Girls Inc. Bold Beans baristas sell gifts that give back
A strong coffee aroma filled the air on Monday morning as Deja Ramos whipped up drink after drink, everything from a hot mocha to a seasonal apple "chai-der." She's a barista at Strong Smart and Bold Beans, the social enterprise café of Girls Inc. of Metro Denver.
"I'm usually here about four days a week," she told CBS News Colorado's Mekialaya White. "I started in 2019, right before I went to college, and with the transition of the pandemic, I went a different route. Now, I'm back because I love the environment."
One step inside the cozy Bold Beans shop, and you'll see its mission in action.
"Girls Inc.'s mission is to empower all girls to be strong, smart, and bold," Director of Social Enterprise Kait Berreckman-Corrado explained. "We hire young girls and teach them about specialty coffee, small business, and entrepreneurship all while serving our community."
"Our slogan is 'Buy Coffee, Support Girls,'" added Ramos with a smile.
With each purchase, patrons give back to Girls Inc.
"Like a gift card, coffee, hoodie, beanie, all gives back and allows us to support them," said Berreckman-Corrado. "We have baristas here who are working on their own businesses and degrees, and they really get the opportunity to try things out in a safe space and be supported."
Ramos can attest to that, as she just started her own jewelry business, "We recently had a holiday market where I was a vendor. It's just awesome to have that step inside the real world."
And as she works to develop her business, she also hopes to be an encouragement to the next generation of girls.
"Another generation of baristas! I have two little cousins in Girls Inc. and they say how much they love it. They came down yesterday to see the coffee shop for the first time and they were like, "Wow, this is where you work? I want to work here!'" said Ramos.
Bold Beans is hiring. If you're interested or would like to support Girls Inc., visit their website: https://www.girlsincdenver.org/boldbeans/
