ELEVATING AFRICAN AND AFRICAN DIASPORA ARTISTS
Color Me Africa Fine Arts.
Preserving culture. Elevating artists. Bridging communities through art.
Color Me Africa Fine Arts is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting African and African Diaspora artists through exhibitions, education, advocacy, and cultural exchange.
CREATE | INSPIRE | EMPOWER
COMMUNITY
Partnership that connects artists and audiences.
EDUCATION
Programs that deepen cultural understanding.
FEATURED EXHIBITIONS
Contemporary African perspective rooted in heritage and global dialogue
OUR TEAM
Artist: Jaden William
EXECUTIVE MEMBERS
Soraya Sheppard-Bowen Founder & Executive Director
I founded Color Me Africa Fine Arts from my personal journey—as an immigrant, art collector, and woman deeply rooted in Africa’s creative spirit.
Born in South Africa, I left to escape apartheid and eventually built a life in the United States. Twenty‑five years later, I returned home seeking reconnection with my culture and discovered both extraordinary artistic talent and the persistent barriers artists face: limited opportunities, exploitation, and lack of global visibility.
I spent months listening to artists and arts organizations in Johannesburg and Chicago, learning about their challenges and the realities of the contemporary art world. Those conversations shaped a vision—to create a platform where African artists can be seen, valued, and supported on their own terms.
That vision became Color Me Africa Fine Arts.
CMAFA exists to build bridges between African visual artists and the world. Our mission is rooted in advocacy, equity, and visibility—ensuring that African artists have access to opportunity without exploitation and that their stories and cultural narratives continue to shine globally.
This work is personal. It is my way of honoring Africa’s artists and amplifying the creativity that has shaped my own life and identity.
Mario has had the fortune of working for some of the largest Fortune 500 companies in the world as well as startups. These companies provided me with a robust skill set to apply in everyday life, and great leaders and mentors that have guided, challenged, and molded my leadership style over the years.
A corporate executive for over 30 years leading strategic business development and deployment of successful sales programs for Fortune 500 companies, Mario has increased market share and stakeholder value. Mario has an award-winning record of enhancing sales and delivering top-and-bottom line growth, delivering a Billion dollars in sales.
Mario led the business development, sales, and marketing program for the largest grocery chain across the U.S. and was awarded Most Valued Vendor of the Year. Mario led the strategic initiatives and performance analysis.
Prior to joining Secure Transport, Mario was the US Director of Convenient Store Sales for a large food broker company. He managed key relationships with high-end retailers, including the largest convenient store retailer company in the US. Mario has also held various leadership roles with Brown Forman, Seagram’s Sazerac, and The Campbell Soup Company.
In his current role at Secure Transport, Mario is inspired by the challenges of yet another emerging industry, drawing parallels between the heavily regulated adult beverage industry and the burgeoning cannabis business. He embraces the opportunity to innovate and create efficiencies that have a positive impact on customers, sales, and highlights his commitment to driving success within the sector.
Mario holds a BA in Business Marketing from Drake University in Iowa, an MBA in International Business from Heller College of Business at Roosevelt University in Chicago, and Executive Management program at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is a Board member of the Black Alumni Association at Drake University.
Nadia Pillay
Nadia Pillay, born in South Africa and the youngest daughter of Soraya Sheppard, is an artist in her own right and one of the original founding members of Color Me Africa Fine Arts Gallery. Grounded in a lifelong love for the arts and a deep belief in her mother’s vision, Nadia was instrumental in the gallery’s formation. Her commitment to creative excellence, cultural preservation, and community-building helped shape Color Me Africa into a space dedicated to honoring African and diasporic artists from its very beginning.
SEAN TENNER
Vice President
Sean Tenner is an original founding member of Color Me Africa Fine Arts Gallery and has been a dedicated supporter of its vision since first learning of Soraya Sheppard’s story in the Chicago Sun-Times.
A native of Naperville, Illinois, and a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, DC, Tenner brings nearly two decades of experience in organizational strategy, advocacy, and nonprofit consulting. His work has supported community-focused initiatives and mission-driven organizations at the local and national levels.
Throughout his career, Tenner has been committed to advancing equity, storytelling, and public engagement—values that closely align with the cultural and educational mission of Color Me Africa Fine Arts Gallery. As Vice President, he contributes strategic guidance and long-term vision to help elevate African and African diaspora art, artists, and narratives within the broader cultural landscape.
Amy Berk brings extensive expertise in nonprofit governance, organizational compliance, and editorial leadership to the Board of Color Me Africa Fine Arts. As a seasoned publishing professional and community advocate, she plays a critical role in ensuring that CMAFA upholds the highest standards of 501(c)(3) operational integrity, board management, and documentation.
Amy’s professional background includes decades of experience in writing, editing, and visual design for major educational and scientific institutions. She has served as an editor for the American Dental Association, the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center, Scott Foresman, and Goodheart-Willcox, contributing to textbooks and professional resources used nationwide. She is a former president of Chicago Women in Publishing and has taught editing courses and workshops for The Graham School for Continuing Professional Education.
In addition to her editorial and organizational expertise, Amy is deeply engaged in community service. Her volunteer work includes tutoring immigrants in English, supporting animal shelters, and contributing to grassroots initiatives serving Chicago’s unhoused population.
Amy holds two master’s degrees—in Teaching and Social Work—from the University of Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Oberlin College. Her blend of operational rigor, editorial precision, and community-centered leadership strengthens CMAFA’s mission and supports its long-term sustainability.
Chuck Bowen is a longtime art collector, civic leader, and cultural advocate whose influence has helped shape Chicago’s political, educational, and artistic landscape for more than four decades. His lifelong dedication to the arts began over 45 years ago and grew into a deep commitment to supporting artists and preserving African culture. He served for more than 30 years on the board of the African Festival of the Arts, one of the nation’s most important celebrations of African heritage.
Bowen’s career spans public service, business leadership, and community advocacy. He has worked as a State’s Attorney Investigator, Precinct Captain, and Cook County Commissioner, and founded the National United Affiliated Beverages Association (NUABA) to advance equity for Black-owned businesses in the liquor industry.
As Senior Executive Assistant to Mayor Richard M. Daley, Bowen played a pivotal role in saving the historic 35th Street Armory, transforming it into a nationally recognized Military Academy in Bronzeville. He also created Art at the Academy, a cultural program featuring local African American artists and integrating arts education into the school’s mission.
Bowen’s work connects Chicago to global history. He hosted Nelson Mandela during Mandela’s first visit to the city and has long fostered relationships with leaders, artists, and cultural figures across generations.
Grounded in discipline, integrity, and service, Chuck Bowen continues to be a powerful advocate for art, education, and community empowerment.
Ms. Crable is an award‑winning broadcast journalist and narrative/documentary filmmaker dedicated to telling stories of the African Diaspora through her company, MSD Global LLC. Her mission is to create empowering narratives that deepen understanding of Black culture and its global impact.
Her work includes the Avalonia Film Festival award‑winning short TREAD, selections at the Culver City Film Festival, and critically acclaimed documentaries such as Heading West (Telly Award) and Art Paris 2018. She is currently producing a DCASE‑funded documentary exploring Black men’s experiences during the COVID‑19 pandemic and the racial justice movement.
A trained thespian and founder of Teatro Tout Bagai, Ms. Crable has produced and performed in numerous theatrical works. She served as Interim Artistic Director at Kuumba Theater Company, where she produced the award‑winning The Amen Corner and launched impactful cultural forums such as I Too Am America with civil rights activist Dick Gregory. She has acted in productions with Steppenwolf Theatre, the Black Ensemble Theater, and in the cult film How U Like Me Now.
As a journalist, she began her career at Radio One’s WOL in Washington, D.C., later earning an Associated Press Award at WRC News Talk Radio. She became the first woman to host the nationally syndicated Ebony Jet Showcase and was part of the first all‑women team on WLS Talk Radio. Her reporting on the Million Man March earned recognition from the Chicago Association of Black Journalists.
Her communications leadership includes expanding enrollment at Kennedy‑King College, directing marketing and public relations initiatives, and serving as past chair and president of the National Alliance of Market Developers. She installed the first NAMD history exhibition at the DuSable Museum and co‑founded the Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee, where she created the voter education initiative KNCW YOUR POWER.
Ms. Crable holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland and a Master’s in Theological Studies from McCormick Theological Seminary. Her numerous awards include the National Council of Negro Women Trailblazer Award, Chicago Defender Woman of Excellence Award, National Civil Rights Library Lifetime Achievement Award, and TV ONE Lifetime Achievement Award. She has served on multiple boards, including the Chicago Association of Black Journalists and the Liberia Hope Foundation.