SPIA’s mission is to create a sustainable record of the Cape Verdean Diaspora, a unique transatlantic history, identity and culture forged between a tiny archipelago and the world during five centuries of colonial rule. "SPIA" means to "see" in the Cape Verdean language, or in this instance, vision. SPIA's vision is to build history one story at a time, in different forms and media , to create a legacy for future generations, that engages and draws from the voices, memories, hopes and dreams of the people and their communities connected by the sea.