Thanksgiving Coffee Company had the privilege to co-sponsor the “Native Cinema” event along with Xa Kako Dile: in the main tent at the 2024 Mendocino Film Festival. The sold out audience was alerted at the introduction that the next two and a half hours could make them feel “uncomfortable” and the truths that were shared at this event were even more than that word conveyed.

Corine Pearce - Pomo Basket Weaver

There were beautiful short films on the artistry and teaching of the world-renowned Pomo basketry with Corine Pearce, and the resurgence and validation of the Yurok tribe’s forest management practices using fire which has been practiced in this region for millennia. These controlled burns have now been adopted by Cal Fire and other agencies as extremely effective in controlling dangerous undergrowth and revitalizing the land.

Margo Robbins of the Yurok Tribe bringing prescribed fire back in the film - Fire Tender

This led up to the most significant part of the event – a documentary on MMIW – Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. It was horrifying to learn that we live in parts of the top 5 most dangerous parts of California for Indigenous Women, and also for other Indigenous people (MMIP) as well. Here is a snapshot of an all-too-horrific story: Missing of Murdered Indigenous People Fact Sheet

"The next 2 1/2 hours could make you uncomfortable"

Image from the documentary "We Ride For Her"

raising awareness of the heartbreaking realities

The film WE RIDE FOR HER (directed by Prairie Rose Seminole & Katrina Lillian Sorrentino) follows the birth of a group of motorcycle riding indigenous women who created this group to raise awareness of the heartbreaking realities and to aid in the search for their missing sisters and brothers. This documentary should be required education for all Californians.

Resources:

Local Indigenous Women Run Farm: Xa Kako Dile:

Murdered Missing Indigenous Women: MMIW

History of Thanksgiving Coffee Company and Native Cinema:

Night of Native Cinema

Native Cinema 2023 - Groundworks

Ribbon Cutting for the UC Davis Coffee Center Opening

Fascinating work was showcased on a wide variety of coffee topics, including:

• Thermodynamics of To Go Coffee - What keeps To-Go Coffee Warmest? Study by undergrads.
  (Spoiler alert… It’s the lid.)
• Impacts of Total Immersion Brewing On Cold Coffee Flavor
• Climate Change Impacts on Coffee Growing Regions in Brazil
• A new mobile application for coffee bean grading and evaluation using color, size and defect analysis – all on a mobile phone.

Representative Raw Data -Thermodynamics of To Go Coffee

What does chemical Engineering have to do with coffee - source UC Davis Coffee Center Opening

Itenerary for UC Davis Coffee Center Opening

It was also fascinating that all these studies needed to be underwritten (in one way or another) by some type of sponsorship. The sponsorships ranged from in-kind sponsors who donated 100 cups, in 4 sizes, to Coffee roasters who donated services, to equipment suppliers who donated the funds necessary to do thousands of measurements to prove their thesis. Our higher education facilities are simply not able to fund all these kinds of projects without external financial aid, so they are very vocally appreciative for those who contribute sponsorships.

Upper left, Doctoral Candidate Laudia Anoke-Bempah, upper right Dr. William Ristenpart, Center, Chancellor Gary May, lower left, Peter Giuliano SCA, lower right Richard L. Corsi

Attendees at the opening of the Coffee Center at UC Davis

Interior of the new Coffee Center at UC Davis

UC Davis student roasted beans, from Royal Coffee, chocolate covered by students as well.

Joe Seta putting out samples with CEO Jonah Katzeff . Josh Long brewing the coffee in back.

We chose to serve coffees in a variety of roast spectrums: two of our Lights Roasts: Ethiopian Natural process, and Ethiopian washed process; a Guatemalan Dark roast, The Upsetter espresso, and our Royal Decaf coffees (see links below). Except for the espresso and a batch of cold brew Ethiopian natural, we brewed everything else via French Press which made us compete very well against our competitors who were making their coffee in pour overs. Our preference is the ESPRO French Press with its multiple filter layers. The total immersion of a French press develops a depth of flavor with which a pour over just can't compete. We got great feedback on all our coffees – even the Decaf because we were the only presenter that offered one… and ours tastes as full-flavored as any other coffee.

Our Festival Team

left to right: Josh Long, Jennifer Brown, Jonah Katzeff, Nathan Niel

Our festival team included our CEO, Jonah, our cofounder Paul, Josh Long (Roaster), Nathan Nies (barista/Sales Representative), Jennifer Brown (Office Manager) and me. Our stylized baseball jerseys were Jennifer's idea and boy did they make our team look good. The jersey colors worked very well with our branded canopy and really helped make a cohesive statement visually.

We participate in this annual public event to help expand our brand presence in the Bay Area where we are represented but not nearly to the extent as many of the local competitors. It is very safe to say that a lot more of the Bay Area is now familiar with our name, our story, and the flavor of our coffee after this wonderful event.

left to right: Joe Seta, Josh Long, Jonah Katzeff, Nathan Nies

Cups at SF Coffee Fest: "Coffee - Africa's Gift to the World - You're Welcome"

July is only halfway done and yet the events are nonstop! Getting out amongst the world of coffee lovers gives us the best connection possible and exposure of our products to a wide range of audiences.

We have been doing lots and lots of non-stop local (and not-so-local) events recently, including:

Caspar-Fest

 An annual event at the Caspar Community Center that brings the community together with local vendors and music in celebration of Caspar, CA

The Redwood Coast Recreation Center

Here we offered our coffee to support the center in Sea Ranch, CA

B Local Bay Area

This event was a group mixer for B Corps in San Francisco. As a certfied B Corp we enjoy meeting and working with our local chapter to learn about the good work and practices of our colleagues.

The Mendocino Music Festival!

We have been serving coffee as a sponsor of the Music Festival since it's humble beginnings in 1986.

Coffee brings people together. We are happy to support our community to learn and grow and celebrate one another with great coffee.

The World’s Largest Salmon BBQ happened on 7/1, and again – Thanksgiving Coffee was there! This event brings together thousands of salmon lovers to raise money for salmon habitat restoration. The salmon fishery in California was closed this year – completely – in order to let the salmon population rebound, so everything that we can do to support increased spawning grounds will help the salmon, our local economy, and the entire ecosystem.

Our booth provided hot coffee (Mocha Java and Royal Decaf) and cold brew (Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Natural from the Gedeb region) in exchange for any donation to Salmon Restoration. We raised nearly $500 from donations alone. Our Office Manager, Jennifer, CEO Jonah, and co-founders Paul and Joan were on hand with Sales and Marketing Manager, Joe, to keep the coffee flowing for 8 hours.

All we can do to support increased spawning grounds will help the salmon,
our local economy, and the entire ecosystem.

We were not alone in this effort: fellow B Corps including North Coast Brewing Company and Harvest Market were on hand to donate, raise additional funds, and support the cause. The menu usually includes corn on the cob, but corn was in short supply this year, so Harvest Market was able to source organic new potatoes to supplant the menu.

Dozens of volunteers helped pull this event together and make it run smoothly including Rotary International (with participation from both Fort Bragg and Mendocino chapters), California Conservation Corp., Mendocino Sheriff’s Department, Salmon Restoration Association, and the celebrity grill team including lots of local dignitaries including Fort Bragg’s Mayor, several County Commissioners, local business owners, and many, many more.

The event had a lively festival atmosphere with great weather, great vibes and lots of live music including West of Nowhere (pictured), Steven Bates Band, the Caspar Kings, Earl Oliver, and Deep Pockets who started the day off with some very danceable grooves. One of the highlights is the annual release of the supporting shirt… this year’s shirt slogan, “If you must smoke – smoke salmon.”

The booth came from TCC, but Chef Julian from the Waiting Room/Café Beaujolais brought his staff to operate it with great style and delicious offerings.

“It was Spaz-iale!”

The weather cooperated – never too hot, or too windy - but allowed all to enjoy three days of Peace, Love and Music. Thanks to Ksenia, Shelly and the whole crew at SNWMF for making it a wonderful experience all around.

As the SNWMF social media post said… “It was Spaz-iale!”

Yes, we are going to be refreshing the way our website looks and feels. No, we are not going to be changing the way we handle subscriptions so rest assured that your data is safe, secure, and will not be changing. The biggest change is that the new website will be a better vehicle for telling our story while keeping the ease of buying that you have come to expect from us.

There are going to be some fun new features, including:

• A referral program that will allow you to earn rewards when you refer your friends, neighbors, and family to share in our coffee.

There will also be a loyalty program that will reward you for doing things like:

•  reading our blogs
• following and liking our social media
•  posting reviews
•  adding pictures or videos to your reviews

These rewards will be counted as “beans” which can be redeemed as discounts. The more you earn beans the greater the discount, all the way up to free products!

The main reason for adding this program is that you will be empowered to create your own discounts instead of having to wait for us to have a sale... You get to make your own sale, anytime, just by doing the things you already do and supporting our mission to improve the well-being of all we touch–from coffee grower to coffee drinker.

We look forward to launching this new site in just a couple of weeks so stay tuned!

This year's Native Cinema program opens with the Coastal Pomo Dancers who will offer place-based ancestral song and dance to honor the land. The Dancers feature: Bernadette Smith (Board Chair of Xa Kako Dile: one of the first Indigenous women-led farms on the Mendocino Coast), Clarence Carrillo, Natalie Smith, and Shayne McCloud.

"Land acknowledgments go beyond words to recognize and honor Indigenous peoples as the original land stewards. They are a crucial step in correcting historical erasure and marginalization. Rather than rushing through acknowledgment, it should be approached with intention and followed by meaningful action. Tailoring acknowledgments to specific Indigenous groups and engaging directly with them fosters accuracy and respect. Acknowledging ongoing colonization and its impact is vital for reconciliation. Land acknowledgment should be accompanied by building relationships and informed action. It can spark conversations and contribute to broader decolonization efforts. Research and genuine engagement with Indigenous communities are essential. Land acknowledgments invite us to learn, understand, and act toward reconciliation today." Kanyon Sayors-Roods

A Panel Discussion with the Artist will follow the film.

May our Legacy Live on in our Flowers and our Songs.

The Mendocino Film Festival (MFF) began in 2006, and Thanksgiving Coffee Company has been a steady supporter since the beginning. This 2022 season an innovative program called "Native Cinema: Vision the Future" was lanched. This was created and produced by the Bee Bold Alliance (a project from Thanksgiving Coffee) to help tell the story of Mendocino’s regenerative renaissance.

The overwhelming positive response of the Native Cinema program demonstrated an earnest interest in the Native experience. It was screened to a sold out audience at Crown Hall in Mendocino, CA. and featured many wonderful Native Filmmakers and several remarkable local Native Leaders.

The tone of the evening was set by local coastal Pomo activist and cultural revitalizer Bernadette Smith. With her moving ancestral songs for the land, Smith gave respect and honor to her heritage and for those in the audience, the cultural experince of the original peoples of Mendocino, CA. Priscilla Hunter from the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo joined Smith in this acknowledgment with her prayers and helped amplify the intention for the evening of Native Films to come. (image: Bernadette Smith on left, Priscilla Hunter on right)

Strengthen our connection through Indigenous Storytelling

Part I

The Cinema portion began with the film Chasing Voices (a “Pat’s Pick”) documentary about Ethnographer John Peabody Harrington who spent 50 years recording and documenting over 150 different, dying Native American languages. This film has been included in Rhode Island International FF, Montana Int FF, Mother Tongues FF, and the Smithsonian Institution in Feb 2022.   (image: Pat Ferrero left, Daniel Golding right)           

Director/Producer Daniel Golding is an award-winning Native filmmaker with a degree in Cinema and American Indian Studies from SF State University. He has been making award-winning documentaries for the past twenty years and teaches digital filmmaking workshops to at-risk tribal youth through his Hokan Media Digital Filmmaking Academy.  

After viewing this unique and intriguing film, the audience engaged in a Q&A led by Pat Ferrero with director Daniel Golding. Listen to more behind the making of Chasing Voices at Forthright Radio here.

Part II

Nathaniel Golding hopes audiences will take away how a positive outlet will lead to positive things.

Part II of the Native Cinema program featured AWAKEN, a short film about the issues young people face on the Fort Yuma Reservation in Southern California. The first-time filmmaker Nathaniel Golding (an enrolled member of the Quechan tribe) tells the story of cousins Orlando and Kieran whose love for metal music has not deterred them from learning their traditional songs and dances. Nathaniel was the youngest film crew member. He is learning the Quechan language and songs and was inspired to make this film by his father, producer Daniel Golding.

(Image: Awaken filmmaker Nathaniel Golding) 

The second film Forest Grandmothers explores the activism of Priscilla Hunter (Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians) and Polly Girvin (Indigenous Rights Lawyer). For the past 40 years, they have tirelessly worked to preserve the forests and educate others about the cultural significance of biodiversity for Native People and the wellbeing of the planet.

(Image: Forest Grandmothers filmmaker Henry Thomas, center)

This unique film project was directed by first-time filmmaker Henry Thomas who led the Bee RYL Production Crew, a multicultural and multi-generational mentorship for youth to sustain local art and culture through film. Henry Thomas is a young aspiring filmmaker combining digital video with analog photography.

The Bee RYL Crew for 2021-22: Ronan Williams, Keiran Miller, Kyla Marchello, Josephine Steinbeck, and camera support from Amy Heckeroth.

*Bee RYL Productions is a pilot project of the Bee Bold Alliance led by Lavender Grace Cinnamon and sponsored by Thanksgiving Coffee Company in partnership with Hope4Natives, Mendocino Film Festival, and MHS Media Lab.

The fourth and final film of the evening was Pomo Land Back: A Prayer from the Forest by filmmakers Evan-Marie Petit & Louis Fox. Hailing from the red earth of her ancestors, visual storyteller Petite is from the Eastern Cherokee.

This film aims to honor the vital movement towards indigenous-led stewardship and rematriation of California forest lands. Created in collaboration with the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Pomo Land Back is a visceral poetic document of an alliance-building, inter-tribal gathering that took place in February 2022. The Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians calls for protection and co-management of the 48,652-acre Jackson Demonstration State Forest.

(Image:Pomo Land Back filmmaker Evan-Marie Petite)

The evening closed with two honored local Tribal Leaders Chairmen Michael Hunter and Tribal Chairwoman Priscilla Hunter. Together they addressed the audience with a unique depth and humor all their own. They shared their vision to preserve the local forests and create a clean safe environment for future generations to come. Dynamic in vision and in action, the inspiring Chairman and Chairwoman Hunter actively work for the well-being of the planet and fortunate Mendocino is their home.

Thanksgiving Coffee Company is a proud sponsor of the Native Cinema event. It felt like a step in the right direction to strengthen our communities resilience. The evening created an opportunity to learn and gather some tools to use during these turbulent times. With positive outlets, we can be community-minded and learn how to grow through our shared experiences. Ultimately we are all in this together, let's tell a good story.

(Image: Tribal Chairman Michael Hunter left, Tribal Chairwoman Priscilla Hunter right)

This event was a collaboration with The Bee Bold Alliance, in partnership with Hope4natives and The Mendocino Film Festival and made possible by the sponsorship of Thanksgiving Coffee Company.

Resources:

Sinkyone Intertribal Wilderness Council 

Hope4Natives

Visit California Tribes

Pomo Land Back

Bee Bold Alliance   

*Bee RYL Productions Pilot Project appreciates the generous donations from Sweetwater Inn and Spa, Fortunate Farms, Cafe Beaujolais, Corners of the Mouth, Princess Seafood, and Simone’s Kitchen

Our Bee Bold Coffee supports biodiversity and Earth renewal with your daily cup of coffee. The Bee Bold Campaign offers a steady funding source for Conservation Works, training youth to support native bees and pollinators with the restoration and preservation of habitats to sustain a resilient ecosystem.

It may seem like a contradiction in terms… Eating salmon to support Salmon Restoration, but the Salmon Trollers Association has been doing great work with this event for years. I’ve had the good fortune of participating in several different ways to support this event since I moved up here more than 20 years ago, but this year I think was the most fun, and I’ll tell you why.

Generous people, voting with their dollars to support a cause that has delicious implications.

This event is one of the largest events in Fort Bragg every year, often with a total of attendance of 3000 guests or more. Most of the folks who attend are tourists and most of the locals who attend are actually working on the periphery to make sure all these guests have a memorable experience. From the ticket takers, to the corn shuckers, to the salad spinners, to the garlic bread team with their bread mops soaked with that delicious stinking rose butter, and finally to the dignitaries wearing their best bright yellow rain gear, grilling up salmon to the delight of the masses.

(Image: Paul Katzeff on left, Joe Seta on Right)

So at the end of that buffet line you find musical entertainment, the ice cream from our local legendary Cowlicks ice cream parlor, fine craft beer from North Coast Brewing Company (also a certified B Corp.) and Thanksgiving Coffee. We had cold brew, three different hot brews and the ability for the first time to sell bags of coffee.

(Image: Crowed at the Worlds Largest Salmon BBQ, Fort bragg, CA)

The morning starts with coffee for the volunteers, who are all extremely appreciative. Then, at about 11 AM… The line forms. That line doesn’t stop until 6 PM. For the next seven hours, Paul and I look like a pair of octopus pals, each with eight arms going in every direction, telling stories while serving and explaining the difference between light roasts, dark roasts and cold brew. We live for that kind of connection to our audience.

Luckily, in the early afternoon, Jonah and Joan Katzeff arrived to give us a break, and allow us to feast like all the other salmon supporters. Wading out into the sea of picnic tables, all made by aspiring craftsman from Parlin Forks Conservation Camp, it’s inspiring to see the instant community that gets established, just by sitting next to someone from another place, from another experience, and all gathered together for the support of the salmon.

Back to it after the break, the audience primarily switched from hot brew to cold brew as the sun starts to reclaim its rightful position overhead instead of the often-present marine layer of clouds. Did I tell you that we were giving all this coffee away? Well, the coffee was ‘free’ in exchange for a donation, in any amount, to Salmon Restoration. When we took an average at the end of the day people were donating about six bucks per cup of coffee… Generous people, voting with their dollars to support a cause that has delicious implications. (Image: Momma Grows Funk Band with crowd at Worlds Largest Salmon BBQ, Fort Bragg, CA)

Below are the coffees that were served at the Salmon BBQ for you to enjoy at home.