The Caribbean Heritage Arts Preservation Society (C.H.A.P.S.) is a cultural preservation organization dedicated to the protection, documentation, and celebration of Caribbean heritage across local and global communities.

Caribbean culture is the result of a complex historical foundation shaped by African, Indigenous, European, and colonial influences. Over time, these influences developed into distinct cultural identities across the Caribbean islands, each with its own traditions, expressions, and historical narratives.

These identities continue to exist through language, oral storytelling, music, dance, cuisine, religious and spiritual systems, craftsmanship, and visual arts. However, due to migration, globalization, and generational change, cultural visibility can become fragmented or reduced in everyday life.

C.H.A.P.S. exists to address this by creating structured cultural spaces that preserve, document, and present Caribbean heritage in a way that remains accessible, educational, and culturally authentic. The organization prioritizes cultural continuity, ensuring that heritage is not only remembered but actively maintained and shared.

Caribbean communities have long been shaped by migration, both within the region and across international borders, particularly to countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. With migration comes adaptation, integration, and the development of new social identities within different environments.

While these transitions create opportunity and growth, they can also result in gradual cultural displacement, where traditions become less practiced, less visible, or less formally passed on to younger generations.

This reality highlighted a growing need for intentional cultural preservation—spaces dedicated specifically to maintaining Caribbean identity in its full depth and complexity.

C.H.A.P.S. was established in response to this cultural need. The foundation of the organization is rooted in the belief that Caribbean heritage is not static or historical alone, but a living system of knowledge, expression, and identity.

Through cultural exhibitions, educational programming, artifact preservation, and community engagement, C.H.A.P.S. provides a structured environment where Caribbean history and culture are documented, experienced, and passed forward with integrity.

The organization also recognizes the importance of representation, ensuring that Caribbean voices, artists, and cultural contributors are given space to share their narratives and preserve their own histories.