Raise the Bar

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Raise the Bar Raise the Bar is a nonprofit reimagining what professional growth looks like in specialty coffee.

We run accessible, community-driven programs that center working coffee professionals.

YAP WITH US! 🗣️☕️☀️ Check out these absolutely amazing coffee mentors coming to Coffee Fest Trade Shows Dallas–Fort Wort...
10/14/2026

YAP WITH US! 🗣️☕️☀️ Check out these absolutely amazing coffee mentors coming to Coffee Fest Trade Shows Dallas–Fort Worth this weekend for Raise the Bar Mentorship Speed Connections!⁠
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Whether you’re starting out fresh, figuring out how to grow, or looking for someone who’s been there // done that...there’s a spot for ya (for real, there are chairs 🛋️ !) And these mentors are so excited to meet you!⁠
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Come ask questions, share stories, make friends, and gain encouragement for wherever you are in your coffee journey. 🫶⁠
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📍 CoffeeFest Dallas–Fort Worth | October 17–18⁠
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AND DON’T FORGET! 🎉 We’re throwing a lil Raise the Bar Cup-a-thon party at Ascension Coffee in Fort Worth on Saturday, October 17, from 5–7:30pm! Coffee games, prizes, light bites, and good company, all in support of coffee education and barista scholarships.⁠
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RSVP for the party at the link in the RAISE THE BAR COFFEE | LEVEL UP bio! 💫

Want to taste coffees with us? ☕️ CoffeeFest DFW is coming up soon, and we want to see you! 🖤 Join at Ascension Coffee ...
10/06/2026

Want to taste coffees with us? ☕️ CoffeeFest DFW is coming up soon, and we want to see you! 🖤 Join at Ascension Coffee – Fort Worth on Saturday, October 17th from 5–7:30pm for our first-ever CUP-A-THON!⁠
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First slurp starts at 5:30pm!⁠
Not slurping? COME HANG ANYWAY. 💅⁠
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We’ll have:⁠
🍹 Spritzy cocktails + tasty bites from ⁠
☕ Plenty of delicious coffee⁠
💌 Coffee postcard crafting⁠
🫶 Friendship bracelets⁠
✨ Customizable Raise the Bar merch⁠
👯 And, of course, a whole bunch of coffee pals⁠
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$20 suggested donation, and every dollar raised supports Raise the Bar scholarships for baristas. 🖤⁠
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📍 Ascension Coffee – Fort Worth⁠
📅 Saturday, October 17⁠
⏰ 5–7:30pm⁠
🎟️ RSVP + snag your Cup-A-Thon spot at the link in bio!⁠
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SEE Y’ALL THERE 🤠☕️🏆

☕️ WHAT’S A CUP-A-THON?!⁠
It’s a coffee triangulation challenge! Come taste sets of 3 coffees and pick the one that’s different. Get it right + in the fastest time, and you’ll move onto the next round. We’ve got just 16 spots to participate and prizes for 1st, 2nd + 3rd place slurpers. 🏆⁠

Come get silly, make some crafts, and help us give more coffee people access to education opportunities.⁠
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📍 Ascension Coffee – Fort Worth⁠
📅 Saturday, October 17⁠
⏰ 5–7:30pm⁠
🏆 Cup-A-Thon begins at 5:30pm⁠
🎟️ RSVP + snag your Cup-A-Thon spot at the link in bio!

The tl;dr is…WE MISS YOU ALL ALREADY!! 🥹 Level Up II: The Sequel was actually, factually magical, and these pics are jus...
09/25/2026

The tl;dr is…WE MISS YOU ALL ALREADY!! 🥹 Level Up II: The Sequel was actually, factually magical, and these pics are just a little sprinkle of the memories from last weekend. So many more to come!

We’ve packed up all the goodies and reset the beautiful space at Mill City Roasters®…but we’re still full of gratitude for everyone who showed up and helped bring Level Up to life. What a few really awesome, fun, LONG days filled with new coffee lessons, new coffee friends, and so many absolutely iconic and thoughtful teachers. Like, hello?

💬 A coffee pricing conversation about the C market featuring women from across the supply chain
🗺️ Inspiring talks about leadership and all the different pathways your coffee career can take
⛓️‍💥 Literally breaking down machines to better understand all the essential parts
🍴🍲 Delicious meals made with care and served by incredibly talented and hospitable coffee people
🏊‍♀️ Deep dives into essential coffee skills at multiple levels across espresso, roasting, and brewing
📪 Exploring how to grow as a leader—or even start your own coffee pop-up
🛍️ Unbelievably fun swag x vibes x parties x music x art…and that doesn’t even cover all of it!

You all brought so much curiosity, care, and excitement into the classrooms and behind the bar, and we are genuinely excited to see where everyone goes next. Please get some rest, digest the experience, and stay in touch. 💗

We know Level Up is something that will stay with us for the long haul, and we hope some piece of this weekend stays with you, too. (P.S. We’re here to support you!)

THANK YOU SO MUCH to the many, many talented people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this whole thing happen—and, of course, to the amazing businesses who believe in our mission and generously support our work to create greater access to education, opportunity, and career growth in coffee.
We miss you already. See you at the next one. 🥹✨

Day 2 of classes has officially come to a wrap! 🎉A HUGE thank you to all of our sponsors for helping make this weekend h...
09/20/2026

Day 2 of classes has officially come to a wrap! 🎉

A HUGE thank you to all of our sponsors for helping make this weekend happen. We have nothing but LOVE for you all! ❤️

Thank you to our amazing teachers and speakers, all of the local vendors who joined us at the market today, and a HUGE THANK YOU to our incredible catering team!!! 🙌🏽

But who says the party has to stop?! 🤷🏽‍♂️

Tonight, Coffee People Zine is hosting an ART THROW DOWN, ZINE RELEASE, AND PIZZAAAA PARTY!!! 🍕

Come hang out, get creative, and keep the Level Up energy going before we have to say our final goodbyes! ☕️

09/20/2026

Day 1 is done and we've loved the energy ✨️ See you all tomorrow!

"Hospitality is an act of love that starts at the top" - Nathanael May-------This year’s Level Up theme was Hospitality,...
09/19/2026

"Hospitality is an act of love that starts at the top"

- Nathanael May

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This year’s Level Up theme was Hospitality, and who better to serve as our Keynote Speaker than Nathanael with Pacific Barista Series™.

Nathanael did a spectacular job capturing the depth of hospitality while filling the room with laughter, inspiration, and insights like:

💕 Hospitality, like love, can happen even when we don’t feel loving.

💞 Hospitality must be enabled by support from the top through fair wages, respectful consideration, and prioritization of safety.

💖 Hospitality allows others to exist as their complete selves without fear of rejection.

❤️‍🩹 Hospitality isn’t always a fun and bubbly interaction with customers. Sometimes, it’s allowing them to have a safe place to show and feel their grief.

Hospitality is central to the identity of Raise the Bar. We strive to create welcoming spaces, address opportunity gaps, and offer meaningful support. We are so uplifted to see a community filled with folks like Nathanael who champion for Hospitality in each interaction.

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Boston, MA

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