MKUTANO
MKUTANO (Swahili for Meeting Place) is an online, participatory platform with formal and informal areas where Black Canadians can meet, talk, learn, educate and efficiently, effectively, transparently, democratically and securely organize in real-time. The centralized platform organized around topics important to Black Canadians, allows us to capture conversations that will be analyzed to provide insights and consensus to feed effective strategy development and planning.
Link: www.mkutano.community
It’s the place where every voice counts equally in discussions, planning and implementation. We determine our collective goals and priorities together, enabling the same message to be communicated to Governments and Civil Society through many messengers. Our Logo symbolizes consensus after input from many voices. MKUTANO is a digital neighborhood where Black Canadians builds cohesion and momentum through coordinated, cooperative, and collaborative engagement.
Understanding our strengths, needs, opportunities, and potential enables us to accelerate our community development activities and create community wealth and enable us to leapfrog to our goals if we accept that we will achieve more faster, when we work together.
MKUTANO implements time-tested African Social Development philosophies of;
- UBUNTU (I am because we are) – Places community over individuals as the basis of human flourishing. We are better together
- INDABA (The village gathering) – The way that individuals contribute to community life and where they are heard, and their dignity respected
MKUTANO provides a single platform where Black Organizations can share best practices, coordinate activates, and collaborate on projects. All stakeholders are invited to join Assemblies/Categories that reflect their mandates/passions, and participate in finding solutions that can be turned into actionable plans. It also provides the opportunity for Organizations to align and coordinate mandates to minimized duplication of services and scale service capacity. MKUTANO captures the collective wisdom, strategies, perspectives and priorities of Black Canada.
Organizing is about power. The problems faced by Black Canada have already agreed upon solutions, but we lack the power to force their implementation. By organizing and uniting around our common desire for equal treatment, freedom from discrimination and access to the same opportunities given to other Communities, we will effect change.
We need numbers and organization to get the attention and respect of decision makers. Numbers demonstrate the legitimacy of our demands, the strength of our resolve, and attracts influential partnerships. Organization allows us to clearly determine our priorities and effectively communicate our demands to Governments and Canadian Society.
We are stronger, and will achieve more faster, if we work together. This is how DIGNITY is claimed, how RESPECT is earned.
We collect an affordable, annual usage fee to cover the operational costs and fund additional development projects. Our fee structure follows the philosophy, little from many, adds up to much without any one person making a sacrifice, to ensure that everyone can participate and contribute to the development of Black Communities.
Fees (incl HST)
Companies – $100 per year (Marketing Expense)
Non-Profit Organizations – $75 per year (Marketing Expense)
Individuals – $30 per year
We want to encourage and reward those who help grow membership and so we will incentivize viral-marketing by holding cash giveaways at the following membership milestones. Members must refer 5 or more registered persons to be eligible for each draw. Every five referrals will get an additional ticket for the respective draws. Additional terms will be released later, and all are subject to change.
- 5,000 members – $5k
- 10,000 members – $25k
- 25,000 members – $50k
- 50,000 members – $100k
Additionally, MKUTANO is a Social Enterprise and at least fifty percent (50%) of net income will be donated to a Community-controlled fund for distribution to other efforts and projects.