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From Los Angeles walls to Japan, Salvadoran artist Jayson Love Valencia has built a visual language around one simple four letter word: LOVE. Through graffiti, hip hop, murals and collaborations, he’s creating a space where Salvadoran culture, neighborhood stories and global influences can collide.

A weekend of film, food, family, and culture brought Salvi Food Tour to life in Los Angeles, from Chef Alex’s documentary premiere to a family food tour and Cultura Feast, an intimate gathering of chefs exploring the evolution of Salvadoran cuisine through their own experiences and influences.

Raymundo Archila’s Salvi Food Tour Episode 4 came to life on the big screen at the Central American Voices Film Festival in Los Angeles, featuring Chef Alex of Xolo and his evolving approach to Salvadoran cuisine. The screening opened a larger conversation about food, culture, storytelling and the importance of documenting the people shaping Central American identity today.

Walking into Festival Viva El Salvador in Newark, California, the first thing I noticed was the crowd—a sea of blue representing our Salvadoran flag. People of all ages were there, dancing, laughing, eating, and enjoying themselves. Seeing that brought me back to childhood and the Salvadoran events I grew up around. Hermanos Flores was one of the highlights for me. Growing up, I heard their songs all the time at family parties. Hearing them again at the festival brought back

Salvadoran rapper FEEFA has spent nearly a decade building his sound, staying hungry, and finding new ways to represent Salvadoran culture through his music and visuals. At Noche de Herencia Salvadoreña, we talked about creativity, trusting the process, and why the journey matters just as much as the destination.

For a long time, I didn’t think much about what it meant to be Salvadoran. I knew I was Salvadoran. I knew where my parents came from. I went to El Salvador. I ate Salvadoran food. I heard the music. I knew the family stories. I was just me. Looking back, I realize I was growing up between three worlds: American, Salvadoran, and the Mexican-American culture that surrounded me. My brother Ray grew up with a very different version of that experience. Dad, Ricardo, Ray, and Mom

The Salvi Renaissance is a reclaiming and evolution of our culture, a generation taking what they inherited and blending Salvadoran traditions, sounds, stories, and experiences with the influences that shaped them growing up in the United States. The result isn’t a recreation of the past. It’s something new. From Álvaro Torres to Crooked Stilo From my perspective, one of the earliest Salvadoran artists to create a truly international presence was Álvaro Torres. Long before di

Culture isn’t something you preserve; it’s something you share. Meet master drummer Pedro Gomez at Cultura Fest! With 25+ years studying Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Latin rhythms, Pedro proves drumming is a universal language. Forget music theory or auditions—rhythm is just a call-and-response conversation open to all. Join his free, inclusive community workshops in South San Francisco. No experience needed—just bring a playful spirit, step into the circle, and find your rhyth

Curtido TV’s first-ever Salvadoran Awards Night brought together generations of Salvadoran artists, creators, organizers, and cultural leaders—and offered a powerful snapshot of the Salvi Renaissance. For Ricardo Archila, the night was personal: after years of documenting and collaborating with many of those in the room, he found himself standing alongside people who once inspired him. From Crooked Stilo to the next generation of Salvadoran creatives, the evening reflected a

Lil June Afro Punta is the Garifuna artist redefining punta music for new audiences. Learn his story, his roots in Honduras and Belize, and his mission to carry the culture forward.

Artist Statement "My destiny chose me through a spray can. Over the last forty years, I’ve watched the Bay Area's landscape shift, but my mission has remained the same: to show the youth that graffiti isn't just about writing your name on a wall—it is a powerful tool to carry a message, claim your space, and heal a community." Biography Francisco “Twick” Aquino is a legendary Salvadoran-American graffiti artist and muralist who has spent over four decades serving as a vital p

Popoca in the heart of Uptown Oakland, photo by Eric Valle If you’ve walked through Uptown Oakland and caught a scent of woodsmoke that feels like a memory you can’t place, you might have already found Popoca. Founded by Chef Anthony Salguero, Popoca is a modern tribute to his Central American heritage, shaped through the perspective of a Bay Area upbringing and fine-dining precision. As a premier Salvadoran restaurant Uptown Oakland locals and critics alike have championed,

There’s something powerful about witnessing a cultural lineage unfold in real time—where the echoes of the past meet the voice of the present. In Salvadoran music, that bridge is embodied by Hermanos Flores and Crooked Stilo. Together, they represent the past, present, and future of Salvadoran pride. The Foundation: Hermanos Flores Cumbia Sound That Defined Generations For decades, Hermanos Flores have been more than a band—they are a cultural institution. Their music travele

Salvadoran-American comedian Hoozay began his journey with a vision: to share his culture through comedy. In the early days, that vision came to life through his comedy shows—where pupusas were served, beers were shared, and laughter filled backyard spaces. Those shows became performances rooted in culture, community, and connection. What started in those backyard comedy shows has since evolved into something powerful. Today, Hoozay travels across the world, creating spaces w

Seeing the Salvadoran sound on one of the world’s most influential stages was more than just a win for the band—it was a win for the entire culture. It was a global validation of our heritage. A message to every Salvadoran that our rhythms belong on the world’s biggest stages.

There are moments in life that feel bigger than themselves—moments that carry history, memory, and identity all at once. Watching Hermanos Flores take the stage at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was one of those moments. It was emotional in a way that’s hard to fully put into words. For so many of us, their music didn’t start on a big stage—it started at home. In living rooms filled with family, at parties where generations came together, their songs became the soun

Putacos caught my attention the moment I heard the name. It was jarring, funny, and immediately familiar. A Putaco is exactly what it sounds like — a half-pupusa, half-taco. Two national dishes. Two cultures. One unapologetic collision. I discovered Bayuncos through Hoozay, like many of the stories featured in The Salvi Food Tour . When I met Chef Carlos Moran, it wasn’t just the concept that stood out — it was his energy. He didn’t shy away from criticism, he welcomed it. Lo

What the project revealed is that Salvadoran food is a diverse spectrum. It is fermentation and home brewing, street snacks and fine dining. I filmed "disruptors" who refuse to wait for permission. Chef Carlos Moran’s Putacos—a pupusa-taco hybrid—felt blasphemous to some and perfectly honest to others: a lived metaphor for bicultural life. In Oakland, chef Anthony Salguero at Popoca married ancestral wood-fire to French technique. These creators are building community, challe

At home, I was Salvadoran—surrounded by music, food, stories, and pride.Outside, I was something else—Mexican, American, or invisible. I was born in Canoga Park and grew up in an apartment building in Van Nuys in the 80s and 90s. My parents migrated from El Salvador in 1982, at the height of the war. In Los Angeles, the Mexican community was the largest Latino presence, and I didn’t have much extended family nearby. Our neighbors became our family—one big, shared community. I