Meet the Team

  • 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.

  • As Director of Programs, Sabine oversees the strategic direction of CCCADI’s public, education and fellowship programs. A New Yorker of Haitian descent and self-coined Artivist, Afrofuturist, and Pan-Africanist, Sabine ultimately seeks to create new scholarship through the African and Haitian diasporic lens of music, culture and spirituality. She has over 15 years experience in non-profit organizations, and has been instrumental in developing innovative and high-impact marketing and branding, event planning, and programming strategies. Prior to joining CCCADI, she served as the Director of Programs at Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy, Inc. and, an alumnus herself, she served AmeriCorps Public Allies New York (PANY) as the Director of Alumni Relations and Community Engagement. Sabine completed a fellowship with the Haiti Cultural Exchange and is the NYC Chapter Ambassador for She Builds Initiative, a social network of like-minded individuals who are creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs building platforms that can positively impact Haiti and the world. Currently she is also a Holistic Health Practitioner/Coach and DJ/Producer/Event Curator (Oyasound).

    Sabine holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Sociology from Eugene Lang College at The New School, a Master of Arts degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Tri-State College of Acupuncture, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Performance Interactive & Media Arts from Brooklyn College.

  • As Director of Communications for CCCADI, Viannca leads the creation and implementation of the organization’s marketing, public relations and mass communication strategy. Puerto Rican by way of Jersey City, NJ, Viannca’s communications experience includes her career beginnings as a video journalist for Fi0S1 News on Long Island, NY, in-studio tech work at the sports television channel SNY, and digital media management for NGL Media (now NGL Collective). Prior to joining CCCADI, Viannca developed into a communications strategist within the nonprofit sector through her years of working in the advancement departments of private high school and higher education institutions. There, she created and led campaigns that used video storytelling, social media and niche segmentation to successfully increase community engagement and individual donations. Passionate about ancestral dance and music, she is also a current member of the Bomba & Plena music group Segunda Quimbamba.

    Viannca received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast and Visual Media, and minor in Journalism, from Seton Hall University.

  • As the Executive Management Assistant and Board Liaison for CCCADI, Nefertiti works closely with the executive and development teams on building relationships and projects that result in funding opportunities for the organization. Nefertiti is a NYC native, raised in Harlem by her Caribbean great grandmothers, who together represented Trinidadian, Bajan, Cuban & Puerto Rican descendance. Prior to joining the CCCADI team in 2018, she was assistant to the founder and president of Welcome to Harlem, a Harlem-based walking tour company, managing and maintaining the organization’s website and event calendar. She also co-hosted the Harlem Jazz Concert Series. Nefertiti’s administrative background includes her experience as an executive assistant and project manager at Korn Ferry, one of the largest executive search firms in North America.

    She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Hunter College, City University New York.

  • As a Programs Associate, Tramaine supports the implementation of various projects across the organization and manages special programming to support community engagement. A Kenyan-American born and raised in the U.S. South, Tramaine is a global Social Impact strategist and management consultant with more than 15 years of senior management and communications experience. A CCCADI alumna, Tramaine was named a fellow of the inaugural cohort of the organization’s Innovative Cultural Advocacy Fellowship. Over the past 10 years, she has focused her work on serving the African Diaspora as a senior advisor and project manager for various organizations. Tramaine’s contributions have helped to advance economic impact, cultural and technology exchange, African women’s and girls’ leadership, education, women’s business and entrepreneurship development, public health, policy advocacy, and government relations. Additionally, she has lived and worked in Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom. She is an award-winning writer and has been a member of the Association for Managers of Innovation since 2016.

    Tramaine received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Creative Writing and Media Studies from Agnes Scott College and a Master of Arts degree in Intercultural Management and International Development from the School for International Training (SIT) Graduate Institute.

  • As a Programs Associate at CCCADI, Lorenia provides interdepartmental support for the implementation of the organization’s communication and programming strategy. A Manhattan native of Dominican parents, Lorenia is a multi-disciplined professional and entrepreneur. She has more than 10 years of experience in research, event planning, and business. Prior to joining CCCADI, Lorenia worked in various industries including fashion and education. Passionate about making jewelry that enhances individual inner power, Lorenia founded and continues to run Luni Style.

    Lorenia received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Multidisciplinary Studies (Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, Spanish Literature) and minor in Latin American Studies History from Stony Brook University.

  • As the Operations Associate, Elisa contributes to the implementation of systems and processes that support CCCADI organizational functionality. Elisa is a proud Boricua Bronx native who specializes in Arts Administration and Arts Education. Prior to joining CCCADI, she worked at Red Olive Creative Consulting and Black Art Futures Fund where she assisted the founder, served as a review panelist for artist grants, and collaborated with the communications team in gathering and creating original content for their social media and newsletters. Currently, Elisa is a NYC-based actor, director, teaching artist and artistic collaborator who has traveled the country sharing stories that celebrate her community and uplift voices that have yet to be heard. She is also the Assistant Producer for TheaterWorksUSA, an organization that focuses on creating exceptional, new, theatrical experiences for young people and their families.

    Elisa received her Bachelor of Arts degree Vocal Performance and a minor in Musical Theater from Hofstra University. She continued her artistic training at CAP21’s Professional Musical Theater Conservatory.

  • As New Media Manager, Mario leads the documentation of CCCADI’s in-person programming and events, the production of virtual programming, and the creation of original visual content in service of CCCADI’s audience. Mario is an artist and cultural worker from Caguas, Puerto Rico now based in Brooklyn, NY. As a photographer and filmmaker, he has documented the Latine community of New York City for over a decade, navigating the worlds of organizing, music and nightlife. He has led teams of visual artists in documenting large scale events such as Afro Latino Festival NYC and New York Latino Film Festival. Mario edited the award-winning documentary “We Still Here” in 2021 and has since written and directed his first short film, “Record Shop”, which premiered at LALIFF and recently wrapped its film festival run.

    Mario received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Media Studies with a minor in Latin American History from Rutgers University.

  • Yelimara is part of CCCADI’s CROSSROADS team, the organization’s Caribbean cultural sustainability initiative. In her role, she supports the Senior Program Associate in developing, planning, implementing and managing programs and initiatives for artists and cultural producers of the Caribbean region.

    A multi-talented artist, dancer, therapist, community builder, and mother, originally from Bayamón, Puerto Rico and adopted by NYC, Yelimara founded Afro-Inspira in 2014, a platform dedicated to promoting well-being within Brown and Black communities in the United States and the Caribbean. Her work combines Afro-Caribbean healing traditions with dance/movement psychotherapy, placing a strong emphasis on exploring cultural identity, engaging in expressive art-making and honoring our ancestral body memory.

    Most recently Afro-Inspira won the Local Community Impact Award at the Enterprize Business Competition 2022.

    Yelimara’s artistic contributions have graced renowned venues like Carnegie Hall, Pratt Institute, and Princeton University, showcasing her talent and commitment to using art as a means of healing and expression. She has also presented her work at influential conferences such as ADTA (American Dance Therapy Association), NWSA (National Women's Studies Association), and Dance Black Joy at Duke University.

    A passionate advocate for Afro-Caribbean traditions as a self-contained healing system, her work is a testament to the power of art, culture, and therapy in fostering well-being and social change, particularly within marginalized communities.

    Yelimara possesses a Master's degree in Dance Movement Therapy from Pratt Institute.

  • As Senior Program Associate for CCCADI’s Caribbean cultural sustainability initiative, Crossroads, Marissel supports the Interim Program Director by undertaking a variety of administrative and program design duties, including the development, planning, implementation, and management of new activities and programs. She also serves as a liaison with internal and external constituencies in support of the objectives of CCCADI’s Crossroads program.

    A Black Puerto Rican Independent Scholar and Afrofeminist, Marissel is a recipient of the 2022 Soros Equality Fellowship for her work on achieving racial equity through art and culture and currently works as a consultant on issues of race, anti-racism, and racial equity. Founder and coordinator of multiple projects including De coco y anís. Proyecto Cortijo and Saberes Afrorriqueños, her most recent initiative examines Afrofuturism in Brazil and the Hispanic Caribbean, proposing current theoretical reflections on music and sound to understand both the processes and the social movements of black and Afro-descendant people.

    Marissel has presented her work in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Brazil and the United States. She also relates to a general audience through op-eds published in the newspapers Claridad, Revista Marea, Afroféminas y Afrocubanas, and La Revista, addressing issues of racism and anti-racism and Blackness in Puerto Rico.

    Among her passion for music, food, Brazilian literature, and sci-fi, is her activism to eradicate racism by dismantling the established narrative.

    Marissel earned her Ph.D. in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Studies from The Graduate Center, CUNY.