Cervantes Center of Arts and Letters is a non-profit organization founded in 2002, with the purpose of organizing quality events of a cultural and educational nature, free of cost, for the Los Angeles community and environs, fostering appreciation of culture and creativity in all its diversity. This is done through lectures, festivals, concerts, film-screenings, book-presentations and exhibits.

History - West Los Angeles College

The organization can trace its origins to 1991, where it's founding director was active in college student organizations, founding Cesar Chavez Club. In 1994, the current leadership organized the campus' first Hispanic Heritage Festival, International Day Festival and a gala tribute to retiring professor, African American classical pianist, Gladys C. Jackson in 1997. On the same year, upon graduating from WLAC, one of the group members continued their labor, planting it's seed at the University of Southern California, founding USC Cervantes Club, a student run organization.

History - USC Cervantes Club

In 1997, USC Cervantes Club gave its first recognition to Hebert C. Boeckmann, philanthropist, entrepreneur, founder of Hebert C. Boeckmann Center of Iberian and Latin American Studies, Manuel Murillo, bibliophile donator of his large collection of rare Don Quixote volumes and to Yolanda Llorente, founder of the Llorente fund for Cuban archives. This took place during the exhibit at USC's Doheny Library's exhibit, Cuban Contributions to California, organized by the Boeckmann Center. USC Cervantes Club's volunteers assisted in the curation of the exhibit, with research and material gathering, and later in the Boeckmann Center's exhibit 1898: A Shared Chapter for the U.S., Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Spanish-American War.In 1998, the club organized it's first tribute to a distinguished individual at USC, it was a ballet gala honoring the Cuban-born danseur and Jorge Esquivel son followed by a tribute to legendary Cuban composer and pianist Armando Orefiche, both events held at USC's Bovard Auditorium.In commemoration of 50th anniversary of the coming to television in Cuba, 1950-2000 a tribute was organized to Rosendo Rosell, Cuban theatre, film, radio and television actor, composer, entertainment historian, at USC's Norris Theater with the screening of two Cuban classic's, Manolo Alonso's Casta de Roble (1953) and 7 Muertes a Plazo Fijo (1950). In 2001, the club organized the screening of two breakthrough films in Spanish-language nominated for the Academy of Motion Science and Pictures', Oscar awards; Before Night Falls and Amores Perros. USC's Norris theater accommodated the screenings of the films and guests Julian Schnabel, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, and Gael Garcia Bernal whom participated in the Q/A sessions.

Cervantes Center of Arts & Letters 2002-2005

In 2002, Cervantes Center of Arts & Letters was founded as a non-profit organization, by past members of USC Cervantes Club, in order to host cultural events in the city at large. Until 2005 the two organizations collaborated in various events, among them screenings of Latin-American and Mexican film screenings, tributes to film and media personalities, such as Yolanda Montes "Tongolele" and Guillermo Descalzi, international political figures Cristina Alberdi, Otilia Lux de Coty, Mexican-American musical legend Eduardo "Lalo" Guerrero and master puppeteer Bob Baker, and graphic artist innovator Pablo Ferro. Independently CCAL produce in 2005 the first edition of it's Hispanic Heritage Festival at Los Angeles MacArthur Park.

Cervantes Center of Arts & Letters 2006-2009

The organization created another annual festival, Three Wise Men Festival in MacArthur Park, and continue to develop collaborative relationships with other organization and institutions. In 2006, they co-produced and curated Made In Mexico: The Legacy of Mexican Cinema, in collaboration with the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. This same year CCAl developed a significant relationship with retired journalist, Armando del Moral, whose body of work thoroughly documents the development of the Hispanic communities in Los Angeles, from the early 1940's to the early 1980's. A collaboration that promises to bring fruits from years to come, in spite of the passing of Mr. del Moral in 2009. In 2007, The organization started a fruitful relationship with Broadway's Million Dollar Theater, and committed itself to organize events promoting the use of such historic venue. CCAL managed to present a year later two events at the theater; Tito Guizar's Centennial Celebration and a screening of Memories of a Mexican (1957), in observation of the Centennial of the Mexican Revolution.

Cervantes Center of Arts & Letters - present

CCAL is interested in topics and themes relating to the development of the Hispanic communities in Los Angeles, and it's various areas of social and cultural endeavor. Currently one of them is the development of Spanish-language media, through events and exhibits. The first of such was the exhibit at Inglewood's City library, Pioneers of Spanish-Language Radio and Television.