Afro Caribbean Cultural Center

What Afro Caribbean Cultural Center does

The Afro Caribbean Cultural Center (ACCC, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2021 by Rafael Feliciano-Roman and headquartered at 174 Grand Street in Waterbury, Connecticut. ACCC's mission is to promote and preserve the cultural heritage of the Afro-Caribbean, Black, and Taíno diaspora through arts, education, and community programming in Greater Waterbury. The organization operates eight distinct sub-brands: C.A.C.I.Q.U.E. (restorative and social justice), Pa'lante Theater Company, Connecticut Taíno Learning Community (Laton Nation), Black and Taíno Youth Leadership Council, Brooklyn Bridge Initiative, Greater Waterbury Puerto Rican Day Parade & Festival, BIPOC LGBTQIA Healing Retreat, and the Connecticut Black/Latino/Afro-Latino 30 Under 30 recognition program.

ACCC has delivered 100+ cultural programs and workshops to 20,000+ attendees since founding, and has raised over $450,000 for art and cultural programming. The organization is staffed by a small team (1-10 employees) under a 10-member Board of Directors and is governed through a 2025-2031 Strategic Framework. There is no proprietary technology platform; distribution occurs through a permanent facility, the Center Without Walls mobile programming model, and partner venues including Silas Bronson Library, Seven Angels Theatre, Yale Peabody Museum, and Heart and Sole Dance Studio.

The business model is grant-and-donation dependent. Primary revenue comes from institutional funders including Connecticut Humanities, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, United Way, NBCUniversal, Leever Foundation, Connecticut Community Foundation, CT Office of the Arts, NEFA, Haymarket, and Asian Story Fund. Secondary revenue includes event ticket sales ($75 per ticket for the annual 30 Under 30 Gala), sponsorship tiers ranging from $1,000 to $7,000, individual donations via PayPal fundraiser, and modest program participant fees. A majority of programs are free or low-cost to maximize accessibility, and fiscal year alignment was updated to July-June starting FY2026.

Name

Afro Caribbean Cultural Center

Legal name

Afro Caribbean Cultural Center Inc

Website

https://taino-nation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Afro Caribbean Cultural Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Waterbury, Connecticut that delivers arts, cultural, and educational programming across eight sub-brands serving the Afro-Caribbean, Black, and Taíno diaspora through grants, donations, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Cultural Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Historical Sites (712120), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI), Indigenous & Community Cultural Institutions (THAJADAK), Tribal Arts, Culture & Heritage Colleges (Arts/Media/Cultural Preservation Focus) (EDAHANAH)

Keywords

• Cultural heritage programs
• Community arts education
• Afro-Caribbean cultural center
• Youth leadership development
• Restorative justice services

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Funded Programs: Primary revenue stream from government grants, foundation funding, and tribal nation contributions. Funders include Connecticut Office of the Arts, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, United Way, Leever Foundation, Connecticut Community Foundation, and others.
2. Event Ticket Sales: Revenue from event admissions, particularly the annual 30 Under 30 Gala at $75 per ticket, with sponsorship tiers ranging from $1,000 to $7,000.
3. Individual Donations: Sustaining contributions and legacy giving from individual donors. Accepts donations via PayPal fundraiser.
4. Program Participant Fees: Modest fees from program participants and family donations for youth programs like the Black and Taíno Youth Leadership Council.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Afro Caribbean Cultural Center (ACCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers cultural heritage programming, arts education, community events, and social justice services for the Afro-Caribbean, Black, and Taíno diaspora in Greater Waterbury, Connecticut. Its core offerings span dance and music classes, theatrical productions, youth leadership development, indigenous Taíno cultural learning, restorative justice programs, and an annual community awards gala.

Product overview

The Afro Caribbean Cultural Center is a cultural heritage organization offering a unified portfolio of arts, cultural, and social justice programs. Its core offerings include cultural programming and community events (dance classes, music lessons, visual arts, cultural events), along with specialized programs such as the Pa'lante Theater Company for theatrical productions, C.A.C.I.Q.U.E. for restorative justice through circle process, the Black and Taíno Youth Leadership Council for youth development, the Brooklyn Bridge Initiative for community organizing, the Greater Waterbury Puerto Rican Day Parade & Festival for cultural celebration, the Connecticut Taíno Learning Community for indigenous education, and the BIPOC LGBTQIA Healing Retreat. The center also runs the Connecticut Black, Latino, Afro-Latino 30 Under 30 award recognition program. These programs are designed to inspire creativity, promote cultural understanding, foster community, and preserve Afro-Caribbean and Taíno heritage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• C.A.C.I.Q.U.E. Center for Ancestral Circling, Indigeneity, Queerness, Underprivileged, and the Earth. A center for Restorative and Social Justice focused on gender justice, eradicating sexism, serophobia, homophobia and transphobia.
• Pa'lante Theater Company
• Connecticut Taíno Learning Community (Laton Nation)
• Black and Taíno Youth Leadership Council
• Brooklyn Bridge Initiative
• Greater Waterbury Puerto Rican Day Parade & Festival
• BIPOC LGBTQIA Healing Retreat

Products and services

• Afro Caribbean Cultural Center (ACCC) Cultural Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ event attendees served since founding
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor, flagship and major.

• Seven Angels TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2023Theater partner for Pa'lante Theater Company productions including 'Calling Puerto Rico' premiere. Co-presents theatrical performances and cultural events.
• Silas Bronson LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2023Host venue for Afro-Caribbean art exhibits and cultural programming. Collaborated on Hispanic Heritage Month art displays featuring Black, Latino, and Afro-Latino artists.
• New Opportunities IncminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 August 2022Venue partner hosting the inaugural Bombazo and Barrio Arts Festival event in their parking lot.
• Heart and Sole Dance StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022Dance education partner for Puerto Rican Bomba drumming and dancing workshops. Collaborated on the inaugural Bombazo and Barrio Arts Festival.
• Higuayagua Taíno of the Caribbean, Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Affiliation for Taíno Learning Community programming. TLC members are proud members of this organization. Provides guidance and connection to broader Taíno community network.
• Yale Peabody MuseumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for Taíno Vive events and cultural programming celebrating Taíno heritage. Hosts events as part of 2026 Year of the Taíno initiative.
• B.L.A.C. (Building Legacy and Community)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting partner for the Black and Taíno Youth Leadership Council. Collaborative organization focused on youth leadership development.
• Twist Nightlife EntertainmentmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-producer of the annual Connecticut Black/Latino 30 Under 30 awards event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Loisaida Inc. NYC Latino/Afro-Caribbean community arts and culture organization on the Lower East Side. Similar scale and operating model to ACCC: community-led cultural programming, festivals, youth leadership, and grant-funded nonprofit operations.
• Claribel A. Vega / Taller Boricua: Puerto Rican/Afro-Caribbean artist-run cultural organization in NYC operating programs and residencies. Compares to ACCC's Pa'lante Theater Company and C.A.C.I.Q.U.E. in deploying arts for community empowerment.
• Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute: NYC-based Afro-Caribbean cultural institution presenting arts, education, and community programs for the African diaspora. Most direct functional peer to ACCC's mission of preserving and presenting Afro-Caribbean heritage through the arts.
• National Puerto Rican Day Parade: Large-scale annual Puerto Rican cultural event and the parent body of regional Puerto Rican Day parades. ACCC runs the Greater Waterbury Puerto Rican Day Parade & Festival, making this a direct analogue at a much larger scale.
• Higuayagua Taíno of the Caribbean, Inc. Indigenous Taíno organization with which ACCC's Connecticut Taíno Learning Community is formally affiliated. Most direct peer in Taíno cultural preservation and education work.

Broad incumbents

• El Museo del Barrio: Established Latino/Afro-Latino cultural institution on Manhattan's Museum Mile presenting Caribbean and Latin American arts and culture. A larger, more established counterpart serving overlapping diaspora communities.
• Boricua College: NYC-based higher education institution serving primarily Puerto Rican/Afro-Caribbean students. Analogous function in serving the same diaspora through education, though at a much larger scale and via formal higher-ed credentials.
• Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD): San Francisco-based museum dedicated to African diaspora art and culture. Comparable to ACCC's mission in preserving and presenting African/Caribbean heritage through curated programming and exhibitions.
• Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center: Major tribal-operated cultural and educational institution in Connecticut. ACCC's flagship funder Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation operates this museum, which parallels ACCC's indigenous cultural preservation work and serves a similar CT/regional footprint.
• Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Centro), Hunter College CUNY: Academic research and cultural institution dedicated to the Puerto Rican diaspora. Comparable mission around cultural preservation and education of Puerto Rican/Afro-Caribbean communities, anchored at a major university.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC240prid1JS2QIfLkCEH8VQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/AfroTainoCT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afrotainoct
• Instagraminstagram.com/afrocaribbeanculture/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@MS4wLjABAAAAy1xtigSW7hGOYe0owLKlFgZL6AYo-JK-wSLOl-9jH4SqXTDooLkj5c-U7e4Xj4NA

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Afro Caribbean Cultural Center