Tyler Ellison
If anybody in the Armenian community were to be given the title of anomaly it might just go to Babken DerGrigorian, a recent UCLA graduate and an active community organizer. Even if after reading this article you don’t think so, you will at the least acknowledge that this individual is a strong contender for such a title, as well as, an overall inspiration for “social revolution” and the Armenian community.
Apart from being heavily involved in the Obama campaign efforts this fall, which Babken calls one of his best experiences to date in championing for democratic values, he has been involved in community organizing efforts on campus aimed against the increase in tuition hikes, as well as negotiations to secure higher wages for on-campus workers.
When interviewed, Babken spoke reminiscently about his work on the Obama campaign. “I was in Lee County, Florida,” named after Robert E. Lee, a top Confederate General during the Civil War. Specifically, “I was focusing on an unincorporated part of the city, an area dominated by working lower class minorities of Caribbean and Haitian descent”. Babken’s objective “was to make sure the sporadic and super sporadic registered to vote.” Sporadic voters are classified as anyone who has voted once or less during the last election.
They were identified as key components to the Obama campaign’s success during this recent election, hence, were the focus of Babken’s organizing efforts. “I put in 15 hour days usually,” Babken said. It was worth it though because “out of 20 precincts, 14 were majority Democrat precincts,” he explained. As for how effective Babken’s organizing efforts were, Obama won Florida and as we know now, is the new President elect.
It can only be rewarding in and of itself to claim participation in one of the most globally recognized elections to date. But Babken takes its stride and in perspective, “I’ve done a lot of other community organizing besides that.” A relevant issue of fiduciary interest to this particular demographic would be Babken’s organizing efforts last year in which he “advocated for a space for students to come together to voice their opposition to tuition fee hikes.”
Particularly, Babken mentions takeholduniversity.org as an informational site to check out. Although Babken maintains that he did not participate in the on-campus student protests he states that he did participate in organizing the “town hall meetings where Professors of various academic fields lectured and student organizers brainstormed ideas.” Babken has not just fought for students’ financial well being, rather, he has taken on more controversial organizing efforts, such as the fight to raise the wages of on-campus workers.
When reflecting on his efforts he details, “We went to the Chancellor, to have him sign his support for our cause, because he cannot himself decide to raise workers wages, but he declined.” On that note, “we gave him an ultimatum, that we would disrupt the commencement ceremony.”
This disruption consisted of the resignation of former President Bill Clinton as speaker at the UCLA 2008 commencement ceremony for graduating seniors. As Babken states “Democrats will not cross picket lines.” Although this organizing effort in particular had many more perplexed than outright supportive or condemning, Babken maintains that it was all part of his “broader picture” which advocates a “progressive” position and focuses on “bringing people together.”
In fact his entire work ethic and motivations for organizing can be summed up in those few phrases. Take his most recent organizing efforts as a liaison between the Los Angeles Taxi Worker’s Union and the Armenian community, “the most dominant nationality of taxi drivers in the Los Angeles area are Armenian and I help increase effective communication between the two.”
Babken says his work at this grass roots organization is more diplomatic in this regard. He is responsible for transcribing documents such as letters into Armenian so that they can be better understood and personable to the Armenian community.
On the topic of community and being Armenian, Babken expresses that “in order to affect change in society or anywhere you need to go beyond your community, which is something traditional Armenians are reluctant to do.”
When asked about how he plans on continuing his progressive organizing efforts Babken replies “by continuing what I’m doing now, going to graduate school and dealing with more global issues such as global warming and energy conservation.”
As Babken’s organizing efforts continue to evolve and become grander in scale, more globally encompassing, he aims to inspire those within and outside of the Armenian community to affect change- we are all people in the end, sharing the same planet.
No comments:
Post a Comment