Meet Beamlak Bekele: Champion Barista & Advocate for Ethiopian Coffee Culture

This October, Nossa Familia Coffee is excited to host Beamlak Bekele, a talented barista and coffee professional from Ethiopia, following her participation in the Cxffeeblack Barista Exchange program. Beamlak, who secured second place in Ethiopia's national barista competition, brings a wealth of knowledge from her role as a project coordinator for the International Women in Coffee Alliance Ethiopia and her experience in green coffee export. Her journey in coffee reflects a deep-rooted connection to the culture and traditions of her homeland.

Join us on Saturday, November 2nd, at 11:30 a.m. at Nossa Familia’s Central Eastside Cafe, where Beamlak will lead a special Ethiopian Coffee Talk & Ceremony. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience Ethiopia’s rich coffee tradition firsthand. Learn more and RSVP today!

Q&A

We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Beamlak to hear more about her experiences in coffee, the contrast between Ethiopian and Portland coffee cultures, and her vision for community-oriented coffee experiences.

What is one of your earliest coffee memories?
"Growing up in a country that consumes a lot of coffee, some of my earliest memories are passing around Sini's (Amharic word meaning traditional small cups made for coffee) as my mother pours coffee during our traditional coffee ceremony. Also, because I grew up in a coffee family, other memories were jumping on jute bags of green coffee at my mother's roastery and watching my dad cup so many coffees at his coffee lab."

What inspired you to pursue a coffee career?
"I rediscovered my childhood passion for coffee after graduating as an architecture and urban planning engineer. Early on in my career, I worked as a coffee quality control assistant and green coffee export manager. I have always been interested in learning how to bring origin country perspectives to international coffee dialogues and how to design gender-inclusive and sustainable operational systems in coffee businesses. With this passion, I have worked with organizations that share the same values, like Equal Origins, Coffee Trading Academy, and the Chain Collaborative."

Have you noticed differences between Portland’s and Ethiopia's coffee cultures?
"Ethiopia is the 5th largest exporter of coffee in the world and the first in Africa. We have a strong-standing local coffee consumption tradition that competes against international coffee exports.

Global coffee enthusiasts rave about Ethiopian coffee's exotic flavors and fascinating fruity and floral notes. However, I believe there’s more to unravel from Ethiopia's rich coffee history, especially as the specialty coffee industry moves toward a more human-centered experience.

Back home, coffee is a therapeutic experience. The traditional coffee ceremony, practiced in most households and city streets, creates pockets of calm within the chaos. Young women run coffee businesses on street corners, fostering connection and offering a calming experience as coffee is roasted, ground, and brewed. This slow, intentional process allows people to be present and connect with their loved ones.

In Portland, the coffee scene feels fast-paced. Many people come to cafes for takeaway orders or work on their laptops. I’ve noticed there’s engagement in the first few minutes when customers walk in and chat with baristas, but that fades once they’re focused on their work or rushing to their next destination. I think the future of coffee involves designing community-oriented experiences."

What does a community-oriented coffee experience mean to you?
"A community-oriented coffee experience is one that’s human-centered and forward-looking. Coffee connects people globally, from farms to cups on our tables. While technological advancements are exciting, I believe it’s important to honor coffee's human roots.

"The Ethiopian coffee ceremony is a hands-on process that requires you to be present, creating a space for connection and vulnerability."

The Ethiopian coffee ceremony is a hands-on process that requires you to be present, understanding the story of the coffee beans as you roast, grind, and brew. It creates a space for connection as you share this precious drink with loved ones.

I invite you to learn more about this process at Nossa Familia's Central Eastside Cafe on Saturday, November 2nd, at 11:30 a.m., where I'll be teaching how to prepare and serve traditional Ethiopian coffee. Don't miss the chance to foster your own community connections through coffee. I look forward to seeing you there."

Upcoming Coffee Talk & Ceremony

On Saturday, November 2nd, at 11:30 a.m., Beamlak Bekele will be hosting a coffee talk and demonstration at Nossa Familia’s Central Eastside Cafe. This is an exciting opportunity to learn about the rich history of Ethiopian coffee and experience its traditional preparation firsthand. Whether you’re a coffee enthusiast or simply curious about Ethiopia’s deep coffee heritage, you won’t want to miss this chance to connect with Beamlak!

Coffee Talk & Demonstration with 
Beamlak Melesse
Saturday, November 2, 11:30am to 12:30pm
Nossa Familia's Central Eastside Cafe
1633 SE 3rd Ave, Portland, Oregon 97214

RSVP TODAY

Additional Reading: The Cxffeeblack Barista Exchange

The Cxffeeblack Barista Exchange Program is an innovative initiative aimed at reshaping the role of coffee in the African narrative. The program partners with eight young coffee lovers of African descent through the Anti Gentrification Coffee Club to bridge significant gaps in the coffee industry.

In many cases, African baristas pay hefty fees to foreign instructors for certification, despite having generations of untapped coffee knowledge. At the same time, African American baristas often lack opportunities to reconnect with the origins of coffee, paralleling their ancestral history as descendants of the enslaved.

Through cultural exchange and shared knowledge, the Cxffeeblack Barista Exchange seeks to create a more inclusive coffee community, celebrating African heritage and coffee's deep roots. Read more about the Cxffeeblack Barista Exchange here.