WE are COFFEE
OUR VISION
A dynamic coffee industry that achieves racial equity through the participation of a diverse group of professionals at all levels in all types of organizations.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to empower Black AMERICAN entrepreneurs and professionals in the coffee industry by using a holistic approach to dismantle barriers to entry, ensure access to education, mentorship, and resources, and foster equity, respect, and belonging while honoring the legacy of Black contributions to coffee.
OUR STORY
JUNE 2020: an open letter
CCRE was organized in July 2020 against the backdrop of a global pandemic, racial tensions and social unrest in cities across the United States and the world. Phyllis Johnson’s Open Letter to US coffee professionals offered a call to action to industry leaders to engage in envisioning a more inclusive future. In October 2020 the organization was established as a 501(c)(3).
“We are the ones bearing witness to wrongful tragedies as we sit quietly calculating our own risk in speaking up.
We are the ones who can be a force against racism.”
Phyllis Johnson, BD Imports
