Hello fellow Salvadorans in the world. And hello to anyone else that has an affinity, curiosity, or fascination with El Salvador and its people. Welcome to this site.
What brought you here? Maybe it’s the same thing that drove me to publish this site. I was looking for a place like this too but upon not finding it, I decided to create it. A space for Salvadorans of all backgrounds, locations, and languages to connect. A place to share culture, ideas, projects, and enthusiasm for all things Salvadoran.
Like many Hermanos Lejanos, I struggled to stay connected to my culture. Seeking out food, music, and entertainment that reminds you of home becomes a way of life. Even more difficult is finding and connecting to other Salvadorans of your own generation. How could we be so invisible in a city of millions like New York? Could there be no meetups? Social clubs? How could East Coast Salvadorans have no internet presence?
We seek to connect because we feel alone. This isolation drives us to look for each other. As humans, we look up to the stars and wonder if there’s life out there. As Salvadorans, we look around us and wonder “where are we?” It’s time we all come together, even if it means connecting with one Salvadoran at a time. Salvis Unidos was born out of this desire. The first meetup in November 2018 was small, but the love was big. It was clear that a lot of Salvadorans have been waiting for something like this and as long as there’s one Salvadoran out there searching for a piece of home, we’ll strive to keep this going.
Finding other Salvadorans isn’t always rosy. They’re not always welcoming. There are other cultural groups that try to shame your identity, but the worst part is when other Salvadorans try to reject your identity.
Oh you don’t speak Spanish?
You weren’t born in El Salvador?
You’ve never been to El Salvador?
Your mami never threatened you with a chancleta?
You can’t dance cumbia?
You don’t sound like a Salvadoreno
You don’t look like a Salvadoreno
Then you’re not Salvadoran.
Not here. Divisive internal attitudes combined with negative media will cause our community and culture to erode.
Let’s unite. Let’s create a platform for all Salvadorans to connect. Let’s build a foundation so that future generations of the Salvadoran diaspora can have access to their culture and practice with pride. Let’s make the Salvadoran community a global community. Salvadoreños unidos. Salvis Unidos. Adelante.