Watertown youth delegate attends Democratic state convention 

Rosdom Kaligian of Watertown attended the Massachusetts Democratic State Convention at the DCU Center in Worcester, the ANC of Eastern Massachusetts reported. He was a youth delegate to the convention, where he supported U.S. Sen. Ed Markey’s bid to win the convention’s endorsement in the September primary.  Kaligian has developed an interest in local politics while attending public meetings of the Watertown Planning Department. Consultants hired by the city have presented different plans for the revitalization and redevelopment of Watertown Square. Kaligian is passionate about public transportation and spoke out to ensure that the redevelopment plans are pedestrian- and transit-friendly and not overly biased in favor of motor vehicles. He recently joined the Watertown Democratic Committee to further his political activism. Armenian Americans have been mobilizing for the September primary election because of Markey’s record on Armenian issues, especially his calls for the right of return for Artsakh Armenians and the release of Armenian hostages, which he made in the face of Azerbaijan’s intimidation during the COP29 climate conference in Baku.  Throughout his career, Markey has been a forceful advocate on Armenian issues, including genocide recognition, Armenia’s security and holding Azerbaijan accountable for human rights violations and ethnic cleansing in Artsakh.  In 2017, Markey received the Armenian National Committee-Eastern U.S. Freedom Award for his support of Armenian American issues, justice and human rights. The AYF Greater Boston Nejdeh Chapter has started phone-banking sessions in which members call active Democratic voters to identify Markey supporters. The effort is a crucial part of political campaigns because it provides the data needed for get-out-the-vote efforts during the early voting period and on election day.  Markey received 73% of the convention vote and was endorsed for reelection over his primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton of Salem. Moulton received more than 15% of the convention vote, allowing him to appear on the primary ballot. The post Watertown youth delegate attends Democratic state convention  appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.