Welcome to La Peña! Promoting social justice & intercultural understanding through the arts since 1975.
Thank you for commemorating with us one more year of resistance and community healing. We got together one more time, after fifty one years since the U.S.-backed coup in Chile. Still to this day, so many of the affected families are still waiting for truth and accountability. ¡No más impunidad! The struggle continues, and we do it together. Wednesday, September 11, 2024. Photos by Fred Aube.
Join us and be part of this space of respect, love and resistance!
* ENGLISH BELOW *
Este año conmemoramos 51 años del Golpe de Estado que —apoyado por la CIA y el gobierno de EE.UU.— derrocó al presidente democráticamente electo Salvador Allende el 11 de septiembre de 1973 en Chile.
Acompáñanos a estar juntes en este evento íntimo de conmemoración, revitalizando nuestra memoria histórica y continuando la lucha por la justicia y la dignidad de todos, todas y todes. Como cada año en La Peña, tendremos música en vivo, poesía, arte, comida chilena, vino navegado, y el tradicional altar de arena y flores frente a nuestro mural. ¡Acompáñanos y hazte parte de este espacio tan importante de respeto, amor y resistencia!
Evento gratuito. ¡Agradecemos donaciones! También puedes ser voluntaria/o ese día.
ENGLISH: This year is the 51st anniversary of the coup d’etat that —supported by the CIA and the US government— overthrew the democratically elected president Salvador Allende on September 11, 1973 in Chile.
Join us in this intimate event of commemoration that revitalizes our historical memory and continues the struggle for justice and dignity of all. Like every year at La Peña, we will have live music, poetry, art, Chilean food, mulled wine, and the traditional altar of sand and flowers in front of our mural. Come and be part of this important space of respect, love and resistance!
This event is free. Donations are highlt appreciated! You can also sign up to volunteer that day.
Monday, September 11th, 2023. Las palabras quedan cortas. Enormes gracias a todas/os por decidir pasar este difícil aniversario con nosotros. Tuvimos una jornada tremendamente emotiva, con más de doscientos compañeros y compañeras, chilenos y aliados, compartiendo sus historias, sus sentires, su arte y su música en comunidad. Porque resistir es también darle sentido al dolor a través de la convivencia, la creatividad y la belleza. Qué poderoso es mantenerse juntos. See photos by Clara Pérez @claranauts HERE and photos by Fred Aube @aube.fred HERE.
* Image: Stained glass by Frances Emley, adapted from a tapestry given to Fernando Alegría by Violeta Parra.
After taking a break in August to focus on planning our next fiscal year, we are coming back on September 11th to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the U.S.-backed coup that overthrew the government of Salvador Allende in Chile in 1973. This painful historical event marks the origin of La Peña as a community center and, to this day, it is the backbone of our mission to promote social justice and intercultural understanding through the arts.
Since this year is special, we are holding a series of events aimed at revitalizing our history and reflecting on where we are today, centering the value of community as the foundation for long-term resistance, resilience, healing, and joy. We hope to see you all there. See details below and save the dates!
MONDAY, SEPT 11, 2023: we will be gathering just like every year since 1975 at La Peña, reflecting on what it means to resist today, and turning pain and grief into community resilience through music, poetry, dance, and food. Since this year is special, we’ll also have the premiere of a short documentary directed by Francisco Núñez and an Art Exhibition by Héctor Salgado! RSVP here for FREE! | SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER!
FRIDAY, SEPT 22, 2023: “Punto de Encuentro” (Meeting Point) is a film directed by Roberto Baeza (2022) that reveals the intimate process between filmmakers Alfredo and Paulina, as they attempt to recreate what their fathers experienced in Villa Grimaldi, an emblematic torture center of the Pinochet dictatorship. This screening will be the film’s West Coast Premiere! TICKETS HERE!! | SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER!
FRIDAY, SEPT 29, 2023: For this special concert, community member Fernando “Feña” Torres will be leading two sets of music, poetry, and storytelling that will honor the life and legacy of Víctor Jara, one of Chile’s most important singer-songrwriters who fought for a new world through teaching, art, and activism, and whose life was taken on the 5th day of dictatorship. TICKETS HERE!! | SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER!
On September 11, 1973, the government of democratically-elected president Salvador Allende was violently overthrown by a US-backed military coup and dictatorship that led to the murder, torture, and exile of thousands of Chileans, most of whom —to this day— are seeking justice.
La Peña Cultural Center was founded in Berkeley, CA one year later by a group of Chilean immigrants and local residents in the tradition of “peñas” as a gathering place for solidarity, political activism, art, music, and food. Fifty years later—as the last operating peña in the US—La Peña is hosting a month-long program to commemorate this historical moment through community-centered events that focus on resilience, respect, and healing.
This event is the first one of the month, where we will be coming together to reflect on what it means to resist today, turning pain and grief into beauty through music, art, poetry, dance, and food. Community members will offer their love and respect to those who are no longer with us, and everyone is welcome to participate.
The night will include live music, visual art, Chilean food from El Meson de Violeta, Chilean beverages (vino navegado), a handmade community altar, Chilean dance (cuecas, among others), and a good opportunity to talk and reflect on the importance of this day for our past, our present, and our future.
We will also have the pre-screening of “La Peña, a 50-year Love Story”, a short documentary directed by Chilean filmmaker Francisco Núñez Capriles and a multimedia art exhibition called “Deconstructing Episodic Memory” by community member and former political prisoner Héctor Salgado.