Lamine, my friend and fellow Brooklyn Flea vendor, is the heart behind Berete Tribal Art, which brings vintage fabrics and collectibles from Africa to our community. At the beginning of November, Lamine's van (along with all of his inventory inside of it) was stolen from outside his home in Jersey City. The van and items have not been recovered and are believed to be part of a targeted attack, as his nephew's van and inventory was also stolen two weeks later. The police have been notified, but there is little they can do unless the vans are located.

This happened right before the holiday season, which is the busiest time of year for small businesses and market vendors, making the loss even more devastating for Lamine and his family. We are hoping to raise funds for Lamine to cover some of his missed seasonal income and to help him secure a new van and replace his inventory.

When I started at the BKFlea, Lamine was my first friend. A year later, when my backpack with my wallet and weekend earnings was stolen at the market, Lamine generously loaned me money to help me recover. Lamine is the father of five sons, an integral part of the BKFlea and DUMBO community, an incredible friend, and my dog Betty's favorite vendor at the market. There is no one more kind than Lamine and no one less deserving of such a hideous crime. Now, it's our turn to support him, just as he has supported so many of us in the past.

If you have the means, please consider sharing your support for Lamine. He would never ask for help himself, so I am setting this up on his behalf. All donations will go directly to him and his family.

We all know there is so much good in our community- more than we often acknowledge. So, with the season of giving-back in mind (and despite such a horrible ending to 2025), let's help Lamine start 2026 off on a much brighter note by showing him how much we care!

If you'd like to shop his online selection to support his shop directly, you can find it here:

https://beretetribalart.square.site/s/shop

THANK YOU

-Devon