A Letter from BG Chair Jessie May Peters

We are living in some of the strangest times many of us may have experienced. The elements of what underpins the concept of community—our events, our chats with regular customers, our at work families are being shaken. A strangely comforting thought in these times is that we are absolutely not alone, even if the ways in which Covid-19 is affecting our current circumstances is nuanced. Yesterday, the Barista Guild Leadership Council met online and shared our recent experiences with each other, and it was both important and nourishing to check-in and hear about the ways this shared issue is being viewed by others around the world. 

I personally have been filled with awe in seeing the collective ways our community is pulling together to help both locally and to places a thousand miles away from home. From digital tip jars, to quarantine coffee clubs, morning coffee chats, more IG live channels than we thought possible, and collectively supporting local businesses across every kind of industry. The baristas and coffee people that comprise our community are showing the constant willingness to show up, to be involved, and to pitch in no matter what. 

Some of you will be experiencing these times through unemployment, furlough, and isolation as a whole. To everyone, I would say, no matter how this situation is manifesting around you, that this wonderful community is there to be leaned into in one way or another. Speak to those around you, or write down about your situations if it helps you to do so. For those of us afforded the luxury of digital communication, we have a way to connect.

I would recommend that you head over to the SCA Community Contributed Resources Database to learn more about various documentation compiled by you, our community, in response to COVID-19. These resources focus on topics such as food safety, country-specific employment information and much more. If you would like to contribute information from where you are, you can do so here too. 

Sharing information, continuing to communicate, and remaining generous to one another are the most important ways we can continue to see our community grow in these rare and difficult times.

All of my best to you, your co-workers, friends, families, communities,

Jessie May
Barista Chair

Resources

Community-contributed COVID-19 Resources - Specialty Coffee Assocation

Support local coffee shops and their staff by filling their virtual tip jars - Sprudge