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These learning experiences were also a process of “I have been pretty
developing her self-awareness. Regarding the chemical
engineering major, she said, “I frankly liked math and set on focusing on
chemistry and it seemed like a logical, safe employment
option after school. I also went in thinking after school the manufacturing
I would work in hydrology or some time of environ-
mental management.” But ended up choosing something of coffee, though
that turned out to be quite the opposite of what she
expected – chemical control engineer. However, once we have a small
she actually started working she realized keeping sys-
tems running was not as much fun for her as the design/ cafe in Baltimore,
experimentation portion.
After working for a few years, she left the indus- Maryland now.”
try and decided to go back to school to “get back on
track” with her initial plans. “After working in an in-
dustrial environment I could see first hand the health,
community engagement, and environmental challenges.
They seemed ongoing. So, I thought studies in Inter- for the roaster. Her prior professional background
national Affairs, Natural Resources and Sustainable endowed her with a profound understanding of systems
Development would be a way to learn more about how thinking in project management.
these challenges can be approached, both internation- She now owns a company named Southeastern
ally and nationally because we are in a global environ- Roastery, running a cafe, a roasting lab, and a retail
mental system.” Candy said. operation for whole beans and teas. The company part-
Throughout her academic learning and work expe- ners with mostly female producers, ranging from bak-
riences, she actively participated in various internation- ers who make snacks for her cafe to a fashion designer
al coffee projects, including initiatives aimed at assisting who repurposes burlap sacks that hold bulk coffee beans
small-scale coffee farmers. In addition, she obtained her to make unisex handbags.
master’s degree focusing on the sustainable agricultural Women have always been a part of the coffee in-
production of coffee, specifically from a green coffee dustry. Just as in many business sectors, this has usu-
perspective. All of this drew her into the idea of coffee ally not been in leadership positions or at the executive
roasting. She liked the idea of working with communities level. She believes in equitable access to systems and
from different countries to process an international resources. “Unfortunately, the United States was not
product and the creative process of roasting, playing with built from that political context (is any society?) and
variables that change aspects of the coffee experience. we are constantly struggling to make up for that. As an
She began to study roasting at the Academy of active female participant in moving toward a society
Coffee Excellence in 2016. Then she bought a one-ki- that operates more in that way, I have chosen to work
logram roaster from a company in Minneapolis and through a gender lens.”
set it up in her great-grandmother’s house. At that “I really went in without any expectat ions. I
time, she was living in a fourth floor walk up apart- focus on making good coffee first and foremost,” she
ment with no elevator. She didn’t have any other says. “That I can do it representing Black and Brown
free available space to work from. Within a week of women is a plus, but I’m not responsible for this
finishing her studies at the Academy of Coffee Ex- aspect of myself. So, I focus first on being the best
cellence, she landed her first account, roasting of myself… or at least making the effort to.”
coffee for a whiskey and coffee pop-up called Dual- Despite being an individual whose biological
ity on U Street NW in Washington, D.C. She had sex is female, she told me she struggles with “fem-
finally found her dream career, tailor-made for her ininity”. There are times she doesn’t feel so “femi-
aspirations and passions. nine” because of her natural body shape and the fact
that she has had issues with reproductive organs
Her Place in the Family of Things starting from childhood. She can’t have children. So,
she feels she has an excess of creative energy. “My
In late 2019, Candy was prepared to take the leap nature is quite feminine I feel – the desire to create
and establish her own storefront, complete with space and nurture.” Candy said.

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