Page 42
January 2006
The AC Phoenix
FARLEY'S COFFEE
THE RIGHT BLEND OF SUCCESS
By: James Clingman
—Guest Columnist—
“The coffee with a classic taste” is the slogan that always follows fhe Farley’s
name, and I can personally attest to the truth of that statement. Do you know about
this privately owned Black company in Seattle? Have you tasted its fine coffee? Are
you aware of Farley’s commitment to and involvement in economic empowerment
and community development? Did you know that Farley’s demonstrates its
corporate citizenship by giving back to schools, youth programs, and other
worthwhile causes? It is one of this country’s most progressive businesses.
Creative, innovative, altruistic, conscientious, and conscious. All of those words
describe the owners and operators of Farley’s Coffee. Since first speaking to the
company president, Ricky Fyles, I have been impressed with his warmth, sincerity
and follow-through. Not only is he an astute businessman, he is genuinely concerned
about the company’s social impact on others. In demonstration of that, Farley’s has
implemented a brand new “give back” strategy with its new “Hip-Hop Blend,” which
is exclusively designed and marketed to help Historically lack Colleges and
Universities and underprivileged students, trough a portion of the proceeds of each
sale of that blend of coffee.
Chairman and CEO Raymond Wilford said, “With increasing demands to help
sustain education, it is important to take the time to support our communities within
one’s capacity to give.” He went on to emphasize, “We are missing economic
opportunities by not investing our dollars within our own communities. We have a
heart and a responsibility to our communities.”
Farley’s has a special partner, too. Familiar to all who follow pro basketball, NBA
legend Lenny Wilkens has joined Farley’s Coffee, Inc.
“Something has to be done to improve the future of society and create positive
opportunities for our youfh. It begins one person at a time. We need to support each
other,” stated an exuberant Wilkens.
What a team! Farley’s, with an annual minimum blending, roasting and delivery
capacity of 10 million pounds, with the infrastructure capacity to deliver 25 million
pounds, finds itself on the cusp of greatness. We can all benefit from its continued
growth. Thus, it’s up to us to support this and other companies owned by conscious
Brothers and Sisters if we are serious about doing more for ourselves and building—
and leaving—and economic foundation for our children.
Ricky Fyles laments on why a Black-owned coffee company does not get the level
of support from Black people commensurate to our overall consumption of coffee.
Of course, he is not asking that only Black folks support the company; Farley’s
Coffee, Inc., is not a charity case; it sells its coffees to ail consumers. Yet, our
tendency is to opt for the products and services of others, despite how great our
goods and services may be.
Thus, while Farley’s wants your business, it’s not simply because it’s Black owned;
Farley’s desires your business because it delivers an excellent product—and because
it wants to do as much as it can to help our youth.
If we do need incentives to support our own, however, they can be found in
Farley’s Coffee, Inc.
Every person who reads this should immediately look for ways to give Farley’s
some business. We must redirect our coffee dollars to Farley’s. There are many ways
to boost sales for this Black company and allow it to do more for our youth and other
worthy causes and institutions. Let’s start with our churches. Imagine for a moment
the thousands of Black churches in this country buying and serving Farley’s Coffee.
How about all of our Black colleges and universities serving Farley’s Coffee, Inc., in
their campus cafeterias? Black firms can make Farley’s Coffee the brand they serve;
Black conventioneers, conferees and meeting planners can insist that Farley’s Coffee
be served with their meals in all of the hotels and banquet halls they support.
Sponsoring a cruise? Insist on Farley’s Coffee. If Black restaurants are not serving
Farley’s Coffee, they should start. As the commercial goes, “imagine the possibili
ties.”
Cne of Farley’s goals is to provide 200 franchise opportunities to prospective
entrepreneurs. Coffee, virtually a recession proof commodity, second in world
wide sales only to oil, some of the best of which is grown in Africa, can provide prof
itable, vertically integrated business ventures for Black people. Let’s not miss this
opportunity.
Farley’s is a glowing example of doing good and doing well at the same time.
Support Farley’s Coffee, Inc.—“the coffee with a classic taste”—one delicious sip at
a time.
For more information and orsiering Farley’s Coffee, visit
www.farleyscoffeeinc.com, or call (206) 824-7004.
(James Clingman is an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati’s
African American Studies department. He hosts the radio program
“Biackonomics.” Visit his website at www.biackonomics.com. He may be
reached at (513) 4S9-4132.)
NEWS
tke
Domestic Violence—
Domestic Silence
The Chicago Crusader
Chicago, IL
There is a silent epidemic visiting the homes of many
Americans. And as with many other maladies, it dispropor
tionately affects minorities, especially minority women. That
epidemic is domestic violence. According to a Chicago
Defender article, every 15 seconds in the United States, a
woman is beaten.
The scourge of domestic violence has, as a hallmark, the
tendency to cause its victims to be frozen with such fear that
they resemble the proverbial deer facing oncoming headlights.
Most of them are literally prisoners in their own homes.
The epidemic is silent because, with the exception of the
advocates who run shelters and call centers, the victims must
suffer in silence. Very often, family members are not
sympathetic. Too many of them encourage the victims to
honor marriage vows that, in their cases, malevolently
mandated that they stay with their abuser “until death do you
part.” For them, the death may come prematurely at the hands
of the abusive spouse.
One of the far-reaching consequences of domestic violence
that is not often talked about is the impact on children living in
homes where abuse is rampant. These children grow up with
a warped sense of what love is; truly our parents are our first
role models, and when abuse is modeled, it becomes the mold
that will inform the future relationships of those children.
On another note, it is interesting to question the part that
popular culture might play in the rising tide of domestic
violence. The overt victimization of women in hip-hop, and the
lionization of certain high profile entertainers who laud pimp
culture certainly contribute to the demonizing of women. And
though there is probably no scientific data to prove the notion
that the hip-hop denigration of women is contributing to the
rising tide of domestic violence, it is certainly a compelling
notion that warrants further exploration.
The silent epidemic of domestic violence is one more
element that threatens the well-being of the Black community.
Just like AIDS, crime, poverty, lack of education, and a whole
host of other ills, it threatens to tear the community apart at the
seams. We must recognize this scourge and help raise
awareness so that victims cease to feel so isolated that they
stay in their situations.
Granny Alwayil
• Work Hard
• Be Honest
• Always Do Your Best
Boy, have we ever made
Granny Proud!!!
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