Today we’d like to introduce you to Cara Deanes.
Hi Cara , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Cara Deanes is a cultivator, activator, and curator of mind, spirit, and
soul that aims to create spaces and opportunities for individuals to
become all they are created to be. Cara’s professional career started
in youth development and has grown. With a strong mind for
business, she landed in the development field, grant writing,
fundraising, and building strong community partnerships. With this
skill set, Cara began offering services to friends and community
members who were trying to start and or scale their businesses.
Cara thrives in community grassroots settings and with people who
want to create a genuine and relevant impact.
Currently, Cara is the Executive Director of the Roho Collective, a
non-profit arts organization that works to empower and strengthen
artists of color. Since her time as executive director, (2019), Cara has
increased the organizational budget by 95%, through grants,
donations, special projects, and contracts and membership by 85%.
The future vision of Roho Collective is to find a home base for a
Black-Owned fine arts gallery, which will showcase artists of color
locally and nationally.
Cara also serves as a co-chair committee member (2 years) on the
Walker Art Center’s Avant Garden Fundraiser, which raises over one
million dollars. Previously, Christopheraaron (husband) and Cara
served as co-chairs to the events BIPOC Artist Fund (4 years).
Deanes is married to artist and educator, Christopheraaron Deanes
and is a mother of 5, which is her most important title.
Leah Mott-Deanes, ( bonus daughter) and in 2019 Christopheraaron
and Cara adopted 4 children in 2019, making them a family of 7!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Lack of clarity, vision, and purpose are the biggest struggles one can face. Without the harmony of these three things can make life feel like an emotional rollercoaster. There have been plenty times throughout life where I may have had vision, but no clarity, or felt purpose, but no vision. I have learned over the years that alignment is everything for me. Being a working mom and navigating entrepreneurship, has a unique set of challenges. In 2019, my husband and I adopted four children, all siblings. At that time, I was in a leadership director role that I absolutely loved. I thought that I could do it all, and quickly realized that there was no way as a new mother, I could handle the load, emotionally, physically, and mentally. I discovered that I had some really hard decisions to make, I had to leave my job and take the time to become full time mom. At the time, I could not tell you how long it was going to take to adjust to this new family life, but I had to trust that we were making the right decision. I felt like a failure, even though I knew the uniqueness of not many adopt 4 kids at one time and become parents overnight. It taught me a big lesson, balance is a farce. It is impossible to balance all areas of life at the same time and to do it well. However, understanding that seasons have a flow, and if I was going to become all that I wanted to be, I was going to have to learn the art of grace and fluidity. Life is ever changing and we can either go against the tide or we can just keep swimming. To show up as my best self, I aim to allow flexibility, be grateful, laugh a lot, and be in alignment with my purpose and dreams.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My life’s mission is to empower people to discover their dreams, and be successful in life and business. To empower individuals, entrepreneurs, and artists by providing strategic guidance, resources, and opportunities that activate dreams, foster growth, and build sustainable creative enterprises. Through Dream Activation and Roho Collective, I cultivate spaces where business, culture, and the arts intersect, ensuring historically underrepresented voices thrive.
As the Executive Director of Roho Collective, I have led efforts to empower and elevate Black artists by increasing funding, growing membership, and advocating for a Black-owned fine arts gallery. A key initiative within Roho Collective is Art Heals, a program dedicated to using art as a means of healing, empowerment, and social change.
Through Art Heals, we provide creative expression workshops, community art projects, and therapeutic artistic experiences that address trauma, promote mental wellness, and encourage self-discovery. This program is designed to help Black individuals process their experiences, reclaim their narratives, and build resilience through artistic practice. Art is not just a form of expression—it is a tool for healing and empowerment, particularly for communities that have faced systemic challenges. Through this program, we have touched over 1,000 individuals in our community. Roho Collective continues to be a vital force in the Twin Cities, nurturing the talents of artists of color and enriching the cultural landscape through its commitments to artistic excellence and community empowerment.
I also love to create meaningful partnerships and great connections around the city. I served as co-chair ( 2 year term, 23-24) for the Walker Art Center’s Avant Garden Annual Fundraiser, which raises over $1 million annually. I also served as the BIPOC committee chair for seven years.
My work focuses on equipping individuals with the knowledge, resources, and confidence to succeed in business and creative industries. My parents taught me that true success comes from access, opportunity, and sustainable support systems. I carry these truths with me through the work that I do, whether through art, entrepreneurship, or strategic development, I am committed to ensuring that Black creatives and business owners are positioned for long-term success, visibility, and impact.
What does success mean to you?
Success, for me, isn’t measured by titles, accolades, or the size of a bank account—it’s measured by impact, connection, and transformation. Through my work with Roho Collective and Dream Activation, I’ve come to see success as a deeply personal and communal journey. It’s about how many people feel seen, heard, and inspired to move forward because of something we built together.
With Roho Collective, success looks like artists of color having a platform where their truth is honored and their creativity is valued. It’s watching someone’s work—once kept private—hang proudly in a gallery, sparking conversations that ripple through the community. It’s knowing that art isn’t just decoration, but a declaration of existence, resistance, and joy. When I see a young Black girl walk into a Roho event and recognize herself in the work on the walls or in the words of a performer, I know we’re doing something right.
Dream Activation is where I see transformation in motion. It’s a space where ideas that once lived in the back of someone’s mind start to take shape, breathe, and grow. Success there is the moment someone says, “I never thought I could do this—until now.” It’s the shift in posture when a participant realizes their dream is not only valid but vital. Each masterclass, each coaching session, each connection forged is a step toward liberation—economic, creative, and spiritual.
So, for me, success is about becoming. It’s about building spaces that remind people—especially Black creatives, entrepreneurs, and community members—that they are powerful, that their stories matter, and that their dreams are absolutely worth pursuing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rohocollective.org. www.dreamactivation.com
- Instagram: parentsovernight_caradeanes
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cara.coleman.7
