1. Salvadoran American Population Fernando del Valle Christy Turlington Allison Iraheta Efren Ramirez DJ Keoki Victor R. Ramirez Arturo Alvarez Anita Page Joey Castillo Pete Sandoval

2. Salvadoran Population The number of immigrants from El Salvador now almost equals the immigrant population from China. About one of every five Salvadorans now lives in the U.S. The largest Salvadoran community, with over 270,000 people, is in Los Angeles. New York and Washington D.C. have over 100.000 Salvadoran residents, and other important population centers are Riverside and San Francisco in California, Houston and Dallas in Texas, Miami and Boston

4. Reasons for Migrating to the U.S. The flight of Salvadorans from their own country was the most dramatic result of El Salvador's civil war, draining that country of between 20 and 30 percent of its population.. Recent migrants to the Mission District in San Francisco enter a predominantly Latino, low-income, working-class neighborhood (although this is changing somewhat as the area becomes increasingly an upper ruling class).

5. Influence of Salvadorans in San Francisco The increasing number of Salvadoran residents in San Francisco is making a significant impact in that city. Some of their contributions are: –Support of Gay Rights –CASI –Salvadoran American Leadership & Educational Fund –The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) –Salvadoran Food

6. Support of Gay Rights William Hernandez, recognized by Amnesty International for his efforts to end discrimination and persecution of lesbians, gays, bisexual, and transvestite people in El Salvador, spoke at the LGBT Community Center, in San Francisco. Hernandez conducted a three-week U.S. tour to seek support and cooperation in his effort to open the first pro bono legal clinic serving people with HIV/AIDS in El Salvador. http://direland.typepad.com/direland/2006/ 12/el_salvador_new.html

7. CASI A great population of Salvadoran gang is located in San Francisco, CA. For this reason, the Salvadoran self-help group, CASI provides tattoo removal as away to help ex-convicts, ex- gang members, and ex-drug addicts convert and get them off the street. In 1998, CASI was asked to restructure and lead the Tattoo Removal Program, which had been started by another agency in 1996. In conjunction with San Francisco General Hospital, the program offers participants the option of removing gang- related tattoos. Participants must be between 12 and 23 years old, must live in San Francisco, must provide 10 hours of community service.

8. Salvadoran American Leadership & Educational Fund SALEF's "Fulfilling Our Dreams Scholarship" fund is making higher education a reality for Central American and Latino students. "Fulfilling Our Dreams Scholarship" Fund offers financial assistance and support to undergraduate, graduate and professional students, which allows many students to be able to assist college. The Scholarships are open to all qualifying students who are residents in the area of San Francisco regardless of immigration status. http://premedofcolor.wordpress.com/2010/ 08/20/salvadoran-american-leadership- education-fund-scholarship-salef-due-aug- 22/

9. The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) was established in 1977 by artists and community activists with a shared vision to promote, preserve and develop the Latino cultural arts that reflect the living tradition and experiences of the Chicano, Central and South American, and Caribbean people. To commemorate the memory of revered Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, the MCCLA and EcoViva screened the award winning film Voces Inocentes which relates the story of an eleven-year-old Salvadoran boy, who avoids forced recruitment into the Salvadoran Army.

10. Salvadoran Gastronomic Contributions Numerous Salvadoran restaurants are located in the are of San Francisco such as: –Antojitos Salvadorenos Aminta –El Majahua Restaurant –Elsy’s Pupuseria –Nena’s Restaurant –Panchita’s Pupuseria –Ricas Pupusas –Rinconsito Salvadoreno –Santa Any Bar and Grill –Usulutan Restaurant This restaurants offer a great variety of Salvadoran food such as pupusas, yuca con chicharrones, tamales, nuegados, chilate, sopa de pata, and many more.

11. Conclusion Even though El Salvador is the smallest country in the Americas, it is increasingly making a significant contribution to the San Francisco area and around the U.S. By helping ex-gang members, creating Gay Rights awareness, expressing Latin culture, and helping students go to college, the Salvadoran population in San Francisco is definitely changing the perspective towards Latinos in America.

12. The End