Photo from previous event courtesy of Glitter Cat

Glitter Cat, the competition training program for marginalized coffee professionals, announces DiGiTiTiON, a socially distanced digital competition in six categories.

In the wake of an effectively cancelled 2021 U.S. Coffee Championships season, Glitter Cat will host a digital competition, or DiGiTiTiON, for BIPOC, LGBTQIAP+, womxn, and disabled persons. The DiGiTiTiON (pronounced “di-ji-ti-shun”) will include six competitions: Barista, Brewers, Roasters, Coffee & Booze, Tasters, and Latte Art. Applications are open now through September 18. 

While Glitter Cat’s initial plan was to hold boot camps for the 2021 U.S. Coffee Championships season, the altered landscape as a result of the enduring COVID-19 pandemic necessitated major changes in the program to continue to provide competition opportunities and resources to those rarely seen on competition stages. The DiGiTiTiON presents a fun, challenging, and safe alternative to in-person competitions with focuses on equity, bias reduction, and accessibility. Materials, equipment, coffee, and ingredients stipends will be provided free-of-charge to all competitors, who will be able to compete in their own homes. There will be accommodations made for all competitors and an all-BIPOC judging panel calibrated to acknowledge diverse taste and sensory experiences.

The DiGiTiTiON competitions are inspired by the U.S. Coffee Championships with a few glittery twists. Each competition will have six finalists, or DiGi-CATS, who will film routines and instructions for judges to recreate in their own setting. During judging, routines and highlights will appear on Instagram so coffee folx from all over the world can watch along and root for their favorite DiGi-CATS from November 2–22, 2020.

The competitions will air on the following dates:

• Barista Competition & Roasters Competition, November 2–8
• Brewers Competition & Cup Tasters Competition, November 9–15
• Latte Art Competition & Coffee in Good Spirits Competition, November 16–22

BIPOC, LGBTQIAP+, people of marginalized genders, and disabled coffee professionals of all skill levels are encouraged to apply at glittercatbarista.com. Glitter Cat especially encourages non-native English speakers and disabled coffee professionals and enthusiasts to apply as all accommodations will be made to ensure that participants will have a level playing field for the competitions. 

Glitter Cat, now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, began in 2018 as a coffee training program for members of marginalized communities. In the past two years, Glitter Cat has provided bootcamp-style training and additional resources for over 50 coffee professionals including 22 U.S. Coffee Championships national qualifiers in Barista, Brewers Cup, and Coffee In Good Spirits. Glitter Cat has had finalists in the Barista Competition for the past two seasons.