What We’re Building

My name is Rafiana Martinez, and I’m building Borí Books & Café a cultural home and community sanctuary for NYC where books, coffee, culture, and Caribbean warmth come together.
A space where we honor our stories, uplift our voices, and build the kind of creative home so many of us never had.

This fundraising campaign will help us secure our first brick-and-mortar location and bring Borí Books & Café to life in early 2026.

Why Borí Books & Café Matters

Growing up in East Harlem and working in West Harlem, I saw firsthand how quickly cultural spaces disappear; and how much our communities deserve places that reflect us, celebrate us, and welcome us without hesitation.

Our stories are powerful.
Our culture is rich.
Our presence matters.

Borí Books & Café is more than a business.
It’s a movement, a sanctuary, and a celebration of Puerto Rican, Afro-Caribbean, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and LGBTQIA+ creativity.

What Your Contribution Makes Possible

Your support directly helps us fund the foundation of Borí Books & Café:

 1. Lease deposit & first months’ rent

2.  Renovations & build-out

3. Café equipment

4. Bookshelves & book inventory

5. Community event space setup

6. Café-bar seating & lighting

7. Opening inventory (coffee, pastries, books)

Every dollar helps us take one step closer to opening our doors.

Our Vision

Borí Books & Café will be:

📚️ A bookstore

Centered on Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and Latinx authors, poets, historians, and storytellers.

☕ A café & bar

Serving coffee, pastries, coquito-inspired, Women owned, and/or Caribbean owned drinks, and specialty beverages.

🎨 A cultural hub

Hosting book clubs, writing workshops, community gatherings, and a safe space for live performances.

🌺 A home

For our stories, our voices, our families, and our creative futures.

Why Crowdfunding?

Because Borí Books & Café is for the community and built with the community.

Your contribution does more than help fund a business:
It builds a legacy.
It creates jobs.
It protects culture.
It gives our youth a space to see themselves in literature, art, and leadership.

Rewards for Your Support

To thank you for building this dream with me, I’ve created heartfelt rewards for every level:

💛 $25 - Digital Shout-Out

Receive a heartfelt digital shout-out on our socials and campaign updates;  thank you for helping build Borí!

🎥 $50 - Personalized Thank-You Video

You’ll receive a personalized thank-you video straight from the founder, warm, genuine, and full of gratitude.

☕️✨ $100 - Founding Member Coffee Card

Includes:

• 1 Free Drink at launch
• $2 Off All Drinks for 6 Months
  Perfect for our future regulars + coffee lovers ☕💛

🍸🌙 $250 - VIP ‘Bori at Night’ Drink Tasting + Chance to Name a Drink

Exclusive invite to our Bori at Night tasting event, where you get early access to our evening bar menu.
PLUS , you’ll be entered for a chance to have a drink named after you 👑🍹

🥂🎥 $500 - VIP Soft Opening Access + Personalized Video

Join us for our exclusive VIP soft opening event; before we open to the public.
Includes a personalized thank-you video from the founder.

🎨🏆 $600 – $1,000 - Founder Wall Mural Tag + VIP Access + Video

Your name will be tagged on our in-store Founder Wall mural; a permanent mark of your contribution.
Also includes:

• VIP Soft Opening Access
• Personalized Thank-You Video
  This tier immortalizes your support inside the café.

🥇🏅 $1,000+ - Bronze Sponsor Package

Become a top-tier supporter with:

• Name on Bronze Sponsor Plaque (permanent in-store recognition)
• Lifetime Discount Card 🎟️
• VIP Soft Opening Access
• Personalized Thank-You Video
  This tier honors you as a foundational pillar of Borí Books & Café.

Join Us in Building Borí

Borí Books & Café is more than a coffee shop, more than a bookstore; it’s a cultural home built from love, resilience, and community.

Together, we can open a space that celebrates who we are and the stories that shaped us.

Thank you for believing in this movement.

Thank you for helping build Borí.

Abrazos,

Rafiana Martinez

Founder & Creative Director

Borí Books & Café