Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte
BornAnna Norikovna Astvatsaturova
(1978-03-14) March 14, 1978
Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union
NationalityAmerican
Notable worksNowhere, a Story of Exile
Notable awardsThe Medal of Mkhitar Gosh, NKR “Gratitude” medal
Website
astvatsaturian.org//

Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte (born Anna Astvatsaturova, March 14, 1978) is an Armenian-American writer, lecturer,[1][2] philanthropist[3][4][5] and human rights advocate. She wrote Nowhere, a Story of Exile (2012). She has lectured extensively about the plight of Armenians in Azerbaijan in the context of human rights and international law, as well as defending the political rights of Armenians to establish autonomy in Nagorno-Karabakh. She was instrumental in gaining passage by the legislature of the State of Maine of a 2013 resolution recognizing the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In 2015, she was elected member of the Westbrook, Maine City Council.[6] She was elected President of the Council in 2021 and reelected as President in 2022, becoming Westbrook’s first immigrant and first female president of the City Council.[7]

Early life

Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte in Hin Khndzoresk.

Turcotte was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, the daughter of two artists,[8] Norik Astvatsaturov[9][10] and Irina Astvatsaturova.[11] She fled with her family due to anti-Armenian attacks in Baku in 1989.[12][13][14][15] They spent three years in Armenia as refugees before immigrating to the United States in 1992.[16] Her family was placed in Wahpeton, North Dakota, where she became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1997.[17]

Education

She studied at the University of North Dakota and received degrees in English & Literature and Philosophy & Religion, along with a minor in Russian Language and Literature. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maine School of Law in Portland, Maine in 2003.[17][18] After graduating from law school, she worked as a clerk at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.[19]

Career

Astvatsaturian Turcotte has written and lectured extensively about Armenian issues across the United States, including on Capitol Hill.[20] She has also spoken to the European Parliament on issues of human rights, international law, and anti-Armenianism.

She advocated and worked to support the State of Maine's 2013 resolution recognizing the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.[21] She has discussed Azerbaijani policy regarding the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh with members of the Congress and the European Parliament. Astvatsaturian Turcotte is an advisory board member of the non-governmental organization Americans for Artsakh.

In 2015, Astvatsaturian Turcotte spoke at TedX Grand Forks about her experiences as a refugee and human rights activists.[22] On November 3, 2015, Anna Turcotte won the election to Ward 3 of the Westbrook, Maine City Council. She received 64% of the total vote, unseating incumbent Paul Emery.[23][24]

In 2018 Astvatsaturian Turcotte was re-elected to Westbrook City Council, Representing Ward 3. She ran unopposed. Astvatsaturian Turcotte has a successful career in banking regulatory risk and compliance.[25]

Turcotte was elected Vice President of the Council on December 3, 2018.[26]

Turcotte was elected President of the Council on December 6, 2021, to become the council's first refugee and first female leader.[27]

Publications

In 2012 she published her first book, Nowhere, a Story of Exile.[28] It was based on a childhood diary she kept while her family faced the ethnic violence in Baku during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.[29] She began translating the entries into English at the age of 14. She also described their lives as refugees in Armenia after they escaped Baku. Her book was a first-person account of the anti-Armenianism in Azerbaijan and the Baku pogrom against Armenians. The book was translated into Russian in 2017 and into Armenian in 2022.[30][31]

Philanthropy

In the last decade, Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte spearheaded various humanitarian projects to benefit the vulnerable population in Armenia and Artsakh Republic, such as supporting Baku Armenian refugees in both Armenia and Artsakh and initiatives supporting the children of Artsakh. Anna has also sponsored eyecare surgeries, screenings, and provided eyeglasses for two villages in Syunik province of Armenia where her paternal grandparents are from.[32]

In the last few years Anna has gathered and sent over 300 lb of ballet clothing to Artsakh Ballet College in Stepanakert.[33]

Some notable projects were inspired by the memory of the 30th anniversary of the Baku Pogroms. To honor this anniversary Anna launched several projects. 2019-2020 Anna and Armenia Tree Project planted a forest in memory of survivors, victims of the Baku Pogroms against Armenians and to honor the community of Baku Armenians that spread around the world as refugees. Anna also made possible the Armath Lab – a computer lab with a 3D printer for children in School #8 in Stepanakert, Artsakh Anna has been a vocal supporter of the wounded Armenian soldiers and their families and has donated and fundraised for these efforts to heal the wounded soldiers, provided, a kitchen and a bath, and medical kits and solar panels to posts on the border of Artsakh with Azerbaijan.[34][35][36]

In early 2020 Turcotte launched Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation, a public charitable organization to continue and expand her philanthropic duties.[37][38] One of the Foundation's first initiatives was to conduct a full country post-war census of Artsakh Republic and its citizens, documenting their stories and losses.[39] In 2022 on International Children’s day Astvatsaturian Turcotte launched “Ser Artsakh” to provide baby essentials to every newborn in Artsakh.[40]

Awards

Astvatsaturian Turcotte was awarded the Mkhitar Gosh Medal of Honor from President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan[41] and the Nagorno-Karabakh Gratitude Medal from Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan in 2013. In 2014, she was awarded Vahan Cardashian award by the Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region.[42]

In 2017, she was awarded an Activism Award by the Armenian National Committee of America - Eastern Region.[43]

References

  1. ↑ Hairenik (2 August 2012). "Eyewitness: An Interview with Baku Pogrom Survivor Anna Turcotte". Armenian Weekly. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  2. ↑ "ARS Seminar Roadmap to Empowerment". Asbarez Armenian News, May 14, 2014
  3. ↑ "Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte and ATP Team up for Forest Memorial to Baku Pogrom Victims". The Armenian Mirror-Spectator. 2019-04-18. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  4. ↑ "One Creative Donor Stitches Her Way to Sponsoring Eye Screenings For Two Villages in Armenia". Armenian EyeCare Project. 2019-01-17. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  5. ↑ Anna Astvatsaturian-Turcotte
  6. ↑ "Westbrook moratorium movement continues pushing for reforms to slow growth". Press-Herald, October 26, 2016. Megan Doyle
  7. ↑ "Turcotte makes history as Westbrook City Council president". www.pressherald.com. Portland Press Herald. December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  8. ↑ "An Interview with Baku Pogrom Survivor Anna Turcotte". Asbarez Armenian News, by ARA NERSSESSIAN, 7 August 2012
  9. ↑ "Norik Astvatsaturov". www.arts.gov. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  10. ↑ Staff, Weekly (2017-06-20). "Armenian-American Artist Norik Astvatsaturov to Receive National Endowment for Arts Fellowship". The Armenian Weekly. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  11. ↑ "Norik and Irina Astvatsaturov: From Baku with Art". Armenian Weekly, By Tom Vartabedian on June 8, 2015 i
  12. ↑ Thirty Years Later, We Create
  13. ↑ "ANNA ASTVATSATURIAN-TURCOTTE". Aurora Prize.
  14. ↑ Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte Featured in Upcoming Francois Jacob Documentary “Under the Same Sun”
  15. ↑ Baku Pogrom Survivor Details Horrors of Massacres in Congress
  16. ↑ "Candidates off and running in Westbrook". Keep Me Current, September 29, 2016. By Andrew Rice
  17. 1 2 McDermott, Carrie (July 16, 2012). "Nowhere: A Story of Exile". Wahpeton Daily News.
  18. ↑ "Mainers at White House Summit on Women". Mirror-Spectator, Armenia, New England, Washington | June 9, 2016
  19. ↑ Emil Sanamyan, "Baku Armenian tells the story of exile", Reporter, 28 September 2012. Archived from the original.
  20. ↑ "Members of Congress Celebrate Artsakh Independence on Capitol Hill". Asbarez.com. 2012-12-06. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  21. ↑ Hairenik (10 April 2013). "Maine Legislature Supports Artsakh Independence". Armenian Weekly. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  22. ↑ Marie Monson, "Grand Forks holds second year of TedX". Dakota Student, February 24, 2015
  23. ↑ Portland Press Herald: Challengers win council, school board seats in Westbrook (November 3, 2015)
  24. ↑ American Journal: Newcomers Turcotte, Berry win seats in Westbrook
  25. ↑ "Westbrook City Council, School Committee candidates unopposed
  26. ↑ "Rairdon, Turcotte new leaders of City Council". Archived from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2018-12-10.
  27. ↑ Turcotte makes history as Westbrook City Council president
  28. ↑ "American Armenian public figure Anna Astvatsaturian-Turcotte visited Artsakh". Times.am, 12 / 09 / 2014.
  29. ↑ Hairenik (19 June 2012). "Hybooksonline Releases 'Nowhere, a Story of Exile' as E-Book". Armenian Weekly. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  30. ↑ "Արտաքսում. Դեպի անհայտություն". Newmag. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  31. ↑ "В Культурном центре "Вернатун" состоялась презентация книги Анны Аствацатурян-Теркотт "Изгнание. В никуда"". ААЦ. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  32. ↑ "One Creative Donor Stitches Her Way to Sponsoring Eye Screenings for Two Villages in Armenia". 17 January 2019.
  33. ↑ "Tutus for Artsakh: How $25,000 Worth of Ballet Gear Came to be on Its Way to Stepanakert". November 2017.
  34. ↑ http://asbarez.com/179074/anna-astvatsaturian-turcotte-armenia-tree-project-will-create-a-memorial-forest-in-armenia/
  35. ↑ "Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte and ATP Team up for Forest Memorial to Baku Pogrom Victims". 18 April 2019.
  36. ↑ "Armenia Tree Project - be an Ambassador".
  37. ↑ "Home". ANNA ASTVATSATURIAN FOUNDATION. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  38. ↑ Contributor, Guest (2021-01-27). "Human rights advocate Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte launches foundation to support community initiatives in Artsakh". The Armenian Weekly. Retrieved 2021-08-24. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  39. ↑ Staff, Weekly (2021-06-16). "Post-war census conducted by Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation Project nearing completion". The Armenian Weekly. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  40. ↑ ""Սեր Արցախ" բարեգործական ծրագրի շրջանակներում նորածինների մայրերը նվեր-տուփեր են ստացել". Artsakh Press. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  41. ↑ "Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte Awarded Armenia’s ‘Mkhitar Gosh’ Medal". Asbarez Armenian News, October 2, 2013
  42. ↑ "Grassroots Stars to be Honored with Vahan Cardashian Awards at ANCA WR Annual Gala Banquet". Armenian National Committee of America, Western Region site. 2014-10-24. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  43. ↑ Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte to Receive ANCA-ER Activism Award
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