How might an entrepreneurship residency program enable the next generation of BIPOC-led nonprofits to thrive?
We spoke to Tatenda about his belief in a new way of educating students, his experience during Moonshot’s Program Launcher residency, and how learning with other founders helped him grow as a leader.
Moonshot is building a community of BIPOC & historically marginalized leaders, and providing the tools they need to disrupt systemic inequities impacting youth. We’ve collaborated with Moonshot since 2018 to support early-stage entrepreneurs as they launch new organizations to positively impact kids and families in metro Denver.
Between 2022-2023, we co-designed and facilitated Moonshot’s Program Launcher Residency Cohort, where Tatenda participated as a resident.
Tatenda Blessing Muchiriri lives each day imagining a better future. On a typical day, you’ll find him actively engaging with communities to reimagine learning environments that serve Black and Brown students better. He’s on a mission to make education more accessible – in every way – for all families.
In my language, my last name Muchiriri translates to "traveler" — a fitting name to describe how I move through the world. I grew up in Zimbabwe within a close-knit community. My mother loves to tell stories about my childhood, how it was impossible to keep track of me while I roamed the neighborhood. She’d always find me out past sunset, chatting with anyone willing to be my audience. Instead of preschool, I spent my formative years learning through my surroundings. My family worried that my curiosity would be a distraction once I started school. But immersing myself in my environment is how I make sense of the world.
I faced a turning point in my life after I filmed a documentary about [a program I led] that provided culturally relevant academics to children in rural Zimbabwe. When the film debuted in China in 2008, audience members invited me to audit a Montessori program they were launching in Beijing. I agreed and was shocked by what I saw. To me, an education rooted in exploration and independence seemed intuitive and I was inspired by seeing these values formalized into pedagogy. For the next decade, I dedicated myself to being a Montessori teacher.
In the last four years, though, I’ve questioned everything I know about the Montessori practice. It's rooted in Eurocentric ideology, and I see ways my own identity isn’t valued in its traditional model. At Montessori on Wheels, we work with families who immigrated to the US from all over the global south. When they share their vision for education, I’m convicted that community-led teaching experiences should be accessible for everyone, no matter where they live or where they’re from. We’re validating their learning experiences and by proxy, giving power back to the families to shape their child’s education.
Montessori on Wheels (MoW) is a mobile Montessori classroom that delivers culturally responsive programming to children in Black and Brown communities. Its unique model disrupts traditional education by proving learning can happen anywhere, anytime. In 2022, Tatenda wanted to boost his skills as a leader of a growing organization and the Moonshot residency allowed him to learn alongside a cohort of like-minded founders.
When I launched MoW, I went from teaching kindergarteners about dinosaurs and phonics to managing a nonprofit and a team of adults. Having taught for many years, I was comfortable in the classroom. In this leadership role, I became a learner again.
I feel most at ease when engaging with families about the organization’s programming. Now as a founder, I also communicate with funders who are more interested in the operations of the organization. Before the Moonshot residency, I felt pressure to package up my vision in a business framework but I needed to learn to do so authentically.
The residency cohort was appealing because it was specifically designed for founders looking to develop these skills. I was hungry to learn alongside peers who could help me make sense of the new challenges I was facing.
As partners to Moonshot, we designed the year-long program that included digging into strategic thinking, people leadership, and continuous improvement, while building a tight community of support. While working with Tatenda, we felt inspired by his vision for education and the joy that he brought to his professional learning.
At the start of the residency, I felt out of my depth. I looked up to the other cohort members, like Ellie Adelman at The Village Institute and Tania Chairez who founded Convivir, who both, along with the rest of my peers, have great reputations as leaders of successful organizations. Over time, though, I recognized that I had strengths to offer the group, too.
One of the most meaningful parts of the fellowship was when Franklin Street paired each of us with a peer coach — Ellie and I were a perfect match. She works in early childhood education, too, and has her own defining experiences living and working in countries around the world. We collaborated effortlessly. Ellie was my sounding board as I built a new strategic plan for MoW and I never needed to defend my values as that process unfolded; she understood and shared them.
The residency provided the technical tools we needed to lead, like board engagement and budgeting practices. What’s more, Franklin Street nurtured a sense of community that took the experience from rote-skills-based training to deep adaptive work on ourselves and our organizations. Like teachers in a classroom that gave positive reinforcement, they uplifted our skills so that we could learn from each other.
Our small cohort learned to be vulnerable with each other. Together, we addressed the challenges we faced and collaborated on solutions. This sense of community helped me lead confidently and understand that I didn’t have to compromise my values. Leading authentically has enabled me and MoW to launch new programs with The Village Institute and we’re developing our vision for Montessori work in conflict zones with Montessori for Change.
What Tatenda’s Reading: Our Bodies Their Battlefield
Christina Lamb gives voice to the women of conflicts by speaking to survivors first-hand in this book. Through her conversations, she encounters the suffering and bravery of women in war and uncovers incredible stories of heroism and resistance. Their stories will make you weep, and then rage at the world's indifference.
Kith is a monthly window into how our team thinks about the art of science of learning at work.
It's back! On May 1st-2nd in Denver, we're hosting our Studio Session: Design and lead experiences that inspire! Click the registration link for more info.