ABOUT US
Founder, Renee Espinoza, has been passionate about women’s issues for most of her life. When she entered the coffee industry, she found it to be much like the restaurant industry she left; a man’s world. So, like she’s always done, she began the fight for gender equity. After joining the Board of Directors for the International Women's Coffee Alliance, Renee quickly realized that her visions would be best utilized by organizing women (and men) here in the US.
All of this is being accomplished with the help of the Organizing Committee. The members include: Launtia Taylor of Taylor-Gentles; Carrie Stein of Coffee House Café; Patricia Schoenbach of Excelco Trading L.P.; Mansi Chokshi of Specialty Coffee Association; and Jenni Morse of Simplipress.
USWIC is a chapter member of the larger International Women’s Coffee Alliance where our goal is to empower women in the international coffee community to achieve meaningful and sustainable lives; and to encourage and recognize the participation of women in all aspects of the coffee industry. Educating and empowering women throughout the coffee supply chain ensures that we are building a more sustainable future for women across the globe.
We have tremendous momentum and interest in our organization and women who are seeking to connect, grow and learn from the many women in coffee who have been making a difference in this industry for decades.
Is there a difference between the IWCA and the USWIC? Besides the difference in the letters that make up the two organization’s acronyms, there is a difference between the two. Think of the IWCA Global as the mothership with a network of chapters spread throughout the world. Per the IWCA website:
“The International Women's Coffee Alliance (IWCA) leads women's empowerment in the international coffee industry by supporting a global network of independent, self-organized, self-governing organizations, called IWCA Chapters. Each IWCA Chapter develops and implements its own strategic priorities and membership models, following the IWCA Chapter Formation Protocol. As a global network, we achieve empowerment through leadership development, strategic partnership, and amplified market visibility through various programs.”
For more information, visit: https://www.womenincoffee.org/
The US Women in Coffee is one of those chapters. We serve our membership here in the United States. Can we count on you to donate and participate?
