Ramsey Memorial United Methodist Church and community collaborators will celebrate the opening of the Community Growth Center on Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony from 3 to 5 p.m. The event will honor years of partnership, renovation and shared vision to create a space where immigrant families and community members can learn, grow and thrive together. 

Concurrent with the celebration, the center’s gallery will host the opening of “Lo Que Queda/What Remains,” an original photography exhibition by Colombian artist Carlos Bernate, from 3 to 8 p.m. The exhibit explores the emotional and physical landscapes of migration — what is left behind and what endures. Limited-edition prints will be available, with proceeds shared between the artist and Capaz+IT in support of community literacy and arts programming. 

The Community Growth Center represents a major milestone for Capaz+IT’s mission to expand equitable access to digital skills, language learning and career pathways. The 2,500-square-foot space, located within Ramsey Church at 5900 Hull Street Road, now houses classrooms, a digital lab, a literacy corner and the new gallery. 

“We envisioned a place where learning, art and community are inseparable,” said Dilshad Charania, co-executive director of Capaz+IT. “This opening is the result of deep collaboration — our partners, volunteers, artists and neighbors all helped make this space possible.” 

The event will feature remarks from government and nonprofit leaders recognizing the collaborative effort behind the center and performances by Mexican Folk Jarocho, Bolivianos RVA and Capaz+IT’s Bright Futures Children’s Choir. The Rev. Chad Beck will lead a blessing of the community garden and growth center.