
C.A.C.I.Q.U.E.
The Center for Ancestral Circling, Indigeneity, Queerness, Underprivileged, and the Eart. The Center fo Ancestral Circling, Writing to youth in juvenile detention, and L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. Pride. C.A.C.I.Q.U.E. is a center for Restorative and Social Justice.
C.A.C.I.Q.U.E. is the grandmother program of the Afro Caribbean Cultural Center.
MISSION AND VALUES
MISSON: Cacique Inc is a community of people working across race and gender to eradicate sexism, serophobia, homophobia and transphobia and create healthy frameworks of masculinity and change. We invite you to join us!
We work for Gender Justice, which means we are not satisfied with the traditional expectations of masculinity and femininity; they tend to box us in and make embodying femininity negative in our culture. Instead, we are fighting with others to build healthy and affirming ideas around gender. We are talking about our responsibilities and privilege as masculine people, and we are working hard to change the power dynamics in our relationships, families, and communities. We believe that by investing in the lives of feminine-identified people - especially womyn, girls, and trans folks - we will shift the balance of power. We are striving for the day when all brown bois can embody non-oppressive masculinities rooted in honor, community, and empowerment of others.
CORE VALUES:
* We value seeing the beauty in everything: We are a broad, diverse community of activists, philanthropists, rebels, and leaders who are driven by a commitment to racial justice, gender justice, and transforming our privilege of masculinity into a tool for social change. We prioritize support that improves the lives of masculine-of-center womyn, queer and trans people, and people of color. We work to transform the lives of women and girls and introduce new alliances and tools for challenging racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia across our communities.
* We value the warm embrace of community: We recognize that building community requires time, effort, and sacrifice. We see questions as essential to growth, renewal, and the overturning of ideas that harm our communities. We support innovative organizations that provide places to share and grow collectively and individually, those that align social justice movements and open new dialogues at the margins.
* We value the coming together if and when our community has been broken: We are bold, daring, fearless, and steadfast in challenging assumptions and conventions in ways that resonate and connect with grassroots communities of color. We think critically and strategically in search of the best answers and approaches. We live at the intersections, transgressing boundaries and bringing about new dialogues.
* We value innovation: We approach our work with optimism, think boldly, and see new ideas as opportunities for transformation, forward growth, and social change.
WHAT DO WE DO?
Simply put CACIQUE Inc exists to teach, practice, and make available the practice of self-governance through the circle process. Beginning in the City of Chicago and spreading throughout the entire country. Doing this with emphasis on Queer, Communities of Color, and the Underprivileged. All while respecting and protecting mother earth and her life force. Recognizing and respecting ancestral work/planes in the process and rooting our work in deep spiritual centering and practice. While promoting the culture and history of the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora and celebrating the Taíno influences.
WHAT MAKES YOU QUALIFIED? WHERE AND WHO HAVE YOU TRAINED WITH?
Rafael Feliciano is an IFA / Yoruba Priest and has been deep in spiritual work and practice for over fifteen years. Rafael is a community activist and organizer, formerly homeless (twice), and HIV+ advocate. He has held elected office and is a trained Circle keeper. Rafael considers himself a student of Dr. Syra Pinto of MassCircles. He has now offered and worked with bringing Circle Process to over 200 individuals throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
Ana Iturbides
Ronae Mason Craig


