Francisco. As California's next
Secretary of State, he said he would be best positioned to improve the process,
restore public confidence, and bring more voters back to the polls.
Shelley, who
was previously a San Francisco Supervisor and comes from a family of California
politicians, is challenged by former Secretary of State March Fong Eu, who has
broad name recognition throughout the state.
Shelley has the endorsements of all Democratic Assembly members,
Senators, and members of the House of Representatives.
As
Secretary of State, Shelley would also likely be able to bolster trade relations
between Armenia and California, in light of the recently signed Memorandum of
Understanding between the two governments.
Haig Baghdassarian expressed the ANC's support for his candidacy and his
work in the Assembly. The ANC
representatives also had the opportunity to discuss some issues of local concern
with San Francisco Supervisor Mark Leno at this well attended event.
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