Draft:AfriKin Foundation
African diaspora nonprofit in North Miami
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AfriKin Foundation, Inc. is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution founded in 2015 and based in North Miami, Florida. The foundation focuses on African and African diaspora arts, cultural diplomacy, and community programming. It operates Maison AfriKin, a permanent gallery and institutional home at 1600 NE 126th Street in North Miami, and produces an annual portfolio of exhibitions and cultural events including the AfriKin Art Fair, held each year during Miami Art Week.
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| Founded | 2015 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Alfonso D. Brooks |
| Type | 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution |
| Focus | African and African diaspora arts, cultural diplomacy, institution building |
| Location |
|
Region served | Miami metropolitan area; international |
| Method | Art fairs, exhibitions, cultural events, diplomacy |
Key people | Alfonso D. Brooks (Founder and Executive Director) |
| Website | afrikin |
The organization's name combines "Africa" and "kinship," reflecting its mission to build cultural connections across the Global African world through art, heritage, fashion, and dialogue.
History
AfriKin Foundation grew out of Rockers Movement, a cultural production platform founded by Alfonso D. Brooks in 1998 that produced music festivals and community events across South Florida and the New York metropolitan area. Brooks formally established AfriKin Foundation as a nonprofit cultural institution in 2015, reorienting the work around contemporary African and diaspora visual art, cultural diplomacy, and institution building.
In 2022, AfriKin Foundation established its permanent institutional home at 1600 NE 126th Street in North Miami, Florida, operating the space as Maison AfriKin — a gallery, event venue, and curatorial headquarters.
Programs
AfriKin Art Fair
The AfriKin Art Fair is the foundation's flagship annual program, presenting contemporary African and diaspora art during Miami Art Week each December. Now in its eleventh year, the fair has been recognized by the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) as an official kick-off event of Art Basel Miami Beach.[1] The fair has featured works by artists from across Africa, the Caribbean, and the broader African diaspora.
| Year | Edition / Theme | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Art & Reason | Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami |
| 2016 | We Are AfriKin | Miami, Florida |
| 2017 | Healing Our Nation | Miami, Florida |
| 2018 | Art, Culture, Community | Miami, Florida |
| 2019 | Art of Conversation | Miami Beach, Florida |
| 2020 | A New Way of Being | Virtual |
| 2021 | The Fire Next Time | Miami Ironside |
| 2022 | The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born | Miami Ironside |
| 2023 | The Beauty and Brilliance of Global Africa | North Miami — featured in The New York Times Miami Art Week coverage[2] |
| 2024 | Threads of Life and Fragments of Time (10th anniversary edition, 74 artists) | North Miami[3] |
| 2025 | Scenes From Home (nearly 200 works by approximately 60 artists) | North Miami[4] |
AfriKin Art Wellington
Launched in February 2025 in partnership with the Village of Wellington and Palm Beach County, AfriKin Art Wellington is an annual exhibition presented each Black History Month at the Wellington Community Center Grande Ballroom. The 2026 edition featured works by over 50 artists from more than 35 countries, themed "Art as Commemoration, Continuity, and Future-Making."[5][6]
African Fashion Week Miami
An annual runway showcase presenting emerging and established designers whose collections are rooted in African identity, heritage, and contemporary expression. Past designers have represented Senegal, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Haiti.
AfriKin: Art, Jazz & Champagne
An annual all-women art exhibition and live jazz celebration held each March during Women's History Month, pairing exhibition openings with live performance.[7]
Taste of AfriKin
An annual celebration of African and Caribbean culinary traditions held each Labor Day weekend in North Miami, featuring food, live music, art, and a signature jollof cook-off.[8]
Art and the Beautiful Game
A museum-scale contemporary exhibition produced for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Miami, featuring over 50 artists from more than 25 nations of Global Africa. The exhibition ran from June through October 2, 2026 at Maison AfriKin. AfriKin Foundation is the only African diaspora cultural institution listed on the GMCVB's official FIFA World Cup 2026 cultural tourism platform. The exhibition included the Cabo Verde International Football Welcome Reception on June 20, 2026, endorsed by Consul General Octavio B. Gomes of the Republic of Cabo Verde.[9]
Recognition
AfriKin Foundation has received civic recognition from multiple South Florida governments and institutions:
- 2024 — AfriKin Art Week Proclamation, City of North Miami, proclaimed by Mayor Alix Desulme and the full City Commission, designating December 1–7 as AfriKin Art Week.[10]
- 2024 — Letter of Support, Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, signed by Senior Vice President Connie Kinnard.
- 2019 — AfriKin Day Proclamation, City of Miami Beach, proclaimed by Mayor Dan Gelber on December 6, 2019.
- 2016 — Afrikin Festival Day Proclamation, City of Miami, proclaimed by Mayor Tomás P. Regalado on November 17, 2016 — the first government recognition of AfriKin.
Cultural diplomacy
AfriKin Foundation has developed formal relationships with foreign governments and consular offices. The Republic of Cabo Verde, through Consul General Octavio B. Gomes and Minister of Sports Carlos do Canto Sena Monteiro, issued official endorsements of AfriKin Foundation's programming for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Miami.
The foundation is listed by Visit Florida as a recognized cultural organization supporting arts and tourism across the state.[11]
Press coverage
AfriKin Foundation has been covered by regional and national media, including:
- The New York Times, which featured the AfriKin Art Fair in its Miami Art Week coverage in December 2023.[12]
- WPLG Local 10 (ABC affiliate), covering the AfriKin Art Fair in November 2025.[13]
- WSVN / Deco Drive, which has covered multiple AfriKin events across several years.
- Miami Times, which covered the AfriKin "Gaze Africana" exhibition in January 2023.[14]
- Caribbean National Weekly and Town-Crier News, covering AfriKin Art Wellington in February 2026.
- Wellington The Magazine, which featured AfriKin Art Wellington in January 2026.[15]