After two years of digital competitions, Glitter Cat Bootcamps are back! Glitter Cat is a non-profit organization that aims to challenge the status quo in the coffee industry through hosting competitions, encouraging community engagement, and funding hospitality training.
The cornerstone of their programming is the Glitter Cat Bootcamps, a series of all-expenses paid trainings aimed at marginalized coffee workers. The bootcamps will provide coaching and instruction for competitors during the 2022-2023 US Coffee Championships season. Applications opened on August 16th, 2022 and will close on the 26th.
Why it matters: Now in its fifth season, Glitter Cat pivoted to digital competitions when many coffee competitions were canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Glitter Cat began as a program to address the inequities in coffee competitions. Over the years, many competitors who do well have access to funds and training, and Glitter Cat sought to provide these resources to “members of marginalized communities, including but not limited to: communities of color, 2SLGBTIQIA+, disabled, neurodivergent, and persons of marginalized gender,” a press release states.
The full extraction: Glitter Cat will host three bootcamps for the coffee competitions for applicants who wish to compete in either the Barista, Brewers Cup, and Coffee in Good Spirits Championships for the 2022-2023 US Coffee Championships season.
- Bootcamps will be hosted at the following locations:
- Barista: October 14-16, 2022 – Coava Coffee Roasters, Portland, OR
- Brewers Cup: November 4-6, 2022 – Barista Life LA, Los Angeles, CA
- Coffee in Good Spirits: November 11-13, 2022 – Coava Coffee Roasters, Portland, OR
- Each bootcamp, which will accept a minimum of six applicants per program, will be led by world class instructors, former coffee champions, and competition judges. Glitter Cat will be announcing COVID protocols shortly.
- Although there will be no in-person events for the Roasters, Cup Tasters, and Latte Art competitions, Glitter Cat will still host online support programs for potential competitors.
- Bootcamp attendees are anticipated to compete in one of the qualifying events for the United States Coffee Championships once the dates are announced.
What’s more: Over the last few years, a number of past Glitter Cats have placed highly in the US Coffee Champions. The team behind Glitter Cat anticipates working with baristas and coffee professionals of all skill levels—applicants do not need to have any former competition experience or requisite years in the industry to apply to be a Glitter Cat.
- “We’re so thrilled that we get the chance to go back to our roots with in-person bootcamps,” says Eric Grimm, Director of Positive Outcomes for Glitter Cat. “The intensity of the education these cats get in a contained setting is matched by an equally intense and beautiful community building that happens when we’re all making coffee and learning together.”
Applicants have until August 26th to apply. See here for applications to the Barista, Brewers Cup, and Coffee In Good Spirits bootcamps.
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