Wacheva Cultural Arts is an organization that presents and supports multicultural dance, drum, and wellness programming in the Central New York Community. 

Biboti Ouikahilo, executive and artistic director an award-winning drummer, dancer, and choreographer, Ouikahilo founded Wacheva in the Ivory Coast region of West Africa in 1994. 

(“Wacheva” means “Unity” in his native Gouro language.) He revived the organization in 2003, after relocating to Syracuse, and set about finding it a permanent home.

In January 2008, Wacheva received a not-for-profit, 501c3 tax- exempt status.

Today Wacheva Cultural Arts is a not-for-profit organization with 501(c)3 tax-exempt status. An organization that presents and supports multicultural dance, drum, and fitness programming in the Central New York Community. 

After four years of sharing West African culture and arts throughout the CNY community, we have seen that the need for our services is going up from schools and organizations that do not have the financial means to sustain our organization as a profitable enterprise. 

The mission was to share this culture and art with everyone in the community and it has steadily grown over the years. To fill these requests and sustain, we have decided it’s necessary to reorganize ourselves as a non-profit organization, making us eligible for grant funding.

This would allow us to better meet the needs of the community and schools. Then Wacheva could frequently provide, a special offering at the expense of the organization, free classes in our various disciplines, to allow people the opportunity to experience the art and culture where costs may be a barrier. That was the purpose to bring as Non-For-Profit organization.

Story about our past dance studio at 117 Harvard place behind BoomBaBies.

In Fall 2008, Jill Finochio and I, find a former auto body shop been vacant where there was “no life” more than 15 years. Such as No electricity, no water, paint, and car oil were in floor and smelled everywhere inside the building at the Westcott area. (See photos)

Wacheva collaborated with another organization to define the meaning of Wacheva. Which is Unity in my ethnic group.
 

So, Wacheva collaborated with PPD. Parent Promoting Dance organization to make as One Village Dance Center to create as The Homestead Project.

Because Wacheva was for the promotion of Cultures and PPD was for the promotion of Performing Arts (Ballet and more) All together under one roof.

PARENTS PROMOTING DANCE

Parents Promoting Dance (PPD) is a not-for-profit, 501c3 tax-exempt organization and has been serving the community since 2000.

Over the course of 11 months, Wacheva rehabilitated the space into an incredibly vibrant, dynamic, urban dance and culture space.

All the work has been done by volunteers from the community

which have made this place so Special. This voluntary based construction of the space in turn helped build Wacheva’s ownership by community members. 

With support received by:

Initial grants used for rehabilitation of the studio:

In 2008 and 2009, Wacheva’s received funding from Syracuse University $20000 Labor fees

The CNY Community Foundation $10000, floor purchase fees

The Gifford Foundation $12000, floor purchase fees

CRC and HSA-Tap $3000. Mirrors fees

Families’ friends and neighbors $25000 Labor fees

In 2010, Wacheva received funding from the Community Foundation in the amount of $3000 to purchase a sign-in/data collection system for the front desk. 

Unfortunately, we lost the space in 2020 for lack of financial means with all the development work that we have done in the building.

Yes, unfortunately, we lost the space for lack of financial means to pay the bills of three months late. I say three-month bills. Not 4, 5, 6, or 12 months late. Nope! Three months. And this Never Ever happen to us since 2009 we were on the building. Never. Only because COVID-19 

And there, the owner forgot that his space was not USABLE for the past 5 to 15 years. And there was no one to pay him a monthly bill. No one, No one, and None.

Until we came to spend more than $60.000 to arrange his space for the good of the community. Truly?? This is the business world??? WOW!!!

But we did One of our goals: what can I say, in the last 10-11 years space has not had enough money to cover its expenses, but in the last 10-11 years it has brought together and built the community under one roof.

IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAM:

Diversity population impact, and community building impact.

In 2009, our multicultural dance studio, has builds an incredibly dynamic, diverse, and powerful inner community that naturally infuses its outer community with creative, positive energy; an openness to others; and a willingness to expand boundaries. The programs have unified rooms with differences in color, culture and custom.

Wacheva was founded on the principle of diversity. Our mission emulates the need to promote diverse experiences in Centre New York communities. And our constituents reflect such diversity. Because we believe that the integration of each culture from around the world, without discrimination, will contribute to the betterment of mankind

WHY was Westcott Nation? 

The demographics are overwhelmingly favorable, as the Westcott community is already the established “artsy” area surrounded by students of Syracuse University and their teachers, LeMoyne College, and residential families and more

So, the space was an opportunity for people of all ages (kids, adults and seniors) and ethnicities to connect with themselves and their spirits in communion with others under one roof.

The foundation of the organization was to bring people together from all cultures to participate in the cultural dance rhythms and wellness and art practices of other groups. We believe that multicultural art creates moment for others.

DEMOGRAPHICS through DATA:

Based on the demographic information collected on participants from 2009-2018:

45% are SU affiliated

33% being SU students

65% of participants reside in the city of Syracuse

40% coming from the 13210 Zip code

35% of participants coming from places such as Europe, Africa, South America, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, Asia. 

59% of participants are between the ages of 20-39 years old

28% of participants are between the ages of 40-69 years old

Our Multicultural Studio as Reference Point for SU faculty, staff and students. 

Each year, Wacheva meets interview requests from 20-30 students for papers or video projects; provides 10-15 performances, lecture/demonstrations and/or master classes for various professors in different departments and for cultural events on- and off-campus; provides intern opportunities for students looking to get experience in arts administration; provides space for SU dance residencies.

We are the only organization in Syracuse, and physically within the University neighborhood, that is a reference point for multicultural dance and drum arts. 

Our scholarships:

Kaapa-Cheeva Scholarship Fund:

In 2009, Wacheva created the Kaapa-Cheeva Scholarship Fund with a donation by Cafe 407 to Ophelia's Place local business. The fund was created to support the community's passion for the study of cultural dance and drum arts in the form of scholarships. The scholarships offer free courses to its recipients. 

The word "Kaapa-Cheeva" means "to help one another" in the language of the Biboti Ouikahilo ethnic group, the Gouro people. The winners are selected based on the following criteria: • An unwavering commitment to Wacheva's programs through a dedicated presence. 

-A love for cultural dance and drum arts. 

-A passion for involving the community in cultural dance and drum arts. 

-Financial need. 

What is this fund? As of October 2010, to September 2018 Wacheva has awarded 249 total scholarships, 142 to children in our Kids African Arts & Culture Program and 107 to adults all classes. 

Free monthly community drumming circle:

This proposed activity highlight Wacheva’s mission of providing space for implementing arts and cultural experiences from around the world for the entire community. Drumming is a universal tool easy to learn and available for everyone and it also has a symbolic way of bringing different members of the community together using rhythm as a universal language.

Bruce Stark Week: Free community classes

Bruce Stark Week was a new activity from 2013-2016 in Wacheva’s portfolio establish thanks to a donation of the parents of a community member Bruce Stark who passed away in April 2013. He had a great love for arts, culture and the community and his parents fulfilled his wish to contribute to Wacheva’s operation in the community. The donation of $1550 was donated in a form of unrestricted funds for the organization and the Wacheva is expressing its appreciation in a form of newly created program having the name of its donor. The program has already begun on March 2015 and consists of various activities and free classes including community drumming lasting 1 full day (Saturday) in the neighborhood for the Syracuse and SU community.

For Wacheva’s executive director the gesture was really received deeply for wacheva organization. The only things came he’s mind was to do something on he’s Memory where the community could be involved. And Wacheva’s decided to create a program calling "Bruce Stark Week."

Because its love for the Arts and community. 

So that program brough us together for years.

Wacheva believe that multicultural art under one roof creates moment for others. This expression of art and culture builds a dynamic, diverse, and powerful inner community that infuses its outer community with creative, positive energy; an openness to others; and a willingness to expand one’s boundaries.

At 117 Harvard Place, behind BoomBabies, those who had never ever met, and even from different cultures, had the chance to meet and become friends. Others have had the chance to make friends and even family. And our presence there has also helped businesses in the surrounding area. That's why Wacheva always believes in bringing together different cultures under one roof. 

We still remember Syracuse Mayor Stephanie A. Miner states, 

“The arts are essential to the vibrancy of our city. The arts and culture industry...fosters a creative environment that helps attract, retain, and support businesses and brings positive energy to our neighborhoods.”

Peace, Love Unity, Hope, & Believe (PLUHB)