Kominote
A "by and for" project for Black guys who like guys - cis or trans.
Created by RÉZO
Kominote
“Whether you're in or out, whether you identify as gay, bisexual, pansexual, MSM, hip, Cousin, Masisi, Bidadi, Kuchu... This project is yours!”
Kominote (meaning “community” in Hatian creole) is RÉZO’s response to an identified lack of socially appropriate resources for Black men who like men. Through Kominote, RÉZO offers semi-structured discussion groups between Black men with diverse sexual and gender backgrounds.
Engaging African, Caribbean and Black MSM in the Greater Montreal Area
Black MSM are under-represented amongst our organization’s users. In response, RÉZO has a collective duty to address risks that that disproportionately impact the health and wellbeing of African, Carribean and Black (ACB) men who have sex with men (MSM).
Kominote aimes to value a diversity of experiences - taking into account the contributions of each individual and learning from past institutional mistakes. This work requires the capacity to critically reflect on the effects of RÉZO’s work, to better understand how it contributes to the exclusion of ACB MSM and then act to rectify the problem.
In order to clearly identify the needs of the community, RÉZO launched a consultation process with Black men in Montreal in 2019. The resulting Kominote Project Report guides and informs our program and marks an important turning point for RÉZO.
How does Kominote work?
Our goal is to bring ACB MSM into existing services and spaces within RÉZO, while offering a dedicated and safe space.
In a hybrid physical/virtual format, Kominote offers safe engagement (especially for participants who aren’t out):
A safe venue to socialize and obtain resources that promote well-being and positive sexual, physical, mental and social health outcomes.
Support and discussion groups.
Volunteer opportunities
Confidential and free individual consultations.
Workshops
Kominote’s thematic workshops equip gender and sexually diverse Black men with information and capacity to address the issues that affect their sexual, social, mental and physical health. They also aim to promote wellbeing and reduce STBBIs within ABC MSM communities.
Topics Covered include:
Intimacy and sexuality
Prejudice, discrimination and homophobia
Accessible health services
Dating apps and socializing as Black individuals
Material Resources
Kominote is led by a coordinator/project manager from RÉZO, in collaboration with a Black community worker tasked with outreach and group facilitation. RÉZO also relied on two Black project officers to conduct the program’s needs assessment.
Physical resources include an undisclosed space for group discussions and facilitation guidelines, in addition to computers, phones and office space.
For further information, please contact:
Gabriel Daunais-Laurin
Coordonnateur au développement de l’intervention, RÉZO
gabriel.dl@rezosante.org
438-874-4296
2075, Rue Plessis, Bureau 207
Montréal, QC
H2L 2Y4