EDUCATION PROGRAMS
EDUCATION PROGRAMS are offered throughout the year online and in-person where we center the Central American experience engaging themes of racism, immigration, displacement, identity, and empowerment by partnering with schools and organizations, engaging through panel discussions, preservation talks, and professional development presentations. Additionally, we offer ANCESTRY RESEARCH TRAINING, a weekly free online workshop for the community.
UPCOMING
#TEACHTRUTH: Central American History & Culture Teach-In
June 7, 2025 Join the UCI History Project, CAHAAS, and the Museum of Social Justice for a teach-in on the LA Piedra Art Collective: That Stubborn Resistance exhibit! On June 7th, as part of the 5th Annual Teach Truth Day, we invite the community to join us at the Museum of Social Justice from 2 - 4 pm as we explore existing and new artworks created by the Los Angeles artist group LA Piedra.
Teach Truth Day is dedicated to raising awareness of the law's impact on classrooms nationwide by taking active steps to teach people's history.
PAST PROGRAMS
CSUN: Conversation with artist Francisco Mejia
March 22, 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.
Sponsored by The Department of Central American and Transborder Studies and College of Humanities and the Academic Programming Fund.
CAHAAS lends support to local art talk at MSJ
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.
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.
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 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.
Central American Studies: K-12 Professional Development Series
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.