Each month for the foreseeable future, we are collecting donations to send to charitable organizations and causes in the US. For 2020 and onwards, these highlighted organizations are ones that are centered around education and the fight against racism. It is clear that the specialty coffee industry, and society as a whole, has much to address regarding this long-standing issue. And a way to start is to contribute to those groups that are knowledgeable about action and teach those around them to unlearn racism.
For the month of February, we will be collecting for The Audre Lorde Project. This will continue until the last day of the month.
The organization is “a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color center for community organizing, focusing on the New York City area. Through mobilization, education, and capacity-building, we work for community wellness and progressive social and economic justice. Committed to struggling across differences, we seek to responsibly reflect, represent and serve our various communities.”
To donate, you can select the amount you wish to contribute as an add-on for your product purchases. Acaia will publicly provide proof of donations when they are sent to the organization.
In their own words:
“The principles guiding the work and development of The Audre Lorde Project as a progressive organization seeking social justice are as follows:
Recognizing the full diversity of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two-Spirit, Trans and Gender Non-Conforming (LGBTSTGNC) people of color, and our collective histories of struggle against discrimination and other forms of oppression, the Audre Lorde Project has been established to serve as a home base that LGBTST peoples of African / Black/ Caribbean, Arab, Asian & Pacific Islander, Latina/o, and Native/Indigenous descent can use to organize, support, and advocate for our diverse communities.
As such, ALP seeks to work with LGBTSTGNC people of color organizations and communities across differences of race/ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and life experiences (e.g. class, immigration status, HIV serostatus, health status, etc.) in order to develop and implement culturally specific and effective programs and services reflecting the needs of our communities.”