YAYA is a women's collective dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich, cultural legacies and African-based musical traditions of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Founded in 2002, Yaya honors the vibrant musical heritage represented in Puerto Rican bomba and Dominican salve traditions, through live performances, workshops, and female-led creative ciphers. Recognizing the contributions of women in preserving and transmitting these traditions, Yaya honors the yayas (Creole/Kongo origin), or mothers, who have helped shape our histories, traditions and legacies of resistance.