In a world with endless sequels, reboots, and multiverses, Maria makes original, heartfelt films. She directs movies that speak to the Salvadoran experience yet connect to a global audience. We speak about her creative process, her leadership philosophy, easter eggs, and the art of storytelling.
It’s surprising that some Salvadorans don’t know that El Salvador has great coffee. Kim from Cafe Zelaia is on a mission to change that. She shares some coffee drinking pro-tips, talks about the ups and downs of owning your own business, and the difficulty of getting immigrant parents to understand the risks we take to follow our dreams.
Montreal based Salvadoran hip-hop artists Tony Dez and Chellz have been through a lot. Their family’s journey to the Great North inspires them to write deep and personal music that speaks to the soul of the Salvadoran Diaspora. Their work recognizes the trauma and strength of our community and celebrates our heritage with Latin-infused hip-hop.
Imaginense, an interdisciplinary, intergenerational, international bloom period for El Salvador. Prof. Lotti wonders if we may be in a bloom period now as we talk about her research in postwar El Salvador in the early 90s. Can we avoid the desencanto she describes in her first book “Everyday Revolutionaries”? Or are we continuing La Lucha like the 1.5 insurgent generation in her third book “After Stories”?
Big name competition may have more resources, but Cynthia, owner of Xinca Foods, has the passion to bring authentic-tasting Salvadoran frozen foods to supermarkets everywhere. But this path is not without challenges like being a one-person show and critics from her own community.