CANDO: Tampa nonprofit strengthens and celebrates Caribbean American community

This year, the University of South Florida School of Music launched a community class on how to play the steel pan.   

The eight-week online introduction to the steel pan, a musical instrument originally from Trinidad and Tobago, is part of a collaboration with local non-profit the Caribbean American National Development Organization.

CANDO, as the organization is commonly known, launched over a decade ago to promote cultural awareness, development and advancement of the Caribbean American community. 

“The Caribbean American community’s concerns have been the priority from day one,” says CANDO President Francis Joseph. “So CANDO helps to bridge the gap between Tampa and the Caribbean diaspora.”

CANDO works in four core areas: health, wellness, housing and disaster relief, Joseph says.
 
“We help to educate people about healthcare and provide input about housing,” he adds.

As a small non-profit organization, they do not have houses or apartments to rent, Joseph says. However, when individuals come to CANDO with their challenges, “we work with our partners so they have assistance,” he adds.

Adding community programs

“Last April, we launched our first robotics program in collaboration with Brooks-DeBartolo (Collegiate High School) and the Caribbean Community Association,” Joseph says.

The four-week workshop is designed for children ages nine to 12. The organization also hosts a one-week summer camp programming robotics for the same age group.

This year’s camp runs from July 8th to 12th at the University Area Community Development Center’s Harvest Hope Community Park in north Tampa
CANDO has built a strong relationship with the Tampa Bay community through programs and events it hosts each year. That’s particularly true during Caribbean American Heritage Month in June. 

“The objective of these events is to highlight the contributions and the presence of the Caribbean community in the Tampa Bay area while showing our appreciation for here,” says Joseph. 

Bob SimonThe Tampa Bay Caribbean Heritage Festival celebrates Caribbean American culture and history.The Tampa Bay Caribbean Heritage Festival is a well-known event that gathers Caribbean artists and groups from the community. CANDO hosts this event every year on June 1st to open the Heritage Month celebration.

The idea to proclaim June as the Caribbean Heritage Month started with Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) in June 2005, when she introduced the resolution to honor and recognize the meaningfulness of Caribbean people and their descendants in the history and culture of the United States of America. Then, in June 2006, after passing both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, President George W. Bush proclaimed the month of June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month.

The 12th annual local festival at University Area Park on June 1st celebrated Caribbean immigrants' history and contributions to America. The event gathered artists, vendors, people of Caribbean heritage and friends living in the Tampa Bay area. Food trucks and Caribbean music were popular with the crowd. The festival is also about history. United States founding father Alexander Hamilton, who was from St. Kitts and Nevis, fought with honor in the Revolutionary War. 

Looking ahead, CANDO plans its annual gala at the end of 2024. 


For more information, go to CANDO.