Yeah, let me know if you guys have any questions.

No, you don't want to be too loud in some spaces, or you don't want to be to this or to that in some spaces that you're joyous solidified here.

Like it can be joyful here.

I was born into that family who done community activism and outreach, and I've always done it with them posing.

She's been doing it since it's not sixth grade.

Okay.

We, before like black coffee was even thought of our daughter is 17 years old, she's a senior and she's the president of black coffee.

I've learned.

And America titles mean everything.

And by people usually don't get the big titles, but they do the work.

We essentially.

Gave her a title of power.

So she can walk into a space and be a stakeholder for black coffee.

And that really opened my eyes to how, how our structures play out.

And the corporate workspace people have always said, you know, find a seat at the table, make a seat at the table.

But you know, my parents have proved that, you know, that table, if it's not built for you, then they'll find a seat.

Just make your own.

I was just for the future, is that we just kind of like take over like, um, the coffee industry.

When you think about coffee, a lot of people don't really think about where it comes from and how people get it.

Um, and you know, again, it comes from, you know, big African nations and Cummins, mostly from like Ethiopia.

That's kind of what I want to do.

Like not only again, sort of the community, um, but just make the coffee industry and more equity.

There's the very little diversity in coffee.

Those are kids that would have never got an opportunity to have a first job somewhere when they come here, they already feel connected.

There's a place for them.

She's been fighting this fight.

And then she's also learned that her friends were having to say issues that she was having.

But.

When people who are black youth or black residents to go through what I've gone through and my family has gone through living in shoreline, when you don't really fit in anywhere.

There's no like code switching or anything.

We can just be ourselves.

When we're talking to the customers or just working in general.

You have to come back that he with taking care of each other.

And what we found out is that we have to speak up.

We have to start calling it out and we have to have these tough conversations.

A lot of, a lot of the staff comes here just to escape.

The crazy that goes on beyond these doors.

They're having a bad day at school.

They can come do their homework here.

They're having a bad day at home.

I got in a fight with their parents.

We've had that their parents like, can you take this child for a couple of hours and make them like clean our, the tables?

They know I'm not going to make them do anything.

Cause I'm like, I'm the auntie.

I'm going to give them my Italian soda and be like, don't, don't be that.

You know, but they know big.

He is probably going to actually make them like carry boxes.

So we're also showing that if you put, if you take a chance on a youth, a take a chance in a youth that's black and brown, it might just work out for you.

I just want this vision to be.

Everywhere.

Like, especially in places that need it, like in shrine and north Seattle.

And so we want to make a place where you can be whoever you are and just come in here and get your coffee and hang out.

I just feel like I'm supported and I feel strong.

And if I can do anything for my community to this place.

What else you guys think about vivid tomorrow?

You guys age kids, your voice as a black man and a woman is powerful.

Don't be silent, do not be silent.

And as youth, at times, we have been told to be silent.

You're just a kid.

What are you talking?

These kids are, are bright.

They're smart.

They're amazing.

And they do amazing things.

We wouldn't even have the success that we have now, if it wasn't for the kids.

I just want the space to expand like everywhere because it's needed.

What keeps us going is the idea of generational wealth, right?

We have to make sure black coffee never ends.

Like it needs to outlive us.

It needs outlive.

Our grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren.

So they don't have to work so hard and struggle for hard.

I don't want our kids to have to struggle in college and we want to start that with our generation right now, and then let it just continue to build and build and build.

And we want to allow that for others, for others, who'd never thought they would have the opportunity to own a coffee shop.

We wouldn't be like, here is the blueprint for you to own coffee shops.

You know, for the future is bright.