**ANCA-WR to Honor Shevan Basmadjian with the Steve Artinian Visionary Activist Award*

The Armenian National Committee of America, Western Region (ANCA-WR), will honor Shevan Basmajian with the organization’s Steve Artinian Visionary Activist Award.

The award will be presented to her at the annual gala dinner, to be held on Sunday, October 11, at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles.

“Shevan Basmajian has built something rare for Texas: a grassroots movement that speaks fwith one unified voice on behalf of the Armenian Cause.Her tireless work in education—from the halls of the Texas Capitol to classrooms across the state—embodies the very vision that Steve Artinian dedicated his life to advancing,” said ANCA-WR Board Chair Oshin Harootoonian.

Basmajian’s advocacy work continues the legacy of her mother, Annie Graham (Gostanian). As the granddaughter of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, Basmajian instilled in her own daughter, from an early age, a sense of responsibility toward Hai Dat. In 2017, Basmajian, representing ANCA Texas, testified at the Texas State Capitol in support of a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide, which passed unanimously.

She recently mobilized Armenians across Texas to take part in hearings held by the State Board of Education on curriculum changes, advocating for the inclusion of the Armenian Genocide in the curriculum.

“Complacency is not an option in the pursuit of justice. We owe our existence to our courageous and resilient compatriots who survived the Armenian Genocide,” Basmajian said. “To prevent future genocides and protect our homeland, we must learn from the past. I firmly believe that our strength lies in united action.”

On behalf of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church in Dallas, Basmadjian led two educational grant programs funded by the Texas Historical Commission and implemented through the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission.