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C

FOOTPRINTS IN

W hen you read the word “color”, what’s the

first thing that comes to mind? As I am writ-
ing this, I think of happy, vibrant colors.
Undeniably, the base of our answers is our
own individual experiences and what we’ve been exposed to
throughout our lives. I am, therefore, certain that there are
others for whom the word “color” might invoke completely
different emotions and memories. There are people who might
think of “race”, or a rainbow flag.
I still have the image of my primary school teacher in my
head, writing the word “racism” on the blackboard, and even
though I could not quite understand what it meant at the time,
I could feel she was explaining something very important. It
wasn’t until some years later that I realized the profound impact
that racism has had on so many lives. I don’t know how some-
one can even begin to understand what it feels like to be judged,
or treated differently, simply because of the color of their skin.
Or their sexual orientation. Or their gender.
I identify as a heterosexual female. I was born and
raised in Greece, and that is also something that I can iden-
tify with. But I was not raised to identify with a race. I would
distinguish myself as a Greek, in comparison let’s say to
someone from China or Nigeria. In the same way, I would
identify myself as a European if someone asked me about
my continent of origin. In fact, I cannot find a translation
for the word “race” in Greek. The closest thing to an answer
is the Greek word for “tribe” and that’s not really being used
in the context we are talking about.
Understanding that there are people who strongly iden-
tify as “white”, “black” or “hispanic” came much later for me.
I don’t know what it’s like to be a person of color, or to be part
of the LGBTQIA+ community, and it feels as if the best thing
I can do as a writer is to educate myself, and others, on the
experiences of these groups of people and spread that knowl-
edge. It’s so easy to get caught up in our own little world, and
to forget that there is a whole world out there, with people who
have different stories to tell.
Since the theme of this issue is “color” in all its manifes-
tations, it was only appropriate to use this opportunity to talk
about the importance of inclusivity and diversity within the
coffee industry. Too often, people of color and LGBTQIA+
individuals are marginalized, both within the specialty coffee
industry and society as a whole. I think it’s crucial that we use
our platforms to elevate these voices and create a more inclu-
sive environment for everyone.

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