named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Achieving Cultural Equity Survey
Research initiative assessing the needs and challenges of culturally grounded arts organizations, particularly those serving marginalized communities.
CONVERSATIONS ON CULTURE: RACE, ART, MYTH = JUSTICE
A multi-part public dialogue series exploring racial, cultural, and social justice through the perspectives of artists, activists, scholars, and community leaders across the African diaspora and Indigenous communities.
HONORING SACRED WATERS
Cultural and spiritual initiative recognizing the significance of water in Indigenous and diasporic cosmologies, particularly within Yoruba and Orisha traditions.
ORI MICRO GALLERY
Exhibition space and program exploring the concept of ORI—identity, destiny, and spiritual consciousness—within African diasporic traditions.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Advocates for racial and cultural equity through narrative and policy analysisProduces narrative reports such as “More than a Brown Paper” and publishes public statements analyzing events like the January 6 Capitol riot and the “Make America Great Again” movement through a racial justice lens, linking them to historical white supremacist backlash and advocating for change among funders and policymakers.
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Arts Professional Advocacy & Equity Initiatives 1 activity
- Conducts research on cultural equity and community-based organizationsStudies, develops, advances, and disseminates ideas to promote racial, social, environmental, and creative equity for marginalized communities; conducts surveys such as the Achieving Cultural Equity Survey and publishes findings to inform strategic responses and frameworks for racial and civil rights.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Curates and disseminates cultural education and virtual exhibitionsCurates and shares a cultural educational series for the Afro-Latino/a/e/x community and operates ORI Micro Galeria Afro, a virtual gallery rooted in Yoruba and African diasporic principles, including the curation of the AFROFUTURA exhibition.
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Indigenous and Diaspora Cultural Preservation 1 activity
- Hosts knowledge-sharing and cultural gatherings rooted in African diasporic traditionsOrganizes knowledge circles, interdisciplinary gatherings, roundtable discussions, ceremonial openings, and creative performances to exchange African thought, honor ancestral philosophy, and bridge cultural divides, particularly within Afrodescendant and Caribbean communities.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$379K
Contributions & grants$379K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$-685
expenses
Total expenses$578K
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead24%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$149K
Grants paid out$36K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$1.30M
Cash$931K
Investments$0
Liabilities$10K
Net assets$1.29M
Liquid reserves19.3 mo
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue -36.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARTA MORENO-VEGA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 5 | $71K |
board members · 4
- ESMERALDA SIMMONS — SECRETARY
- ISIS RAKIA MATTEI — PRESIDENT
- ROSA ALICIA CLEMENTE — TREASURER
- SAMUEL CRUZ — VICE PRESIDENT
relationships · 27
Who they work with
- ABFE: A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities Partner — Partners through shared leadership in Black philanthropy, as Susan Taylor Batten, President and CEO of ABFE, is listed as a panelist.
- CUNY LaGuardia College Partner — Host venue for event on activism and civil engagement.
- Celso González Partner — Collaborated as curator for the AFROFUTURA exhibition at ORI Micro Galeria Afro.
- Corredor Afro Partner — Collaborates with Corredor Afro to sustain cultural equity, youth programs, and community organizing rooted in Afrodescendant experiences and histories.
- El Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños, CUNY Partner — Host site for virtual panel on Afro-Latinas' realities.
- Esmeralda Simmons, Esq. Partner — Board member who authored and endorsed the organization's public statement on the Capitol Hill riot.
- Facebook Partner — Social media presence on Facebook platform.
- Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook as a platform for outreach and engagement.
- Ford Foundation Government — Engages with CREATIVE JUSTICE INITIATIVE through cross-sector leadership, as Margaret S. Morton, Director of Creativity and Free Expression at Ford Foundation, is listed as a panelist.
- Galería de la Raza Partner — Collaborates with CREATIVE JUSTICE INITIATIVE through shared participation, as Ani Rivera is Executive Director of Galería de la Raza and Amalia Mesa-Bains is an affiliated artist and former board member.
- Instagram Partner — Social media presence on Instagram platform.
- Instagram Partner — Uses Instagram as a platform for outreach and engagement.
- Justice Funders Partner — Collaborates through strategic alignment in funding justice, as Kimi Mojica serves as Consulting Director for Justice Funders and is a panelist.
- La Plaza de Cultura y Artes Partner — Host venue for conversation on racism and colorism in Latinidad.
- LatinoJustice PRLDEF Partner — Collaborates with CREATIVE JUSTICE INITIATIVE through shared leadership, as Juan Cartagena serves as President & General Counsel of LatinoJustice PRLDEF and is listed among panelists.
- Museum of Latin American Art Partner — Host venue for event on Afro-Latino/a/e/x arts and community activism.
- NALAC Partner — Partners with CREATIVE JUSTICE INITIATIVE through cultural leadership alignment, as María de León, Executive Director of NALAC (National Association of Latino Arts and Culture), is a panelist.
- Nathan Cummings Foundation Government — Collaborates through program leadership, as Leticia Peguero, Vice President of Programs at Nathan Cummings Foundation, is a panelist.
- National Museum of African American History and Culture Partner — Collaborating institution for public programs on Afro-Latinidad and Black institution building.
- National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture Partner — Host venue for discussion on building and sustaining Afro-Latino/a/e/x institutions.
- Open Society United States Government — Engages with CREATIVE JUSTICE INITIATIVE through shared equity initiatives, as Alvin Starks, Director of the Equality Fund at Open Society United States, is listed as a panelist.
- Proudly funded by Funder — Funder of the "Honoring Sacred Waters" event.
- Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Partner — Host venue for event on the dimensionality of being Afro-Latino/a/e/x.
- The University of Texas at Austin Partner — Host institution for dialogues on law, education, and diaspora.
- United Nations Government — Cites the United Nations' ratification of cultural equity as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as foundational to its advocacy.
- YouTube Partner — Hosts video content on YouTube channel.
- YouTube Partner — Uses YouTube as a platform for outreach and engagement.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Centered Cultural Organizingmethodology: culturally_grounded_organizingBy centering Afrodescendant experiences and culturally grounded organizations in research and advocacy, the organization advances equity and social cohesion because community-led cultural action strengthens self-determination and collective agency.
- Cultural Reclamation and Reimaginingmethodology: cultural_reclamation_and_reimaginingBy reimagining and interlocking African thought and praxis from root cultures, the organization fosters creativity and transformation because ancestral frameworks are foundational to liberation and community resilience.
- Intergenerational and Unified Justice Movementsmethodology: unified_movements_for_justiceBy fostering intergenerational dialogue and uniting diverse racial and cultural justice movements, the organization builds collective power for systemic change because sustained transformation requires bridging historical knowledge with strategic alliances across communities.