Vote for Independent Candidate Liyah Babayan for State Representative Twin Falls Dist. 25
Local small business owner, author and former Twin Falls School Board Trustee, Independent Candidate for State Representative Liyah Babayan is most known for bringing people together through community and public service. Surviving religious persecution and ethnic killings of Christian Armenians, her family arrived in Twin Falls as refugees in 1992 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Liyah knows from life experience just how real creeping government overreach, censorship of free speech, corruption, nepotism and oligarchy threatens property rights, individual freedom and fundamental democratic values.
Independent Candidate Babayan has served diligently on various Twin Falls City and civic commissions. Appointed by former Mayor Don Hall, Liyah served seven years on T.F. Park and Rec. Commission. She collaborated in the development of the City's Strategic Plan, stakeholders meetings and legislative priorities. She continued her civic service on the Main Street Redesign Committee in 2016, part of Urban Renewal project advisory. Championing education, she served as a School Board of Trustee for Twin Falls School District, working on budgeting, building schools, management of both State and Federal funding, negotiating with the Teacher's Union and hiring of the new superintendent. Liyah volunteered and worked with The Salvation Army for over 20 years, she currently serves on the TSA Advisory Board. Coming from a military family, Liyah and her son are proud members of the local Magic Valley POW/MIA chapter.
In 2018, Liyah was a recipient of the Idaho's Hometown Hero Award. In 2017 Liyah was presented the "Service to Education'' award by the T.F. School District. In 2018 she was honored with the Idaho Civil Rights Service Award. Liyah was recognized as one of Idaho's Women of the Year by Idaho's Business Review in 2015 and 2020. In 2020 Liyah received the “Extra Mile” awarded by Governor Brad Little for her community service in Twin Falls. Following the publishing of her book "Liminal, a refugee memoir," in 2019 Liyah was invited to present her book and testimony in Congress in support of recognizing of the Armenian Genocide. Liyah serves on roundtables, presenting to civic groups, universities, service organizations, churches throughout the United States and policy makers in Congress. Liyah represented Idaho’s small business community concerns at the “Women in Small Business Roundtable” with Sen. Risch and the National Women’s Business Council. The NWBC is a federal advisory committee established to provide advice and policy recommendations to the U.S. President, Congress and the Small Business Administration on issues related to Idaho’s business enterprise.
In her professional career, Independent Candidate State Representative Babayan studied political and military science, double majoring and earning Bachelors in both Political Science and International Relations. She earned two Associates, one in the U.S. History and Political Science at the College of Southern Idaho. Liyah watched her educated parents tirelessly work two full time jobs each and learn English, to rebuild their life in the United States from absolutely nothing. To help her family out, Liyah started working at the age of 13 at local farms during harvest until she graduated from Twin Falls High School. This old-world work ethic became the guiding principle for her life and service to the community. An entrepreneur at heart, at 22 years old Liyah took a leap of faith. Launching her first business, Ooh La La Boutique in 2007 in Twin Falls. Operating a small business during the peak of the economic recession, cultivated Liya’s resourcefulness, community relations and smart budgeting practices. She personally understands the critical role of small businesses as the backbone of America’s economy and how excessive government bureaucracy, red tape and overreaching regulations creates barriers for local businesses. Under Liyah's direction, Ooh La La Boutique in business for 17 years has becoming a community platform for betterment in the community including service projects for mental health awareness, senior citizen resources, domestic violence prevention, civil and human rights, education, addiction recovery and awareness, small business development and human trafficking awareness througout Southern Idaho. Liyah launched her second business, MAKEPEACE, a potato skin care line in 2017, featured on PBS Idaho in 2021.
Independent Candidate Babayan's public service style is transparent, effective, considerate and dependable. Liyah delivers an outside the establishment, independent voice and perspective to strategic plans, budgeting and public policy. Service to the community is the consistent theme of her life and career for the last 20 years in the Magic Valley. Independent Candidate Babayan does not represent Party-machine politics or Party over country ideology. Candidate Babayan does not represent the Good Ol’ Boys club and the big business influence on Idaho politics. Independent Candidate Babayan represents where Idahoans can meet on the issue that matters most and affects all of us. Representing “The People First,” is Candidate Babayan’s number one priority as she legislates for a more sensible, accountable, and responsible State Government!
