In the 1960s, Los Angeles witnessed profound social change, with Latinos facing unique challenges. Cesar Chavez, co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union (UFW), led a movement to improve farmworkers' conditions, inspiring activist theater. Chicano students protested unequal education, and a massive Chicano Moratorium protested the Vietnam War's impact on Mexican-American troops. Despite being a significant part of the population, Latinos encountered racial discrimination and limited opportunities.

                             Carmen Zapata, alongside Margarita Galban and Estela Scarlata, founded the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts in 1973, nurturing Latino talent and celebrating Hispanic culture's richness. Over the decades, BFA innovatively staged classic and contemporary plays, promoting bilingual performance. Their vision for the future is a permanent artistic home, "The Carmen Zapata and Margarita Galban BFA Theater," aiming to preserve their legacy and share their treasures with diverse cultures in Los Angeles. BFA has left an enduring legacy, empowering the Latino community through theater and enriching American cultural diversity, with unwavering support from actors, technicians, volunteers, and patrons.

 

Happy 50th anniversary to the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts,  

Our Legacy Lives on!