{"id":15532,"date":"2019-02-14T12:00:31","date_gmt":"2019-02-14T12:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=15532"},"modified":"2019-02-14T12:00:31","modified_gmt":"2019-02-14T12:00:31","slug":"congresswoman-jackie-speier-inspires-at-anca-aramian-house-reading-of-undaunted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=15532","title":{"rendered":"Congresswoman Jackie Speier Inspires at ANCA Aramian House Reading of \u2018Undaunted\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON, DC \u2013<\/strong> Speaking before a capacity crowd of young Armenian public policy professionals at the ANCA\u2019s Aramian House, Armenian American Congresswoman Jackie Kanchelian Speier (D-CA) shared her powerful life story of overcoming personal tragedy and emerging as one of America\u2019s most powerful political leaders.<\/p>\n


\n\u201cToday, as we honor the strong Armenian women who lead our communities, we have the privilege of speaking with one of the strongest women in Congress – one who embodies her ancestors\u2019 will to survive, one who has overcome great adversity – from Jonestown to being a #MeToo victim long before that phrase was coined,\u201d said ANCA Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Director Tereza Yerimyan, in her welcoming remarks.\u00a0 \u201cRepresentative Speier comes from a long line of women who have instilled in her that she must fight for what’s right, that she must uncover the truth even if it means risking her own life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Armenian American Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) sharing insights from her memoir, \u201cUndaunted\u201d, at the ANCA Aramian House.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Reading heartbreaking passages from her memoir, \u201cUndaunted\u201d \u2013 Congresswoman Speier described the harrowing story of how she survived being shot at point-blank range during a Congressional investigative mission to Jonestown, Guyana, site of the Jonestown cult massacre in 1978.\u00a0 She would go on to read a passage describing how she overcame the tragic passing of her husband, Dr. Steve Sierra, who was hit by a drunk driver.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really a story of resilience, and for each of us, it\u2019s about the ability to recover. Sometimes, we don\u2019t think we do, but we all have that well of strength, internally\u201d said Rep. Speier.<\/p>\n

Turning to the ANCA Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Fellows and youth in the room, Rep. Speier stated, \u201cI hope that you hear in my story something that is your story \u2013 something that will crystallize the sense of knowing that your future is in public policy.\u00a0 It is around making this country and Armenia stronger \u2013 the ties between them stronger \u2013 and that we could see greater democracies flourish around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked about the future of U.S.-Armenia relations particularly following the 2018 Velvet Revolution, Rep. Speier, who serves as Co-Chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus said this is a \u201cgolden opportunity\u201d for both countries to strengthen ties, noting that she looks forward to working with the Caucus leadership to take concrete steps to advance shared priorities.<\/p>\n

Ms. Sue Aramian, who along with sisters, the late Martha and late Margot, are the patron saints of the Aramian House, joined her niece Jocelyn Micollucci in toasting Rep. Speier\u2019s indomitable spirit.\u00a0 \u201cFor you to be here, Congresswoman, with your book and your story, is a fulfillment of a life-long dream of my medz-hayrig<\/em> and medz-mayrig<\/em> and my aunt.\u00a0 I welcome you, and I thank you.\u00a0 To your health and prosperity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also offering remarks was Armenian Ambassador to the U.S., His Excellency Varuzhan Nersesyan, who praised Congresswoman Speier\u2019s leadership on human rights and women\u2019s rights while being an outspoken advocate of Armenian American concerns.\u00a0 Addressing the \u201cnew generation of ANCA youth leaders\u201d in the room, Ambassador Nersesyan encouraged them to \u201cfollow her path, her inspiring life story \u2013 both an Armenian story and an American story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Permanent Representative of the Republic of Artsakh to the U.S. Robert Avetisyan and Soorp Khatch Armenian Church Pastor, Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, joined community leaders in praising Rep. Speier\u2019s memoir.<\/p>\n

The evening ended with Rep. Speier graciously signing copies of her book \u2013 urging one and all to be \u201cundaunted\u201d in all they do in life.\u00a0 The ANCA Endowment Fund has a limited number of signed copies of Rep. Jackie Speier\u2019s \u201cUndaunted\u201d available for purchase.<\/p>\n

VIDEOS<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Video of Rep. Speier\u2019s presentation of \u2018Undaunted\u2019 is available at: https:\/\/youtu.be\/bicrA_ug590<\/a><\/p>\n

Video of ANCA Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program Director Tereza Yerimyan\u2019s Welcoming Remarks is available at:
\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/F7WhkK0C0nQ<\/a><\/p>\n

Video of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia His Excellency Varuzhan Nersesyan welcoming Rep. Jackie Speier:
\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/I6Bz3ry-JvI<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Speaking before a capacity crowd of young Armenian public policy professionals at the ANCA\u2019s Aramian House, Armenian American Congresswoman Jackie Kanchelian Speier (D-CA) shared her powerful life story of overcoming personal tragedy and emerging as one of America\u2019s most powerful political leaders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15534,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[115],"tags":[126],"class_list":["post-15532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-anca"],"yoast_head":"\nCongresswoman Jackie Speier Inspires at ANCA Aramian House Reading of \u2018Undaunted\u2019 - Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=15532\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Congresswoman Jackie Speier Inspires at ANCA Aramian House Reading of \u2018Undaunted\u2019 - 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