Los Angeles, CA – Shant Karnikian has developed various skills and gained vast experience as a Community and Government Affairs Intern with the Armenian National Committee – Western Region’s 2008 Summer Internship-Externship Program, In addition to getting local schools and organizations to disassociate with the ADL’s No Place for Hate Program due to the ADL’s hypocritical denial of the Armenian Genocide, Karnikian is also developing an information kit designed to provide non-Armenian High School students with an overview of issues relating to the Armenian-American community.

“The ANC has motivated me to become a true activist and has provided me with an opportunity to make a real difference,” said Karnikian. “Through grassroots efforts, I hope to gain a better understanding of the inner workings of the political process and ultimately become professionally involved in politics in the future,” he added.

Karnikian recently graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Political Science. He plans to participate in ANCA’s Capital Gateway Program before attending Law School in Fall 2009.

Karnikian has worked at various law firms in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara and has been an integral component in the effort to have UCSB disassociate with ADL’s No Place for Hate program. While working on the ADL’s disassociations campaign in Sacramento during ANC Advocacy Days, Karnikian learned of the ANC Internship-Externship Program and were eager to apply.

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 – Shant Karnikian at the ANC-WR offices.