Serving People Serving Coffee Since 2005
Issue link: http://baristamagazine.epubxp.com/i/931664
BYSTANDER TRAINING New York City Hosted by: Everyman Espresso After the 2016 election of Donald Trump, Everyman Espresso owner Sam Penix noticed a sharp spike in visible hate crimes and bigotry in New York around Everyman and the spaces its workers inhabit. As owner of a community-focused company in an incredibly diverse city, Sam and his staff handle volatile strangers every day and are frequently responsible for de-escalating the situation and keeping their spaces safe. The training, which was hosted by the Accompany Project and the Arab American Association of New York, introduced trainees to the tech- niques of bystander intervention, including verbal and nonverbal strate- gies for de-escalating confl ict and the four Ds of bystander intervention: direct, distract, delay, and delegate. "I'm always looking for ways for Everyman Espresso to serve its community," says Sam. "Baristas are the guardian of their spaces and we have a responsibility to keep people safe. In my 10 years working in the East Village, I've seen a lot, and in every instance I had to be responsible for restoring order and making my space safe again. I have a vision where bystander training is embedded into the training program at every coffee shop, bar, restaurant, and hospitality venue." Sam hopes to become a certifi ed trainer so he can host these events more frequently. PHOTO BY VANESSA PALAFOX Femmes in Coff ee, San Jose, Calif. HOW TO GET YOUR EVENT SPONSORED Jenn Chen, who both frequently offers and receives sponsor- ship, gives these tips for getting quality sponsorship for your coffee event: • Make a list of sponsors you think are a good fi t. • Be specifi c in asking what you want from them; this can be swag like shirts or tote bags, gift cards, or cash. • Be specifi c about what your event will offer them in re- turn; shout-outs at your event, their logo on your posters, a booth repping their product or services, or posts to your social media are all accepted compensation. • Give potential sponsors as much time in advance as pos- sible and keep them up to date on event specifi cs. • Send thank-you cards or emails recapping the event, with photos if you have them. Think of your sponsors as silent co-organizers who want to enjoy the event, too. If you give them a lot of advance notice, credit them by tagging them in your posts, and thank them for their help afterward, they'll be glad to work with you again. 72 barista magazine