In 1973, Chile’s democratically elected socialist president Salvador Allende was toppled by a right-wing military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet. As news of the brutal repression that followed spread around the globe, a group of activists in Berkeley opened a cafe to serve as a hub of organizing against Pinochet’s fascist regime. Modeled after gathering spaces in Chile that combined music, food, art, and politics, La Peña emerged as a hotbed of leftist internationalism.
Over the years, La Peña evolved along with a changing political landscape. Besides hosting countless international activist groups, the space became a hub for Native American organizations, Latin American music lovers, hip hop, poetry, muralists, and more. In 2025, as La Peña celebrates its 50th anniversary, the United States is faced with a crisis Chile confronted decades ago: How do we respond to the dismantling of democracy by an authoritarian government? This episode weaves together the history of La Peña with America’s current dilemma.
Listen to the podcast to hear interviews with La Peña co-founder Eric Leenson, longtime director Paul Chin, and current executive director Consuelo Tupper. Check it out at Apple, SoundCloud, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts.
East Bay Yesterday can’t survive without your donations. Please make a pledge to keep this show alive www.patreon.com/eastbayyesterday. Don’t forget to follow East Bay Yesterday’s Substack newsletter to stay updated on upcoming tours, events, and other local history news.
Special thanks to the sponsor of this episode: Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. To learn more about BAMPFA’s current exhibit “Routed West: Twentieth Century African American Quilts in California,” visit: https://bampfa.org/program/routed-west
on Shattuck Avenue in south Berkeley.
(Photo courtesy of La Peña archives)
East Bay Yesterday can’t survive without your donations. Please make a pledge to keep this show alive www.patreon.com/eastbayyesterday. Don’t forget to follow East Bay Yesterday’s Substack newsletter to stay updated on upcoming tours, events, and other local history news.
