On April 23, Cali's mayor's office handed over a property for the city's first Casa Afro, aimed at empowering black, Afro-descendant, Raizal, and Palenquera communities. The initiative focuses on building leadership and preserving cultural knowledge, with an opening planned for 2027.
The Secretariat of Social Welfare and the Unit of Goods and Services led the handover of the property, a former unused educational institution. This step implements Acuerdo 0459 of 2019, which sets policies to address these communities' needs.
Johana Caicedo, Social Welfare Secretary, stated: “We are happy and proud because today the Unit of Goods and Services is delivering a wonderful property where our Casa Afro will operate, to strengthen leadership and political, economic empowerment of our communities”.
The space will serve as a hub for grassroots organizations, community leaders, community councils, and the Consejo Territorial CaliAfro. Planned activities include training in science, technology, art, and culture, plus social fabric strengthening efforts. Andrés Esquivel from the Unit noted: “This property has no current use; it was an educational institution that has not operated for some time, allowing us to use it to promote Afro culture in Cali”.
Clara Inés Torres, Deputy Secretary of Populations and Ethnicities, emphasized it meets a long-standing community request. In 2025, over 12 billion pesos were allocated to the Afro population, including the Origen Afro program that aided over 100 entrepreneurs with the Chamber of Commerce. Studies and designs are set for 2026, with construction in 2027.
