03/14/2024
My first thought when I heard that Shant Kevorkian filed papers to run for Glendale School Board in Area A was about how this would impact the race. For a brief moment, I thought about asking him to reconsider given the stakes in this election. But those feelings quickly went away. As someone who supports democracy and the democratic process, how could I discourage a fellow community member (and a recent GUSD graduate) from wanting to step up and serve our schools?
We got in touch with each other and agreed to meet. My younger daughter Chloe and I met with Shant at a Starbucks and chatted for a few hours. Immediately, I was impressed by his intellect, drive, and values. We pledged to each other that we would both run a positive campaign. After we parted ways, Chloe said to me, “Shant is nice.” I nodded in agreement.
This began our unusual but wonderful friendship - two people separated by over twenty years in age running for the same school board position texting each other regularly about the election and life in general and bonding over our shared experiences on the campaign trail.
Over the next few months, my campaign team and the rest of my family had a chance to meet Shant at various events. “Shant is a great guy,” they all said.
I invited Shant to my house on Election Night. He said he had his own event going on but would stop by if he could. Shortly after the initial results were posted, he came over. Everyone, including my family, was delighted to see him - a testament to the impression he has made on our entire community.
Getting to know Shant has been one of the best things about this campaign. I look forward to our future conversations on how to make our schools safer and better for our children and educators. Most of all, I look forward to what tomorrow brings for Shant. 👊