Arts, culture meet as Afro-Caribbean Center opens in Waterbury

Arts, culture meet as Afro-Caribbean Center opens in Waterbury

By, Bill Cloutier - January 27, 2023

WATERBURY – More than 70 people gathered Wednesday afternoon to celebrate diversity and unity at the grand opening of the Afro Caribbean Cultural Center on Grand Street.

Nelson Rafael, CEO and founder of the center, said the overall goal of the center is to create a space where Afro Taino and Afro Caribbean people can feel like they have a home.

“It is about celebrating arts and culture, and theater and dance that is reflective of the entire Caribbean, not just isolating one specific Caribbean culture,” Rafael said. “We are about lifting the community as a whole, and welcoming to every race, creed and culture.”

Waterbury in its history had two cultural centers. Rafael said he wanted to honor the centers’ legacy and create a sustainable space.

“I think it is a wonderful addition to our downtown community,” said Lynn Ward, president and CEO of Waterbury Regional Chamber. “It is a terrific opportunity to bring so many cultures together.”

Joe McGrath, the city’s director of economic development, agreed.

“It is something we are proud to have in downtown Waterbury,” he said.

At the beginning of the gathering, dancer Zeleste Cara and the Brass City Bomba performed a 400-year-old traditional dance in the musical style of Puerto Rico. The dance is rooted in the island’s history of African slavery and has evolved into a community expression of Puerto Rican culture.

The center’s walls are adorned with paintings contributed by local artists, and there is open space with couches and a bookshelf featuring books on numerous subjects.

“I am excited,” Aldermen Michael Salvio said. “I love the artwork by local artists and the media room. I am so happy it is here.”

Rafael said he wants to encourage people to come sit and feel at home at the center.

The center was founded in 2021 after Rafael came home to Waterbury and aspired to be part of an art community to celebrate the Afro Caribbean diaspora. He gathered his friends and began offering programming once a week out of the Heart and Soul Dance Studio before finding a permanent home for the center at 174 Grand St. The center’s administration includes 10 board members.

The center offers arts and cultural programs, including the making of Vejigante masks, a folkloric symbol of African and Taino cultures. There also are educational programs on Afro Taino and Afro Caribbean cultures, as well as theater and summer youth camps.

Nicole Delgado, a board member, said she is excited to learn new things about her culture at the center.

Victoria Encarnacion, another board member, acknowledged there is a lot of divisiveness in Waterbury.

“We are trying to bring everyone together,” she said. “We are all one and part of the diaspora. We are all coming together in this space and sharing in this culture.”