Representing over 800,000 workers and 300 organizations in LA County, The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor announced their endorsement of Elen Asatryan for Glendale City Council. Asatryan is one of two candidates and the only non-incumbent to receive the endorsement.
“Elen has been a tireless champion for working class families in Glendale and beyond,” said the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. “Her track record of advocating a minimum wage increase, building more affordable housing, fighting for worker’s rights, and ensuring that immigrant families have a voice in government is a testament of her courage and values. Representing over 800,000 frontline, medical, public safety, hospitality, grocery, tradesmen, and education workers in Los Angeles, we proudly endorse Elen Asatryan for Glendale City Council.”
“I am truly humbled to receive the endorsement of the LA County Federation of Labor - an organization that is dedicated to justice and empowerment,” stated Elen Asatryan. “I look forward to continuing working with them to fight for working families and marginalized communities. Collectively and proactively, we must protect the rights of workers and ensure that they are paid a living wage, and treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve.”
The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor is part of a broad coalition of community groups, residents, and small business owners who have come out in support of Asatryan’s campaign - setting a historic precedent for its grassroots efforts in reaching all pockets of Glendale through public facing events and meet and greets. Just last week, Asatryan announced two major endorsements which came in from the Glendale Fire Fighters Association and CA Senator Anthony Portantino.
Elen’s track record of service to her community and beyond is evidenced in the years she’s dedicated to serving as a fierce advocate and leader. Dating back to 2003, she has worked closely with organizations and members including SEIU 721, UTLA, UniteHere, Glendale Teachers Association, Glendale Community College Guild, CSEA to both create partnerships for voter education, registration and GOTV efforts resulting in record breaking voter turnout numbers in targeted races and helping advocate for issues important to working families and residents. Elen’s efforts to better her community include: ensuring equal access and representation at government entities; advocating for and conducting GOTV efforts in support of ballot initiates to increase the minimum wage; creating public policy fellowship and internship programs for high school and college students, and more. Her commitment to Glendale’s diverse communities is evident in the years she has dedicated to serving on committees and boards of organizations including: chair of the City of Glendale Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission, board member of the Glendale Youth Alliance, Glendale Community Police Partnership Advisory Committee, the Glendale Unified School District Superintendent’s Advisory Committee, LA County Voter Outreach Committee, LA City Voter Outreach and Education Committee, and many more. She is currently an elected member of the LACDP representing the 43rd AD, as well as a DSCC member.
Moreover, Elen’s dedication to helping working families and small businesses was highlighted through her work during the pandemic. Seeing the lack of proper community outreach and communication to the most vulnerable members of our community and small business owners, she voluntarily formed the Community Resource Center which became a hub for community based organizations in the region to receive the most up to date orders, local, state and federal COVID programs available to residents, small businesses and entrepreneurs in different language. Through the CRC, she coordinated community and press briefings between our elected representatives, government agencies, and community organizations, ethnic media outlets. Provided the volume, she also created teams of volunteers to assist community members with their needs and help answer questions. For many months, they found themselves staying up until 3:00AM/4:00AM to volunteer and personally help their residents and small businesses complete EDD, SBA, grant applications.
Elen’s purpose has always been clear—to leave a positive footprint for future generations by fighting for social justice, human rights and equity, and empowering and protecting the rights of women, minorities, the working class, and small businesses. A first-generation immigrant, Elen was 10 years old when her family moved from Armenia to Glendale in pursuit of the American Dream, and where she attended public schools.. Her passion for public service began in her middle school and high school days when she took to the school board and the city council to address discrimination issues at her school and in her city.
If elected, Elen would be the first Armenian-American woman on the Glendale City Council and, at age 39, the youngest woman ever elected to that office.
The Glendale City Council election is scheduled to take place on June 7. To learn more about, get involved in, and contribute to Elen Asatryan’s campaign, please visit www.electelen.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the campaign’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ElenAsatryan.
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