Welcome to
CALGARY AFRICAN COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
CACC is a Black-led, Black-serving, and Black-focused collective umbrella in Calgary that serves grassroots organizations.
Message from the Executive Director
Dr. Charles Odame- Ankrah
- Executive Director
Executive Director
We are the umbrella organization for over 120 African & Black founded, Black led & Black focused organizations and agencies in Calgary. We provide our member organizations and People of African Descendent (POAD) communities with a platform for collaboration and collective support system that promotes accessibility to Afro-centric services, partnerships, funding, community building, and impactful social interaction among members.
our services
systems change
The African Canadian Collaborative for Systems Change was launched by CACC in partnership with NABC and funded by the Calgary Foundation.
Ujima Hub
Welcome to Ujima Hub, a supportive space for African organizations in the B3 community, with CACC serving as a catalyst for opportunities.
Collective Events
Our events empower participants and foster connections through meaningful activities.
Why Us?
Bridge the Gap
CACC is established to bridge the gaps in the system and provide support to grassroots community organizations within the Black and African communities.
Unified Voice
CACC acts as a unified voice, advocating for the inclusion of Black and African Canadians in the Calgary and Area region.
Office Space
CACC is investing on collective space set to provide office & meeting spaces for grassroot members to cut down cost of operating expenses.
Networking Opportunities
CACC provides networking opportunities with like-minded individuals and organizations, allowing you to expand your connections.
Access to Resources
CACC provides access to resources and information that can help individuals and organizations within the Black and African communities thrive.
Advocacy
CACC actively advocates for the rights and inclusion of Black and African Canadians, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met.
community calendar
What People are saying
The Calgary African Community Collective (CACC) plays a pivotal role in empowering grassroots organizations like ours, bridging resources and fostering collaboration to amplify our community impact. Their support has been instrumental in enabling us to secure grassroots funding, which we are excited to use for our upcoming Youth Spark event as part of the SIYS 2024 Report to the Community. CACC’s work is truly transformative, and I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate.
Musap (Moose) Abdel
That the Black community has suffered some discrimination from outside and isolation from within is an understatement. The coming on board has consistently addressed these two germane issues the community faces. Through effective dialogue and evidence-based research, CACC has been able to listen to the community members’ voices and muster the courage to establish processes and procedures to address their concerns. Yes, it is still a work in progress, but the collective efforts championed by the Board of CACC are piloting the community in the right direction.Â
Dr. Bolu Oluwadele
When I started Umuaka Africa, I didn’t plan to start a formal non-profit, it just came from a place of passion and love for our children. I wanted to create spaces where African kids in Calgary could hear our stories, celebrate our roots, and feel proud of who they are.
CACC believed in that dream even before we had structure or funding. Their seeding grant for our first event in June 2025 made it possible to host Tales from the Motherland, and that support gave me the courage to keep going, it reminded me that this dream matters and that I’m not alone.
Chinwe Ninson (Founder Umuaka Africa)
Read our latest Blogs
Karibu (Welcome)
Kiswahili (Swahili) is a widely spoken language in Africa, mainly prevalent in the East and Horn of Africa. The language originated from the Bantu tribes of today’s Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique and has been influenced through centuries of interactions between locals and traders arriving via the Indian Ocean. Swahili also lends us the principles that…
Systems Change 101: Understanding Our Mission
Our mission at CACC is to promote systems change through collaborative projects that address poverty-related issues, encourage civic engagement and advocate for equitable resource allocation. But what does “systems change” entail and why is it important in the grand scheme of things. Systems change can be understood through “The Water of Systems Change” framework proposed…
How real is the threat of food insecurity for Black families in Calgary?
The parallel between poverty and food insecurity is apparent to most, but we rarely think about the demographics that are most at risk of facing food insecurity in Canada. In November 2023, Statistics Canada released its insights into “Food insecurity among Canadian families” which used data from the 2021 Canadian Income Survey. The survey indicated…