San Francisco, CA – The Armenian National Committee-Western Region traveled to San Francisco to attend the California Republican Party’s (CRP) annual spring convention which took place from February 22nd through the 24th. ANC-WR Community Relations Director, Haig Hovsepian, led a group of local San Francisco Bay Area ANC activists as well as ANC-WR interns to the convention.

“The ANC-WR works to raise awareness and promote understanding of our community, its values and concerns,” stated Hovsepian. “Along with our local ANC activists, we are here to make sure that the California Republican Party faithfully continues to address issues of concern to the Armenian community in California,” said Hovsepian.

SF Bay Area ANC board member Mark Markarian as well as SF Bay Area ANC Executive Director Matt Senekerimian were joined by SF Bay Area ANC activists Rita Astoor, Shant Hagopian and Christopher Yemenidjian, as well as ANC-WR interns Christine Semerdjian and Carina Khanjian.

“The workshops were informative and gave us an inside look on how the Republican Party operates,” said Hagopian. “The experience was proof positive of how grassroots outreach can make a difference – in addition to raising awareness of our community’s concerns with current and future elected officials,” Semerdjian added.

The group had the opportunity to interact with California Republican Party delegates, members, and leaders. Several of the volunteers attended convention workshops which included issues regarding youth involvement in the Republican Party as well as the changing face of the California electorate. The convention also featured discussions about the party’s platform for the next year as well as an election of a Republican National Committee member.

The Armenian National Committee – Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANC-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

### Photo caption: (from L-R) Former ANC interns Chris Yemenidjian, and Shant Hagopian join Haig Hovsepian and current ANC-WR interns Carina Khanjian and Christine Semerdjian at the California Republican Party spring convention this past weekend.