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C Story / Melanie Sugeng

Dr Robbie
Journey to Equality

Francis Watane

C offee is a beverage that brings people togeth- often discussed. It is an issue that is overlooked and unfor-
Disability in the coffee industry is a topic that is not
er from all walks of life, but like all indus-
tries, it is also a sector of challenges that
in recent years, often in the form of disability-inclusive
experiences a high degree of exclusion and tunately thoroughly ignored. Although progress is apparent
inequality. This is what disability rights researcher and cafes and businesses that hire disabled people, there is a
advocate, Dr. Robbie Francis Watane, and her social en- crucial demand for disability rights and inclusiveness across
terprise, The Lucy Foundation consciously work towards. the entire supply chain from farmer to manufacturer to
Dr. Robbie Francis Watane is a leading disability barista to consumer. It is vital to recognize and address the
rights researcher and activist from Aotearoa New Zealand. barriers that individuals with disabilities may face in the
Robbie currently lives in TÀmaki Makaurau (Auckland) coffee industry, and to prioritize inclusivity and accessi-
with her husband and son. When she is not working as a bility in all aspects and sectors. This is where The Lucy
Senior Disability Rights Researcher at the Donald Beasley Foundation comes in.
Institute, she is Project Lead for the Disabled Person-Led
Monitoring of the United Nations Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities in Aotearoa New Zealand. She
has worked as an expert advisor to the New Zealand Gov-
ernment on various strategies (including the 2016-2026
New Zealand Disability Strategy), and currently sits on
“For us, we’re very slow. Very slow, very small, six governance and advisory boards. And if Robbie’s pro-
very incremental. We have a word in Maori: fessional life couldn’t get any more impressive, she’s also
Whanaungatanga - meaning building relationships. got “coffee entrepreneur” slotted nicely into her superb
Building respectful relationships. ” list of achievements. 35

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