As CCCADI’s yearlong homage to the legacy of Haiti, Lakay se Lakay, comes to a close, we invite our community to culminate this series by honoring those who paved the way for us, our ancestors. 

The month of November serves as a time for us to celebrate the lives and spirits of our loved ones who have passed on. In Haitian Vodou traditions, it is the month for Gede season through which we honor the spiritual relationship and connection between the living and the dead, similar to the Latin American traditions of Día de los Muertos. 

Gede season serves as a perfect time to bring together our Diasporic community to pay tribute to the freedom fighters who served as the catalyst for Black liberation around the world and the lwas that protect and guide us. 

Join us as we partner with artist and cultural innovator, Riva Nyri Précil, who has been hosting Fèt Gede for nearly a decade, to offer an evening of cultural preservation and artistic expression rooted in African and Indigenous spirituality. 

DJ | Live Performances | Vodou Readings | Food & More 

This is a 21+ event. Small bites will be available in limited quantities.

November 23, 2024

6 - 11 PM

Now & Then NYC

290 Meserole St. 

Brooklyn, NY 11206

Tickets

General Admission: $77

Complimentary gift bag included with purchase.

VIP Option: $121

This ticket includes a special VIP gift bag & complimentary reading.

This November installment of our family-based art education program Sou Sou! Saturdays will explore the deep cultural connections between Haitian and Mexican traditions, highlighting how communities across the African and Indigenous Diasporas come together to honor the spirits of those who came before us.

Across the Diaspora, our traditions consistently prioritize honoring our ancestors in song, dance, storytelling, and altar-making.

Through workshops led by Kriyol Collective, Kiire Wellness Family and Yolie Leon, families of all ages will experience the shared rituals of reverence, resilience, and remembrance that unite the Haitian tradition of Fêt Gede and Mexican tradition of Día de Los Muertos. 

There is no cost to attend this event. Space is limited, registration is strongly suggested. Attendees will be able to view the current exhibition, BYENVENI. 

Join us for a conversation with the creators of The New Cari.com in our last We Lit program of 2024!

We Lit is a CCCADI series dedicated to exploring authors of the African Diaspora who have beautifully woven their experiences, cultures, and dreams into their works. We Lit is where words come to life, and stories become a bridge that connects us all.

The final event of our 2024 We Lit season explores the inspiration and purpose behind The New Cari.com, a publication and agency focused on uplifting the stories of Caribbean creatives across the Diaspora. Founded in June 2022, The New Cari.com has printed a collection of zines in the themes Culture + Community, Style, Art, and Taste.

Join us in conversation with the collective of creatives, artists, and entrepreneurs of Caribbean heritage who are currently working to preserve and promote Caribbean culture through The New Cari.com: Article Ghetto Yutes founders City Skyline, Tassja Walker and AKCreative founder, Andrea K. Castillo. The talk will be moderated by Andrew E. Colarusso. 

Multiple volumes of The New Cari.com zines will be available for purchase. 

After Hurricane Beryl, the CCCADI CROSSROADS program, anchored in the Caribbean, identified grassroots organizations responding to communities in need in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as they work to recover from storm damages: We Are Mayreau & The Hub Collective. We made a call to our community to support. 

We continue to see the need for support from damaging storms in the Caribbean such as the latest to affect Puerto Rico and the U.S.V.I., Hurricane Ernesto and other climate crises caused and exacerbated by politics and colonialism. Our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean need your solidarity.

Donate to our Caribbean Cultural Workers Relief Fund reserved for responding to the relief and recovery needs of cultural workers facing crises in the Caribbean. Your donations will always go directly to individual cultural workers and/or grassroots-led organizations aligned with CCCADI values rooted in equity and justice. 

BYENVENI is a multimedia exhibition that welcomes contemporary Haitian Diasporic art. This exhibition shines a spotlight on the creative expressions of eleven artists who focus on the theme of lakay (translated as home in Haitian-Kreyòl), and explore Haiti as both a cherished internal sanctuary, preserving cultural traditions and religious practices, as well as an external haven, a space of refuge, familial and communal development, a source of boundless joy, and the cornerstone of sovereignty. The exhibition will be on display February 15 - November 14, 2024.

Join us for the last of our Saturday gallery hours!

$5 Suggested donation at the door.

Led by CCCADI’s inaugural Scholar-in-Residence, Her Royal Majesty Queen Mother of the African Diaspora Dr. Dòwòti Désir, this daylong experience offers an opportunity to gain a broader knowledge of the powerful role of women in resistance movements focusing on the history and legacy of the Agoodjié in Africa and the women warriors of the Haitian Revolution.

Women of Color are invited to join us for a celebration of strength, courage, and empowerment that pays homage to the legacy of Haiti, the first Black independent nation in its 220 years of independence. Enshrining centuries of women-led resistance, participants will engage in enlightening presentations by the Founder of the Imperial Corps Agoodjié of the African Diaspora, Queen Mother Dòwòti, and African women organizer, Queen Mother Zognidi of the Sedessa Palace of Abomey. Plus Caleb Dowden, Fulbright-Hays Awardee and Danxomé Dance Master, will lead a demonstration of Danxomè dances to unlock forces long dormant as your body cascades in a traditional war dance.

Take the first step towards becoming the legacy of the Diaspora. Embrace your warrior spirit and forge your place in history during this pivotal moment of change.

Students are invited to take advantage of a 50% off discounted price using promo code: Fanm1804

Schedule of the Day

• Fanm Vanyan: Women Warriors Standing On Business - A lecture by Her Royal Majesty Queen Mother of the African Diaspora, Dr. Dòwòti Désir

  • This four-part lecture will focus on honoring, respecting and protecting lakay (home). Focusing on the history of the Agoodjié in Africa and unpacking the importance of the women warriors of the Haitian Revolution, HRM Queen Mother Dr. Dòwòti Désir will outline what nation-building means for the African Diaspora in the 21st Century and explore strategies for attendees to use in their daily lives. 

• Lunch & Remarks via video from Her Royal Majesty Kpodjito Zognidi Sokewun 

• Dances of Danxomè - A lecture and workshop by Caleb Dowden on Agoodjie dances

• This interactive session will explore the body’s organization and the movements that strengthen and heal women, finishing with an empowering Agoodjié “war dance.”

• Closing Prayer Circle

Notes for participants:

• Bring a lappa or fanny wrap to dance in, and a head wrap

• Arm yourself with a song, prayer, or words of wisdom to share with your sister warriors during our Sacred Circle ceremony

• With your ticket purchase, a percentage of the proceeds of this event will be donated to support the Solidarity Orphanage in the Village of Kenouhoue, Benin Republic where children who are victims of religious violence or neglect, and were abandoned by their families. They are educated in math, science, reading, writing and traditional culture. The Queen Mother is the Godmother of the orphanage. Providing support to the Solidarity Orphanage is the nucleus of the ICAAD's community service work.

Lakay se Lakay

This program is part of CCCADI’s Lakay se Lakay series. Lakay se Lakay is a year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation. Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan-Caribbean and Pan-African connections so that together we may build a brighter AfroFuture.

Join us for our Black literary salon featuring author Felipe Luciano and moderator Jamal Joseph in conversation!

We Lit is a CCCADI series dedicated to exploring authors of the African Diaspora who have beautifully woven their experiences, cultures, and dreams into their works. We Lit is where words come to life, and stories become a bridge that connects us all.

In this next installment of the series, Felipe Luciano reads from his book “Flesh and Spirit: Confessions of a Young Lord” and shares with insights about surviving the streets and the suites.

Registration will be accepted at the door. Admission will be based on space of capacity and is not guaranteed.

Join us as we celebrate Afro Latino Jazz with a live concert at Marcus Garvey Park, hosted by NY State Senator Cordell Cleare!

BYENVENI is a multimedia exhibition that welcomes contemporary Haitian Diasporic art. This exhibition shines a spotlight on the creative expressions of eleven artists who focus on the theme of lakay (translated as home in Haitian-Kreyòl), and explore Haiti as both a cherished internal sanctuary, preserving cultural traditions and religious practices, as well as an external haven, a space of refuge, familial and communal development, a source of boundless joy, and the cornerstone of sovereignty. The exhibition will be on display February 15 - November 14, 2024.

Meet the Artists Saturday Gallery Hours:

Every 3rd Saturday of the Month

On September 21, 2024 meet Tasha Dougé as she shares insights into her featured works that elevate the revolutionary spirit of Haiti.

$5 Suggested donation at the door.

Part of CCCADI’s CROSSROADS initiative focused on artists and cultural workers in the Caribbean, this lunch talk series symbolizes the nourishment necessary to navigate our day and, consequently, to sustain our roles as artists and cultural producers.

Inspired by the Afro tradition of communal eating, “La Fiambrera'' underscores the significance of sharing nourishment with one another as a reaffirmation of belonging and community.

The second episode of this series explores agriculture not just as a means of food production but as a political idea fostering autonomy and self-determination through its deep connection with the land.

Join us in conversation with farmers, activists, and community leaders from the Dominican Republic (Vanessa García Polanco), Jamaica (Nicola Shirley-Phillips, The Source Farm) and Puerto Rico (Ana Elisa Pérez Quintero, Colmena Cimarrona), as we seek to examine how agriculture can be a tool for liberation, cultural autonomy, and social justice in the Caribbean. This discussion is a journey to uncover the roots of Afrocentric agriculture and sow the seeds for a just and sustainable future. The conversation will be moderated by Ivette Chiclana (Puerto Rico).

How to Watch:

On September 19, 2024 at Noon (EST) you can view the program on this webpage or join us via our Youtube and Facebook pages.

All programs are subject to change.

CROSSROADS:

Over the past few years, CCCADI has taken on a leadership role in supporting our brothers and sisters across the Caribbean during climate emergencies— from Hurricane Maria to the earthquakes, Hurricane Fiona, and most recently, Hurricane Beryl. Through the CCCADI CROSSROADS program, rooted in the Caribbean, we’ve connected with grassroots organizations on the frontlines, helping their communities recover from these events. We made a call to our community to stand in solidarity, and that call remains urgent.

The recent impact of Hurricane Ernesto on Puerto Rico and the U.S.V.I. reminds us that the need for support continues. Our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean need our solidarity now more than ever. Please consider donating to our Permanent Caribbean Cultural Workers Relief Fund, which is dedicated to helping cultural workers in the Caribbean navigate crises and recover with dignity.

CCCADI celebrates National Literacy Month with a spotlight on Haitian authors!

Join us in collaboration with the Harlem Book Fair and Riverchild Media for a full-day symposium featuring authors:

• Mildred Antenor

• Edwidge Danticat

• Dr. Solanges Vivens

• Roxane Gay

You’re welcome to join us for one or all of the day’s conversations as we delve into themes of identity, lineage and Black literature as a form of revolution. Each author will be in dialogue with a guest moderator. 

Bookseller Loc’d and Lit will also host a pop-up marketplace featuring all authors’ books.

Schedule of the Day: 

• 10 AM: Doors Open 

• 10:30 - 11:30 AM: Author Edwidge Danticat  in conversation with Francesca Momplaisir

• Noon - 1 PM: Author Roxane Gay  in conversation with Ibi Zoboi 

• 1:30 - 2:30 PM: Author Mildred Antenor in conversation with Peggy Samedi 

• 3 - 4 PM: Author Dr. Solanges Vivens in conversation with Dina Simon Leroy 

As CCCADI continues its Lakay se Lakay theme, paying homage to the legacy of Haiti, the first independent Black nation in the world, this program offers attendees opportunities throughout the day to explore our current exhibition BYENVENI featuring the works of 11 Haitian Diasporic artists. 

Continue exploring authors of the Diaspora by taking a look at last season’s We Lit authors and content. www.cccadi.org/welit

All events are subject to change.

Celebrate National Literacy Month by joining us for our September We Lit program!

In partnership with Riverchild Media and the Harlem Book Fair, our next installment of We Lit features Haitian author Francesca Momplaisir who will join us to discuss her book, “The Garden of Broken Things.”

ABOUT THE BOOK

Teetering on the fault line of history and one family’s collapse, The Garden of Broken Things is an astonishing novel about restoration and disaster, motherhood, and the bonds that carry through generations. 

We know that literacy is an act of revolution, in the spirit of recognizing the legacy of Haiti, the first Black independent nation in the world, we invite you to celebrate Haitian writers on September 5th and September 7th at the CCCADI Firehouse!

Lakay se Lakay

This program is part of CCCADI’s Lakay se Lakay series. Lakay se Lakay is a year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation. Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan-Caribbean and Pan-African connections so that together we may build a brighter AfroFuture.

This year, we are thrilled to join forces with Harlem Week to bring our Pan-African festival to this historic celebration of the rich culture of our community, providing Harlem with an even more powerful experience.

Anchored in the concept of home, AFRIBEMBÉ will build bridges across African Diasporic musical traditions. We will honor our spiritual home and ancestors, our original home the Motherland of Africa, our Freedom Home of Haiti, and our current home of El Barrio.

We are collaborating with Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City concert series to present La Dimensión Latina! Bring your dancing shoes and spend the evening moving to their salsa rhythms.

One of the most distinguished salsa bands in the history of Latin music takes the stage at Damrosch Park for their “Now or Never” tour, celebrating a momentous return to the spotlight after 20 years of absence from stages in the U.S. La Dimensión Latina first gained tremendous popularity in the '70s, reigning supreme as Venezuela’s premier salsa band; and since then they’ve rocketed into international fame, performing for adoring audiences and selling out houses for the past 50 years. We invite super fans and salsa novices alike to join us as the band delivers hit after hit from their 50-year trajectory.

• Doors open with DJ set by DJ Broadway at 6:30 pm

• Live music at 7:30 pm

SKIP THE LINE: Reserve your free fast-track tickets today before they are all claimed!

Join us for a conversation with the BYENVENI exhibition curator, Yvena Despagne and featured exhibition artists.

Yvena will lead us in a discussion about BYENVENI alongside four featured exhibition artists. Each artist will share insights into their process of expression and their source of inspiration. The works that will be discussed are featured in the BYENVENI gallery areas of Lespri: The Concept of Vodou and Te Nou: The Concept of Preserving Haiti as an Internal Sanctuary.

This talk will feature artists Metres Riva N. Precil, Fabiola Jean Louis, and Okai Musik (Oyasound).

There is no cost to attend but donations at the door are strongly encouraged. Admission is based on capacity of space. Walk-ups are welcome, register at the door.

6:30 - 7:30 PM - Guided Exhibition Tour

7:30 - 8:30 PM - Curatorial Talk

This event is free to attend, but a donation is encouraged.

MEET OUR GUEST SPEAKERS:

Lakay se Lakay

BYENVENI is part of CCCADI’s Lakay se Lakay, a year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation. Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan-Caribbean and Pan-African connections so that together we may build a brighter AfroFuture.

Part of CCCADI’s CROSSROADS initiative focused on artists and cultural workers in the Caribbean, this lunch talk series symbolizes the nourishment necessary to navigate our day and, consequently, to sustain our roles as artists and cultural producers.

Inspired by the Afro tradition of communal eating, “La Fiambrera'' underscores the significance of sharing nourishment with one another as a reaffirmation of belonging and community.

This inaugural talk welcomes artists La Vaughn Belle (USVI), Ahisamar Antonia (PR), and moderator Dr. Ivette Chiclana as they delve into a discussion around the acquisition of spaces. The talk aims to tap into the experiences and knowledge of our featured speakers to offer other artists who are seeking to secure spaces a clearer vision of the process and potential strategies to navigate the system.

How to Watch:

On June 13, 2024 at Noon (EST) you can view the program on this webpage or join us via our Youtube and Facebook pages.

Meet Our Speakers:

All programs are subject to change.

CROSSROADS:

CROSSROADS is a CCCADI initiative designed to support the urgent needs of artists and cultural workers in the Caribbean, focusing on cultural sustainability, innovation, and self-reliance. 

CROSSROADS embraces a decolonizing and holistic healing justice approach to develop a self-sustainable ecosystem through skills development, support for individuals, and sustaining their contributions to culture, economy and collective wellbeing.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan Caribbean connections so that together we may build a brighter future for our Diaspora.

This installment of CCCADI’s In the Director’s Chair with Haitian-American filmmaker David Pierre-Louis features the film Kenbe Fem.

Kenbe Fem follows David Pierre-Louis, a mission-driven, Haitian-American entrepreneur based out of Seattle, WA as he journeys to find his mother in Haiti after the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake of January 2010. While immersed in the ruins, he fights to fill the gaps left by the Haitian government & various NGOs.

Part of the CCCADI Lakay se Lakay 2024 theme that celebrates the legacy of Haiti and its shared connections with the broader African Diaspora, this discussion between filmmaker David Pierre-Louis and Manolia Charlotin shines a spotlight on Haitian filmmakers and the power of visual storytelling in Haiti. 

Presented in collaboration with Kay Tita, an integrity-driven social enterprise that is dedicated to connecting resources, access, and opportunities to fuel the dreams and aspirations of historically under-resourced communities.

How to Watch:

On May 23, 2024 at 7 p.m. (EST) you can view the program on this webpage or join us via our Youtube and Facebook pages.

Lakay se Lakay:

Lakay se Lakay, which translates to Home is Home in Haitian Kreyòl is a year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation, Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan Caribbean and Pan African connections so that together we may build a brighter AfroFuture.

Join us on Haitian Flag Day for a conversation with the BYENVENI exhibition curator, Yvena Despagne and featured exhibition artists.

BYENVENI curator, Yvena Despagne will engage two of the exhibition’s featured artists in a discussion that explores their artistic expressions, freedom, and the concept of the “Haitian Dream”. 

The featured artists of this talk are Tasha Dougé, and OYASOUND whose artistic styles span from music, to photography and conceptual approaches.

Exhibition Tour: 1 - 2 p.m.

Curatorial Talk & Listening Fêt: 2 - 4 p.m.

Experience the exhibition with guided tour, then engage in an interactive experience with freedom at the center led by Tasha Dougé based on her featured piece, rebòlution. Finally, celebrate Haitian Flag Day and our freedom of expression, freedom of joy, and freedom to dance with a closing fêt as we listen to the new OYASOUND album, "Tonight We Fly (Aswè A Na Vole)". OYASOUND’s exhibition piece, Lwa Nan Dlo is one of the songs in this new album.

The exhibition will be open for independent viewing at Noon. Online registration has closed; walk-ups are welcome to register at the door. Admission is based on capacity of space.

There is no cost to attend. Donations are strongly encouraged.

This event will feature Freedom Soup (Soup Joumou) and complimentary rhum refreshments will be provided courtesy of Spirits of Haiti.

Lakay se Lakay

Lakay se Lakay, which translates to Home is Home in Haitian Kreyòl is a year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation, Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan-Caribbean and Pan-African connections so that together we may build a brighter AfroFuture.

Join us for this day long event centered around fostering restoration and wellness within the African Diaspora, in collaboration with Cumbe Dance.

Lakou is a Haitian Kreyòl term referring to a traditional communal living arrangement in Haiti, where extended families or neighbors live in close proximity, sharing resources and supporting one another. 

Given this context, this event offers workshops throughout the day that will focus on addressing various aspects of healing within the Lakou, including workshops, vendors, modalities, DJ, a panel discussion and words from our keynote speaker, Dr. Nathalie Guillaume.

7000 Coils will DJ throughout the day.

Online ticket reservations have closed, but walk-ups are welcome! You are welcome to join us and register at the door. Please note that admission will be based on capacity of space. Prompt arrival is encouraged.

Workshops (From 1-3:30 PM): 

• 1 - 2 PM: Rhythm of the Drum led by Okai Musik - Explore Haitian drum patterns and its connection to the African Diaspora. (Participants are welcome to bring their own drum.)

• 2 - 2:30 PM: Mindful, Meditative, Movement led by Stephanie Pierre - A blended session of three types of yoga, Asana, Pranayama, and Dhyana. (Bring a yoga mat.)

• 2:30 - 3:30 PM: Haitian Dance led by Julio Jean - Haitian dance class will take you on a journey to the nanm, meaning “soul”.

Click below to learn more about each workshop.

Modalities (Throughout the Day):

• Healing Happy Hour with Dr. Nathalie Guillaume - fosters holistic well-being and inner harmony for all who seek transformative wellness through acupuncture, herbal medicine, and the integration of Dr. Guillaume’s avant-garde musical concept “Vodou Alchemy”

• Storytelling w/ Cuidate Collective & The Melanin Project - collective healing by sharing the intergenerational and societal ills within our community. This activity doubles as a conduit for cathartic release. (Journals and tea will be provided.)

Healing the Lakou Keynote & Panel Discussion (4-4:45 PM): 

Panelists will focus on addressing various aspects of healing within the Lakou, which could include physical health, mental well-being, social cohesion, environmental sustainability, cultural preservation, and economic empowerment. 

This is a holistic approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of various aspects of well-being and seeks to empower community members to take an active role in their own healing and development.

Moderator:

• Dr. Nathalie Guillaume

Panelists:

• Stephanie Pierre, The Melanin Project

• Lalin St. Juste, 7000 Coils

• Merelis Catalina Ortiz, Deep Routes

• Arlene Casimir, Lakay Lune

Click below to learn more about each of our speakers.

Vendors (Throughout the Day): 

Lakay se Lakay

This event is part of CCCADI’s Lakay se Lakay.

Lakay se Lakay, which translates to Home is Home in Haitian Kreyòl is a year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation, Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan-Caribbean and Pan-African connections so that together we may build a brighter AfroFuture.

Join us for a conversation with the BYENVENI exhibition curator, Yvena Despagne and featured exhibition artists.

Yvena will lead us in a discussion about BYENVENI, CCCADI’s current multimedia exhibition that welcomes contemporary Haitian Diasporic art. This exhibition shines a spotlight on the creative expressions of eleven artists who focus on the theme of lakay (translated as home in Haitian-Kreyòl), and explore Haiti as both a cherished internal sanctuary, preserving cultural traditions and religious practices, as well as an external haven, a space of refuge, familial and communal development, a source of boundless joy, and the cornerstone of sovereignty.

This talk will feature BYENVENI exhibition artists Steven Baboun, Tania L. Balan-Gaubert and Madjeen Isaac.

There is no cost to attend but RSVP is strongly encouraged. Admission is based on space capacity.

This event is the first of three Curatorial Talks that will feature the BYENVENI exhibition artists in conversation with curator, Yvena Despagne. Mark your calendars for the following talks on May 18, 2024 from 2 - 3:30 p.m. and June 27, 2024 from 6 - 8: 30 p.m.

MEET OUR GUEST SPEAKERS:

Lakay se Lakay

BYENVENI is part of CCCADI’s Lakay se Lakay, a year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation. Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan-Caribbean and Pan-African connections so that together we may build a brighter AfroFuture.

This April installment of our family art-based education program, Sou Sou! Saturdays celebrates the written and spoken word in the spirit of National Poetry Month with traditional Haitian call and response storytelling, Krik-Krak!

Inspired by the financial resource-sharing traditions known throughout the African Diaspora by such names as "Colecta", "Box Hand", "San", "Partna", or "Sou-Sou", this family-based art and education program reinterprets Sou Sou as an exchange of cultural resources.

There is no cost to attend this event. Register below.

Register For Free

Lakay se Lakay

Lakay se Lakay, which translates to Home is Home in Haitian Kreyòl is a year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation, Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan-Caribbean and Pan-African connections so that together we may build a brighter AfroFuture.

BYENVENI is a multimedia exhibition that welcomes contemporary Haitian Diasporic art. This exhibition shines a spotlight on the creative expressions of eleven artists who focus on the theme of lakay (translated as home in Haitian-Kreyòl), and explore Haiti as both a cherished internal sanctuary, preserving cultural traditions and religious practices, as well as an external haven, a space of refuge, familial and communal development, a source of boundless joy, and the cornerstone of sovereignty. The exhibition will be on display February 15 - November 14, 2024.

Gallery Hours:

Beginning Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Tuesdays & Thursdays: 3 PM - 7 PM
Wednesdays: 11 AM - 2 PM
Every 3rd Saturday: 12 PM - 4 PM

Gallery hours will be affected on the following days:

• April 18, 2024 - Closed 3 - 6 p.m. Open for a public event from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Student tours are available by appointment on Thursdays 10 am - 2 pm. Visit the page below for details.

BYENVENI is a multimedia exhibition that welcomes contemporary Haitian Diasporic art. This exhibition shines a spotlight on the creative expressions of eleven artists who focus on the theme of lakay (translated as home in Haitian-Kreyòl), and explore Haiti as both a cherished internal sanctuary, preserving cultural traditions and religious practices, as well as an external haven, a space of refuge, familial and communal development, a source of boundless joy, and the cornerstone of sovereignty. The exhibition will be on display February 15 - November 14, 2024.

Gallery Hours:

Beginning Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Tuesdays & Thursdays: 3 PM - 7 PM
Wednesdays: 11 AM - 2 PM
Every 3rd Saturday: 12 PM - 4 PM

Gallery hours will be affected on the following days:

• March 28, 2024 - Closed

• April 18, 2024 - Closed 3 - 6 p.m. Open for a public event from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

• May 18, 2024 - Closed

Student tours are available by appointment on Thursdays 10 am - 2 pm. Visit the page below for details.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, this March installment of our Afro Waves series features artist Metrès Riva Nyri Précil! Tune in for this virtual concert in honor of Haitian women in music.

AFRO WAVES is a CCCADI concert series that showcases the Black Cultural Evolution with vanguard artists of the African Diaspora.

Lakay se Lakay:

Lakay se Lakay, which translates to Home is Home in Haitian Kreyòl is a year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation, Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan Caribbean and Pan African connections so that together we may build a brighter AfroFuture.

Tune in for a virtual discussion with filmmaker Rúben Durán, director of "Cimarrón Spirit" and "Colores del Carnaval Dominicano", led by moderator Clarivel Ruiz, founder of Dominicans Love Haitians.

This installment of In the Director’s Chair, explores Kanaval as a liberation space and practice in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

This program is part of the CCCADI Lakay se Lakay theme and it provides an opening to examine the layers of shared cultural practices across the Caribbean and the specific lineages of celebration and collective expression across the island that is home to 2 countries.

How to Watch:

On February 29, 2024 at 7 p.m. (EST) you can view the program on this webpage or join us via our Youtube and Facebook pages.

Lakay se Lakay:

Lakay se Lakay, which translates to Home is Home in Haitian Kreyòl is a year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation, Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

You can support this work by making a donation to CCCADI. Help us advance Pan Caribbean and Pan African connections so that together we may build a brighter AfroFuture.

Join us for the opening reception of our latest exhibition!

BYENVENI is a multimedia exhibition that welcomes contemporary Haitian Diasporic art. This exhibition shines a spotlight on the creative expressions of eleven artists who focus on the theme of lakay (translated as home in Haitian-Kreyòl), and explore Haiti as both a cherished internal sanctuary, preserving cultural traditions and religious practices, as well as an external haven, a space of refuge, familial and communal development, a source of boundless joy, and the cornerstone of sovereignty.

Curated by Yvena Despagne.

Featured Artists:

Nic[o] Brierre Aziz

Steven Baboun

Daveed Baptiste

Tasha Dougé

Laurena Finéus

Tania L. Balan-Gaubert

Madjeen Isaac

Fabiola Jean-Louis

Metrès Riva Nyri Précil

Natacha Thys

Oyasound Project

There is no cost to attend. Pre-registration is closed. Walk-up registration at the door is welcome. Space is limited and admission will be granted based on capacity limits.

Refreshments to be provided by Navet 1804.

As Children Of Caribbean Immigrants, Navèt 1804’s Four Founders Share A Profound Connection To Their Haitian And African Heritage Through Clairin. Lifelong Friends Turned Brothers, The Founders Bonded Over Their Shared Experiences And Cultural Upbringing. Since Their Pre-Teen Years, The 3 Haitian American Founders (Eddy, Jay, And Joe) Shared A Mutual Desire To One Day Effectuate Change And Development In Haiti. Immersed In His Brothers’ Culture, Dwayne, A Barbadian American, Felt His Brother’s Passion And Vowed To Help In Their Mission.

The Brothers Decided That They Would, Together, One Day Create A Company And Utilize A Portion Of The Profits To Effectuate Change In Haiti. Known As “The Rhum Guys” Since College, It Was Only Natural That The Founders Are Expanding Their Introduction Of Clairin, Haitian Rhum, To The World. Navèt 1804 Was Founded To Sell And Bring One Of Haiti’s Historical and Cultural Beverages To Broader Recognition In The U.S. And Around The World

BYENVENI is a multimedia exhibition that epitomizes the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute’s theme for 2024, Lakay se Lakay, which translates to Home is Home in Haitian Kreyòl. A year-long homage that celebrates the legacy of Haiti, Our Black Nation, Lakay se Lakay is a cultural odyssey through which we dedicate much of our programming. Using the lens of Haitian arts and scholarship, CCCADI explores home as a space for refuge, building family and community, preservation of traditions, a foundation for cultivating joy, and the roots of sovereignty.

Annually, CCCADI hosts a panel of Lucumi priests (oluwos, oba oriates, and oloshas) for an evening of multi-generational dialogue on the cultural, social, and philosophical implications of the long-standing tradition La Letra del Año or Odu of the Year. All are welcome to participate in this virtual discussion, the first installment of our Sacred Traditions series in 2024!

CCCADI’s Sacred Traditions: Letra del Año panel discussion centers the collective wisdom of the Lucumi community in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, in response to this annual tradition. This program is not a divination ceremony nor meant to replace the wisdom and guidance of Lucumí elders and practitioners across the globe who also divine on behalf of their countries, regions, and iles (religious houses and temples) and country-specific associations.

Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and engage in dialogue throughout the program. To receive the link to the virtual program, you must register in advance. 

Este programa contará con un intérprete de español.

Tune in to our Sacred Traditions virtual program commemorating the feast day of the Orisha Changó (celebrated on December 4th), lord of drum and dance, and a figure of social justice.

Our Sacred Traditions series is dedicated to the preservation and education of African-based spirituality, and through this installment, we offer a look at how Changó is celebrated within the NYC Lucumí community with a musical presentation by master batá and rumba abakuá musicians. 

Los Tambores Son de Changó (The Drums Belong to Changó) highlights the traditional art of batá drumming in New York as greatly influenced by master percussionist Orlando “Puntilla” Ríos who moved from Havana, Cuba to the South Bronx, New York in 1980. Puntilla trained and initiated Añá drummers and taught the NYC Yoruba community how to properly execute the different rituals related to the sacred Batá drums, referred to as Fundamento Batá - essential to Yoruba practices.

In 1981, he formed the group Nueva Generación in New York. Nueva Generación became an important preserver of sacred and secular Afro-Cuban music in the U.S.

This presentation features some of Puntilla’s students, members of Nueva Generación, and master musicians who continue to uphold these drumming traditions. 

CCCADI Executive Director, Melody Capote and professional musician and scholar Chief Baba Neil Clarke, Alufopejo Awo of Osogbo;
Ol'Osun, Awo Ifa, Al'Ayan, & Schomburg Fellow, join the program to discuss Puntilla’s influence and the essence, energy, and power of Changó.

Invest

In alignment with our mission and in the spirit of Changó, orisha of social justice, we invite you to set up a recurring investment in our work using multiples of 6. We also welcome whatever amount feels right for you, choose “other” to set a custom amount.

Present day, we are accustomed to subscribing to content and services that offer entertainment or a benefit to our individual lives. What about the benefits of investing in our communities and culture?

Join us in elevating intergenerational cultural reclamation, rematriation, and affirmation - work that advances the collective of our global African Diasporic community.

GUEST SPEAKERS

Melody Capote was appointed executive director of CCCADI in 2018. She began her long tenure at the organization in 1984 and throughout the years has established herself as a leader in arts administration and cultural activism. She is a vocal and bold voice in advocating for cultural equity, racial and social justice for African descendant communities.

Prior to assuming the role of executive director, Melody was instrumental in the creation and successful implementation of the capital campaign that secured funding from public and private sectors to renovate a landmarked firehouse into a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of El Barrio (East Harlem) which opened its doors in 2016.  

Looking to expand audiences for CCCADI, Melody established creative and enduring collaborations with cultural partners like Los Hermanos Fraternos de Loiza/Loiza Festival of El Barrio, Hostos Center for Arts & Culture, Taino Towers, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (La Casita Project, MidSummer Night Swing and Lincoln Center Out of Doors); The Dwyer Cultural Center, and the Apollo Theater, among others. 

Experienced in development, government relations, external affairs, and special event programming, she has also supervised and mentored countless individuals who have gone on to pursue careers in the nonprofit arts field and other community-based organizations. 

Melody's leadership in challenging the dual pandemics of Covid-19 and continued systemic racism and police violence, has resulted in the development of important CCCADI initiatives such as; the organization’s successful pivot to digital programs designed for all ages, the creation of CCCADI’s Anti-Racism Webinar Series for leaders of mainstream arts and culture organizations to examine personal, programmatic and organizational biases, an all-digital professional development fellowship for artists economically impacted by Covid-19, and the creation of #ArtsGoBlack, a campaign demanding actionable change be instituted by arts and culture institutions and the philanthropic community that funds these entities. 

Melody is a Bronx native and graduate of The City College of New York, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies with a major in Dance and a minor in Black and Latino Studies. She is a New School Tennenbaum Leadership Institute Fellow, and received her Not-for-Profit Executive Management Certification from Columbia University.  Melody is currently one of the first 12 arts leaders selected to participate in The Pinkerton Advanced Leadership Network launched after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the police.

Chief Baba Neil - Adewede Ayanlere Tokode Clarke, Alufopejo Awo of Osogbo is an award-winning master African-centered percussionist, educator, band leader, producer and independent scholar. He has been grounded in the exploration of Yoruba Orisa traditions and other African spiritual systems since the age of 13. Mentored by Chief” James H. Bey, Baba Kwame Ishangi, Ladji Camara, Olukose Wiles and Orlando “Puntilla” Rios, among others, for more than half a century his connection to traditional African and spiritual percussive arts has been comprehensive. Clarke was initially introduced with elekes from pioneer Ol’Osa Osa’nko and received his “warriors” from Pancho - Ifa Moroti- Mora in 1972. He has since been initiated as an Ol’Osun of Ibu Anya in the Lucumi tradition. His hands were washed for the sacred Anya drums by Orlando Puntilla Rios.

In 1994, he was fully initiated to Ayan in Oyo, Nigeria. Clarke went on to be initiated to Ifa by Chief Fakayode Faniyi, Agbongbon Awo of Osogbo. In 2016 Baba Neil was himself installed as an Oloye (chief) by the highest-ranking priests in Osogbo, Nigeria. This honor was bestowed based on his life-long commitment to traditional African culture and values. His title translates as the “Drummer to/for the Spiritual Elite”. He is additionally the Onilu of a very rare set of Iyesa drums sacred to Osun and Ogun. Professionally Chief Baba Neil has collaborated and performed with countless revered artists globally. Most notably: Dianne Reeves, Phyllis Hyman, Third World, Norman Connors, David Sanborn, Miriam Makeba, Letta Mbulu among others.

This includes a 15-year tenure with Mr. Harry Belafonte and a 30-year tenure with NEA Jazz Master Mr. Randy Weston. An Arts Educator since the 1970’s, Chief Baba Neil enjoys educating students about his lifelong passion. He has taught, lectured, been in residence or featured at Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn Historical Society, The City University of New York, Harvard, Yale, the American Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and countless other institutions. In 2019-20 Clarke was honored with a Scholar-in-Residence Fellowship at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Musical Presentation By:

Anthony Carrillo - Master Drummer, Omo Aña.  Moperc Artist, Itótele, Conga, and Cajón Drummer

Román Díaz - Oni Yemaya and Moni Bonko Ekueritongo Apapa Umon Efik.  Iya drummer and Abakua Dancer (Ireme)

Gene Golden - Omo Aña, Omo Chango.  Concolo Player and Quinto Player.

Dawn “Amma” McKen - Oloye Siwanju Mojelewi.  Akpon Singer

Alexander La Rosa Pérez - Changó Dancer

Awo Orumila Xavier Rivera - Omo Obatala, Omo Aña.  3 Golpes y Itoteles Player.

Angel Rubén Rodríguez - Theater Director, The Point CDC.  Coro Singer and Percussionist.

Abraham Rodriguez Jr. - Olu Bata Oba I’ll; Omo Orun, Omo Osain.  Singer, Akpon

Awo Orumila Juan Usera - Omo Aña, Omo Obatalá.  Coro Singer, Percussionist, Producer.

Sado - Itoteles Player

Afro-Dominican bandleader and guitarist, Yasser Tejeda, and Haitian rooted DJ Sabine Blaizin (Oyasound) will take over Harlem Stage!

We are collaborating with Harlem Stage’s Uptown Nights Latin Music Series to present this evening concert in celebration of music from the Latin diaspora.

World Music Institute also joins us as a collaborator to host Afro-Dominican bandleader and guitarist Yasser Tejeda performing a combination of traditional folkloric music, jazz, rock, and Caribbean rhythms.

Keeping us moving before and after the performance, our very own Director of Programs DJ Sabine Blaizin (Oyasound) will spin Global House and Soul, Afrotech, Afrobeat, and other diasporic Afro-Caribbean dance music with a nod to her Haitian roots.