The People’s Empowerment Project is dedicated to restoring democracy by eliminating the corrupting influence of money in our political system. Key to that mission is Democracy Coffee.
Democracy Coffee is a product designed to transform the way people think about consuming in a plutocracy, while also providing the movement the long-term financial sustainability it will need to be successful.
The People’s Empowerment Project taps into a burgeoning populist issue that transcends partisan politics – the corrupting influence that money has on our political system, turbo-charged by the Supreme Court’s Citizen’s United decision (2010), and even more so with the Court’s McCutcheon decision (2014). In an increasingly polarized electorate and government, America’s favorite beverage is a natural fit for uniting all citizens in a partisan-free movement to save the foundation of our country – democracy.
Inspired by the power consumers were wielding by using their purchasing to lift coffee farmers out of extreme poverty by buying fair trade, we saw an opportunity to give consumers a way to leverage their collective power at cash registers across the nation.
Democracy Coffee offers a series of specialty arabica coffee beans roasted in small batches in Berne, NY to bring out the distinct flavors endowed to coffee. We’re sourced from the world’s most reputable coffee growing climates and harvested by worker-owned cooperatives committed to ecologically sound farming practices. With a fully integrated coffee roasting, packaging and distribution infrastructure, The People’s Empowerment Project is able to make Democracy Coffee available at prices on par with its for-profit competition. By utilizing the crowdfunding model, voters can feel financially invested in electing reform-minded candidates without spending a penny more on their weekly coffee purchase. In this way, Democracy Coffee is more than just a fundraising tool—it’s a way to engage the public on legislation that’s political viability is dependent on its utility remaining subliminal to a critical mass of voters; voters who are already predisposed to support a more democratic future.
If the Supreme Court is going to make the flow of money more relevant to the outcomes of elections than the actual voters, then we need to offer the people a way to resist with their shopping carts! Help support us by buying Democracy Coffee online here or checking us out in stores around Upstate New York.
Questions about our coffee?
email us democracycoffee@gmail.com