DEFININITELY Not Just A Cafe
When All Is Said And Done, This Will Be A Revolution
(and Coffee Will Be Served)
CLICK HERE to Donate
COMING SOON!!
COMING SOON!!
COMING SOON!!
COMING SOON!!
COMING SOON!!
COMING SOON!!
The BookBurn BackStory
When They Burn Books, We Build Sanctuaries.
A radical bookstore café for banned books, LGBTQ+/BIPOC publications, queer stories, and revolutionary art—opening in Orlando, FL.
In a time when books are being banned, communities silenced, and trans and queer voices erased—BookBurn Café rises from the flames.
We’re creating a sanctuary in the heart of Orlando, Florida: a bookstore café where banned books line the shelves, marginalized artists fill the walls, and trans and non-binary people lead with power and love.
Our space will serve consciously sourced coffee, host live readings and performances, and curate art and literature from LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous, and POC creators. With your support, BookBurn Café will be a vibrant act of cultural resistance—and a safe haven for those who need it most.
PROJECT STORY
BookBurn is more than a bookstore. It’s a living archive. A café of radical warmth. A stage for the silenced.
Inspired by the 20th-century book burnings and the long history of communities and even civilizations who fled with sacred texts in their arms, BookBurn flips the fire into fuel. We reclaim erasure and censorship with celebration, with storytelling, with survival.
The space will include:
• A bookstore featuring banned books and DEI-centered literature
• A café that supports ethical farming and radical hospitality
• A small performance stage for poetry, readings, and open mic nights
• A curated gallery space featuring marginalized artists
• A full staff that focuses on trans and non-binary workers
We believe stories save lives—and we’re building a space where they can be told without fear.
WHAT WE NEED
We are raising $250,000 to launch BookBurn Café. These funds will help cover:
• Leasing & buildout of a 2,500 sq ft retail café in Orlando
• Initial inventory of banned books and LGBTQ+ literature
• Café equipment and ethically sourced coffee partnerships
• Staff salaries with a trans- and non-binary-first hiring policy
• Interior design, mural installation, and staging setup
• Launch events, programming, and community outreach
Every contribution helps us build this sanctuary—brick by brick, book by book.
CALL TO ACTION
This is your invitation to be a flamekeeper. A rebel reader. A builder of safe spaces.
Support BookBurn Café by donating, sharing, and spreading the story. Let’s prove that when they ban our books, we write new chapters—together.
“The spark of a revolution often comes from one radical idea”
- Jonny Cruz
Please Be A Part Of The Building Of BookBurn
I’m relying on the generosity of my community, friends and family. Not just to donate, but to spread the word
And if you cannot donate, then spreading the word will be enough!!
I will build BookBurn with you and for you!!
I’m so excited about this movent
In our society, this is badly needed!!
Thank You So Much for your encouragement and support in all ways
About BookBurn Founder, Jonny Cruz
When They Burn Books, Jonny Cruz Builds Sanctuaries
In a state where books are banned and queer youth are silenced, one man is lighting the match—not to destroy, but to illuminate.
Jonny Cruz, a Filipino gay activist and creative force, is turning trauma into transformation with BookBurn Café, a radical bookstore café opening in Orlando, Florida. His mission? To build a sanctuary for the silenced.
Born from personal survival, Jonny’s vision is not just business—it’s resistance.
“As a person of color and a part of the LGBTQ+ community, I understand the need for safe spaces and I wanted to create a place that is the very thing I needed most. BookBurn Café is that place.”
With shelves lined with banned books, walls showcasing revolutionary art from queer and BIPOC creators, and a staff led by trans and non-binary individuals, BookBurn is more than a café. It’s a countercultural haven—an act of radical hospitality. A reminder that stories, when shared without fear, can save lives.
But the mission doesn’t stop there. BookBurn also advocates fiercely for mental health awareness, creating programming and partnerships with local organizations to provide resources and support for those living with depression, anxiety, and trauma. “We’re not just here for the margins,” Jonny explains. “We’re here for the wounded. The healing. The brave people still showing up every day despite what they’ve been through.”
That includes survivors of domestic violence and abuse—groups often erased in discussions of queer resilience. BookBurn’s programming and partnerships are being shaped to center their voices as well.
Importantly, the café is also a space for allyship. Jonny insists that non-marginalized people have a vital role to play: “This isn’t about exclusion—it’s about solidarity. BookBurn is for anyone ready to stand with us, not just watch from the sidelines.”
The name itself is a reclamation. Inspired by the 20th-century book burnings and other acts of cultural erasure, BookBurn flips fire into fuel, transforming censorship into sanctuary.
Set to open soon with community support, Jonny is currently raising $250,000 to fund the 2,500-square-foot location, complete with a stage for live readings and performances, a café serving ethically sourced coffee, and a gallery curated by artists from historically silenced communities.
In a political climate determined to dim marginalized voices, Jonny Cruz is amplifying them. Through trauma, he has built a blueprint. Through pain, he has crafted purpose.
And in Orlando, a spark is catching fire.
“The spark of a revolution often comes from one radical idea”
— Jonny Cruz
BUSINESS PROPOSAL AND BREAKDOWN
THIS IS GONNA BE PHENOMENAL!!
About BookBurn Founder, Jonny Cruz
Copyright © 2025 Official Book Burn - All Rights Reserved.
This website uses cookies.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.