News
CAHAAS + Art & Archive Talk
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.
Central American Studies Showcase - UCI HISTORY PROJECT
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 to celebrate recently completed Central American studies curriculum by local educators. CAHAAS displayed its resources for teachers and community by sharing its 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.
Cal State LA: Student Curated Exhibition
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.
Central American Studies: K-12 Professional Development Series
January 11, 2024 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.
Central American Studies: K-12 Professional Development Series
July 1, 2023 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.
Teach Central America Week
October 10, 2024 the Central American Historical & Ancestral Society of California (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. This year we highlighted the community work of artists and activists, and the evening's guest speakers Dora Magaña and Ricardo O’Meany. Participants toured a student-curated exhibit about Dora’s life as well as explored additional primary sources housed in CSULA’s special collections.
MENDOLATINO
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.
Ancestry TV Commercial
July 10, 2023 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.
FAMILY TIES
August 8, 2022 Stories that Inspire is a Raíces Community History project, and part of the Stories of the Ancestors, Stories of Healing project initiatives.