Ana Kasparian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ana Kasparian
|
|
|---|---|
_(cropped)_(cropped).jpg)
Kasparian in 2018
|
|
| Born |
Anahit Misak Kasparian
July 7, 1986 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
|
| Education | California State University, Northridge (BA, MA) |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Known for | Political activism |
| Political party | Democratic (2004–2024) Independent (2024–present) |
| Spouse(s) |
Christian Lopez
(m. 2015) |
Ana Kasparian (born July 7, 1986) is an American journalist and media host. She is known for sharing her opinions on political topics. Ana is a host and producer for the online news show The Young Turks. She started working there in 2007.
Contents
Early Life and School
Ana Kasparian's parents came to the United States from Armenia. Her great-grandparents lived through a very difficult historical event in 1915 where many Armenian people faced great hardship.
Ana grew up in Reseda, California. Her first language was Armenian. When she started kindergarten, she did not know any English. She learned English quickly by watching Sesame Street. Ana also danced ballet from age three to 19. She performed ballet professionally during those years.
She graduated from Valley Alternative Magnet High School in 2004. In 2007, she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She then completed her master's degree in political science in 2010.
Ana Kasparian's Journalism Career
Ana Kasparian was inspired to become a journalist by watching Barbara Walters on the TV show 20/20. After college, she worked as an assistant producer for CBS Radio news stations in Los Angeles. She felt lucky to get a job right away. However, she did not enjoy working for mainstream media. She felt it was too "robotic" and she could not share her own opinions or cover stories she cared about. This led her to start her master's degree.
.jpg)
Working at The Young Turks
In April 2007, Ana started filling in as a host for The Young Turks. This is a progressive online news show. She soon became a producer and co-host with Cenk Uygur. At first, she was unsure about the show's name, The Young Turks. But she learned it means "rebels" – people who challenge what society expects.
Ana loved working at The Young Turks because it was "unscripted" and "unfiltered." She could share her honest opinions, which was important to her. She believes that young people like online news because hosts are more genuine. They are not just reading from a teleprompter.
.jpg)
Ana and Cenk Uygur helped The Young Turks become a very successful online news organization. It has more YouTube subscribers than many other well-known news networks. Ana also co-hosted TYT University, a show for college students. This show ran from 2011 to 2014.
She was also the main host of another TYT Network show called The Point. This show featured a panel discussing weekly news stories. The Point ended in January 2016. Since May 2015, she has also written articles for The Raw Story news outlet. Ana also appears weekly on the Jacobin YouTube show Weekends.
In August 2013, Ana Kasparian began teaching journalism as an instructor at California State University, Northridge.
Concerns About "The Young Turks" Name
The name The Young Turks is the same as a historical political group in Turkey. This group was involved in the difficult events that affected Armenian people in 1915. Because of this, some Armenian activists have criticized the show's name. They have compared it to naming a show after other groups known for causing harm.
Aram Hamparian, who leads the Armenian National Committee of America, has spoken about his concerns. He believes that denying historical events and naming a show after those involved should worry anyone who cares about human rights.
Ana Kasparian has said that criticism of the name has led to her being harassed. She believes some critics spread false information about her.
Ana Kasparian's Political Views
Earlier Views
Ana Kasparian has described herself as someone who supports progressive values. She has pushed for changes in the justice system. She has criticized private prisons, calling them "hideous institutions." She believes these prisons make money by keeping people in jail longer. She argues they often have poor conditions and do not help people get back into society.
She has also supported changing how political campaigns are funded. In a 2016 TEDx talk, she explained ways to achieve this. These include limiting how much money people and groups can give to campaigns. She also supports making campaign spending more open and using public money for campaigns.
Ana believes that education should be free for everyone in the United States. She also thinks everyone should have access to affordable housing. She feels that education and safe housing are basic rights for all citizens.
Recent Views (Since 2024)
Since 2024, Ana Kasparian has said she is no longer a progressive. She now calls herself "unaligned" and "politically homeless." She has shared that her views on crime and homelessness have become more conservative.
Since 2023, she has expressed concerns about gender-affirming care for young people. She believes it can cause "irreparable harm." She also criticizes "identity politics," saying it is a "giant distraction." Ana has spoken out against "cancel culture." In 2015, she said that people do "stupid and offensive things all the time," and we should not expect to be protected from all of it.
Kasparian has criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom and other Democrats in California. She believes their policies are too "soft on crime." In late 2024, she called Governor Newsom the "worst governor in the country." She has also criticized some leftist and progressive policies on climate change and homelessness.
In an interview in early December 2024, Ana Kasparian criticized Democrats for not taking immigration issues seriously enough. She praised Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott for bringing attention to the issue by sending migrants to other cities. She has called some Democratic lawmakers in California "grifters" because she sees hypocrisy in their views on immigration. While she supports deporting violent undocumented criminals, she has also spoken against using ICE to deport law-abiding immigrants or political opponents.
Personal Life
In November 2015, Ana Kasparian married Christian Lopez. He is a former Minor League Baseball player, model, and actor.
See also
In Spanish: Ana Kasparian para niños
