Skip to main content
Home/Membership
§ Membership · How it works

You join your Region. Your Region joins the Congress.

INC-USA is an association of Itsekiri Regions in the United States — a federation. People are not direct members of INC-USA; people are members of their Region, and the eight chartered Regions are the constituent members of the Congress.“Membership is by Region. Each Region runs its own programs, elects its own leaders, and sends representatives to the National Convention.” — Proposed Constitution · Article III

501(c)(3)Diaspora nonprofit
RegionsAcross the U.S.
Sept 2026Convention · SF
ConstitutionArticle III
§ 01 · Why Membership

We are a Regions-first body.

Proposed Constitution
Article III →
The Covenant
Membership is the covenant. Everything else — the programs, the Convention, the Constitution — runs on the shoulders of members who chose to carry it.

INC-USA is not a platform you consume. It is a body you join. Membership is how we fund the scholarship cycle, how we staff the condolence committee, how we send eleven families to a burial when one of us loses a mother. The diaspora was already here; membership is how we organize what was already here.

We are Regions-first. That means the primary unit of belonging is your city's Region — NorCal, NY/NJ, Houston, Dallas DFW, Florida, Chicago, DMV, Colorado. INC-USA is the federation that binds those eight Regions into one Congress. People are members of their Region; the Regions are the constituent members of INC-USA. Your Regional Secretary knows your name before the National Secretariat does, and that order matters.

From the Proposed Constitution · Article III
§ 02 · The Four Tiers · Within your Region

Pick the tier that fits your season.

Tiers apply across the Congress · dues handled by your Region.
Move up anytime · waivers available.
Tier 01
Free

Community

Join the diaspora conversation. A free seat at the table — newsletters, event invitations, and public directory access.

  • WhatsApp community access
  • Member newsletter
  • Event invitations
  • Directory browsing
Join free
Tier 02
AnnualArticle 6.2

Supporting

The working tier. Dues fund Iwere Care telehealth, scholarships, and the condolence fund. Voting rights at Regional elections.

  • Everything in Community
  • Voting rights in Regional elections
  • Convention member pricing
  • Member business directory access
  • Condolence & bereavement eligibility
Become Supporting
Tier 03
$1,000once

Lifetime

Paid once, honored for life. A one-time covenant that anchors the next generation and removes the annual renewal.

  • Everything in Supporting — for life
  • Lifetime voting rights
  • Board eligibility after 3 years
  • Named recognition in Annual Report
Become Lifetime
Tier 04
$5,000+/ yr

Benefactor

For members who carry a program line. Benefactor gifts fund a named scholarship, a clinic night, or an Academy cohort.

  • Everything in Lifetime
  • Named program line
  • Private briefing with the board twice yearly
  • Seat on the Benefactor Council
Become Benefactor
§ 03 · What You Get

Twelve benefits. Most of them practical.

Supporting tier and up
unlocks all twelve.
§ 01

Voting rights

One member, one vote. Regional officers, Board representatives, and Constitutional ratifications — all voted by members in good standing.

§ 02

Convention member pricing

Member pricing on Convention 2026 (Sept 3-6, San Francisco) and future Conventions. Supporting tier and up unlocks the discount.

§ 03

Member-only content

The private Regional newsletters, leadership minutes, financial detail, and cultural archive materials that don't sit on the public site.

§ 04

Business directory

A verified Itsekiri-owned business directory is in build — searchable by category, city, and member-only discounts as merchants enroll.

§ 05

Matchmaking

A discreet, member-verified introduction service for single Itsekiri professionals. Intake is manual, private, and free to Supporting members up.

§ 06

Condolence fund

When a member or immediate family member passes, the fund underwrites travel, flowers, and family support — coordinated by the Region.

§ 07

Elder care subsidy

A small monthly subsidy for members aged 70+ facing transport or prescription cost gaps. Quiet, automatic, verified through the Region.

§ 08

Member business discounts

As Itsekiri-owned restaurants, clinics, salons, law firms, and retailers enroll, members will see preferred pricing in the directory.

§ 09

Iwere Care access

Supporting members and up can book telehealth visits through Iwere Care at preferred rates, whether you carry insurance or not.

§ 10

Scholarship priority

Children of members receive priority scoring in the scholarship cycle when all other factors are equal. No cash advantage — just a tiebreaker.

§ 11

Emergency fund review

Small emergency grants ($250 – $2,500) reviewed by the Region for members facing medical, funeral, or housing crises. Confidential.

§ 12

A name in the Annual Report

Every member in good standing is named in the Annual Report. Anonymity is respected on request, but most members choose to be named.

§ 04 · Which Region You'll Join

Eight Regions. One of them covers your city.

Ninth in formation
Open region directory →
§ 05 · How to Activate

Three steps. Usually under a week.

Most members verified
within 48 hours.
01

Pay your dues

Pick a tier — Community (free), Supporting, Lifetime, or Benefactor. Dues schedule set by the Constitution and shared by the Regional Secretary.

Stripe · ACH · check
02

Verify your Region

Select the Region that covers your city. Your Regional Secretary confirms within 48 hours — usually a quick chat or a name you mutually know.

Most verify inside 48 hours
03

Get your credentials

Once verified, you receive a digital membership card, WhatsApp group invites, directory login, and a welcome call from your Regional President.

Immediate on verification
§ 06 · From members · in build

Member voices coming.

Quotes will be published
on the record, with consent.

INC-USA is in active build. Member testimonials will appear here as members complete their first year and consent to be quoted by name. We will not fabricate them.

§ 07 · Frequently asked

Five questions we answer every week.

Transferring between Regions when you move.
Yes. When you relocate, notify your current Regional Secretary. Your membership, tier, and voting rights move with you — no gap, no re-verification. The new Region confirms within a week. Dues already paid carry forward; no double payment.
Student or youth tier.
Full-time students aged 18-24 pay a reduced Supporting rate on presentation of a current student ID. Youth under 18 are enrolled free under a parent or guardian’s membership and are counted toward household voting representation at age 18. Specific rate set by the Constitution and shared by your Regional Secretary.
Household membership option.
Yes. A household Supporting membership covers a primary member, spouse, and all dependent children under 18 — a modest discount over two individual Supporting tiers. Household Lifetime is also available, covering both spouses for life. Specific amounts set by the Constitution and shared by your Regional Secretary.
When dues are genuinely out of reach.
No member is turned away for financial reasons. Supporting dues may be waived in full, reduced, or paid in monthly installments on confidential request to your Regional Secretary. The dues-waiver form is one page and never reviewed publicly. Waived members retain full voting rights.
Joining from outside the United States.
International members are welcomed at the Community (free) tier. Supporting and Lifetime tiers are open to international applicants where the Region has explicit reciprocity — ask your closest Regional Secretary. International members vote in national Convention business but not in US Regional officer elections.

Put your name on the wall. Walk through one door.

Community is free. Supporting is annual. Lifetime is once. Benefactor is a named program line. Dues schedule set by the Constitution and shared by the Regional Secretary. Starting is the point.