Cafe Cà Phê Invites You to Celebrate AAPI Heritage at AAPICONIC 2023

May 6, 2023Leave a comment

By: Nicole Mitchell

Kansas City’s first Vietnamese coffee shop Cafe Cà Phê is hosting another iconic festival this spring at Columbus Square Park, and you’re invited. Join the party on May 20 for the second annual Kansas City AAPI Festival, presented by Fresh Karma Dispensaries.

The theme is ICONIC: A Throwback To 1999—a time where music, fashion, and pop-culture were at their finest. Fresh Prince was on the TV and Britney Spears ruled the world. The aesthetic for the event is “1990s Magazine Cover,” so dig out your favorite tube tops and acid-wash jeans and join for a day of live entertainment, booths by local makers and artisans, and nostalgic vignettes designed specifically for photo ops.

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Celebrate the HoliGays with Cafe Cà Phê’s Inaugural Holiday Event

December 1, 2022January 16, 2023Leave a comment

By Nicole Mitchell

Cafe Cà Phê, Kansas City’s first Vietnamese coffee shop, is hosting its first inaugural HoliGays Party and Vendor Fair this weekend, December 3 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Proceeds of the event will benefit Umeshiso Coffee Supply, a queer Asian-owned small business in KC.

The event will feature pop-ups by many queer-owned local businesses, including Massage Collective KC, MackBecks, Raspberry Studios, and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to enter a raffle with multiple high-value prizes, participate in an open mic, receive free education from local LGBTQ+ orgs, and interact with local queer and trans community members through fun activities. Cafe Cà Phê will be serving a glittery specialty beverage called The Gaysian for the day, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Umeshiso.

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AAPI Heritage Month with Cafe Cà Phê: Travis Young

May 31, 2022January 16, 2023Leave a comment

By Kelcie McKenney
Photos by Travis Young and Travis Carroll

For Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we teamed up with Catcall magazine to highlight the AAPI team members who make Kansas City’s first Vietnamese coffee shop Cafe Cà Phê possible. Read the intro here, and stick around this week to hear their stories.

What’s your title at Cafe Cà Phê?

Photographer

Where is your family’s country of origin?

My parents are from Vietnam!

What brought you and/or your family to Kansas City?

My parents ended up in Garden City, KS, because there was work at a meatpacking plant. That’s where I was born. Then as I graduated high school I got a substantial scholarship from any in-state college so I used it to get me to KU in Lawrence, KS. After graduating there I moved to KC because it was the closest and biggest city population-wise that I had experienced at that point.

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AAPI Heritage Month with Cafe Cà Phê: Maddy Best

May 30, 2022January 16, 2023Leave a comment

By Kelcie McKenney
Photos by Travis Young

What’s your title at Cafe Cà Phê?

Graphic Designer

Where is your family’s country of origin?

My mom was born in Hanoi, Vietnam, and my dad’s family is all rooted in Missouri!

What brought you and/or your family to Kansas City?

We originally came back to Missouri once my parents left the service. Mom worked in healthcare and dad joined the family woodworking business. After I graduated from UCM with my bachelor’s degree, I came to KC to work!

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