From the Roots! Funding Drive

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The Black Mangrove Collective will start a social center and coffeehouse in Miami if we raise $15,000

We can’t build another world alone, we need your help!

The Black Mangrove Collective is a new organization dedicated to the task of nurturing a culture of activism, creativity and cooperation in Miami, Florida. We look to open up spaces, temporary or permanent, from which new institutions and new infrastructure can be built based on the principles of self-management, solidarity, and participatory democracy. By working closely with community members, students, activists, and allied organizations, we help build from below the society in which we wish to live. We aim to prove that indeed, Another World is Possible.

Coffeehouse Project:
Our primary project is the establishment of Miami’s first worker’s collective coffeehouse and bookstore. Managed by its workers, The Black Mangrove Coffeehouse will serve as a political, creative and cultural resource center for activists, musicians, artists, and those who just enjoy a good cup of joe. Besides offering quality fairly traded coffees, teas and foods, space will be provided for activities ranging from meetings and book clubs to workshops and knitting circles. The Black Mangrove Bookstore will specialize in titles not commonly found at the local chain store, including everything from radical theory to underground music to organic gardening.

Book Distribution:
While our hope is to eventually find a permanent home for our books and pamphlets, we look for any opportunity to table at local conferences, concerts, or events. Beyond books we plan to also extend our merchandise to include buttons, patches, art, and fairly traded crafts from cooperatives within the Zapatista indigenous movement in Chiapas, Mexico.

Event Programming:
With our growing network of local, national and global friends and allies, we have a valuable opportunity to bring an array of perspectives to the South Florida region. The Black Mangrove will host lectures, performances, art shows and workshops that will be sure to entertain, educate and inspire.

Grassroots Resource Center:
The Black Mangrove will work to develop a publicly accessible activism library and equipment rental program. Specifically designed for progressive organizations and individuals to utilize, the Grassroots Resource Center will seek to cultivate a cooperative system of resource, knowledge and skill sharing. We hope to make available valuable tools such as PA speakers, video projectors, podiums, Lexus Nexus services, and other items that can (and should) be shared for the benefit of all.