About La Casa

At La Casa de la Cultura, we aim to promote and strengthen pride in our roots, traditions, and ancestry, everything that defines us as individuals from a particular region or country.
The doors are open for every culture, tradition, or customs to be promoted, and to know where we come from and those things that are part of our identity.
Established in Charlotte, NC, in 2022, Casa de la Cultura emerges as a beacon of cultural diversity thanks to the vision and dedication of its founders, Keudis Sánchez and Milagros Ugueto de Sánchez. This space stands as a sanctuary for artistic expression and the celebration of traditions, roots, and cultural heritages of all communities.
We create cultural spaces and activities that promote diversity, working at festivals and within the community to foster local culture and traditions. Our programs include workshops on photography, painting, and folk dances, with plans to add many more activities that further enrich our cultural offerings. Through cultural events, exhibitions, and festivals, La Casa de la Cultura provides a platform for the community to share and celebrate their unique cultural identities.
Our commitment goes beyond teaching and artistic practice; we strive to build bridges between diverse communities, promoting respect, empathy, and intercultural understanding. Ultimately, La Casa de la Cultura seeks to enrich the social fabric of Charlotte and strengthen the ties that unite us as global citizens.

VISION

We envision ourselves as a dynamic and vibrant nonprofit and future cultural center that serves as a meeting point for the community, where people can explore, learn, and share their knowledge about their own cultures and those of others. We aim to be recognized as leaders in promoting intercultural understanding and respect for diversity, thus contributing to the building of more inclusive and harmonious societies.

To become an inclusive and vibrant cultural center, recognized for promoting respect for diversity and contributing to the construction of a more tolerant, empathetic, and harmonious society.

MISION

To promote and strengthen pride in our roots, traditions, and ancestors, celebrating cultural diversity and fostering intercultural understanding.
At La Casa de la Cultura, our mission is to create an inclusive environment where people can celebrate and enrich their love for local and global culture, roots, and traditions through various artistic and folkloric expressions. We strive to foster meaningful connections based on creativity, empathy, respect, equity, and tolerance, thus promoting intercultural understanding and a sense of belonging in our community.

 

Meet our team

Keudis Sánchez

COO and C0-Founder


Afro-indigenous born in Venezuela is a multidisciplinary artivist, graduate in visual arts and also is a traditional performer and cultural promoter and Cultural ambassador.
Sanchz is cofounder of the nonprofit “La Casa de la Cultura/The Culture House” That promotes the culture and traditions of the diasporas in the Queen City. His artwork has been exhibited in New York and North Carolina. He was involved in important arts projects like: Men of Change collaborative project between Harvey Gantt Museum, Levine Museum and Smithsonian institute, CLT SHOUT¡, Boom Festival, State of the Art in Cameron Art Museum Wilmington and among other amazing projects in Charlotte, NC.
Some of his works are focusing on portrait and he adds the use of (AR) augmented reality, he likes to experiment with different styles to study and acquire more tools while practicing. He also works in collaboration with his wife Milagros Ugueto on some mix-media pieces and together they call themselves Kandake&Cacao. Based on their ancestral roots.
He is also dancer, performer and musician.

Milagros Ugueto

de Sánchez

CEO and Co-Founder


Afro-Indigenous born in Caracas Venezuela. She is a teacher by profession, since the year 2000 in the area of foreign languages. She is a world languages teacher and department chair in her school. On the other hand, Milagros is the co-founder of the nonprofit “La Casa de la Cultura/ The Culture House'' she was the director of the celebrations of the fiestas patrias y tradiciones de Charlotte.“ Milagros is a multidisciplinary artist and performer and cultural promoter and Cultural Ambassador. She introduces herself with her heritage and roots while creating cultural spaces for interaction with people from different diasporas and countries.

José “Orheo” Gómez 

Board member

Cultural Facilitator


Afro-Venezuelan Cultural Promoter, works as a musician, composer, percussionist, singer, dancer of traditional Venezuelan music, and teacher by profession.

Orheo has represented Venezuela in international events and festivals in: the United States (more than 50 cities), Poland, Colombia, Panama, Paraguay, France, the United Arab Emirates, various countries in Asia and Africa. Singer of Groups such as:

  • ConVenezuela, Vassallos del Sol.
  • Producer and recording director of the Proyecto  Raíces del Clavo Group.
  • Workshop facilitator with the Bigott Foundation, the Venezuelan orchestra system of the Altos Mirandinos core.
  • Producer of cultural events.
  • Member of the Betsayda Machado group and the El Clavo party.

He received the Guaraira Repano cultural decoration in the second order of the (Mayor's Office of Caracas/Venezuela).