FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rocío Salceda is a Madrid-born artist, designer, and educator based in East Harlem. She is the founder and driving force behind Repair Café El Barrio, the first Repair Café in New York City, a living platform where art, community, and sustainability meet.

A recipient of the NYC Connect Grant, Rocío leads RCEB’s expansion with the spirit of an artist and the focus of a producer, turning community repair into a form of cultural innovation. She envisions and produces each event as a creative work in itself, where collaboration, artistry, and social repair intersect.

Her work builds bridges across disciplines and neighborhoods, uniting artists, makers, and residents to reimagine what creativity can look like in public life. Through her leadership, Repair Café El Barrio is emerging as a model for community-driven culture and sustainable design in New York City.

IG: @RocioRSalceda

https://www.rociosalceda.com/

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING Artist Liaison for community and creative partnerships

Ari Tabei is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice spans visual art, performance, and community-based projects. At Repair Café El Barrio, she serves as the creative link between the café and its extended network of artists and collaborators, fostering communication and collaboration with warmth and clarity. Beyond her role as liaison, Ari actively participates in repairs, bringing her sewing expertise and inventive problem-solving to every session. She also documents the café’s vibrant atmosphere through dynamic photographs that capture the energy and collective spirit of the community. Her presence blends artistry, skill, and generosity, helping shape the educational and creative direction of Repair Café El Barrio.

IG: @runawayaricoco

https://www.aricoco.com/

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & INSTRUCTOR appliances, electronics, fermented foods.

A scientist by training, Alec brings a deep curiosity about how things work —and how they can work better, longer, and more sustainably — to every aspect of RCEB.

He plays a key role in shaping both the day-to-day operations and the long-term growth of the project, including helping develop systems to measure RCEB’s impact and better understand how our work supports the community. Alec is also deeply invested in repair and care as forms of learning, demystifying everyday systems so people feel more confident engaging with the objects, tools, and processes that shape their lives.

In addition to his operational work, Alec has designed and will soon begin teaching a fermentation workshop, bringing scientific knowledge, creativity, and a love of experimentation into accessible, hands-on learning experiences. He combines analytical thinking with practical skill-sharing, collaborates closely with volunteers and instructors, and is a true wizard with children, making learning playful, empowering, and fun.

SUSTAINABILITY & WASTE DIVERSION COORDINATOR. REPAIR COACH appliances & electronics

A.J. has a deep love for appliances, mechanics, and all things trash, recycling, and waste management. He moved to New York from New Mexico, where he lived for most of his life, and quickly found a sense of home within the repair café community.

With over thirty years of experience fixing things, A.J. especially enjoys working on vacuums, lamps, small kitchen appliances, and just about anything mechanical. He brings curiosity, patience, and a collaborative spirit to every repair.

In addition to coaching repairs, A.J. serves as RCEB’s Sustainability and Waste Diversion Coordinator and oversees our Repair Monitor, a global data tracking tool and one of our most important systems for understanding impact. His work connects repair with broader environmental value and community care.

We are grateful for his generosity, skill, steady presence, and the care he brings to both objects and community.

REPAIR COACH appliances , electronics & creative solutions

Puerto Rico in da house! Miguel was the very first volunteer to join Repair Café El Barrio and has been with us ever since - three years strong. With his iconic salt-and-pepper beard, Miguel has become the recognizable face of RCEB. A multidisciplinary artist, musician, and master of plants, he brings boundless creativity and genius-level problem-solving to every repair. From appliances and electronics to the unexpected, Miguel always finds solutions that are as inventive as they are effective, all while sharing good vibes and community spirit.

IG: @marr_art

REPAIR COACH darning & visible mending

Taylor is one of the founders of Repair Café Brooklyn and part of the Repair Café El Barrio family. She specializes in darning and visible mending, and brings a consistently thoughtful, precise, and highly professional approach to her repair work. Guided by an anti-consumerist spirit, Taylor believes repair can help shift our culture of disposability into one of care.

Known for her focus and dedication with guests, Taylor produces beautifully finished repairs while making the process approachable and empowering. Her work reflects a deep respect for craft, time, and the relationships formed through repair.

https://www.repaircafe.nyc/

PHOTOGRAPHY, TECH SUPPORT & REPAIR COACH computers, cameras & electronics

A photographer from Guadalajara, Mexico, now based in NYC, Cuau is our computer and camera expert, often assisting with phones and other electronics as well. Visitors seek him out, return for his guidance, and consistently send glowing praise after every repair. Smart, stylish, and patient, he generously shares his knowledge and is dedicated to solving even the trickiest issues, making technology more approachable for everyone. His perspective continues to shape how technology and creativity meet at Repair Café El Barrio, a bridge between innovation and empathy.

IG: @cuautti

https://cuau.work/

REPAIR COACH mechanical repair wizard

Lee is a retired software engineer with a knack for fixing almost anything mechanical. Inspired by his father, who taught him and his brother that with the right tools and a little curiosity, almost anything can be taken apart and repaired, Leland brings both skill and patience to every repair. He’s excited to share his knowledge and help the community at Repair Café El Barrio. Plus he is adorable. We love him!

REPAIR COACH appliances, electronics & carpentry

Ken is an extraordinary talent whose expertise spans all things electrical, from lamps and fans to a wide range of devices and appliances. Originally from Malaysia, he trained in vocational electronics and has been fixing everything from small projects for friends to more complex tasks at Repair Café El Barrio. Known for his obsessive focus on finishing every repair and his big, generous heart, Ken brings both skill and kindness to the table. He works in tandem with his wife, Ari Tabei “Aricoco”, a visual artist who serves as his interpreter during sessions, making their collaboration as inspiring as it is effective. Together, they form a team that embodies the spirit of repair: patient, creative, and community-driven.

IG: @kenmah2000

REPAIR COACH & INSTRUCTOR appliances, electronics & musical instruments

Roy has been repairing things since the 1990s, inspired by the resourcefulness he saw in Central America, where fixing was a way of life. He became even more committed to repair when he learned how planned obsolescence in the U.S. contributes to environmental harm and waste, negatively impacting humans, animals, and ecosystems alike.

Outside of Repair Café El Barrio, Roy enjoys fixing guitars, listening to music voraciously, and practicing a strict vegan lifestyle rooted in total liberation for all beings. He teaches computer science at a private college in Connecticut and lives in his native Queens. One of his most recent repairs was the rewiring of a 1930s-era Kodak projector for fellow volunteer Dorke!

https://roy.vanegas.org/composer/

REPAIR COACH sewing & knit mending

Brooklyn-based artist and instructor from Germany, Dorke has a gift for bringing knits back to life with skill and creativity. She makes every repair a lesson, inspiring confidence and joy in the process. As one of the founders of Repair Café Brooklyn, she shares her passion for mending with warmth, patience, and contagious enthusiasm.

IG: @endangeredspaces

https://www.repaircafe.nyc/

PHOTOGRAPHY & REPAIR COACH ceramics & sashiko

Hiccup Sibold is a mixed-media artist whose work spans fashion photography, ceramics, and editorial projects. At Repair Café El Barrio, he has done amazing work with ceramics, including his signature Kintsugi repairs, and bakes fabulous matcha cookies that keep everyone energized. He brings along Elliot, whose style and cool energy add extra swagg to the team. As a consultant, Hiccup talks with guests, sharing his creativity and insight with warmth and effortless cool, inspiring everyone who crosses his path.

IG: @hiccupsibold @puck.magazine

REPAIR COACH  design engineering & furniture fixes

With a background in design engineering, Mary is the go-to for big, complicated repairs: furniture, moving parts, and everything in between. In the group, she’s the kind of person who keeps everything running smoothly and is also a master at the BBQ grill. As one of the founders of Repair Café Brooklyn, she brings not just expertise but joy and warmth, making working alongside her an absolute pleasure.

IG: @marynmo

https://www.repaircafe.nyc/

HOST & REPAIR COACH appliances

Howie has been part of Repair Café El Barrio since the early days, back when the room was still finding its shape. He enjoys working on simple machines like lamps, fans, and vacuums, and has a particular skill for bringing them back to life. His relationship with repair began during the pandemic, when he started rescuing discarded appliances, fixing them, and giving them away.

On especially busy or high-energy days, Howie and his partner Leah have stepped in to support the hosting team, helping the space stay organized, calm, and welcoming when things get hectic. Their presence is steady, generous, and deeply supportive of the collective. Based in Queens, Howie also serves on the board of the Center for Urban Pedagogy, and together with Leah, they are exactly the kind of teammates you want by your side when the work gets demanding.

IG: @hlevine7

https://welcometocup.org/

SPIRIT GUIDE & REPAIR COACH sewing & patching

Susan is the heartbeat of our sewing section. She’s a self-starter who brings in unusual projects and inspires everyone around her. Charismatic and endlessly welcoming, she always has friends by her side and stories that light up the room. A natural coordinator and fabulous host, Susan is truly a pillar of Repair Café El Barrio. To us, she’s not just a volunteer, she’s a legend, a spirit guide, and the kind of person who makes the café feel like home.

REPAIR COACH appliances & electronics

Matt joined Repair Café El Barrio after volunteering for several years at repair cafés in Madison and Summit, New Jersey. After recently relocating to the Upper West Side, he was eager to continue being part of a repair community, and we are very glad he found his way to us.

He is especially skilled with lamps, appliances, and electrical repairs, and quickly became a go-to person for lighting. Matt has a remarkable ability to diagnose problems calmly and precisely, and he often arrives with an impressive collection of spare parts and tools that benefit the entire team.

Now happily retired, Matt brings a steady, generous presence to the Café. He works with quiet focus and consistency, supporting both guests and fellow repair coaches with patience and care. The crew loves him, and his reliability and deep knowledge make him an essential part of our repair ecosystem.

GUEST WELCOME & FLOW

Angélica is originally from Colombia and has been living in the U.S. for the past 11 years. She is the welcoming heart of Repair Café El Barrio, serving as our host and first point of contact for guests. Sitting at the front table alongside Rocío, Angélica helps receive visitors, guide the flow of the event, and make sure everything runs smoothly.

Trained in philosophy and a lifelong educator, Angélica brings kindness, attentiveness, and a deep sense of care to her role. She is committed, generous, and genuinely loves being of service to others. A devoted coffee lover (Colombia in the house!), Angélica also occasionally treats the RCEB community to pandebonos made by her sister, owner of the beloved restaurant Noches de Colombia in the Bronx.

IG: @angelica.raigoza

REPAIR COACH appliances & electronics

Jay is a repair coach whose curiosity, humor, and steady energy make people feel instantly at ease. When Jay arrives, it’s like the sunshine has arrived too. Guests immediately connect with him, drawn to his warmth, laughter, and genuine love of sharing knowledge.

He learned handiness early on by working alongside his father on electronics projects such as installing car sound systems, building synthesizers, and fixing appliances around the house. Those early experiences shaped a lifelong relationship with repair.

Professionally, Jay researches brain implants for epilepsy, bringing care, precision, and creativity into everything he does. He is a strong advocate for the right to repair and believes deeply in keeping skills and knowledge accessible.

At Repair Café El Barrio, Jay is known not only for his electronics skills but for the joy he brings to the room. He centers his life around creativity and repair as a way to move away from disposability and toward a culture of care.

IG: spicy_scientist

REPAIR COACH textile repair

Simone Schiefer is an artist, designer, and repair coach originally from France. At Repair Café El Barrio, she focuses primarily on darning and patching, bringing patience, care, and a strong attention to detail to textile repair.

Simone’s broader practice spans art, design, and production. She has led lighting repair workshops, including at the Greenpoint Library, and in 2023 she received the Circularity Champion in the Arts Award from Barnard College, recognizing her commitment to sustainability and circular practices. She also works professionally as a production manager, a background that informs her calm, organized, and thoughtful presence with guests.

At RCEB, Simone is known for her steady approach and beautifully finished repairs, helping guests feel supported while learning to extend the life of their garments.

IG: "@simsimswim

https://simoneschiefer.com/

REPAIR COACH sewing & serger magic

Julianna is our serger superstar - calm, friendly, and always ready to take on the toughest sewing challenges. From tricky hems to the most complicated fixes, she handles it all with skill and ease, yet stays wonderfully modest about her talent. Sweet, welcoming, and generous with her advice, Julianna makes every visitor feel at home while guiding them toward repairs they thought were impossible.

REPAIR COACH sewing, patching & visible darning

Kira, an NYU Steinhardt Costume Studies grad, has a magic touch for sewing and patching - and for guiding guests through every step of the process with competence, patience and care. As the first repairer to join us from outside our immediate circle, she raised the bar at Repair Café El Barrio, bringing both skill and a powerful activist voice. Kira reminds us that repair is not just practical, but political: a way to practice sustainability, empowerment, and youth power in action. Kira is a natural leader.

IG: @BrooklynBabeCrafts