Central American Art and Resistance in 1980’s LA

Central American Art and Resistance in 1980’s LA

From ReCurrent by Getty

December 9, 2025 · 26 min · Season 2 · Episode 6

About this episode

This episode explores the impact of Central American civil wars on Los Angeles in the 1980s, focusing on the Sanctuary Movement and cultural expressions of resistance.

In this episode, we go back to 1980s Los Angeles, when civil wars in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua sent hundreds of thousands of people north and helped turn LA into “Little Central America.” With professor and longtime participant Rubén Martínez as our guide—someone who lived through this moment firsthand—we follow the Sanctuary Movement as churches quietly, and then publicly, open their doors to refugees the U.S. refused to recognize. Sanctuary meant food and a place to sleep, but it also meant music, theater, poetry, and posters that challenged U.S. policy while helping people process their grief. From there, we step inside Echo Park United Methodist Church, where artist and performer Elia Arce and a circle of Central American poets, musicians, and organizers transform the basement into a cultural home. We also sit with Rev. David Farley, pastor emeritus of Echo Park United Methodist, who was there to witness it all. Upstairs, families try to stay invisible on classroom floors; downstairs, performances inspired by banned writers, songs from back home, and handmade banners turn fear and exile into shared story. Our last stop is the Getty Research Institute, where…

People in this episode

Host: Getty

Guest: Rubén Martínez

Topics covered

  • Central American art
  • Sanctuary Movement
  • refugee experiences
  • cultural resistance
  • Los Angeles history

Keywords

  • Central America
  • Los Angeles
  • Sanctuary Movement
  • art
  • refugees
  • cultural home
  • oral histories

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Echo Park United Methodist Church, Getty Research Institute

Places: Los Angeles, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua

More episodes of ReCurrent

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the ReCurrent podcast page.