Today we’d like to introduce you to Jirair Ratevosian.
Hi Jirair, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a proud Angeleno. I was born in Hollywood and grew up in Sunland, the son of Armenian and Lebanese immigrants. Like countless immigrant stories before me, Los Angeles gave my family a second chance. My parents worked hard to put food on our table and made sure my sister and I understood the value of a good education. After Armenian high school in the San Fernando Valley, I graduated from UCLA and earned a doctoral degree in public health from Johns Hopkins. Somewhere in between, I lived in Boston for grad school and worked with the Jewish and Armenian communities to raise global attention around the genocide in Darfur.
When I think about my journey and how I got where I am today, I think about how fortunate I have been to be grounded in family values. I also think about the lessons from my grandfather’s shoe repair shop in Van Nuys. He was so committed to his customers and to providing great service. At a young age, I watched him participate in local civic engagement through his dedication to the community. His example provided the foundation for me to work hard and make a difference. It started by scooping ice cream at Baskin Robbins but led to accepting an appointment from President Biden as the highest-ranking Armenian in the State Department and learning directly from Congresswoman Barbara Lee as her legislative director in a fight against poverty, war, and HIV/AIDS. I am my grandfather’s American dream come true.
Today, my grandfather’s dream is far from reach for many. Small businesses are the engines of our great neighborhoods. Education is the bulwark for a successful future. Families need affordable housing, child care, and health care they can access quickly without bankrupting their future.
That is why I decided to run for Congress. I’ve seen great things happen in the halls of Congress and I’ve been part of some of those things that have changed the course of history and helped people around the world. From working to lowering drug prices, protect unemployment benefits, and fighting for good wages. It’s not a hollow point when I say I know how Washington works and what needs to change to make it work better for us in California. I’ve helped bring change for what we care about, and I want to bring that track record and those skills and values to Congress.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have a classic American story. I fell in love in Iowa while campaigning for Joe Biden, but it wasn’t easy for me to come out as gay to my family until much later in my life. After some initial shock, my family embraced me. They love me for who I am, and I am grateful. I will never forget seeing my mother holding my fiancée’s hand at my doctoral commencement ceremonies. It was a cosmic reminder to be true to myself. I am confident that people will see me for the work that I have done and the values that I champion. Compared to many others, but even with my struggles, I am lucky to have the support of family and friends. I know that is not true for many others around us – and around the world – and that is why we must keep fighting for equality, for love, and for fairness for all.
But there is work to do. Our rights and freedoms seem to stand at the whim of conservative extremists who don’t know the lived experience of people not like them and don’t take the time to ask. I understand the struggle. I will fight for the middle class, for student loan relief, for upskilling programs, for child care options, for workers, for a higher minimum wage, and for the ability to be with who you love.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work in public health has taken me to more than 50 countries to work directly with governments to support women’s economic development, protect LGBTQ+ communities, and fight poverty and pandemics. Proudly, I served as the most senior Armenian-American at the State Department, focused on working with our global partners to keep our country safe from infectious diseases and to advance international human rights.
My career is built on creating partnerships with governments and the private sector, working across diverse cultures and communities, and building bipartisan coalitions. I have dedicated my life to helping others by advancing equitable policies that have made medicines more affordable, expanded healthcare services for racially and ethnically diverse communities, protected reproductive rights for women, defended LGBTQ+ communities, and promoted development and diplomacy as tenants of US foreign policy in order to stop wars, reverse the impact of climate change, reduce poverty, prevent pandemics, and demand accountability and justice for genocide.
Never did I think I would need to fight so hard for our values here in the United States – for women to have access to birth control, for people to be treated with respect when they marry or have autonomy over their own bodies. I have the experience to make government work better, and I want to use this experience to make it work for all people, our neighborhoods, the great city of Los Angeles, and our planet.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned is that representation matters – and representation is power. As a gay man, a son of immigrants, as a proud Armenian-American, and a supporter of small business, I understand the importance of representation. We need leaders in Congress who will stand up against human rights violations, promote tolerance, and fight for reproductive freedom at critical decision-making tables when representation matters.
We need a strong Armenian voice in Congress. At this very moment, Armenia is facing war and an existential crisis. It is time for an Armenian voice to lead on issues important to the Armenian American community – and we’ve never had representation from Los Angeles, where the most Armenian Americans in the country call home. I have worked my entire life to build bridges and champion underrepresented communities – that is exactly what I will do for all people in Los Angeles.
The engines of the American economy are here in the small businesses in Los Angeles. I’ve spent my career bringing federal resources to California, working to lower drug costs, and pass laws to make more healthcare available to more people. At the U.S. State Department, I worked to promote gender equity by creating economic opportunities for women around the world. When women achieve their dreams, we all benefit.
I have seen the power of how an issue can advance when the right people are in the room. Diversity brings more voices and perspectives to the table. That is what we need in policy making. This is how we make change and grow our economy and country for all its citizens. I know how to advance policy gains and make a long-term funding impact – for everyone, regardless of creed, tribe, ability, or wealth.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jirairforCA.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jirairforca/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jirairforca/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jirairratevosian/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter/jirairforca/
Image Credits
Photos by Neshan H. Naltchayan
