While
delivering the keynote address at the Armenian Genocide Commemoration in San
Francisco on April 24th, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown surprised and
delighted the audience by announcing his appointment of Haig Baghdassarian as
the first Armenian-American to serve on the city's Human Rights Commission.
The Mayor took the opportunity of the gathering of several hundred
Armenian Americans to swear-in Baghdassarian, who assumed his responsibilities
as member of the commission on May 24th.
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(L to R) Commissioner Haig
Baghdassarian, Mayor Willie
Brown, and ANC-SF Chairman Khajag Sarkissian |
Haig
Baghdassarian is a San Francisco resident and a recent graduate of Hastings
College of the Law. Previously,
Haig and his wife, Ani Boghigian Baghdassarian, were longtime residents of
southern California, both having lived in Glendale for several years, and for a
brief period in Burbank.
Most important
to Baghdassarian have been organizations and projects dedicated to the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He
has been an active member of the Armenian National Committee for over a decade,
interning in Washington DC in 1990 and volunteering in the national headquarters
in 1991. He was a member of the ANC's Western Region Governmental
Relations Committee and an active member of the Burbank chapter, serving as
chairperson of the Schools Committee. In
that capacity, he organized a lecture/discussion program for Burbank public high
schools, educating students about the Armenian Genocide.
Baghdassarian was also a member of the Genocide Project, interviewing
approximately 20 survivors, documenting their first-hand experiences.
Since he moved
to San Francisco in 1998 and began attending law school, Haig has remained
involved in the Armenian community through his involvement with the Bay Area
ANC.
The mission of
San Francisco's Human Rights Commission is to advocate for human and civil
rights; investigate and mediate discrimination complaints; monitor city
contracts to insure non-discrimination and affirmative action in employment;
promote and certify minority, and women-owned local businesses in city
contracting; resolve community disputes and issues involving individual or
systemic illegal discrimination; and provide technical assistance, information
and referrals related to human rights and social services.
