In 1983 Salvadoran immigrants and US advocates founded La Clínica del Pueblo. Originally, it provided healthcare to thousands of Central Americans in the DC area. Even though they were fleeing war, Salvadorans and Guatemalans were not recognized as refugees. This limited their access to legal status, services, and support. Over the years, La Clínica has grown from a weekly clinic to a multi-site organization, ever guided by the conviction that health is a human right.