Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
Time: 1:00 pm
Location: In-person event at the Museum / virtual event
Language: Presented in English
Cost: FREE
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Who doesn’t love a morning cup of coffee or an evening treat of chocolate? Did you know that both originated centuries ago from plants in Africa and Latin America that have migrated around the world? And not just the beans, but the humans whose labour makes a latte or chocolate bar possible. What may be a sweet pleasure in some parts of the world has, too often, been a bitter reality in others—especially those forced to migrate from coffee or cacao farms that have taken generations of care. For many farmers, coffee and cacao farming provides their daily bread: what for us, in Canada, is a daily drink.
Join us for a special lecture by Dr. Erika Koss who will explore the global migration of two beloved beans. Come learn about the ways that both coffee and cacao beans have taken global journeys of transformation to become the delectable beverages and treats we enjoy in Canada—and some of the human hands who make these treasured tastes possible.
About the presenter:
Dr. Erika Koss is writer, educator, and researcher with a special focus on sustainability and gender equity of beverage crops such as coffee, tea, & cacao.
She lived in Halifax for several years while earning her PhD in International Development Studies from Saint Mary's University. Now based full-time in Nairobi, Kenya, she founded her education and research business, A World in Your Cup Consulting. Dr. Koss has taught literature, writing, and politics at several universities throughout North America. She is a SCA Authorized Specialty Coffee Trainer in Sensory Skills and Sustainability, a barista judge, and a co-creator of the SCA Sustainability curriculum. Dr. Koss is a regular contributor to several coffee publications and businesses, as well as a frequent speaker. She is working on her first book of creative non-fiction. To learn more about her work and her travels, follow her Substack newsletter: https://erikakoss.substack.com or on Instagram @aworldinyourcup.