On the corner of Madison Avenue and South Pearl Street in downtown Albany sits a four-story building constructed around the 1890s. It served as a bank, a cast iron store, and a penny candy store, but now, 130 years later, it is a haven to celebrate the African-American experience through workshops, cultural performances, and art installations.

"For this building, my hope and inspiration is to have it be a center of love for people," said African American Cultural Center of the Capital Region Executive Director Travon Jackson.

He says each floor of the center serves a unique purpose. The first floor is a museum and reception space, with floors above it including a yoga studio, a primary art studio space, and workshops.

The goal of the center is to promote the contributions of African-Americans to art and culture. Jackson says art is very important to the African-American culture, and because of that, it is used as binder in the stairwell that connects the newer portion of the building and the older, more historic floors.

"Some of it is more formal, which in and of itself is an achievement of a people who weren’t formally allowed to learn and teach and create for so long," Jackson said. "And then there are the spaces where there are spray-painted murals going up to the third floor, and this kind of guerrilla, groundbreaking style."

There is even a workshop for artists and builders to work side by side creating art, preserving history and the building.

The building really comes to life when artists come together to sell their creations at special events.

"It's not scientific. It's kinda mystical. You just feel it," Jackson said. "But when you get that room full of people together, and you see eye to eye and you feel the energy in the space, you know there’s kind of an honor that comes with that type of alignment.

"When we can feel that and that pride and that resonance, we know we’re on the right track."

As the executive director of the center, Jackson feels the weight of carrying on this mission. As a former Troy High School standout athlete who went to Morehouse College, he could have gone anywhere, but he decided to come home – and it’s through this center that he has found his calling. 

"I think any person of any background can understand the serendipity and surprise of ending up where you never thought you could be, and enjoying it more than you thought you could," Jackson said.