Hi there,
We're Max, Abigail, and Lulu. This site was developed as a project for an American Studies class at the University of California, Berkeley. Through a series of short analyses, participant narratives and, a glimpse into its historical past, we feature La Peña Cultural Center as a site of transnational social-political resistance grounded in community, arts, and culture.
Thanks for visiting,
M.A.L.
La Peña Cultural Center
La Peña is a cultural center in Berkeley, California. It was founded in 1975 by a group of internationalists based in the Bay Area in response to the 1973 military coup that overthrew the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende in Chile. Some of the founders were connected to Non-Intervention in Chile (NICH), a group dedicated to supporting the Allende government and exposing the U.S. government’s actions to undermine it. The center was a focal point for the opposition-in-exile to dictator Augusto Pinochet during his rule.
La Peña was founded with the belief that art and culture should play an activist role. The center serves as a community gathering place, artist center, and entertainment venue, which aims to build community through art and social activism. Since its inception, La Peña has become the hub for dozens of Bay Area communities, offering classes and events rooted in cultural traditions from the Americas and the Caribbean. Classes include: Puerto Rican Bomba y Plena, Afro-Peruvian cajon and dance, Capoeira Angola, Son Jarocho, Jarana and Zapateo.
Visit La Peña's official site to learn more about upcoming events, class offerings, and volunteer opportunities. LaPeña.org