Why Black Coffee NW has a 17-year-old president

Shop owner Darnesha Weary intentionally gave her daughter a title of power to make her a stakeholder and a voice for youth and diversity in the coffee industry.

Sarah Hoffman

Sarah Hoffman • Jan 29, 2024

Jan 29, 2024

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          <article>
            <header>
              <hgroup>
                <h1>Why Black Coffee NW has a 17-year-old president</h1>
                <h2><p>Shop owner Darnesha Weary intentionally gave her daughter a title of power to make her a stakeholder and a voice for youth and diversity in the coffee industry.</p></h2>
              </hgroup>
               <p>By <a href="/author/shoffman-kcts9-org/">Sarah Hoffman</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Jan 29, 2024</time></p>
            </header>
            <p>Mikayla Weary has been community organizing since the sixth grade. Now a 17-year-old Mikayla Weary is the president of Black Coffee NW. Darnesha Weary, owner of the shop, intentionally gave her daughter a title of power so she can walk into a space and be a stakeholder of Black Coffee. Mikayla Weary says working in the position has opened her eyes to how power structures play out in the corporate workspace. “I've learned in America titles mean everything and Black people usually don't get the big titles, but they do the work,” Mikayla Weary said. They hope by hiring more youth they can provide more opportunities to diversify the coffee industry.</p>
          </article>

Mikayla Weary has been community organizing since the sixth grade. Now a 17-year-old Mikayla Weary is the president of Black Coffee NW. Darnesha Weary, owner of the shop, intentionally gave her daughter a title of power so she can walk into a space and be a stakeholder of Black Coffee. Mikayla Weary says working in the position has opened her eyes to how power structures play out in the corporate workspace. “I've learned in America titles mean everything and Black people usually don't get the big titles, but they do the work,” Mikayla Weary said. They hope by hiring more youth they can provide more opportunities to diversify the coffee industry.

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By Sarah Hoffman

Sarah Hoffman is a senior video producer at Cascade PBS, focusing on science and the environment. Previously she worked as a visual journalist for the Omaha World-Herald and The Dallas Morning News. F