FOX 11 celebrates Armenian Heritage Month with a special on culture, travel, and inspiring stories
Celebrating Armenian Heritage with Araksya Karapetyan
Join Araksya Karapetyan in Glendale as she takes you inside the future Armenian American Museum for a special all about heritage, culture, and community. From powerful personal stories to the history that shaped it all, this is a heartfelt look at what it means to be Armenian.
LOS ANGELES - FOX 11 is marking Armenian Heritage Month with a powerful new special that brings viewers closer to Armenia and the vibrant Armenian American community across Southern California.
This year’s special features a virtual journey through Armenia, offering viewers a vivid look at historic landmarks, rich traditions, and everyday life. The special is hosted and reported by the talented, longtime FOX 11 anchor and personality Araksya Karapetyan.
The Armenian travelogue at the beginning of the FOX 11 Armenian Heritage special highlights Armenia’s ancient monasteries, welcoming streets, and a culture built on resilience. It also shows how affordable food and drink, safety, and sincere hospitality make Armenia an inviting destination for travelers.
"This special really opens a window into Armenia," said Karapetyan. "You see the history, the beauty, the culture, and you realize how accessible and welcoming it is for anyone thinking about going."
The special includes an update on the Armenian American Museum in Glendale, California, a landmark cultural project designed to celebrate Armenian heritage and serve as a global hub for education and community. The museum’s design emphasizes connection, identity, and shared history, with architects and builders working to create a space that reflects both tradition and modern vision.
"This museum is about preserving who we are and sharing it with future generations," Karapetyan explained. "It’s a place that connects our past with what comes next."
Viewers will also meet Tro Khayalian, a mechanic turned artist who transforms scrap metal and discarded car parts into striking works of art. His creations blend Armenian identity with elements of pop culture, turning industrial materials into symbols of pride and storytelling.
Another featured voice is Dr. Andre Panossian, a Los Angeles-based, board-certified plastic surgeon who leads humanitarian missions to Armenia. Specializing in pediatric reconstructive surgery, including cleft lip and palate repair, he works with organizations like Mending Kids to provide life-changing care to children in need.
The special also highlights the new TUMO Center in Los Angeles. Originally founded in Armenia, TUMO has grown into a global education model focused on technology and creative learning. The program offers young people hands-on training in fields like animation, filmmaking, and coding, combining self-directed learning with mentorship in a model now replicated around the world.
As part of the month-long Armenian heritage celebration, Karapetyan welcomed the Gevorgian Dance Academy to Good Day L.A., the eight-hour morning show she co-anchors, for a live performance that brought traditional Armenian dance to viewers across Southern California and beyond. More Armenian guests are scheduled throughout the month of April.
Good Day L.A. also featured Armenian American basketball player Gary Chivichyan, who made history as the first Armenian drafted into the NBA G League. Known for his scoring ability and international play, Chivichyan continues to build a professional career while representing Armenian athletes on a broader stage.
Karapetyan, a longtime voice for the community, shared her pride in the month-long celebration. She says she was extremely pleased that, for the first time this year, her production team shot the special on location at the Armenian American Museum.
"This is more than a broadcast. It is a chance to share who we are with the world," she says. "All month long, we’re highlighting our music, our food, our art, and the strength of more than one million Armenians in California."
"I’m also incredibly proud of the team behind this," she added. "From our newsroom to our creative services department, our videographers, editors, and the entire FOX 11 management team, this was a true group effort to bring these stories to life."
FOX 11’s Armenian Heritage Month special continues to connect audiences across Los Angeles and beyond, offering a meaningful look at a culture rooted in history and alive in the present.