GLENDALE, Calif. — Soccer fans gathered around a giant screen, classic cars began rolling onto Brand Boulevard and colorful chalk artwork transformed the pavement as downtown Glendale became the center of a daylong community celebration on a hot summer day in July.
Inclusive Voices Media was on the ground to capture it all.
Journalist Silva Harapetian anchored a special live broadcast from downtown Glendale, with reporters stationed across the city to cover the Summer of Soccer Community Watch Party, Chalk-A-Doodle Festival, Glendale Cruise Night and other events bringing residents and visitors downtown.
The coverage was designed to do more than show viewers what was happening. It was an opportunity to meet the people participating in the events and hear directly from the community.
Live Reports From the Scene
On the Artsakh Paseo, teen reporter Yeraz Abdessian checked in from the Summer of Soccer viewing party, where soccer activities surrounded a large outdoor screen.
Abdessian spoke with three young soccer players about why they love the sport.
Their answers repeatedly came back to teamwork.
Fifteen-year-old Gianna Haiek spoke about the sportsmanship players learn through soccer, while the other young athletes described the experience of working with friends, helping teammates and hustling together to score goals and win games.
A short distance away, reporter Sophia Bekmezian took viewers through the Chalk-A-Doodle Festival.
The pavement served as a canvas for artists creating elaborate works entirely from chalk. Among the pieces Bekmezian highlighted was artwork featuring soccer imagery, connecting the festival with the soccer celebration happening nearby.
Meanwhile, Brand Boulevard was undergoing its own transformation.
Reporter Mary Paronyan was on the scene as crews prepared for the 31st Annual Glendale Cruise Night 2026 and car owners began arriving with their vehicles.
Corvettes, Mustangs, muscle cars, hot rods, vintage automobiles and custom classics were already lining portions of the street hours before the official start of the event.
Cruise Night was scheduled to continue into the evening with cars, music, food and activities for families.
The simultaneous events gave visitors several ways to experience downtown Glendale — from soccer and art to one of the city’s signature automotive traditions.
Who We Are and What to Expect
The broadcast also gave Harapetian an opportunity to explain why Inclusive Voices Media was created.
Harapetian has spent 25 years working in television journalism as a reporter, producer and writer. She launched Inclusive Voices Media to focus on stories affecting underrepresented communities and amplify voices that may not receive adequate attention in traditional media.
“Inclusive Voices Media is an independent news outlet, and we are not influencers, we are journalists,” Harapetian told viewers during the broadcast.
That means reporting information that can be verified, covering issues that have a meaningful impact on the communities Inclusive Voices Media serves and giving people with lived experience an opportunity to be part of the reporting.
The organization is also working to develop young journalists.
Teen reporters and trainees participate alongside experienced journalists, getting hands-on opportunities to conduct interviews, report from events and learn how community journalism works.
Inclusive Voices Media’s coverage will continue to include local government, business, culture, community events and the issues residents say matter to them.
And that requires participation from the community itself.
Viewers and readers are encouraged to submit story ideas, follow Inclusive Voices Media on social media, subscribe on YouTube and share coverage with others.
Because the people who live in a community often know better than anyone which stories need to be told.
