For 49 years and counting, CCCADI’s work has been guided by the principles of Sankofa, which have taught us to reach into the past and draw from our ancestral knowledge as an African Diaspora in order to move forward.  On the eve of our 50th anniversary, “CCCADI’s Community Archiving Lab for Culture and Justice” deepens our connection with Sankofa:  It invites us to reflect on our history and evolution as an arts and culture organization.

The “Community Archiving Lab” is the calm before the celebration.  It is an inward exploration, and it is welcoming our community to be active participants in that exploration; of digging into and shedding light on our history, reinterpreting the findings, and collectively forging a path forward as an organization. 

Starting on May 22nd, step into the CCCADI Firehouse during lab visiting hours and bear witness to what our staff and archivists are recovering in real time: a letter from Celia Cruz to CCCADI founder Marta Moreno Vega working out details for an exhibition; photographs documenting CCCADI’s presence at the first International Orisha Conference of 1981 in Ile Ife, Nigeria; a videotape of our Expressions 1990 Concert featuring Tito Puente and Gilberto Gil; or an audio recording of Antonia Pantoja speaking at our 1987 African Diaspora Women Conference. 

We invite you to observe and actively participate in the process of archiving and preserving 49 years of history. It is not an exhibition; it is a living archive in motion.     

These words, images, and sounds encode messages from our ancestors. We invite you to decode them with us and remember with us.

Join us on Thursday, May 22nd, 2025, for the Opening Night!

Details:
3-9 pm EST
CCCADI Firehouse
120 E125th St. 
New York, NY 10035