The rising presence of authorities in Immokalee has left many feeling uneasy, especially among those who rely on biking for transportation. In response, one local organization has stepped in to address both the anxiety and the safety concerns.
“We’ve been concerned about the rising level of fear in the Immokalee community regarding immigration,” said Ellen Burnette, executive director of Cultivate Abundance. “In just the last couple of months, [there’s been] a greatly increased presence of immigration authorities in the area.”
Burnette’s organization started "light on bikes" to improve nighttime visibility for farm workers, following the Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) rollout of a “pedestrian and bicycle safety” initiative. While the program mainly focuses on education and high visibility enforcement, violations may still occur, leading to warnings or citations. The initiative started this month and will run through May 2026.
“We also don't want there to be any reason that folks would be stopped and possibly subsequently detained because they didn’t have lights on their bikes,” Burnette explained. “So, we decided to try and find a set of lights that was not too expensive that we could put out there."
Under Florida law, cyclists riding at night must have a white front light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet, as well as a rear lamp and red reflector visible from at least 600 feet. To ensure farm workers meet these requirements, Cultivate Abundance plans to distribute free bike lights every Friday at the Misión Peniel food pantry.
So far, volunteers have distributed about 250 sets of lights to cyclists in Immokalee. These volunteers, fluent in English, Spanish, and Creole, also assist in attaching the lights to their bikes. In addition to the lights, they also hand out “Know Your Rights” cards.
“Knowing that we’ve helped make life a little safer for people in Immokalee is a positive thing,” Burnette said.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
