Rose Woodard - Boston, MA

“No woman has won the World Barista Championships - that sucks.”

Becca Woodard will be the first one to tell you that winning the 2018 US Brewers Cup Championship was nothing but a simple surprise. From the preliminary qualifiers to the celebration in Seattle, her journey has been filled with a wide range of emotions. However, making the best cup of coffee in the country was never the ultimate goal. No, Becca’s dreams are much bigger than that.

@bosintersectionalcoffeecollective - Kristina Jackson & Becca Woodard

The coffee industry has marginalized voices. We know this. We want to change. However, individuals like Becca aren’t settling for industry norms. From the minute we met Becca and asked her about her experience at the Brewers Cup, she immediately told us her focus - shine a light on those who've been pushed backward. “I’m not going to have a voice on this stage and not use it. I hope to help with more baristas of color, more women, more LGBTQ, and everybody doing it so they can be included. Move forward,” says Becca. 

Becca is not alone in her mission. Teaming up with Kristina Jackson, founder of the Boston Intersectional Coffee Collective (BICC), and fellow George Howell employee, Rob Rodriguez, Becca recently hosted an event at Wired Puppy Cafe in Boston, MA. She had the chance to sit down and take questions on her experience in Seattle. While most wanted to know what it’s like pouring coffee in front of judges and an audience filled with the best baristas in the country, Becca reminded us what truly matters - exposure. “I am queer myself and I decided to use the competition as a platform to talk about those things.”

Becca is working on creating more events that put forward conversations on intersectionality. We know that there is a lot of work to be done to provide access to all members of the coffee community but we feel a little bit better knowing a leader like Becca is at the helm. Thank you for all you have given us at The Pour, Becca. You have no idea how lucky we feel to have captured a glimpse of your journey and to learn from you. We know there is a lot more to come and we commit to continue covering your message going forward.

Next BICC Event: CounterCultureCoffee - Somerville, MA

June 24th: Panel Discussion on "Being Queer + Coffee + Boston" 

Seabird Coffee & Co

Seabird Coffee & Co started with a dream - the goal of standing out by creating a unique, human-centered experience built around coffee.

All cafes serve coffee. However, Seabird serves that extra intangible - a personable connection that customers always feel when they walk into the shop. “I’d like to make Seabird Coffee & Co a destination - a place for like minded individuals coming to look for that same experience wherever they’re going," says Seabird’s founder and creator - Brian McLaughlin.

That goal is easier said than done. Competition in the coffee business is fierce and consumers have many options when it comes to choosing their “local spots.” Brian started Seabird from the point-of-view that in coffee, like anything else, how you do business matters and that creating a genuine connection for every customer is how your shop can stand out from the crowd.

Brian’s approach does not originate from past occupations. Rather, his role as a father to three little girls shapes who he is as a business owner. Gaining lessons from them in patience, putting other people first, and staying open to rudimental creativity, Brian consciously built a company dedicated toward a never-ending dream. Beginning with a team that is knowledgeable, professional and above all, welcoming, truly impacts customers and is creating a loyalty amongst Cohasset locals. 

Christen Poole - Seabird Coffee & Co

From its humble beginnings with one store on the South Shore, Seabird has grown and plans on expanding its services in the near future. The store has a devoted following. While most of the marketing Seabird does is word-of-mouth, Brian is looking to share the Seabird story with others. Enter The Pour. The Pour chose Seabird for a Pourtrait because Brian and his team represent the re-awakening of local community through coffee.

Brian is not done yet. As he says, “As long as the product and the experience is the same going forward, we’ll continue as far as we can.” How far can Seabird go? We'll try to keep you dialed in with all their future endeavors.