Melanie Wofford (MARA Lead Representative) is the President of the Malonga Arts Residents Association (MARA), a community organizer, non-profit consultant and CEO of Community & Housing Initiatives Corporation (CHIC).

She is a proud resident of the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts and has a passion for supporting affordable housing programs and provides fundraising and technical assistance to neighborhood groups, individuals and non-profit organizations. A recent member of the CAST Cultural Ambassadors cohort, Melanie is relatively new to the Bay Area and has been working with various arts and community based organizations for the past 6 years.

In addition to her work in the East Bay, Melanie serves as the President of a Friends of the Park Group in Atlanta, Georgia where she recently secured a 250,000 grant for park renovations in the Historically Black College Neighborhood known as the Atlanta University Center.

Melanie prides herself on working to promote community and civic engagement wherever she goes, her passion for life is fueled by the vision of common unity between all races. Racial healing and Economic Equity are her primary areas of focus. For this project, Melanie will serve as MARA’s liaison to OACC, engaging their artists in the festival lineup.