About Us
AfriCana Village & Museum is a proposed African-Canadian cultural heritage tourism destination on Toronto’s Waterfront. Spearheaded by Trevor David, businessman, social entrepreneur and community activist. AfriCana Village leadership consist of an eclectic and dynamic group of African-Canadian visionaries and progressive friends and allies from the wider community who are committed to cultural economic empowerment, social justice, fairness and equity in Canada with a special focus on African-Canadian youth. We welcome financial contributions from philanthropic individuals, corporations, and social enterprise impact investors seeking to make a difference in the African-Canadian community- Canada's most economically marginalized community.
Mission
To engage, educate, celebrate, and promote African-Canadian history, culture, and heritage to Canadians and the global community through the building of an African-Canadian tourism destination and entertainment complex, thereby economically empowering the African-Canadian community.
The Vision
AfriCana Village & Museum- In short order will become a global centre and leading cultural heritage tourism and entertainment destination for individuals and groups interested in afri-centric art, music, academia, culture , heritage, history and cuisine in North America. By producing and delivering to our guest and visitors world class afri-centric arts, cultural, educational, entertainment and tourism related products and experiences, AfriCana Village & Museum will become a highly respected repository of afri-centric knowledge and expertise and a global leader in cultural heritage tourism.
What is AfriCana?
AfriCana Village & Museum @ The Waterfront. The name AfriCana is a meeting of two words and worlds. "Afri" for Africa and "Cana" for Canadian. AfriCana Village & Museum is a unique and innovative social enterprise- community economic development initiative dedicated to the economic and cultural empowerment of African- Canadians. A Cultural “Heritage Tourism” destination that brings the warm hospitality and cultural experiences of the African Canadian-Caribbean Diaspora to Toronto and Canada. AfriCana Village will consist of a Caribbean/African- themed boutique hotel & spa, a cultural centre, convention centre, performing arts complex, 40+ restaurants and bars representing a wide variety of African and diaspora cuisine and musical genres, black hockey museum, CARICOM Center, Africa Union Centre, National Museum of African-Canadian History that will tell the African -Canadian story from 1603 to the present. Anchored by the National Museum of African-Canadian History - AfriCana Village will showcase our collective African‐Canadian heritage and history starting with Black Explorer Mathieu Da Costa guide and interpreter to French Explorer Samuel De Champlain. Black Empire Loyalist of the mid- late 1700's, Underground Railroad Freedom Seekers and more recent waves of peoples of African descent. AfriCana Village seek to leverage the symbiotic relationship of a cultural heritage tourism destination and the preservation of native African‐Canadian, Caribbean, and continental African culture and heritage. AfriCana Village will be a reflection and celebration of one of Canada's de-facto founding peoples socio-economic, military, cultural, artistic, sporting- blood and sweat contributions to the building and development of Canada over 400 + years. A story of Slaveships to Championships.... A great untold story of how a race of Black people some enslaved and some free help to found, shape, build a nation in the Great White North.
Why AfriCana?
This transformational vision came out of the 2005-2006 “Year of the Gun” violence that shocked and outraged the citizenry of Toronto. The violence had a direct impact on Toronto’s black community because the vast majority of the perpetrators and victims of this senseless spasm of violence was themselves black. As a product of Regent Park and the mean streets of Toronto, I knew that we didn’t need another basketball court or hip hop after school program to address the growing inequality and socio-economic injustice that breeds this type of hopelessness and violence. We have ALL been watching this movie for a long time and what we were witnessing in living colour was just the trailer. I/we had to step up to the plate and do something to help save our community and city. AfriCana Village & Museum vision and proposal is the product of myself and other concerned citizens taking action to make our city and country a better place for ALL of its inhabitants.
“It’s all right to tell a man to lift himself by his own bootstraps, but it is a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps.” Martin Luther King (1957-1968)