Michigan State Rep. Mari Manoogian to preside over ANCA-ER Endowment Fund’s 15th annual gala

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Michigan State Representative Mari Manoogian will serve as master of ceremonies at the 15th annual Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region’s (ANCA Eastern Region) Gala on Saturday, October 23, 2021 at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. The gala, which will comply with all COVID-19 safety protocols, will feature a cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner and awards program. Tickets can be purchased online.

State Representative Manoogian will be joined by community leaders and grassroots activists to celebrate the eastern region’s 2021 accomplishments and honor individuals who have worked tirelessly to advance the Armenian-American Cause. The region will award both the ANCA Eastern Region Freedom Award and the ANCA Eastern Region Vahan Cardashian Award to deserving recipients. The region is also set to honor its summer internship participants, as well as its ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship Program participants.

“It’s truly an honor to have been asked to serve as master of ceremonies at this year’s ANCA Eastern Region Gala,” said Rep. Manoogian. “Our community has always worked diligently to advance justice-focused causes, both for ourselves and for others. 2020 and 2021 have been filled with both pain and loss, but also joy and recognition, and I look forward to the chance to celebrate with and honor those making a real difference within our Armenian-American community and in our country at-large.”

State Representative Manoogian, a third-generation Armenian-American and native of Michigan, was elected to serve the 40th district in the Michigan House of Representatives in 2018, which includes Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township and a portion of West Bloomfield Township. During her second term in office, she was elected to serve as the Deputy Democratic Caucus Whip and Minority Vice Chair for the House Committee on Energy.

She is not only the youngest woman to serve in the Michigan House of Representatives, but also the first Armenian-American woman to serve. As State Representative, she has continuously championed Hai Tahd causes, including the introduction and passage of a resolution that condemned the attack on Artsakh in 2020. Manoogian, a rising star in the political arena, was selected to deliver the keynote address on night two of the Democratic National Convention during the 2020 election.

In 2020, the ANCA Eastern Region honored Manoogian for her contributions to the Armenian Cause with the inaugural ANCA Eastern Region One to Watch Award.

Manoogian, a great-grandchild of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, continues to remain active in the Armenian community in Metro Detroit. She attended the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Zavarian Armenian language school in Troy, Michigan for 10 years, participated in the St. Nersess Armenian Seminary summer conferences, and was active in the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) and Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA).

“We’re so honored to have State Representative Manoogian serving as this year’s master of ceremonies. She truly exemplifies what it means to be a leader and we look forward to her inspiring our attendees with her steadfast commitment to the cause as we celebrate the year’s achievements,” said Anthony Deese, ANCA Eastern Region Gala Committee Chairperson.

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ANCA-Eastern Region

The Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region is part of the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots organization, the ANCA. Working in coordination with the ANCA in Washington, DC, and a network of chapters and supporters throughout the Eastern United States, the ANCA-ER actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.