Category: Gender

The SCAA Event: Annual Coffeelands Preview

2016-03-22 Comments Off on The SCAA Event: Annual Coffeelands Preview

In less than one month the gavel will sound to open The SCAA Event.  That means it’s time for the annual Coffeelands preview of The Event’s best “origin content.” In my 2012 SCAA preview post, I divided my picks into three “streams of enlightenment”—“downstream” presentations that push knowledge of origin toward the marketplace, “upstream” presentations […]

Introducing The CRS Coffeelands Program

2015-10-01 Comments Off on Introducing The CRS Coffeelands Program

Back in July, the International Coffee Organization announced that 1 October would be International Coffee Day.  Ever since, it has been asking this question on its social media: “How are you celebrating International Coffee Day?”  Today, I am delighted to answer on behalf of CRS: by launching a global coffee program. . .

Coffee Supply Chain’s Hidden Heroes

2015-07-08 Comments Off on Coffee Supply Chain’s Hidden Heroes

Hollywood loves a good comeback story.  So when I think of the struggles of a coffee community in Honduras called Opatoro, I can’t help but think of them in terms of a Hollywood script.  The pitch might go something like this: In 2012, Dunia Martínez, newly elected mayor of Opatoro in rural Honduras, began receiving […]

A (coffee-focused) David Letterman mash-up

2015-05-20 Comments Off on A (coffee-focused) David Letterman mash-up

Tonight is the last broadcast of the Late Show with David Letterman.  In homage to his 33 years on the air, I offer this coffee-focused mash-up of the venerable “Top 10 List” and the comparatively lesser-known sketch “Is this anything?” The first needs no introduction; the second featured oddball performances by guests, then banter between […]

452. The SCAA Event: The annual Coffeelands preview

2015-03-09 Comments Off on 452. The SCAA Event: The annual Coffeelands preview

The 27th SCAA Event opens one month from today, which means it’s time for my annual SCAA preview and picks for the show’s best origin content. This year’s preview, which ran a little longer than last year’s, is thematic in focus.  If you are in a hurry, or prefer a chronological format that presents the […]

447. Six lenses on gender

2015-02-10 Comments Off on 447. Six lenses on gender

It seems 2015 is shaping up to be the year of gender equity in specialty coffee. CQI is conducting research on the issue as part of the industry-driven Partnership for Gender Equity, and the SCAA has announced a Symposium session on gender equity–a good sign that this is an issue whose time has come. In […]

424. CQI launches gender initiative

2014-09-29 Comments Off on 424. CQI launches gender initiative

Kimberly Easson has been present at the creation of lots of noteworthy efforts to make the coffee trade more equitable.  She was part of the original team that brought Fair Trade Certification to the U.S. coffee market in 1999 to create new market opportunities for smallolder farmers.  In 2003, she co-founded the International Women’s Coffee […]

423. Born into coffee: Observations from a third-generation colono in El Salvador

2014-09-22 Comments Off on 423. Born into coffee: Observations from a third-generation colono in El Salvador

From 2008-2011, I was involved in a CRS coffee project in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua called CAFE Livelihoods.  In late 2008, I convened the project teams from each of the four countries for the first time in Managua.  To open the first session, I paired each person with a colleague from another country […]

422. Women’s work in coffee

2014-09-15 Comments Off on 422. Women’s work in coffee

Last week Root Capital published this issue brief on gender lens investing in the coffeelands.  I posted some reflections on that publication here, and made reference to the fact that men and women experience the world differently as a result of the social construct of their respective gender roles. The data we collected in Colombia […]

421. Root Capital shines light on women in the shadows

2014-09-11 Comments Off on 421. Root Capital shines light on women in the shadows

Back in February, Root Capital released a white paper on social and environmental performance management—the inaugural publication in a series of issue briefs on strategic insights the organization has gleaned from its work.  Last week, Root published the second brief in the series—this one focused on gender lens investing—that is worth a closer look.