Jack Hajinyan, a member of the City Council of Montebello, California, who was chosen to be the Mayor of the city in 2014, responded to the questions of Voice of America on Montebello, his roots and Armenia-Diaspora relations.
“Ethnic diversity is a good opportunity for the development of the city,” said Jack Hajinyan, a member of the City Council of Montebello, one of the most ethically diverse cities in the United States.
This city in California is distinguished by its ethnic diversity. He said that many ethnic groups lived there. He emphasized that as a member of the city council, he had obligations not only to Armenians, but to all residents of the city.
“Montebello is an ethnically diverse city. Here live Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Armenians, Italians, Russians, Indians living in the United States. There are also many Filipinos. I am extremely proud of this fact and such diversity,”Hajinyan said.
About 11 per cent of the 70,000 population of Montebello are Armenian. It is one of California’s oldest Armenian communities. And Jack Hajinyan is the first US-born member of the Montebello City Council elected in 2011.
He is a representative of the third generation of Montebello. His grandfather Senekerm immigrated to the United States in 1949. Sennacherib family, who survived the Genocide and Sardarabad battle, moved to Montebello in 1957. His successor, Jack Hajinyan, took over the leadership of Montebello in 2014, becoming the Mayor of the city.
One of the oldest monuments dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide was built in 1968. Every April, events in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide are taking place in the city.
“In fact, I view April events as a testimony to our existence, as they point out that the Turkish government’s destruction program did not succeed,” Hajinyan said.
Despite his busy working routine, Hajinyan is always interested in Armenia. He has visited Armenia several times.
“In the period from 2004 to 2015, I noticed dramatic changes in the country, but un...
Read full story