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Growing up in Japan, there were always two bottles of iced coffee in the fridge — her mom's unsweetened, her dad's with sugar. Mami Perez always went for her dad's.

Two New York families. Connected for decades before they ever formally worked together. In 1986, Taylor Morabito's mother opened a six-seat café in Gramercy Park and called it Friend of a Farmer. Forty years later, her son is one of ours.

Marisa has been at our LaGuardia Place cafe for four years. She has a drink named after her, friendships built across the bar, and a TV pilot in development. Some people are just like that.

You might already know Oscar without realizing it. He's been roasting at our Long Island City Roastery for years now—and if you've ever walked by and immediately thought, whatever that smell is, I need a cup, there's a solid chance he made it happen. Oscar started at Joe seven years ago as a barista at Grand Central. Cafe lead came after that, then quality control, and eventually the roaster—which is where he's been for the past five years. But his passion for coffee didn't start at Joe. It started way before New York, on his dad's farm in Colombia, where Oscar spent pretty much every weekend growing up. His dad has had the place for over 40 years. They grew cattle, mostly. But there was always coffee in the soil. He and his brother eventually decided to do something with it. They brought the caturra back first, got their footing, and then something a little wild happened. A family friend—a professional cyclist—was wrapping up one of his last races in Panama when a stranger handed him a sock filled with gesha coffee beans. Just said the coffee was really special and sent him on his way. The cyclist didn't have any land, so the beans went to Oscar's dad instead. They threw 250 trees in the ground and waited. First harvest came back at 87 points on the SCA scale—which, for a first harvest of gesha, is kind of a big deal. Oscar's brother's reaction was pretty much just: alright, let's go. Five thousand trees went in after that. This was maybe four, four and a half years ago now. Gesha is one of those things where once someone explains it to you, you begin to understand the hype. Oscar's go-to is the wine comparison—you can find a ten dollar bottle or a ten thousand dollar bottle, same thing with coffee. Gesha just happens to sit at the very top of that range. It's fruity, almost tea-like, not what most people picture when they think of coffee at all. The trees are also notoriously stingy—they don't produce much, which is part of why it’s become so rare and expensive when you find it. One of the priciest coffees on earth right now is a gesha out of Panama. $7,500 a pound. Oscar's family is growing the same variety—from a sock of beans a stranger handed off at a finish line in Panama. He came to New York because he wanted to learn the full picture. Growing coffee in Colombia is one thing—and his family does it well—but he wanted to understand roasting, serving, the whole loop. Joe gave him that. The roasting, he says, clicked because of his background as a chef. "It's an art. Going from light to medium is one degree—one degree and you could char it, make it bitter and burnt. Or go one degree lower and it's super sweet, really vibrant. You train your palate, cup every day, and just follow your instincts." 🛍️ Product Great Heights Great Heights is a bold and robust coffee, inspired by the Heights in every borough and the dreamer spirit in every New Yorker. As one of our most dev... by Joe Coffee Company Outside of his work at Joe, Oscar runs OG Coffee Roasters, his own company built entirely around his family's farm. He grows it, exports it, roasts it, and serves it himself—no middlemen, nothing in between. You can catch him at the Dumbo Market on weekends. "I planted these trees four years ago and now I'm having a cup of coffee from that same tree," he says. "How many people can say that? I grew it. I imported it. I roasted it. I'm serving it. That's the story."   Oscar's OG Coffee Roasters is now the featured guest roaster at our LIC Roastery Cafe and the Pro Shop for a limited time. Come find him, try the coffee, and ask him about the sock story. He'll tell you the whole thing.  

Ever since we opened our Long Island City Roastery in 2019, we've been a staple of the neighborhood—and you'll probably smell the cafe before you've even arrived. The sweet scent of freshly roasted coffee drifts through Queens' signature numbered streets and avenues, drawing you in before you've even reached the door. Step inside and you'll be greeted by a number of friendly faces, some familiar, some new, and one barista in particular: Sarah—winner of this season's beverage competition with her Lychee Mint Spritz. We sat down with Sarah to learn more about the inspiration behind the drink and her time at Joe.

This October, Joe Coffee is proud to support Community Voices Heard (CVH) through our in-cafe round-up campaign. CVH is a member-led, multiracial organization made up primarily of women of color and low-income families across New York State. For 30 years, they’ve been building power and driving change—tackling housing justice, economic equity, and civic participation through grassroots organizing and leadership development. We sat down with Juanita Lewis, Executive Director of CVH, to talk about their mission, their impact, and how every round-up donation helps create a more just and equitable New York. Since our last interview in 2021, what milestones or shifts has CVH experienced that you're most proud of? I'm incredibly proud that we celebrated our 30th anniversary last year. Thirty years of organizing with low-income people of color, building power, and winning real change for New Yorkers. I also need to be real about what we've faced in this last year alone. We've had to double down after an onslaught of attacks from the federal government. In February, our members from across our four chapters traveled to Albany and held meetings with over 40 New York representatives to demand our State step up. And in May, CVH Power members traveled to DC to fight back against cuts to HUD, SNAP, and Medicaid We've also been holding People's Assemblies with our local elected officials in the Hudson Valley and Harlem to make sure they're hearing directly from their constituents. When the federal government tries to dismantle the safety net, we organize harder. That's the shift: we're not only defending what we have, we're demanding more. How has CVH's work—and the needs of the communities you serve—evolved over the past few years? The needs have intensified, honestly. Coming out of the pandemic, we saw the devastating impact on Black and brown communities – the economic instability, the housing crisis getting worse, the ongoing threats to our democracy. What's evolved is our understanding that we can't just respond to crisis after crisis. We need to build a sustainable base. Our work has become more explicitly focused on centering Black women's leadership through our Follow Black Women project, because we know that's where transformative change comes from. We're not just organizing around individual issues anymore – we're building the infrastructure for long-term power. What're some of the biggest challenges CVH is facing in 2025? We are witnessing the same kinds of attacks that sparked CVH's creation. The federal government is once again targeting the most vulnerable among us: slashing safety net programs, undermining voting access, and demonizing those who use public assistance. It's a scary time for our communities, and the threats feel both familiar and urgent. But here's what gives me hope: CVH was created precisely for moments like these. We were born out of necessity when our people were under attack, and we have spent three decades building the power to fight back. This is what we were made for. Can you share a story of a recent campaign or initiative that illustrates CVH's impact on everyday New Yorkers? I want to tell you about our East Harlem tenants who took on one of the city's worst landlords. Nearly 40 tenants across five buildings on East 103rd Street organized with us because their landlord had created unbearable living conditions – mold, blocked fire exits, a hole in the roof, doors that locked people inside their own buildings. But it was worse than just neglect; this predatory equity firm had stolen tens of thousands of dollars in security deposits from tenants. CVH organized the tenants, we partnered with Legal Aid Society and Legal Services NYC, and we filed a lawsuit. Ultimately, we won almost $500,000 for those tenants. That's the power of organized tenants standing together. What does "building power" look like for members of CVH in practice, and how do you see that power growing in the years ahead? At CVH, we say “power” is organized people and organized money. Building power looks like a CVH member going from never having knocked on a door to leading a team of other members. It looks like our members testifying at the City Council, meeting with their elected officials, and shaping policy agendas. Through our Ella Baker School for Organizing, we're always training the next generation of organizers. Looking ahead, I see our power growing as we deepen our Follow Black Women infrastructure, as we connect fights across the state, and as we win policies that give people more time and resources to organize and just live their lives. Power grows when people see themselves winning and bring their neighbors into the fight. And power grows when we have this kind of monetary support from everyday people. How has the Follow Black Women project grown since we last spoke, and what change has it sparked so far? Follow Black Women has grown from a bold idea into real infrastructure. We surveyed over 5,000 Black women across New York State and found that education, housing, and healthcare are the priority policy areas for change. This year we organized a series of events focused on how we show up differently for this work because the conditions are different. The events included visioning sessions, panels on rest, and trainings on Ranked Choice Voting. These events set the foundation to build a policy agenda created by Black women that will guide lawmakers in 2026 and beyond. This September, we held a powerful event with 100 Black women, Attorney General Letitia James, and mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani to present our top priorities for the next mayor. We're holding two more sessions in October and November for Black women to dive deeper into writing a mayoral agenda. This is what it looks like when Black women move from being acknowledged as the wheels of political movements to actually being the drivers. What does it mean for CVH to center the leadership of Black women, and how do you see that shaping broader movements for justice? For more than 100 years, Black women have led America's progress on human rights. We know this, so why aren't Black women setting the agenda and driving policy? When we center Black women's leadership, we're building from the most intersectional analysis. Black women experience racism, sexism, and often economic exploitation simultaneously. Solutions that work for Black women work for everyone. I see this shaping broader movements by demonstrating that the most transformative change comes when those most impacted are leading. We are the architects of our liberation. We're running a round-up campaign in cafes this month to support CVH. How do you see small, everyday contributions like this playing into larger movements for change? Here's the truth: we've grown from a small and mighty group into a statewide, power-building machine, and that happened because of sustained support from everyday people. When someone rounds up their coffee purchase to support CVH, they're making a statement about what kind of world they want to live in. They're investing in member leadership, in organizing infrastructure, in the long-term work that doesn't make headlines but builds power. Those contributions add up to door hangers, to organizing trainings, to trips to Albany and DC. And just as importantly, it means we're accountable to our communities. That's how movements are sustained – not by one big check from one big donor, but by many people investing in the future together. Next time you’re in the cafe, round up your order and join us in supporting Community Voices Heard’s mission this October.

The results are in—our seasonal staff beverage contest has crowned not one, but two winners this year. It’s always a favorite moment for us, when our team brings their creativity to the menu, sharing stories, memories, and flavors close to home. This time, the winning drinks come from our Columbia Business School cafe and right here at Joe HQ. Pomegranate Mocha Latte Andy, Cafe Lead at Columbia Business School Over the years, our presence on Columbia’s campus has steadily grown, welcoming students, neighbors, and visitors into our cafes. Today, we’re proud to have four cafes and a pop-up across campus. At Columbia Business School, you’ll find Andy—our cafe lead and one of this year’s beverage contest winners—with his Pomegranate Mocha Latte.  We sat down with Andy to learn more about the inspiration behind the drink and his time at Joe. How long have you worked at Joe? This September will be my third year at Joe! What’s been one of the biggest highlights during your time here? One of my biggest highlights was scoring a 100% on our Coffee Audit here at CBS. It was a true testament to how hard the team here works but also how much the baristas here care about their craft. Another big highlight for me was having some students from the graduating MBA class of 2025 leave me small notes showing appreciation for just being their barista while they were here. What was the inspiration behind the Pomegranate Mocha Latte? There are two main inspirations! The first was that pomegranate is my late grandmother's favorite fruit. One of the earliest memories I have is of me as a child sitting on her lap, eating a pomegranate while she drank a cup of coffee so I wanted to combine these two flavors!.The second was my favorite candy, Brookside Dark chocolate-covered pomegranate! I really wanted my drink to come out tasting exactly like the candy, so I was super happy with the end result! **What’s your usual go-to coffee order?**I like to start off my day with either an 8oz vanilla latte or an oat cortado! What’s your first memory of coffee? It’s really hard to pinpoint my first memory of coffee since I can’t really remember anytime I haven’t been around coffee. I can’t remember a night of my childhood where the day didn’t end with my whole family enjoying a cup of coffee together with conchas (a mexican pastry). What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? I believe the quote was “ If you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you'll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you're done.”. It’s a great reminder to be to constantly working towards my goals and small consistent increments is the best way to achieve them! Miso Brown Butter Latte Jordi, VP of People & Culture If you make your way to 30th and Park Avenue South, you’ll find the heart of Joe—our HQ. We’ve recently moved a few floors up, making room for a brand-new training space we’ve lovingly named the Park Ave Lab. HQ is home to the teams that keep Joe running—wholesale, education, marketing, leadership, HR, and cafe management. Over the years, we’ve grown a lot, and our VP of People & Culture, Jordi, has been a driving force behind that growth. He’s poured his creativity into our seasonal staff beverage contest many times, but this year his Miso Brown Butter Latte truly took the spotlight. We sat down with Jordi in the office to talk about his work, his journey, and the story behind this winning drink. How long have you worked at Joe? Since June 2020. What’s been one of the biggest highlights during your time here? Being able to help build the culture of kindness, collaboration, and values-forward business we work in. Just the idea of a mandatory micro-aggression training, an ethical business council, a workshop on emotional intelligence and compassionate accountability would have all been scoffed at in previous companies i worked for. so i'm happy i found a place were those things are seen as truly valuable. That has been a proud highlight... oh and singing about our HR/Payroll system at the Joe show was quite memorable, as well. What was the inspiration behind the Miso Brown Butter Latte? To be completely honest, it was inspired by a 2 live crew song from the 1980's that sounds like 2 of the ingredients.... but also, I used to joke that we should do a Miso Ramen Latte with noodles. This has all the warmth and umami....without the carbs! What’s your usual go-to coffee order? Summer: Yuzu Espresso Spritz (I love lemonade with a shot of espresso, when I can't get to a Joe) Winter: Good ol' La Familia Guarnizo drip. I love a bright fruity light-roast. What’s your first memory of coffee? My mom used to let me drink the last sips of her coffee when I was a young kid. She added milk and sugar to her coffee so the last sips had all the undissolved sugar which made it quite the ephemeral treat! What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? My grandfather used to always say, "it could be worse!" which isn't direct advice, but it is a gratitude-forward perspective that my entire family in general has internalized. Understanding how blessed we are, even when are struggling, really keeps things in perspective.

A lot can happen in 22 years. Since opening our doors on the corner of Waverly and Gay in the Village, we’ve seen your kids become regulars, watched the city transform around us, and made it through highs, lows—and yes, even that citywide blackout in 2003. Through it all, one thing’s been constant: you. We’re here because of the community that’s grown with us, and we’re endlessly grateful. So let’s take a walk down memory lane at some of the moments that helped make Joe what it is today. 22. 2025 — Park Ave HQ & Training Lab OpensJoe’s HQ has taken many forms over the years—from no office at all, to a loft above our 13th Street cafe, to a tucked-away space behind our Pro Shop cafe, and eventually to the 6th floor of 443 Park Ave South. Today, in 2025, we’ve moved just four floors up—with a lot more space and an unforgettable view of the Empire State Building. By relocating our training lab from Long Island City and expanding our footprint here, we’ve deepened our commitment to connection and community. This new space allows us to welcome baristas on their first day, host public and private classes, and connect with more people across the Joe network than ever before. We’re incredibly grateful to call it home. 21. 2024 — Launch Ready to use EspressoIn collaboration with our friends at BKON and their Coldstretto® extraction technology, we captured the essence of our signature Waverly Espresso in a shelf-stable, ready-to-use bottle. Designed for ease and versatility, Ready to use Espresso brings the rich, balanced flavor of our espresso to wherever you are—no machine required. First introduced at Natural Products Expo West to an enthusiastic response, it’s a seamless addition to any home bar or coffee setup. From morning lattes to espresso tonics and even coffee-infused baked goods, this innovative product delivers cafe-quality taste in every pour. 20. 2023 — Parallel Coffee Services StartsWhat started as a behind-the-scenes support hub in the back of our Pro Shop cafe quickly grew into a trusted service partner for cafes across the city. Today, our in-house repair team is one of the things that sets Joe apart. With expert technicians on-call and ready to respond fast, we’re proud to offer the kind of reliability, knowledge, and care that New York’s coffee community can count on. 19. 2023 — The Village LaunchesThanks to the dedication of our VP of Coffee, Amaris Gutierrez-Ray, we launched a 100% women-produced coffee that highlights our commitment to gender equity year-round. This product serves as a platform to educate both our customers and staff about the importance of supporting women producers. It’s a key part of our ongoing initiative to champion gender equity every day, through coffee that celebrates the women behind the beans. 18. 2023 — The Ethical Business Council is FormedIn 2023, after years of conversation and collaboration, we launched the Ethical Business Council (EBC)—an employee-led, cross-functional group created to ensure more voices are represented in how we operate and grow. With members from every corner of Joe, from baristas to leadership, the EBC helps guide decision-making with equity, transparency, and integrity at the center. It’s a key part of how we’re building a more inclusive workplace—and a more ethical business—from the inside out. 17. 2021 — Cold Brew Can LaunchWe took our fan-favorite cold brew—made with our signature Great Heights coffee—and turned it into a ready-to-drink can. What started in our cafes is now available across the country, including select Shake Shacks, airports, and grocery stores. It was a major step in expanding Joe’s national reach, making it easier than ever to enjoy our cold brew anywhere, anytime. 16. 2019 — Long Island City Roastery OpensWe relocate from our shared roastery in Red Hook to a 4,000-square-foot space in Long Island City. This new facility became home to our Roastery Lab—a hub for training, cupping, public classes, and eventually private events. It also serves as our production and distribution center, where all of our coffee is roasted, with dedicated space for quality control and wholesale training. The move marked a new chapter in scaling our operations while staying true to hands-on education and craft. 15. 2017 — First Brooklyn Cafe OpensAfter 14 years in Manhattan, we crossed the East River and opened our first Brooklyn cafe on Hicks Street in Brooklyn Heights. This neighborhood has long held a special place in our story—it’s home to the Rubinstein family, who founded Joe back in 2003. On any given morning, you might spot one of them stopping in for their daily cup. 14. 2017 — Union Square Hospitality Group Partners with JoeImpressed by our shared values of quality, sustainability, and hospitality, Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group invested in our growth—enabling a brand refresh, the opening of five new cafes, updates to existing cafes, and helping us secure our wholesale relationship with Daily Provisions. To this day, USHG continues to help us improve and imagine new possibilities. 13. 2013 — Joe’s First Good Food AwardJust two years after we began roasting our own coffee, we earned our first Good Food Award for our Ethiopia: Illubabor – Camp Cooperative—a bright, complex coffee that stood out among hundreds of entries from across the country. Selected by a panel of past Good Food Award winners, this recognition was more than just a medal; it marked a turning point for Joe. It validated our commitment to sourcing exceptional coffee and roasting with care, and helped establish us as a roaster to watch—not just in New York City, but nationwide. For a company that started as a single cafe in the West Village, this moment affirmed how far we’d come—and how much we were capable of. 12. 2012 — Pro Shop Opens at 131 W 21st StBuilt for home brewers and coffee curious folks alike—we created Pro Shop to serve as a place to grab the gear you need, ask questions, and level up your at-home setup. One of the things that makes it special is the rotating lineup of guest roasters we feature alongside our own, giving you the chance to explore something new with every visit. It’s part retail, part education, and all about making great coffee feel a little more approachable. 11. 2012 — Joe: The Coffee Book is PublishedThe Rubinsteins teamed up with multiple James Beard Award–winning cookbook author Judith Choate and acclaimed food photographer Steve Pool to create a book that explores the close-knit, global specialty coffee community—celebrating the growers, buyers, roasters, baristas, and everyday drinkers who bring coffee to life. The book offers a behind-the-scenes look at how exceptional coffee is produced and shares brewing techniques for making a great cup at home, encouraging readers to consider the many hands and stories behind every sip. 10. ~2011 — Staff Seasonal Beverage Competition LaunchesOne of the most beloved traditions at Joe is the company-wide beverage competition, where creativity and friendly rivalry come to life. Over the years, it has given us iconic drinks like Roberta’s Lavender Earl Grey Latte, Mak’s Banana Bread Latte, Mami’s Yuzu Elderflower Spritz, and Rose’s Fig Balsamic Latte. Each season, the contest grows more inventive (and competitive)—and we’re always excited to see what new creations emerge. 9. 2011 — Joe Becomes a Coffee RoasterJoe’s roasting journey began in Red Hook, Brooklyn, inside the Pulley Collective—a shared industrial space with unforgettable views of the Statue of Liberty and the smell of fresh-roasted coffee. Led by Ed Kaufmann, our then Director of Roasting, this move marked a turning point for Joe. A passionate coffee enthusiast with roots at Café Grumpy and Stumptown, Ed convinced Jonathan Rubinstein to bring roasting in-house. With Ed at the helm, we began crafting our own roast profiles from the ground up—laying the foundation for the coffees that now define Joe. Our first roasted coffee began with a microlot from Huehuetenango, Guatemala, carefully selected by former Director of Roasting Ed Kaufmann after countless cuppings. Back then, we roasted just once a week—about 300 pounds at a time. Beans arrived on Thursdays and hit the shelves Friday, often selling out fast. For context: in 2025 alone, we’ve roasted nearly 100 times that amount. 8. 2010 — Gabby Rubinstein Marries Joe RegularCo-founder Gabrielle Rubinstein was known for setting up customers and friends on blind dates, so it’s only fitting that she met her husband, Anthony Cheong, through the Joe run club. After two years of friendship, a New Year’s Eve kiss in 2009 sparked something more. Their love story was later featured in The New York Times Vows section, and today, they live with their daughter Isi just a short walk from our Brooklyn Heights cafe. 7. 2010 — First Origin Trip to NicaraguaThree of our team members traveled alongside Steve Mierisch to visit his family’s farms and witness firsthand the journey coffee takes before it reaches our cafes. From biting into our first coffee cherries to walking alongside farmers and learning about Direct Trade in action, it was an eye-opening experience that deepened our connection to the people and places behind every cup. 6. 2010 — First Columbia University Cafe OpensIn 2010—seven years after opening our first cafe on Waverly Place—we opened our first Columbia University location in the Northwest Corner Building, the first of what would become five successful partnerships on campus. This move uptown introduced Joe to a whole new community: college students, faculty, and neighbors curious about coffee and eager to learn more. As much as we are there to keep students caffeinated, we also embraced the role of educators, sharing our passion for sourcing, quality, and craft with a new generation of coffee drinkers. 5. 2010 — SNL’s Bill Hader Bases Character on Joe BaristaActor, producer, director, screenwriter, and former Saturday Night Live cast member (2005–2013) Bill Hader—alongside longtime collaborator John Mulaney—based the iconic character Stefon on a barista from our Chelsea cafe. Hader, who once lived right across the street, has credited the “really funny and nice barista at Joe” as the inspiration, noting the rapport they built during his time as a regular. 4. 2005 — Lee Harrison’s First Barista ShiftOne of the things we love most about Joe is growing alongside the people who make it special. Lee Harrison started as a barista in 2005 at our second cafe, 13th Street, and went on to hold key leadership roles across the company, culminating in his promotion to COO in 2023. His hard work behind the bar and in the roastery—along with his steady presence and deep care—have helped make Joe, Joe. 3. 2005 — Second Cafe Opens on 13th St.A milestone moment in Joe’s early days came just two years in, when we opened our second cafe on 13th Street, right around the corner from Parsons. Above it sat our first semblance of an “office”—a small loft only accessible by ladder. It was scrappy, tight, and full of promise. We had no idea how quickly we’d outgrow it, but that space marked the beginning of something bigger. 2. 2003 — Amy Sedaris’ CupcakesThe Village has always been home to artists, actors, and creatives—and in our earliest days, that spirit showed up in the most unexpected way. Just days after we opened, Sarah Jessica Parker came by and suggested we carry her friend’s homemade cupcakes. Her friend happened to be Amy Sedaris. Within weeks, Sedaris was personally dropping off cupcakes at the cafe—always kind, always generous. The story took off, and soon we were getting calls from around the world. One person even tried to order five dozen for a wedding. It was our first real burst of press—and a memorable part of Joe’s early days. Sedaris donated all the proceeds to her rabbit rescue, a detail we’ll never forget. 1. 2003 — Joe Coffee Opens on the Corner of Waverly and Gay StreetWhen Jonathan and Gabby Rubinstein opened the doors at Waverly and Gay, there wasn’t much of a “coffee scene” in New York, but this little corner shop changed that. What began as a neighborhood cafe quickly became something bigger: a home for great coffee, warm conversation, and the early stirrings of third-wave culture in the city. It didn’t just serve coffee—it became part of the cultural fabric of New York, and helped shape a movement that would reach far beyond its corner.

Like many things at Joe, our relationship with Lincoln Center—and the collaboration that followed—came about quite naturally. A few years back, we hosted an Instagram contest where Joe Grandy, now the Director of Business Development and Innovation at Lincoln Center, was randomly selected as the winner. When Joe later joined the Lincoln Center team, he reconnected with our founder and CEO, Jonathan Rubinstein, and pitched an idea: what if we created a summer seasonal coffee inspired by our Rockefeller blend, but with proceeds supporting Lincoln Center? In true Joe fashion, we brought the idea to our team and held an internal vote to choose an organization within Lincoln Center to support. The decision was clear—everyone was drawn to the Young Artist Pipeline (YAP), a program that nurtures young talent across a wide range of disciplines and helps make arts education accessible to kids who might not otherwise have these kinds of opportunities. To make the collaboration even more meaningful, students from YAP were invited to create artwork for the coffee bag, putting their creativity into action in a real-world project. This summer coffee resulted in nearly $7,000 raised through more than 12,665 round-up donations in our cafes, plus over 400 retail bags sold. This year, we wanted to expand the impact and include even more students from across YAP’s five artistic disciplines: dance, theater, vocal music, instrumental music, and visual arts. To do that, we introduced five different versions of our Lincoln Center coffee, each in a 6 oz bag and featuring original artwork inspired by each discipline. Over the course of several weekends at LaGuardia High School we spent time with the students, getting to know their work and watching them practice their craft. Vocal, theater, and instrumental students were photographed mid-performance, and those images were later transformed into striking silhouettes. Dance students painted their feet, posed in expressive positions, and turned those prints into captivating visuals. Visual arts students were asked to design icons that represented what YAP meant to them. The result is five beautifully designed, deeply personal bags of Lincoln Center coffee—a testament to the creativity of these young artists and the important work Lincoln Center is doing to support the next generation of talent. We sat down with Dacia Washington, Lincoln Center’s Director of Emergent Artist Initiatives, to talk about how the Young Artist Pipeline came to life, the personal passion that fuels her work, and what keeps her moving forward at a time when both the arts and DEIA initiatives face increasing challenges under the current administration. Can you share a bit about your background and how the arts shaped your early life and path into education? I am a proud native NYer, having grown up on the northern tip of Manhattan in Inwood Heights. I had an eclectic artistic education, that included studying ballet, violin, cello, fine arts, and eventually performing in community theater. My mother believed in the value of artistic practice and did all that she could to ensure that I was able to participate in the arts. Alongside formal studies, my family was always attending performances, and the world of artists, seemed more of a norm for me than other career paths. It seemed inevitable that I would eventually attend the School of Performing Arts (now LaGuardia HS), and not a Math and Science school where I also was admitted. Through that experience, I was immersed in a diverse community emerging artists, and my exposure to the arts widened and deepened. I was not fully aware until I was an adult that access to the arts is not a given for all. Because I have a deep love and appreciation for performance and my own artistry, it is an imperative for me to do what I can to provide rich, unique, and engaging experiences for young people. Who or what inspired you most growing up—and how does that influence the way you support young artists today? I come from a family of artists, musicians and performers, so there was never a time in my upbringing when the arts were not central to my growth and development. Both of my parents were musicians and educators. I had the opportunity to see them perform professionally in clubs, concert halls, touring, and on Broadway, as well as see them cultivating the next generation of artists, some of whom went on to professions in the arts. What continues to impress me about their legacy is that not only did they provide access to the arts for NYC students, but they also created a community and legacy that continues today. Even though most of the folks that they worked with did not go on to careers in the arts, they attribute their successes and best memories to their time in the programs that they facilitated. This inspires me to think about not just what young people learn, but how they learn to interact with each other and evolve their world view. Most importantly, how are we consciously forming communities that resonate with and through the arts? You’ve spent your career at the intersection of arts and education. What changes have you seen over the years, and what shifts do you still hope to see? I have seen many changes throughout the years. As a child, I grew up in the Bronx Boro-Wide Chorus, where my mother was alto instructor and accompanist, and my father was conductor. Because I had to be there on Saturday mornings, I participated and began my singing career at the age of 5 in the soprano section. Music and arts programs in the schools, at the time, were robust and many world class musicians had their earliest training in them. Due to the fiscal crisis in the 1970s, there were devastating cuts to the arts. The training, recruitment, and cultivation of artist teachers was deprioritized, and many schools eliminated arts programming. In the 1990s, through the founding of the Center for Arts Education and funding through the Annenberg Foundation, arts organizations received a needed boost to support arts education in NYC public schools. What I would most like to see is a greater valuing of the arts as intrinsic, essential aspect of education and social emotional wellness in that they encourage community, can engage empathy, present opportunities for problem solving. Through the arts we can develop the capacity to imagine other possibilities, and the rigor to work toward them as a society. I would like to see a value proposition that brings with it adequate funding, training opportunities, and increased access for all. "The arts are not for the privileged few, but for the many. Their place is not on the periphery of daily life, but at its center; they should function not merely as another form of entertainment but, rather, should contribute significantly to our wellbeing and happiness. " This quote is on a memorial plaque honoring John D. Rockefeller III, the founder of Lincoln Center and for me it is a north star. As I consider possible programming opportunities and future shifts, I keep this principle in the foreground to ensure that the arts are centered, participants have agency. What does it mean to give students real-world opportunities like the Lincoln Center coffee collaboration—and how do you think it prepares them for life beyond the classroom? The Lincoln Center/Joe Coffee collaboration has been amazing for the students. They have had the opportunity to witness and be instrumental in a collaboration that takes them through a creative process resulting in a product that features their artistry. The project makes the connection between one’s artistry to career pathways. It inspires them to view objects, packaging, and advertising through a design lens. The self- esteem that comes from being featured in the campaign is undeniable. I have no doubt that students will remember having been essential contributors. This year’s expanded collaboration featured five student-designed bags. What was the creative process like, and how do you ensure each student’s voice is honored? Ned Semoff was instrumental in the inspiration for this year’s expanded collaboration. I am so grateful that all studios in the program were featured. Each student makes their mark on the design related to their studio: posing in an inspired way, painting then printing their feet, creating a drawing related to the arts. Each student’s signature is featured in the design as well. It’s an exciting process for the students and initially they are unsure of the outcome. Ned does an amazing job of designing the bags. I am so excited for the students to see the final product. What impact do partnerships like this have on students’ confidence, creativity, and sense of possibility? The impact is immeasurable, but I will say that this partnership, now in its second year is one of the unique aspects of the program. I am hopeful that as the program goes forward that we will be able to have more opportunities for students to experience how artistry is applied in meaningful careers. Too often the arts are deemed less valuable as a pursuit because of financial stability, but if you ask people about their experience in the arts and whether what they learned has value in their current careers, they highlight direct and indirect correlations. The students who were in the program last year were thrilled to hear that Joe Coffee would be back this year. One of the aspects of the program that they highlight in their testimonials is the opportunity to work with professionals in the field. Through the partnership with Joe Coffee, they experience how creativity, imagination, and design are essential in product packaging and marketing. At a time when arts and DEIA programs face growing challenges, what’s one thing you want people to know about YAP—and how can they help support its future? In the face of growing challenges, the arts are essential. Identifying barriers to participation in the arts for young people is critical. Arts organizations hold space for people when other systems fail. I guess what I want people to know about Young Artist Pipeline is that we are and hope to always be a community in the making for aspiring artists. We are dedicated to being responsive to the participants, challenging them to develop artist citizens, to be actively curious about the world, and consider how that disposition influences them as art makers. That’s more than one thing, but in short, we are here for middle school students who are curious about the arts and want to commit themselves to exploring and developing their artistic and imaginative capacities. — Lincoln Center is now available for purchase online and in-cafes. $1 from every bag supports Lincoln Center and the Young Artist Pipeline. 🛍️ Product Lincoln Center Summertime in New York City has a way of bringing everyone back outside — and back together. After months of cold, the city opens up, and with it come... by Joe Coffee Company ✓ Available 🛒 View Product