“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”

—Pablo Picasso

WHAT’S GOOD

It’s Always Fun Celebrating with One Another

one another coffee birthday 2026 (13).png

one another coffee birthday 2026 (51).png

one another coffee birthday 2026 (56).png

one another coffee birthday 2026 (27).png

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate One Another Coffee’s 3rd birthday over the weekend! It was a beautiful day filled with disco-themed fun. We enjoyed seeing so many new and old friends, noshing on incredible treats from Porc Slap, Plantaqueria and Cake Thieves, and vibing out to disco tunes from Becky King! Thank you for helping to make One Another what it is—we can’t wait to see you on your next morning coffee run, and for many joy-filled years to come.

Happy Birthday, One Another Coffee

Che Ortiz, Program Manager, One Another Coffee

I cried at my very first birthday party.

Looking back at old photos and recorded tapes, it could’ve been the giant Chuck E. Cheese rat walking around the party that terrified me as a kid. Maybe it was the overstimulation mixed with the grand finale of my entire family singing “Happy Birthday” all at once.

Whatever it was, the moment everyone started singing, my eyes filled with salty tears. I cried until all the attention faded and the noise settled down.

It’s become a funny story in the family over the years.

Truthfully, birthdays have never really been my thing.

Being born in December, so close to Christmas, usually meant the classic “2-in-1 gift.” I’ve also never liked cake or sweets, so I grew up watching everyone else enjoy slices of my birthday cake. Even now, I still cringe when someone secretly tells the waiter it’s my birthday and suddenly a room full of strangers are singing at me red faced.

So when One Another Coffee celebrated its very first birthday in early 2024, I didn’t expect to cry then either.

At that point, I had only been with One Another Coffee for about a year. Before I started, I was living 35-40 minutes away, freshly coming out of one of the hardest seasons of my life. I had spent a year healing at home after leaving a six-year relationship, trying to rediscover who I was while unlearning old habits and painful experiences from past service industry jobs.

I was raw, uncertain, and cautiously taking baby steps into a new version of my life.

Then I interviewed with Alexis Novotny and Taylor Bates for One Another.

I still remember walking away from that conversation feeling completely rejuvenated. They talked about future plans for Sunset Ridge: a park, a farmers market, a preschool rooted in nature and community. For the first time in a long time, I felt aligned with something bigger than myself. Their values around hospitality, care, sustainability and genuine connection felt so different from anything I had experienced before.

As we walked out of the interview together, I blurted out loud, “I feel like I’m meant to be here.” as I looked over at Taylor.

I still think about that moment all the time because somehow, it turned out to be true.

What started as one shift a week slowly became three days, then full-time work, then prep responsibilities, operations, and eventually running the trailer itself.

Over the last three years, I’ve grown alongside this tiny coffee trailer in ways I never expected.

The trailer has had many different eras, many different teams, and so many beautiful people pass through it. I’ve watched baristas graduate school, move for dream jobs, start families, and begin entirely new chapters of their lives. One of the greatest honors has been knowing that One Another Coffee could be a small part of that growth.

I’ve learned that I’ve never really been motivated by money or career success. What fulfills me is being of service to others. Creating spaces where people feel seen, welcomed, remembered, and cared for.

I believe there’s something sacred about hospitality.

Coffee may seem small to some people, but I think it becomes a bridge. A daily ritual that gives people a moment to slow down, connect, and experience care from another human being.

And that care extends beyond customers.

As the trailer has grown, I’ve tried to lead and care for the business differently—sustainably, intentionally, and with genuine care for the team behind it. I’ve learned that success means very little if the people around you are burned out or unseen. Taking care of each other matters just as much as taking care of the coffee.

Which brings me back to our first birthday celebration.

Back then, we didn’t have nearly the equipment or systems we have now. We also didn’t have a full team of baristas yet, so I was working the celebration alone.

What I didn’t realize was that we were about to have a record-breaking sales day.

From the moment we opened, there was a nonstop line filled with familiar faces and community members excited to celebrate with us. I was taking orders, making drinks, calling names, restocking, and somehow trying to hold conversations all at once. I honestly don’t know how I didn’t grow another arm that day.

By noon, I was exhausted. Sweaty, overwhelmed, emotionally maxed out.

Near the end of the rush, one of our regulars—someone I considered a friend—ordered a cappuccino. As I remade her espresso a few times to make sure it was right, I handed off another customer’s preorder first. She thought I had skipped her drink entirely.

In an instant, her smile turned into frustration.

She walked away angry, saying hurtful things, and the moment she left, I burst into tears right there in the messy little trailer.

Thankfully, my dear friend Suz Browning happened to be nearby. She came around the corner to comfort me, and soon Jamie and Anthony joined too as I tearfully explained what had happened.

And I’ll never forget what Suz reminded me of in that moment.

She reminded me that this was our first record-breaking day. That the entire community had shown up to celebrate us. That while I was fixated on one painful interaction, I had completely overlooked the dozens of people who came to support us with love.

The regulars who drove across town for their brown sugar miso latte.
The families excited to keep me updated with their lives.
The Sunset Ridge community that continued to show up for me and dry my tears.

What a successful day it truly was.

Looking back now, I realize the trailer and I have somehow always mirrored each other.

When life feels heavy, the trailer feels heavy too.
When I’m growing, healing, and finding joy again, somehow the trailer grows alongside me.

And maybe that’s why this third birthday in the trailer feels so emotional to me.

Because when I think about those salty tears from my first birthday party, and then the tears inside the trailer years later, I realize both moments were never really about sadness. They were about feeling overwhelmed by being seen.

This year's birthday feels different.

I’ve learned to love watching the joy in people enjoying their cake slices. I’ve learned to appreciate the warmth of strangers singing to someone they don’t even know. I’ve learned that celebrations are less about attention and more about reflection—about pausing long enough to recognize all the goodness around us and those that show up to celebrate.

This little trailer has given me so much more than coffee or a job.
It’s given me purpose.
Community.
Healing.
Friendship.
A place to grow roots.
A place to make a difference.

And I hope the care poured into this space has extended outward into every customer, every barista, every person who contributed to creating OAC and every person who has stopped by our tiny window over the last three years.

Thank you for growing with us.
Thank you for celebrating with us.
And happy birthday to One Another Coffee.