Noticias

​May 20, 2025

PROMOTING CAHAAS ARCHIVES AND PROGRAMS

​CAHAAS highlights its latest project the Central American Heritage Markers LA to generate awareness of its need for community involvement. The group exhibition, Esa Terca Resistencia is also featured along with biographical vignettes from the 100 Central American Historical Biographies campaign.​

April 11, 2025 

Community collaboration brings CAHAAS + GAMOLA + LA PIEDRA to “Semillas de Resistencia” Conference at CSU Dominguez Hills. Together they presented the importance of preserving our collective memory through community and culture. Guest got to explore LA-based stories from CAHAAS' 100 Central American Historical Biographies initiative, specifically focusing on community efforts to preserve heritage through art and music with painter Francisco Mejia and the Garifuna Museum of Los Angeles. 

March 26, 2025   CSUN's Professor Elizabeth Perez Marquez invited Los Angeles-based artist Francisco A. Mejia to present his 30-panel art exhibit titled The Bridge and speak about its representation of Salvadoran transnational history.​ CAHAAS was there to support the Los Angeles-based artist and highlight the importance of preserving Central American history and contributions in Los Angeles.​​

March 22, 2025   Dora Magaña and Rossana Perez organized a panel discussion on the remarkable achievements of Central American women in Los Angeles with an emphasize on historical memory. As part of a commitment to preserving this history, they highlighted the role of Lil Milagro Ramírez and other influential women in Central American struggles. Additionally, they explored the connection between past movements and the ongoing fight for justice today. CAHAAS presented on preserving Central American archives.

March 13, 2025  The Museum of Social Justice facilitated a discussion on art and dignity with visiting students from Notre Dame University. Professor Geneva Hutchinson is visiting LA as part of their course entitled Arts of Dignity. Artists Dora Magaña and Ricardo O'Meany led the conversation, sharing their experiences navigating both their art and the art world through the lens of social justice.

Press Release: Social Justice Art Exhibit 

​February 15, 2025  Los Angeles, CA – Welcome to La Piedra’s That Stubborn Resistance, a group exhibition organized by CAHAAS and the Museum of Social Justice. In today’s polarized political climate, where debates about immigration, equity, and human rights dominate the national discourse, the power of art to inspire empathy and understanding has never been more crucial. Art is not just a reflection of society but a catalyst for change—a way to amplify voices, challenge injustices, and imagine a better future.​

October 10, 2024 CAHAAS and the UCI History Project on Thursday, October 10th, from 6-8 PM,  celebrated Teach Central America week with the Latin American Studies program, Cal State LA Central American Studies Faculty Committee, and the University Library Special Collections & Archives at CSULA the various community efforts aimed at documenting and celebrating Central American history in Los Angeles.

June 26, 2024   Our most recent series of interviews began in 2023 with members of the La Piedra Art Collective. The first interview was with Dora Magaña, who introduced us to the collective and encouraged us to document the artists' stories. The remaining interviews with collective members were conducted throughout 2024. Setting up a camera with Pehdro Kruhz, interviewee, at the home of friend Luis Lopez 

June 23, 2024   CAHAAS facilitated an art & archives discussion at La Casa Roja in Mid-city for local artist members of the La Piedra artist collective. Azalea Camacho, Head of Special Collections and Archives at CSULA volunteered to share her expertise on the subject and La Piedra introduced their work in support of exchanging community knowledge with cultural and educational institutions. As a result, an art exhibit is in the works in 2025. 

May 4, 2024   CAHAAS was invited to the Central American Studies Showcase along with other organizations such as Teaching Central America and the Garifuna Museum LA to celebrate recently completed Central American studies curriculum by local educators. CAHAAS displayed it's biographies, stories, books, and more. Director Cindy Mata-Villalta heads this UCI History Project that is a regional branch of the California History-Social Science Project (CHSSP), a statewide umbrella organization that promotes university-public school collaboration. 

April 9, 2024   CAHAAS' co-founder, Claudia A. Portillo, presented at CSULA on community-based archives featuring the biography of Dora O. Magaña. She is an alumna whose narrative is helping students curate an exhibit about her life and times to better understand the complexities of immigration from Central America. CSULA anthropology professor, Dr. Ester Hernandez and Azalea Camacho, Head of Special Collections and Archives are spearheading the exhibit and display due Fall 2024. 

January 11, 2024  CAHAAS co-founder Claudia A. Portillo shared the stage with CAHAAS humanities advisor and CSULA anthropology professor, Dr. Ester Hernandez to talk about the Central American experience in the OC and the importance of representation in educational resource for Central American students.

July 1, 2023   CAHAAS co-founder Claudia A. Portillo presented Critical Family History to Los Angeles teachers at the Jane B. Eisner Middle School, part of the Camino Nuevo Charter Academy network, who are taking part in a professional development program through the UCLA History-Geography Project, a site of the California History Social Science Project.

Septiembre 01, 2023  En este programa de MendoLatino, entrevistamos a Claudia Portillo, Ester Hernández y Cindy Mata sobre la importancia de la memoria histórica de los y las inmigrantes de Centro America que ahora viven en California. Todas son educadoras que han luchado para que se incorpore material curricular sobre Centro America en las escuelas de California.

Link to interview here.

July 10, 2023  CAHAAS' co-founder Claudia A. Portillo participated in an Ancestry TV commercial with family members, Zac and Roxanne Chartouni to tell the story of Tía Amalia, a Salvadoran-born WWII nurse who lived and worked in San Francisco in the 1940s caring for soldiers returning home from the war. Amalia was part of a group of minority nurses allowed to join the U.S. labor force to alleviate the nurse shortage during WWII.  Link to commercial here.

August 8, 2022  CAHAAS' co-founder Claudia Portillo shared her personal family story with Stories that Inspire, a Raíces Community History project, and part of the Stories of the Ancestors, Stories of Healing project initiatives. She shares harrowing stories about her great-grandfather, Roberto Wolff's experience with the Holocaust. Link to interview here.

June 19 2022  CAHAAS participated in the 2022 Civic Season campaign held annually between Juneteenth and July 4th. Civic Season is a new tradition for learning and action, hosted by more than 300 cultural institutions nationwide along with the next generation shaping our nation’s future, and supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate. See exhibit here.