A New Year, A New Chapter at Repair Café El Barrio
It All Begins Here
As we step into a new year, Repair Café El Barrio continues to grow — not just in numbers, but in depth, intention, and care. What began as a free community repair space has become a living ecosystem of learning, collaboration, and collective imagination.
2026 marks the beginning of a new chapter for RCEB. Alongside our monthly Repair Cafés, we are expanding a new educational program that will continue to unfold throughout the year. This program grows directly from what our community has been asking for: more opportunities to learn, to make together, and to explore repair as both a practical and human practice.
This expansion is supported in part by the NYC Connect grant, which allows us to deepen our educational offerings while keeping them accessible and rooted in community care. More details about specific workshops, classes, and learning experiences will be shared soon.
Over the past year, Repair Café El Barrio has also received generous attention from local and international media. We’re deeply grateful for the thoughtful coverage that has helped amplify our work and values — especially the feature in The New York Times, which brought wider visibility to our approach to repair, sustainability, and collective care.
At the heart of this growth is our team.
We’re excited to formally welcome Ari Tabei into a prominent role within RCEB as Director of Educational Programming. Ari has been part of the café from the very beginning — sewing, repairing, documenting, and supporting each session with care and clarity. Her practice spans visual art, performance, textiles, reuse, and collaborative making, and her leadership is shaping the future of our educational programming.
We’re also honored to share that Dr. Amber Proctor-Reyes will be joining Repair Café El Barrio in a very special capacity. As a therapist, Dr. Proctor-Reyes brings a deep understanding of healing, embodiment, and emotional care. Her presence reflects our belief that repair doesn’t stop with objects — it extends to people, stories, and shared experiences. More on this collaboration will be announced soon.
The year begins with a first glimpse of what’s ahead: Ari’s Experimental Weaving workshop, taking place during our next Repair Café on Jan 11th. This free workshop marks the start of our expanded educational programming and sets the tone for what’s to come.
We’re grateful to our volunteers, collaborators, partners, and neighbors who continue to make this space possible. Repair Café El Barrio exists because of collective effort — and 2026 is already shaping up to be a year of meaningful growth, shared learning, and deeper connection.
More soon.
