TABLE OF CONTENTS
Coming soon: the Lakou Collective Community Center!
The Lakou Collective gets its name from Haitian traditions of shared space. Though the simplest translation of “lakou” is courtyard, the term refers to a centuries old tradition of organizing communities around shared space and resources. Similarly, the Lakou Collective will be a space for local creatives, organizations, and small businesses to form in Immokalee, Florida.
Your donation will fund the construction of the Lakou Collective Community Center, a non-profit multicultural venue, community café, and small business incubation space coming soon to Immokalee, Florida.
Who are we?
The Lakou Collective is a cooperative of artists, creatives, educators, and ethical entrepreneurs building community wellness, connectivity, and resilience in Immokalee, Florida. Leaders of the Collective live in and contribute to the Immokalee community as teachers, organizers, public health professionals, small business owners, performers, and creatives.
Why does Immokalee need this community center?
Informal public spaces (also referred to as third places) such as cafes, theaters, and parks contribute to the enjoyment, cohesion, and wellbeing of a community. However, despite a robust population of over 28,000 people, Immokalee currently has no public movie theater, bookstore, café, shopping mall, or youth commercial spaces such as bowling alleys, skating rinks, arcades, rock climbing, or amusement parks, etc.
Today, Immokalee is home to more permanent residents, families, women, and children than ever before, and the need for accessible third places is frequently cited among young Immokalee youth aged 16 - 30.
The Lakou Collective seeks to resolve these issues by creating a versatile multicultural venue, community café, and incubation space for local creatives, small businesses, and community initiatives. The Collective will serve working-class Haitian, Mexican, and Guatemalan adults and youth—for free or at low cost and use cultural programming to bring further enjoyment, development, and identity to the Immokalee community.
Cultural Center and Venue
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The Lakou Collective will deliver cultural community programs for free or at low cost. These include heritage celebrations, music and dance classes, and free educational programs.
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In addition to hosting community events, the center will be available for reservation as a meeting space, vending location, and public venue for large celebrations, events, or performances.
Community Café
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The café is the heart of the community center, featuring shaded patio seating and access to local food and coffee vendors. The Collective will also host a monthly community brunch, and similar large events such as food festivals, markets, food truck showdowns, etc.
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In addition to classes and workshops, the Lakou Collective will organize large scale community events such as block parties, open mic nights, fiestas, small business pop-ups, second hand markets, film festivals, etc.
Incubation Space
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The Lakou Collective will serve as a space for local community initiatives. Members can reserve community spaces for meetings and events, and can access staff support to establish, launch, and maintain their club/organization.
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Small business owners will be able to vend onsite during regular business hours and events organized by Lakou Collective. Vendors can choose to rent a half-booth, full-booth, or the drive through drink stand on a monthly basis.
Make a pledge.
Not ready to donate but want to make a commitment to the Lakou Collective Community Center? Download and submit our pledge form to this page or via email.
donate@lakoucollective.org
(305) 209-1041