Dustin LaFont: The Largest Community Bike Shop in Louisiana

The Bottom-Up Revolution

On this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed chats with Dustin LaFont. LaFont is the proud executive director of Front Yard Bikes, a youth workforce development program providing safe spaces for youth in Baton Rogue, Louisiana, to learn bike mechanics, welding, urban gardening, cooking, riding safety, and providing after-school jobs.

LaFont first began repairing bikes with a few kids on his front yard in the summer of 2010, but as demand grew, the community rallied behind the project. Through the years, Front Yard Bikes has included over 2,000 youth and more than 10,000 bikes. With two after-school sites and a full-service bike shop in Mid City, Front Yard Bikes has become the largest community bike shop in the state and hopes to do even more with the amazing youth that champion the good work.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Front Yard Bikes (website).

• Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).

• Check out Highland Coffees, City Roots, Chow Yum, and French Truck Coffee.

• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!