Recap: Women-Powered Coffee Summit 2023
“Today is a good start to take the first step.”
The words of Dalila Porras of Alto El Vapor rung like a bell through the charged room of the Doka Estate in Alajuela, Costa Rica on 2 November 2023.
At the helm of a dynamic panel on the future of coffee, Porras demonstrated just how far bravery, passion, and ambition can go in the industry, along with co-panelists Damna Reyes Hernandez of Kitos Coffee (Mexico) and Alejandra Díaz of Finca La Cotuza (El Salvador).
A Day 1 highlight of the 2023 Women-Powered Coffee Summit, this powerhouse trio set the tone for the weekend and fueled discussions that made a lasting impact on attendees in their Next Gen Panel.
Dalila Porras (left) of Alto El Vapor presenting on her and her family’s project and next to her is Damna Reyes Hernandez of Kitos Coffee, Mexico. / Photo Credit: Hugo Antonio Tress Romero
Speaking of obstacles that females in the industry commonly face, Porras addressed the eager crowd: ‘I believe coffee farming is becoming harder. We as women can be more prepared, and more resilient with more peace and vigilance and work toward this. In our case, we didn’t want to see if the project worked; we wanted to make the project work. We must all have that motivation to go forward with coffee growing.” Her words were met with wild applause, a rallying cry for the nearly 200 individuals who flocked to the Doka Estate for the 2-day Summit.
Alejandra Díaz of La Finca Cotuza sharing her perspective on running a coffee business in El Salvador as a young, queer individual. / Photo credit: Hugo Antonio Tress Romero
Again and again, speakers and attendees alike at the 2023 Summit addressed the adversity they’ve faced and the bravery they’ve demonstrated in establishing and maintaining their careers in the industry.
At the forefront of the Summit was the opportunity for women to be the protagonists of their own stories, and the powerful stories they were.
As Díaz confided during the Next Gen Panel,
“The truth is, breaking the mold in El Salvador is something I love.”
The hometowns of attendees varied widely across state lines, country borders, and continents, but the binding thread that brought attendees together over the aromas of freshly brewed coffee was the success that women could have if only provided an opportunity.
“The truth is, breaking the mold in El Salvador is something I love.”
The 2023 WPCS offered a safe and inclusive space for women in the industry, primarily smallholder women coffee farmers but also roasters, buyers, facilitators, and more, to connect over a common bond and share with one another tips, best practices, empathy, camaraderie, and a whole lot of coffee.
Day 1 of the Summit was packed with industry leaders, from impactful keynotes to insightful discussions. Leonor Gutierrez of Root Capital, Noel Arrieta Espinoza of San Francisco Bay Coffee, and Yamaha Agudelo of Coffee Quality Institute tapped into the challenges and potentials of the coffee industry to kick off the event, and Bean Voyage’s own Itzel Mendoza, Program Manager, shared her own inspiration from Mexico through “Las Flores del Cafetal: The Flowers of Coffee Farm”.
Leonor Gutierrez of Root Capital as a key note speaker at WPCS 2023. | photo credit: Hugo Antonio Tress Romero
Ely and Elena from Veracruz, Mexico in attendance at WPCS 2023 | photo credit: Alexa Romano
Participants at WPCS 2023 | photo credit: Alexa Romano
Day 2 of the WPCS featured a slew of business-enhancing sessions such as Kat Melheim of Roaster Kat and Coffee People Zine’s informative talk on a trajectory of the specialty coffee industry from the perspective of a specialty roaster in the U.S.; a Roaster Roundtable with Abbigail Graupner of Chica Bean and Laurel Carmichael of Vote Coffee, moderated by Fabiola Solano of Soy Barista on alternative business models; and a crowd favorite, Ivannia Alvarado’s insights on strengthening personal brands through storytelling and social media.
Another highlight of the day came from an alliance formed from connections made the previous year at the 2022 WPCS: Team Women in Coffee Exchange (TWICE). The trio of Stephanie Welter-Krause of Swelter Coffee, Amaris Gutierrez of Women in Coffee Project and Joe Coffee, and Giselle Barrera of Latinas in Coffee, who joined forces after meeting at the 2022 WPCS and were inspired to form the networking project TWICE, shared with attendees in a Sip, Saved, Share session the importance of finding value beyond the cup score. Karly Ly Quinones Garcia of Fair Trade USA, Aula Escuela de Cafe & Cafe Communion rounded out the Summit’s agenda with tips, stories, and ideas for building a career in the industry as a Latina.
Itzel from Bean Voyage and Giselle from Latinas in Coffee / Photo Credit: Alexa Romano
Stephanie (left) of Swelter Coffee and Amaris (right) of Women in Coffee Project and Joe Coffee during a panel on coffee tasting / Photo credit: Alexa Romano
Kat of Roaster Kat and Coffee People Zine presenting on their perspective on coffee buying and quality / Photo credit: Alexa Romano
Abbigail (left) of Chica Bean, Laurel (center) of Vote Coffee and Fabiola (right) of Soy Barista during a panel conversation on roaster roundtable / Photo credit: Alexa Romano
As the closing ceremony waned the farewells faded down the hallway of the Doka Estate and the last bus of producers reluctantly departed the facility, one thing for certain was that this wasn’t the end.
The pause between the expected yearly Summits was viewed by all as just a temporary pause for attendees to bring home all new inspiration and return next year to water the seeds of change that had been sown. The Summit’s lingering question posed to all of what each individual can contribute to the industry left attendees with food for thought, each already eager to reconvene in 2024.
”What can we do to make this industry more equitable, sustainable, and thriving for all?”
Are you interested in attending the WPCS in October 2024?
Sign up here.
Read the event report here.
Written by Jenna Jay.
