Coming This Fall
Coffee • Community • Collective Action
The People’s Cafe
is a place to build community—we offer inviting spaces for getting together to make connections outside of work and home while enjoying delicious coffee and food.
Building community in a time when democracy is threatened IS resistance, and The People’s Cafe community is committed to:
• Combating isolation and fear—you are not alone!
• Building trust and resilience—connect based on shared values and experiences.
• Facilitating collective action and resistance—organize and mobilize!
• Protecting vulnerable communities—everyone belongs!
• Fostering hope and joy—let’s create…and dance!
“Alone, we can do so little; together we can do so much”
We offer opportunities to engage in local issues and participate in civic life. Through informal learning and exchanging ideas in workshops, meeting spaces, community dinners, discussions, and art events our communities can learn from and celebrate each other—that’s what democracy looks like!
The People’s Cafe: Honoring the enduring legacy of coffee and community
For centuries, cafes have been at the heart of social and political life—places where people gather, ideas spark, and change begins. From their roots in the Middle East to their blossoming in 19th- and early 20th-century Europe, coffee houses have long served as gathering places for political debate, religious reflection, artistic expression, and intellectual exchange.
In 20th-century America, independent coffee houses became sanctuaries for counterculture and rebellion. Artists, thinkers, activists, clergy, and neighbors convened within their walls, challenging norms and voicing new visions for society. Think of the Beat Generation movement, the Civil Rights movement, the Feminist movement, the Peace movement, the LGBTQ+ movement, and the Environmental movement whose participants all found sustenance in the warmth of these communal spaces—brewing up “good trouble” over shared cups of coffee.
Today, The People’s Cafe proudly carries forward this tradition of nurturing justice and peacemaking. The well-being of our communities is shaped by the choices we make together. We invite you to be part of this living legacy—join us in building a stronger, more compassionate community by supporting The People’s Cafe.
The Story Behind The People’s Cafe
“I was extremely fortunate to have gathered the resources to purchase the building where I live. On the first floor there was a cafe, and they decided to move to a different location. In its place, I decided to create The People’s Cafe, following in the great tradition of coffee houses as spaces where people gather to build community, preserve democracy, and celebrate the talents of all community members.” —Mary Sommers
Join Us!
We all need to be faithful servants of democracy and stewards of justice and peacemaking. The future of our communities depends on the actions we take today, so please join us in building this community by supporting The People’s Cafe.
Sign up for our mailing list and we’ll send you an invitation to the opening!
Our Partnership with Zemi:
Your daytime cafe will be brought to you by Zemi Coffee! Having started as a pedal powered coffee cart in the streets of Oak Park, IL, the Zemi team is excited to expand into this wonderful collaborative space in Avondale.
Zemi Coffee is on a mission to promote Puerto Rican coffee and culture. Buying direct from a farm in Puerto Rico, the Zemi team focuses on a simple, yet memorable experience. We offer traditional espresso and coffee drinks, with a couple of twists like our Cafe Con Leche. Along with other assorted drinks, we offer pastries and an easy grab-and-go food.
