Phoenix, AZ – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has, for more than a century, stood tall as a true grassroots movement, in the best tradition of American democracy. It is in this spirit of community empowerment that the ANCA-Western Region will be hosting a town hall meeting in Phoenix, Arizona on April 7, 2013 to engage Armenian Americans activists in what is popularly known as the Grand Canyon State.

The meeting will be held at the Phoenix Armenian Center, which is home to an active and vibrant community, including chapters of the Armenian Relief Society, Homenetmen, and the Armenian Youth Federation.

“President Abraham Lincoln once aptly described the American government, brought forth by our fathers, as being of the people, by the people, for the people,” said ANCA-WR Executive Director William Bairamian. “Next month we look forward to continuing our time honored tradition of working with and for our people by bringing our 2013 ANCA Town Hall series to Arizona. We’ve already been to Boise, Idaho and Las Vegas, Nevada, and after Phoenix, we will move on to Hawaii, New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon and everywhere else where the number of Armenian Americans have grown in recent years. The ANCA’s job is to spread our message about democracy and activism to all corners of our community, in all states, even those like Wyoming which are small but vibrant centers of activism,” Bairamian added.

The ANCA Town Hall meeting in Phoenix meeting will feature presentations from Bairamian and External Affairs Deputy Tereza Yerimyan. The forum will offer a fresh opportunity for community members to ask questions about the efforts of the ANCA, the nation’s Armenian American grassroots organization.

“We are excited to bring our innovative brand of civic activism to Phoenix,” remarked Yerimyan. “The most spectacular aspect of our ANCA Town Hall format is that it’s a two way conversation with members of our community. The ANCA certainly has much to share with our community about our work, but we also have much to learn from it, as well. I look forward to sharing time in Phoenix with members of one of our fastest growing Armenian American communities.”

Arizona, over the past two decades, has seen its Armenian American community rapidly expand. The population increase has been matched by a growing interest in political activism in support of the Armenian Cause across the state.

For more information about the upcoming ANCA Town Hall meeting in Phoenix, Arizona individuals are encouraged to contact the ANCA-Western Region office by emailing tereza@anca.org or by calling (818) 500-1918.

The Armenian National Committee of America-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 ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.