Giana De Dier is a contemporary collage artist whose work explores the histories and lived experiences of Afro-Caribbean communities in Panama, particularly those who migrated during the construction of the Panama Canal in the early 20th century. Focusing on the narratives of Afro-Caribbean women, her collages examine themes of memory, migration, identity, and representation. De Dier blends paper, fabric, photographs, and archival materials to challenge historical erasure and reimagine what is missing from official records. Her work offers powerful visual meditations on family, place, and belonging. De Dier studied visual arts at the University of Panama, and her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Panama, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Venice Biennale, and 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair. Her pieces are held in major collections such as the Panama Canal Museum and the Inter-American Development Bank.
The Organización Negra Guatemalteca (ONEGUA) is dedicated to promoting and preserving the culture and rights of the Garífuna community in Guatemala. Based in Livingston, Izabal, ONEGUA plays a key role in organizing cultural events, including dance performances and public activities that highlight Garífuna traditions. Through these initiatives, ONEGUA contributes to the social, political, and economic development of Afro-descendant communities in Guatemala. The organization collaborates with regional partners to combat racism and discrimination, while also advocating for gender equity and social justice.
Red de Mujeres Hamalali Hiñariñu Garinagu (HAHIGA) is a legally recognized network of Garífuna and Afro-descendant women based in Puerto Barrios, Izabal, Guatemala. Meaning "the voice of Garífuna women" in the Garífuna language, HAHIGA plays a crucial role in promoting political participation and comprehensive community development. Through leadership programs, workshops, and advocacy efforts, HAHIGA strengthens the social, political, and economic participation of Garífuna women. It also leads the Agenda of Garífuna and Afro-descendant Women (AMGA), focusing on three key areas—education, health, and economic development—to drive sustainable and impactful change within their communities.
Established in 1979, OFRANEH is a grassroots organization committed to defending the autonomy and collective rights of the Garífuna people. Their mission encompasses the protection of social, economic, cultural, and territorial rights, as well as the preservation of ancestral cultural identity and spirituality. OFRANEH has been instrumental in legal advocacy, including cases before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and promotes community empowerment through initiatives like a network of Garífuna community radio stations.
A contemporary art institution dedicated to the promotion, exhibition, and documentation of Belizean visual culture, creative practice, and critical thought, with a focus on supporting emerging and established artists.
In the Old Days is a cultural booklet produced by UNESCO in 2012. It focuses on preserving and celebrating the oral traditions, memories, and cultural heritage of the Creole community in Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast
Isidra Sabio is a self-taught Garifuna painter and illustrator from the northern coast of Honduras, whose vibrant, Afrocentric artwork celebrates the lives and strength of Garifuna and Afro-descendant communities. Since 2017, when she began painting on canvas to fill a gap in Afro-themed art for her home, her work has been showcased in solo exhibitions in New York and Washington, D.C., and collected internationally. Through her art, she raises awareness about Afro-Latinx identity and centers the resilience of Black women. In addition to her creative work, Isidra is a trained Agricultural Engineer and holds a Master of Science from Louisiana State University. She was the first Garifuna woman to graduate from Honduras’s prestigious El Zamorano agricultural school and received a national award for her scientific contributions while working with the United Nations.
Judith Kain (1931–2001) was a self-taught Afro-Caribbean painter and lifelong artist from Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua, whose work captures the intimate geographies, memories, and social life of the Caribbean coast. Before turning to painting in her mid-fifties, Kain was deeply engaged in Creole textile arts—sewing, crochet, and macramé—which she practiced as both aesthetic and communal forms of care. After being displaced by the Contra War in the 1980s, Kain settled in Bilwi (Puerto Cabezas), where she transformed her home into a sanctuary of creativity and hospitality. Her lush landscape paintings depict idealized visions of coastal towns, traditional homes, and everyday life before the region’s violent militarization. Infused with longing and memory, her work affirms the cultural autonomy and historical presence of Afro-descendant and Indigenous communities. Following her death, her home was converted into the Casa Museo Judith Kain, now a cultural heritage site that continues to preserve and celebrate her legacy and the broader arts of Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast.
Casa Museo Judith Kain Cunningham, located in the Aeropuerto neighborhood of Bilwi, Nicaragua, is a cultural museum housed in the former home of artist and cultural advocate Judith Kain. Founded by her family in 2001, the museum preserves over 500 objects, including her paintings, historical artifacts, and artisanal works that reflect the rich cultural heritage of the Caribbean Coast’s Afro-descendant and Indigenous communities. It serves as a vibrant space for education, artistic expression, and cultural memory.
