Just Coffee has returned! This was my second time attending Just Coffee after starting my fellowship with the Center for Community Engagement back in August. Typically Zoom has been a place for class and work meetings, but with Just Coffee, it’s a place to talk and form connections. Much has been said about Just Coffee, but that was before the pandemic, when they all met up at a cafe in Santa Rosa. I was unsure about how a casual conversation via Zoom would go, but I found that we were able to easily chat about a variety of topics. From voting to dogs, there was never a lack of talking points.
Vince Harper, from Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County, joined in while on a morning walk. We discussed the Conversations on Race series that CAP Sonoma hosts. Vince shared that an upcoming Conversation will center the conversation around Asian and Pacific Islanders. You can visit their Facebook Page to learn more about their upcoming events.
We were also joined by AmeriCorps VISTA member, Ryan Hobus. Ryan shared that he works for Catholic Charities of Santa Rosa, and that they have plans for creating a new building that will serve as a dedicated space for their Homeless Service Center and Family Support Center.
The last guest to arrive was Wizzer, Merith Weisman’s dog. Merith, the Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives here at the CCE, told us about how she won Wizzer in a raffle at a service-learning event. She also explained that Wizzer has been experiencing anxiety. Although he is a dog, I'm sure everyone could relate to his feelings of anxiety during these stressful times of wildfires, racial injustice, the upcoming election, and the COVID-19 pandemic. That being said, I believe that it is important to make time for casual connections during these stressful circumstances, and Just Coffee provides a great way to do that!
Just Coffee happens every second Tuesday of the month at 9am and everyone is welcome to join. Register here to get the link and join us!