DENVER — For some people, a cup of coffee can mean the difference between a good morning and a not-so-good morning.
At Prodigy Coffee in Globeville, coffee can actually affect lives.
“Just getting out of my shyness, just so I can come out of my comfort zone,” said Autumn Banks, an apprentice at Prodigy.
Banks has been working at Prodigy in Globeville for about a year— almost as long as this shop has been in business.
The coffee shop does so much more than sell coffee. It is a business that hires young people from northeast Denver, teaches them the skills it takes to work at a coffee house and pumps money into the area’s economy.
“We’ve put $1.4 million in wages back into the community,” said Jeslin Shahrezaei, executive director of Prodigy Ventures. “It’s not just a coffee shop, it’s not just development, it’s community wealth-building."
"We’re working with a lot of young people who are oftentimes primary income earners in their homes."
Prodigy has two shops in the northeast Denver: one is in Globeville and the other is at 40th Ave. and Colorado Boulevard. Since its start seven years ago, they have trained more than 120 apprentices in the 12 to 18-month program.
“We’re all just family and there’s no judgement whatsoever,” Banks said. “You’re just going to challenge yourself, just to push yourself, and know you can do certain things.”
Shahrezaei said she knows that not all of the apprentices will go on to work in coffee shops, but that is not what this is about.
“We recognize what a coffee shop coming to a neighborhood represents, and our work allows young people to activate their voices in their communities,” Shahrezaei said. “We understand we’re working with Denver’s next leaders.”
The cups of coffee Banks pours make a difference in the community— and also in her life. She said that, even though she had to learn from the ground up, it is the most fun she has had at a job.
“It’s actually my favorite place to work at,” Banks said.
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