About Mento

Mento is an Austrian non-profit cultural association, founded in March 2021, dedicated to the advancement and mediation of Caribbean culture in Austria/Europe. The term Mento refers to the Jamaican musical genre Mento, which predates and has greatly influenced Reggae and Ska music. This reference is made to emphasize the importance of honouring the roots of Caribbean culture and acknowledging where it all comes from. Besides that, Mento constitutes an acronym standing for Music, Entertainment and Togetherness.

     

    Goals of Mento

    Focussing on the three fields of music, entertainment and togetherness, Mento pursues the following objectives which transcend the mere mediation of Caribbean culture:

     

    • Creation of intercultural meeting spaces to enable collective musical and cultural activites and foster self-development and mental relaxation
    • Promotion of acceptance and appreciation of diversity
    • Combat of racist behavioural and thought patterns
    • Encouragement of the public discourse about racism
    • Strengthening of the public awareness and understanding of Black cultural identities, histories and life realities
    • Creation of a sense of togetherness within the Austrian society and beyond

    Who stands behind Mento?

    Theres

    I am Theres from Austria, 28 years old and founder of Mento. I studied cultural anthropology in my early 20s and I am currently completing a training in Cross Media Production. Through Mento I am able to combine all my passions – Caribbean culture, content creation, design and organizing events. All of them make me super happy:

    I am a lover of Caribbean culture since I am 15 years old. There are many reasons for that: the riddims which make my body move every time I hear them, the energy, the joy for life and inner freedom it enables me to experience,  the blaze of colour, the friendly and easygoing people, the contagious and capturing vibez and so much more.

    One of the reasons why I founded Mento is because I want to give something in return for the many beautiful, enriching experiences I was able to make through Caribbean culture. I want to help spreading it and make more people aware of its beauty, but also its roots and history, thereby always maintaing a conscious approach.