Kara-Kata Afrobeat Society of Canada
Empowering Black, African, and Caribbean (BAC) Communities. Enriching Canada for All.
Rooted in the rich cultural heritage, resilience, and creativity of Black, African, and Caribbean peoples, Kara-Kata is dedicated to building a vibrant and sustainable future for generations to come.
Our mission is to advance the long-term health, well-being, and prosperity of BAC communities across Canada through four core pillars:
- Arts and Culture: We celebrate, preserve, and share the rhythms, stories, and traditions that shape our identities and connect us across generations.
- Culturally Relevant Food Sovereignty: We grow and distribute foods that honour our heritage and empower our communities with access, ownership, and self-determination.
- Community Outreach and Support: We respond to urgent needs with compassion, providing essential resources and building strong networks of care.
- Entrepreneurship and Mentorship: We nurture innovation and economic
empowerment through business mentorship and support for aspiring changemakers.
We envision a Canada where Black, African, and Caribbean communities thrive — where our contributions are celebrated, our voices are central, and our cultural legacy is a source of national strength.
Join us as we grow communities, uplift culture, and sow the seeds of a more just and joyful future.
Our Story: Rooted in Culture, Grown in Community
Before Kara-Kata Afrobeat Society of Canada became a formal organization, it was already a movement grounded in culture, community, and care.
In 2010, Toyin Kayo-Ajayi — a lifelong farmer, musician, and community mentor originally from Nigeria — founded the Kara-Kata Afrobeat Band, using music as a powerful tool to bring people together and celebrate the vibrant rhythms and traditions of West Africa. Around this time, Toyin also began hosting cultural events, mentoring community members in entrepreneurship, and advocating for Black, African, and Caribbean (BAC) communities to return to farming and reclaim food sovereignty.
As a passionate advocate for self-sufficiency and cultural pride, he offered support to newcomers by helping meet essential needs — from cultural foods to basic resources — and teaching the importance of land, heritage, and sustainability.
In 2017, Toyin officially launched the Kara-Kata Afrobeat Society of Canada to unify these grassroots efforts and scale the work. A major milestone came in 2020 with the establishment of the Kara-Kata Africa Village Project (KAVP) in Mission, BC — a vibrant hub where food, arts, cultural education, and intergenerational knowledge flourish side by side.
From the Village, Kara-Kata has grown into a national force for cultural preservation and community empowerment. We lead programs in:
- Culturally appropriate food growing and food sovereignty
- Arts and culture programming
- Educational workshops and business mentorship
- Community outreach and newcomer support
Seeing the critical need for cultural food sovereignty and land access, particularly among Black Canadians, Toyin founded the Canadian Black Farmers Association (CBFA) in 2022.
CBFA has since become a national leader in supporting Black farmers, training the next generation in sustainable agriculture, and advocating for equity in Canada’s food systems.
Another proud milestone was the creation of the African Foods Foodbank, which began under Kara-Kata to address the need or culturally relevant foods in BAC communities. In 2024, the food bank was officially incorporated as its own organization, continuing the legacy of community nourishment and support.
Today, Kara-Kata remains rooted in its founding values: culture, community, land, and liberation. From planting seeds to mentoring youth, hosting festivals to feeding families, we are building a future where BAC communities thrive with dignity, pride, and joy.