NEW YORK —The Armenian Bar Association hosted its annual Public Servants Dinner on April 30 at the historic Yale Club of New York City, bringing together distinguished members of the legal, governmental, and Armenian-American communities. The evening celebrated public service and two outstanding public servants whose careers exemplify dedication to public good and the preservation of democratic ideals: Governor Kathy Hochul, the 57th governor of New York, and Ken Khachigian, the senior advisor and chief speechwriter to President Ronald Reagan.
Frank Caruso, president of the Association of the Supreme Court Justices of the State of New York, and Deborah H. Karalunas, administrative judge of the New York State (NYS) Fifth Judicial District and a former honoree of the Public Servants Dinner, gracefully guided the event as the masters of ceremonies. They are both descendants of survivors of the Armenian Genocide.
In her opening statement, Karalunas noted: “We are in unprecedented times. The future of worldwide democracies is challenged. Assault on the judiciary, the rule of law, and the administration of justice are at an all-time high. But even in the midst of these tumultuous times, we have much to celebrate. Tonight, we tear down the walls that divide us, and we stand united as one body sharing history, culture, food, laughter, faith, and hope. Yes, hope. Because hope is alive, and hope always wins.”
Lucy Varpetian, the chair of the Armenian Bar Association, delivered the welcoming remarks, recognizing Hochul “as the trailblazer and the first woman to lead the State of New York, with her unwavering commitment to equity and justice, particularly for immigrant and minority communities which resonates deeply with the mission of the Armenian Bar Association,” and Khachigian who “has shaped moments of national consequence with conviction and vision, and in doing so he has elevated the Armenian voice with accuracy, dignity, and strength.”
Domenick Napoletano, the president of New York State Bar Association, reminded the audience “how the nations of – Armenia and Italy – have been bounded together by threads of history, spirit, and shared civilization.”
Robert H. Tembeckjian, the administrator and counsel to the NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct, a former honoree of the Public Servants Dinner, delivered remarks on Public Service, stressing the significance of independence of the judicial branch. “[O]ur system of checks and balances is fragile, and to endure, it requires respect by each branch of government for each branch of government. When that respect is abandoned, and one branch impetuously trammels another, we risk the end of the great American Experiment – the dream that inspired so many of our ancestors to risk everything to get here.”
