Refugees’ Stories of Inclusivity in the Coffee Industry

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Calling all home coffee aficionados, baristas, and roasters! Tea lovers, you are welcome, too.

Ticket sales and donations go to benefit the work of 1951 Coffee.

1951 Coffee Company, a nonprofit specialty coffee, presents a one-night only virtual event composed of a special screening of the short film “No Single Origin,” followed by a conversation with managers and baristas from 1951 Coffee Company, Blue Bottle, and Royal Coffee where they will discuss their experiences working in the coffee industry and how the coffee industry can serve as an example for creating a more welcoming society.

Attendees will have the chance to win a range of gifts that will increase their coffee swag with giveaways from Fellow Products, Modern Coffee, Ritual, Saint Frank, and more!

Why?:
With the upcoming presidential administration change in 2021, we expect the number of refugees being invited to the United States to increase 8 fold (15,000 people to 125,000). Being able to find and secure employment for refugees will be a crucial part of making the relaunch of the US refugee resettlement program a success. As a hub designed to leverage the power of the coffee industry for the benefit of refugees, 1951 Coffee Company is the only industry specific training program that specializes in working with refugees in the Bay Area and one of only a few training programs for refugees in the whole country. We have an opportunity to do things better than they have been done before and secure refugee resettlement as a vital part of the fabric of this country.

About “No Single Origin” Film:
Created by HOMEStorytellers, “No Single Origin” follows Doug Hewitt, as he learns about the complexity of refugee resettlement through volunteering and working with the refugee community in the San Francisco Bay Area. In order to offer refugees and asylum seekers much-needed support as they build a new home in the United States, Doug turns to the coffee industry to create a launchpad towards a path of self-determination, and starts nonprofit 1951 Coffee Company, providing barista training and employment for refugees in the Bay Area. Three graduates from 1951 Coffee’s Barista Training Program share their experiences, revealing their challenges and struggles after resettlement. A profound friendship unfolds when the four stories converge, highlighting the importance of human connection and community driven support, education, and integration.

About 1951 Coffee Company:
1951 Coffee Company is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that runs a welcoming coffee shop in the San Francisco Bay Area and offers barista training and employment to refugees, providing opportunities for dignified jobs, with good wages, benefits, and a path to self-determination. Founded in February 2015 in the spirit of the 1951 Refugee Convention, 1951 Coffee provides a simple way to turn a daily routine — buying a cup of coffee — into a life-altering opportunity. With its café in Berkeley, and its line of coffee beans available to customers across the United States, 1951 Coffee seeks to make successful refugee resettlement possible, while educating communities about refugee life and issues.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.