ABOUT COFFEE CULUTRE NOCO

For the last two years, local coffee shops in Northern Colorado have been partnering with the Immigrant and Refugee Center of Northern Colorado (IRC NOCO) for Coffee Culture Day.

 

On this date, a portion of the day’s profits will be donated to IRC NOCO, and each cup will come labeled with a sticker containing information on coffee or tea cultures from other countries. These stickers and the stories they tell will be written by five IRC NOCO students participating in conversational English classes regarding their own cultures’ connection and expression to coffee and tea.

 

In anthropology, there is a term called the "social bridge.” When figuring out how different people groups can connect or cross to each other's side of the bridge, we ask ourselves if there are any pre-existing bridges or points of connection between the two people groups. The heart of this project is using coffee as a bridge between the diverse members of the Northern Colorado community!

 

Why does Northern Colorado need this social bridge?

 

1. The growing diversity of the community creates a need for exposure of mainstream culture to its newer community members and their cultures. This is important because people can easily get fearful of cultures, ideas, or people that are different from that to which they are accustomed. The goal here is to foster curiosity and acceptance through cultural awareness instead of fear or discrimination.

 

2. Moving to a new country as an immigrant or refugee is full of many changes. In the midst of all this, it is critical to hold on to what is familiar where possible. When living in a different culture, people often sacrifice much of their cultural identity leading to feelings of solitude and grief. One way to support communities in the midst of this is through cultural heritage preservation. In creating this opportunity for immigrant and refugee community members to showcase their coffee cultures, we hope to create space for cultural pride and preservation.

 

Summary of Objectives

 

1. Connecting local coffee shops to work together for an empowering and engaging cause for their local communities and customers.

2. Exposing mainstream culture to the rich and valuable diversity of people and cultures living among them through a common thread of coffee and tea culture.

3. Supporting the language acquisition and host-cultural engagement of immigrant and refugee students taking conversational English classes at IRC NOCO.

4. Providing opportunities for local coffee shops and their customers to donate money to support IRC NOCO’s objectives.

5. Supporting and sustaining further successful integration of immigrants and refugees through the pre-existing and trusted structures of IRC NOCO and local coffee shops of Northern Colorado.

6. Providing a unique opportunity to showcase and celebrate the coffee and tea cultures of English-learning students from IRC NOCO to aid in the preservation of cultural heritage.

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This project is a shared effort and desire of many local businesses and organizations in Northern Colorado.