Descendant of Armenian Genocide survivor awarded 'genius grant'October 20, 2017 - 13:21 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - John Hopkins University alumnus Greg Asbed, who is a descendant of an Armenian Genocide survivor, was awarded a MacArthur fellowship, or a “genius grant,” last week for his efforts to improve workplace conditions for farmworkers in Immokalee, Florida, The Johns Hopkins News-Letter said. Every year, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awards about two dozen $625,000 grants to individuals who have demonstrated “exceptional creativity” and “promise for important future advances.” The MacArthur Foundation is a philanthropic organization that addresses global issues such as climate change, mass incarceration and threats to independent journalism. Recipients of the “genius grants” are anonymously nominated and selected by a committee, which has given 942 awards since 1981. Asbed said that he is committed to improving human rights because of his family history as a first-generation Armenian American. His grandmother survived the Armenian Genocide after being sold to a Turkish family when she was 13. “In our family, the idea of universal human rights has always been a central tenet, sort of our family’s 10 commandments,” he said. Asbed co-founded the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a worker-based humans rights organization. Within CIW, he developed the Fair Food Program, a system that helps protect workers from human rights violations like workplace harassment, sexual assault and wage theft. Asbed is currently developing the Worker-Driven Social Responsibility Network, which aims to spread systems like the Fair Food Program to underrepresented workers around the world to improve the livelihood of millions. Asbed said that he feels lucky to be part of a community which shares his vision of universal human rights. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. |