Congresswoman Judy Chu and State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez reaffirm support for rebuilding Sahag-Mesrob Armenian School after Eaton Fire
ALTADENA, C.A.—Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28) and California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (CA-25) stood in unity with the Armenian-American community to reaffirm their unwavering commitment to rebuilding the Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian School after it suffered severe damage in last month’s devastating Eaton Fire.
During a February 15 visit to the Sahag-Mesrob campus, organized by the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA WR), the legislators emphasized the school’s vital role in preserving Armenian heritage and providing quality education to the community and future generations. Attendees included ANCA national board member Aida Dimejian, ANCA WR Chairman Oshin Harootoonian, board member Lara Yeretsian, along with Armenian Assembly of America’s Talin Yacoubian and AGBU Western Region Chair Kev Zoryan.
Congresswoman Chu highlighted her efforts to secure federal disaster recovery support, stating, “I am trying to ensure that we have a disaster aid bill that will help meaningfully with the recovery. This nation has provided disaster aid to every major disaster throughout its history without conditions, and that’s precisely what I’m pushing for.”
State Senator Pérez echoed these sentiments, reaffirming her commitment to advocating for the school at the state level, stating, “This has been an eye-opening experience here today, to see how much of an important pillar this establishment is for the Armenian-American community that’s been around for more than 45 years. In Sacramento, some of the discussions I am having — as both state senator and Chair of the Senate Education Committee — are about how to rebuild these schools as fast as possible, since most of these have to go through a different process since they are charter schools and non-profit institutions.”
Harootoonian recently met with California Governor Gavin Newsom to discuss the urgency of state assistance in rebuilding Sahag-Mesrob and supporting the students and families affected by the fire. “We deeply appreciate the leadership of Congresswoman Chu and Senator Pérez in standing with our community and we look forward to working together to rebuild stronger than ever,” said Harootoonian. “Their support reinforces the conversations we had with Governor Newsom just days ago and strengthens our push for immediate state assistance in this critical effort.”
Earlier in the week, on February 11, Harootoonian joined representatives from various Armenian-American organizations and community leaders in a private meeting with California Governor Gavin Newsom to discuss recovery efforts. Talks gravitated around state-wide actionable items that the governor’s office set forth to expand emergency food benefits, allocate $2.5 billion for disaster relief, prevent price gouging, ensure housing and tenant protections, and provide small business assistance, among other initiatives.
Following the discussion, Governor Newsom acknowledged the challenges ahead in an X (Twitter) post, noting, “We had a great discussion with Armenian leaders from Southern California about recovering from and rebuilding in Altadena after the #EatonFire. The past month has been difficult, but our common humanity is alive and well — and it’s what makes us strong as Californians.”
Both Congresswoman Chu and Senator Pérez committed to taking further action, doing whatever is necessary to initiate the cleanup process and accelerate rebuilding efforts. They pledged to work with local, state and federal agencies to secure the required support and resources for Sahag-Mesrob to serve its students and the broader Armenian-American community again.
Vache Euredjian, Vice-Chair of the school board, stressed the importance of working with all levels of government to rebuild Sahag-Mesrob and bring its students back to their cherished home.
“At this point, the board of Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian School needs local, state, county and federal support to be able to reconstruct this historic establishment and be able to serve the Armenian-American community once more with the education we’ve been providing for more than 45 years,” said Euredjian.
For decades, Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian School has been a cornerstone of the Armenian-American community in Southern California, serving as an educational institution dedicated to fostering academic excellence while strengthening cultural identity. The Eaton Fire left the school’s campus destroyed, displacing students, teachers and staff and creating uncertainty about its future. However, the Armenian-American community has rallied together with steadfast resolve, and with the backing of leaders like Congresswoman Chu and Senator Pérez, efforts to rebuild the school are gaining momentum.
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