- S
Hi! I'm Tess. I work in the coffee industry and for the past few years, have dreamt of traveling to a coffee farm. I am currently the Cafe & Operations Manager at Last Mile Cafe. We're a small, Black- and woman-owned coffeeshop and roastery in southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan. I absolutely love the cafe and roasting side of things, but my ultimate goals, while not yet concrete, involve building relationships and working more closely with coffee producers (farmers), and studying/working to counteract the impacts of climate change on those farmers and the industry as a whole.
If you didn't already know, coffee is primarily grown in a band around the equator, commonly referred to as the tropics. This means Michigan is a long journey away from most coffee farms, making it expensive and therefore not incredibly accessible to get there. However, I was recently presented with the exciting opportunity to travel to El Recreo in Nicaragua this November with a group called One Bigg Island in Space.
I'm extremely grateful for having received a scholarship to help with the expense. While it does cover the majority of the costs (totaling $2,800), there is still a remaining balance. An additional $900 is required to be able to participate. $700 of that will go towards flights, accommodations, and meals, and the remainder will help ease the burden of costs associated with travel to and from airports.
That being said, I'm here to ask for your help! I've never run a GoFundMe for myself and honestly, I hope to never do it again. I dislike asking for financial help, but without it, I will not be able to experience this adventure I've been dreaming of. It will provide invaluable insight into a key part of the coffee industry that is not able to be gained in any other way.
Any little bit that you are able and willing to donate (even if it's $5- trust me, I know things are really tough right now!) to this cause would be appreciated more than you know. It seems like a magical coincidence that my birthday falls right in the middle of this trip, and although I'm not a big birthday person, nothing sounds more enchanting than being on a coffee farm for it. Thank you so much for your support, and even if you can't donate, thank you for taking the time to read about my journey.
What matters more than my going to Nicaragua, is the story of Leana and Carlos and the history behind El Recreo. If you have eight minutes to spare, I highly recommend watching the video below.