The Trekkers

We are two women on a whirl-wind coffee adventure.

We like to laugh, dance, and make strange noises. We are educators, optimists, and musicians who are trying to change the world.

Good people, good coffee – that’s our story and were sticking to it!.

Melanie directs youth leadership programs in Vermont and when she is not on the road she is working towards an MA in Social Justice. She took an interest in coffee while visiting the many shops where Sara worked throughout college. While in grad school she was a barista at Mocha Joe’s, where she came to appreciate quality coffee with a global awareness. This venture combines her hankering for caffeine with her drive (no pun intended) for social equality. Melanie likes to play Capoeira, eat at diners, and has been known to get in bed in the middle of the day just because it “feels so good”.

Sara Rose has been a barista for 7 years, currently serving at Coffee Labs Roasters. Sara has her MA in Elementary Teaching from Clark University. She learned the value of community while working in the Dragonfly Caffe, a small coffee shop in NY. Life on a small coral atoll in the middle of the pacific ocean highlighted the necessity of taking immediate action towards environmental protection. Sara plays the cello, cooks yummy food and has been known to hug at random just because it “feels so good”.

And now for the Professional version:

Who We Are:

Melanie Brubaker has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Clark University. During college she traveled to Nicaragua as a volunteer for an organic farming community. Her junior year she studied abroad in Namibia where her program focused on the effects of globalization and the challenges facing a young democracy. Melanie is working towards a Master of Arts in Social Justice in Intercultural Relations from the School for International Training (SIT). She is the Assistant Program Director for World Learning’s Youth Peacebuilding and Leadership Programs. While at SIT, Melanie worked as a barista at Mocha Joe’s Coffee Roasters, where she discovered the world of fair, direct and green coffee trading. She envisions a powerful partnership between the ideals of social justice and the potential of the specialty coffee industry. Melanie is a committed youth educator and a passionate learner.

 

Sara Rose Rachlin has a Bachelor of Arts in Cello Performance and a Master of Arts in Teaching: Elementary Licensure, both from Clark University. She volunteered in Ghana teaching nursery school students and local youth who were not in school. After completing her Masters degree Sara spent a year living in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. While there she taught elementary students and facilitated an English Language Institute for local teachers. In the Marshall Islands, Sara saw the impact that irresponsible consumerism in the leading industrialized nations had on a small pacific island. During college, she worked in numerous coffee shops, gaining an appreciation for community. While working at Coffee Labs Roasters, Inc., a café that represents the same ideals as CoffeeInAction, Sara became convinced that the specialty coffee industry has the potential to be at the forefront of creating an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible global community.

 

Melanie and Sara are kindred spirits due to their playful and inquisitive approaches to life. They have grown to share a passion for experiential education, international travel and social action. They both grew up in close-knit communities and appreciate the richness and joy in that experience. Sara and Melanie are committed to youth empowerment and leadership, being aware of their personal environmental presence, creating vibrant, energetic community, and laughter.