What is mutual aid?
Wikipedia describes it as, “[the] voluntary, collaborative exchanges of resources and services for common benefit take place among community members to overcome social, economic, and political barriers to meeting common needs.” In normal people speak, it means sharing is caring and it can be fun! Mutual Aid is more than just resources. It’s the creation of connections to access those resources.

Why coffee?
Coffee is more than a way to get through your boring work day. It was what fueled the enlightenment, helped starving artists meet in rundown cafes, and helped anarchists meet as well. Emma Godlman was introduced to Alexander Berkman at Sachs’ Cafe. Cafes are supposed to be meeting places for people, not for upper class hipsters to charge their phones in. If we can no longer have cafes for the people, then we’ll just make our own.

No, really, why?
No bullshit? Marching is tiring, everyone is in a pissy mood, people take themselves too damn seriously. Too many people are marching to be seen on social media, not to be in solidarity. We need human connections. We need more revelry if we want a revolution!
To quote Emma Goldman, “I did not believe that… [anarchism]… should demand the denial of life and joy. I insisted that our Cause could not expect me to become a nun and that the movement would not be turned into a cloister… “I want freedom, the right to self-expression, everybody’s right to beautiful, radiant things.””

What IS Cafe Anaquista?
C.A. is a mutual aid movement to bring food, coffee, and radical literature to protests. Basically the things people usually forget to take, or don’t think to bring along with them. The goal is to help feed protesters and create a more communal environment. Anyone can be an Anarquista Barista, Bean Scout, or Coffee Commando.

Some guidance and suggestions:

1. 1. Don’t hijack, outshine, or disrupt a protest. The goal is to help people, not be the center of attention. That means no selfies or live streaming yourself giving people food. Follow the organizers and read the room.
   2. Participate in the protest. You’re not a grubhub delivery, you’re here to support the people. That means marching along with, call and response, holding signs, and the like.
   3. Try to be sensitive to people’s diets. Vegan, nut-free, and gluten free are good for most people. Be sanitary and wear gloves. Prepackaged food helps cut down on germs.
   4. If you hate cops, don’t act like them. No denying people food because you don’t like them or think they’re rude, or problematic, or undeserving. You don’t know their story.

And if you feel like it, wear all black with a small, removable coffee logo (in case you need to tear it off in a pinch). Or don’t. No pressure.