Immigrant-owned coffee shop in Aurora aims to help newcomers to Colorado
The owners of a new Ethiopian coffee shop in Aurora are looking to help their community through conversation. Lucy Coffee House opened its doors in January during an influx of African migrants in the city.
According to the African Leadership Group, about 1,000 African migrants arrived in the area area last year. When Micki Alamirew and his wife emigrated in the late 90s, there were a few thousand Ethiopians in Aurora. Today they join more than 35,000 Ethiopians who call the city home.
"When we move to place, we talk about it. They'll say how it's a good place to raise a kid. It's a good place to have a job. Other families will follow each other," explained Alamirew. "[Colorado] is good for us, so it's home to a lot of Africans."
Colorado has the fastest growth of Black immigrants, with over 400% from 2000 to 2019.
CBS Colorado learned how the ALG is helping newly-arrived African migrants with English and life skills coaching.
Alamirew aims to help newcomers through Lucy Coffee House, located at 14048 E. Mississippi Avenue in Aurora. He wants it to be a place where guests can get great coffee and have productive conversations.
"We want to invite people, community activists and community leaders, to come over here and teach what they know and ways to be successful," said Alamirew. "They could come in and learn where to find a job, where to start to apply for their social security number or how to get a driver's license. How to achieve a goal. We want to create that place here."
The Ethiopian community in Aurora is close. In another part of the city, Alamirew's longtime friend has run a successful restaurant and market for 15 years.
"I'm proud of him. I know he'll be successful," said Haddis Ahmed, owner of Megenagna Grocery & Restaurant. He takes pride in educating guests from all cultures on the history and food of Ethiopia.
Ahmed says he's noticed new faces from different African countries browsing the aisles. He supports them by handing out a taste of home.
"It's not easy to get this stuff in whatever shelter they are at," Ahmed. "We give to them and we support them that way."
In Ethiopia, Alamirew says sharing food and coffee is a symbol of friendship. It's a chance to bring your community together.
He hopes traditions from home will help brew successes here.
"When you eat together, at the same table, you have good communication or bad communication, but it makes us more connected. It helps us pause, sit, relax, and breathe. After that, we start talking," explained Alamirew. "We want to welcome them the same way that this country welcomed us a long time ago."
