Vision
POSITIVELY TRANSFORM THE COMMUNITY
To positively shape and transform the lives of underserved youth, women and communities by providing access to the future skills, education, self and career awareness needed to thrive now and for future generations. The founder, I. Lanre Ajakaiye, believes this development can be used for that and many intersecting purposes for social impact.
MISSION
The mission for the 25 Bough Street Initiative brings together a holistic focus across mind, body and soul including across underserved youth, women, and communities teaching:
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Financial Literacy & Empowerment.
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Workforce Development, Career & Self Awareness.
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Health, Mental & Physical Wellness & Athletics
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S.T.E.A.M (Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics the education, self and career awareness needed to thrive now and for future generations throughout the globe.
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Youth Mentorship
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Entrepreneurship, Innovation within a diverse, co-working atmosphere
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Life celebration and events
The building spanning 15,194 square feet taking up a city corner block will support five, integrated uses which create an overall experience that most in the family can enjoy. The focus areas above will be housed in the 25 Bough Street development will transform and re-develop a currently blighted property -in what was once a thriving jewelry manufacturing hub in the historic Olneyville section of Providence, Rhode Island -into a multi-purpose, community-anchored facility providing spaces for youth education and empowerment, entrepreneurship, and celebration of life events. The Olneyville area is over 73% communities of color and a state designated health equity zone of dire focus. In this way, the programs, initiative and development are right in the heart of the most critical need.
A MULTI-PURPOSE FUNCTION HALL
25 Bough Street will be a place to celebrate life events like:
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Birthday parties
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Quinceañeras,
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Weddings (under 250 people),
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Corporate events, seminars and programming
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Entrepreneurial Pop Ups
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& More
It will usher the celebration of many life events catering to rich traditions
and culture in a city brimming with culture but short on event spaces to celebrate.
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
25 Bough will create brighter futures for thousands of youth by equipping them with skills they will need to thrive in the world of the future. The skills will focus across Financial Literacy, S.T.E.A.M (science technology engineering arts & mathematics), Career & Self awareness to help them thrive in a global workforce. This will be taught in an area called the Futures Hub.
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WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
25 Bough will be home to the already successful, R.I.S.E Women’s Leadership conference (RISEWLC.com), a registered 501(C)3 who will also rent space within 25 Bough. R.I.S.E will continue its annual, sold out conference -which brings 1400+ women to the convention center - and utilize its office space and areas like the multi-purpose function space to do programmatic initiatives and activities for young girls and women overall.
GYM / ATHLETICS SKILLS AREA
25 Bough will have a gym area dedicated to building core strength, vertical, speed and overall athleticism powering the student athletes of the future. Plyometrics stations, Vertimax machines, basketball shooting machines and more will be in the facility and available to be rented. Currently, there is no space in the surrounding area that has the offering. With youth sports being a 19.2 Billion dollar market, we are sure the facility will power many student -athletes helping them get to peak performance.
CO-WORKING SPACE
25 Bough will provide collaboration and office space for the community, freelancers & entrepreneurs which has the visual look and feel of the community and it's heroes. There is currently no space with this focus. The space will drive collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship with conference rooms and smaller offices which will be able to be rented by the community.
HERITAGE AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCE
An interactive and adaptable destination of history and culture that is programmable and changeable in the cloud. The Heritage & Cultural Experience will unlock the rich cultural tapestry and community histories allowing people to engage, interact and learn in a dynamic setting unlike any in Rhode Island. It will lend itself to cultural tourism. This has been presented to the Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism and will be in collaboration with the Providence Culture Equity Initiative. Advisors include Tony Johnson, Associate Dean of RISD.
25 BOUGH INFORMATION & DOWNLOADS
