This Coffee Shop Is Staffed Entirely By New Refugees, To Help Them Get On Their Feet (fastcoexist.com)

1951 Coffee Company was founded by refugee workers to help give financial stability to people who have fled to the U.S. with nothing.

The refugee crisis takes on a new meaning in light of Trump’s immigration ban — no longer do we only imagine Syrian refugees traveling by boat, but we also imagine thousands of other countries’ refugees stranded or denied entry to the US or perhaps even fleeing to Canada. So the timing of the opening of a new bay area coffee shop, 1951 Coffee Company—despite being in the works for two years—is rather striking. Staffed entirely by refugees, the shop’s aim is to offer jobs and barista training to refugees and spread awareness about the plight of refugees in this country. Located in Berkeley, California, 1951 opened its doors earlier this year.

Besides Syria, the eight baristas hail from Eritrea, Uganda, Afghanistan, Iran, Bhutan, and Myanmar. Half of the group have only been in the United States for two months.

Inside 1951, the decor helps tell the story of refugee life and challenges. 1951 refers to the year that the United Nations created the Refugee Convention, which outlines the parameters around who is a refugee and who is not and the procedures for re-settlement for participating countries. The interior walls, part of a design from Norwegian design firm, Montaag—are covered with statements about the convention.

To read more of Jenara Nerenberg's article, please click here.