Armenians celebrate the anniversary of the First Republic of Armenia on May 28 – the day Armenia gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1918.

Prior to Armenian independence, the Ottoman Empire persecuted and killed up to 1.2 million Armenians during the Armenian Genocide between 1915 and 1916. The genocide caused many Armenians to seek refuge in the United States, leading to a significant growth in the Armenian American community, especially in Los Angeles, according to the Consulate General of Armenia in LA.

The Armenian American community is the largest Armenian diaspora community. Currently, LA County is home to more than 200,000 Armenians who have preserved their culture and history through education, media and advocacy.

Jack Hadjinian, former mayor of Montebello, said Armenians came to the U.S. throughout the 20th century in hopes of new opportunities. He added that Armenian Americans began establishing cultural and religious institutions, helping create a sense of solidarity around Armenian history that has been vital for the community to grow together.

“Starting in the 1960s until more recent times, Armenians began to do more to preserve their culture by building churches, schools and Armenian community centers, … grocery stores and banquet halls and restaurants and other types of businesses that would help sustain an Armenian community,” Hadjinian said.

For example, Armenian Mesrobian School – the oldest Armenian elementary school in LA – was founded in 1955 as a Sunday school before expanding into a K-12 institution and currently has more than 230 students enrolled. According to the school’s website, one of their goals as an institution is to instill Armenian values in their students through their curriculum.

Armenian American media has also contributed to preserving cultural identity, notably through Horizon TV, which is the first U.S.-aired Armenian television network. Vruir Tadevosian, news anchor and producer for Horizon TV, said the station was founded in LA with a mission to support humanitarian aid efforts during the 1988 Armenian earthquake when Armenia faced war and economic hardship.

“Throughout my journey as a news anchor at Horizon TV, I have witnessed the profound impact that media can have in organizing and uniting communities, particularly within the Armenian diaspora in Los Angeles,” Tadevosian said.

Tadevosian said the network showcases special projects, such as “The Armenians in LA,” to highlight personal stories of Armenians in the local community. The project combines elements of documentary and reality TV formats to showcase the community’s challenges and achievements.

Tadevosian added that Horizon TV will hold a large-scale Armenian traditional concert for the celebration of Armenian Independence Day at Alex Theatre in Glendale on May 29.

Politics and social advocacy have been another cultural preservation strategy for Armenian activists in LA.

Grassroots organizations such as the Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly of America have advocated for the nationwide recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. These organizations have also advocated against the human rights violations taking place in Armenia and Artsakh. Artsakh, also known as The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, is a historically Armenian region that has been the center of long-standing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over self-determination and territorial control, according to AP News.

In March, representatives from the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region met in Sacramento to advocate for bills Assembly Bill 91 and Senate Bill 472. AB 91 would require California agencies to include Middle Eastern, North African and other ethnic groups in demographic data collection on official forms. SB 472, currently pending final budget approval by the state legislature, would allocate state funds to develop curricula and train educators to teach about genocides, including the Armenian Genocide.

Many Armenian college students across the U.S. share a similar commitment to amplifying Armenian voices.

For example, All-Armenian Student Association, a student-led nonprofit with more than 50 chapters globally, brings students from different campuses together to collaborate on cultural events and advocacy efforts. UCLA’s chapter hosts a variety of professional, cultural and philanthropic events on campus, ranging from cultural performances to alumni panels highlighting Armenian Bruins’ experiences to candlelight vigils honoring victims of the Armenian Genocide.

“We’re implementing … a mentorship program and an upcoming internship program to provide students the tools they need to achieve professional and academic success and, in that way, get back to the Armenian community,” said Mané Berikyan, chair of All-ASA. “But a lot of our programming is also centered around cultural events, philanthropy.”

The Armenian Studies program within the Near Eastern Languages and Cultures department offers an Armenian Studies undergraduate minor, as well as master’s and doctoral degrees.

UCLA’s Armenian Lab and Research Program for Armenian Archaeology and Ethnography, housed within the Cotsen Institute, connects Armenian cultural materials to broader interdisciplinary studies through projects such as the ethnographic branch’s work cataloging and digitizing the Hampartzoum and Ovsanna Chitjian Collection and Archives. This project, assembled by educator Zaruhy Chitjian, aims to raise awareness of the Armenian genocide through documentation of photographs, oral histories, writings and artifacts provided by the Chitjian family.

Additionally, the Armenian Music Program within the Herb Alpert School of Music offers courses and community events dedicated to Armenian music. On May 30, the department is hosting its fifth annual day-long Armenian Music Festival at Lani Hall, located in Schoenberg Music Building.

Tadevosian said he hopes to use this year’s Republic Day to highlight the rich cultural traditions of the Armenian American community.

“We have rich culture. We have rich history. We have rich traditions and customs that we want to showcase here,” Tadevosian said. “And that’s one of the ways ethnic minorities can survive in this huge, global world.”