Woman-owned business

By Shelby Faulkner
Photos by Whitney Young and Travis Young

When you’re LGBTQ+ or part of another marginalized community in the Midwest, it can be hard to feel truly safe in public spaces—especially now. After coming out as a trans woman, one of the first places I began to feel safe was my local coffee shop. Soon, I became a regular, and grabbing my daily caffeine fix was my sacred ritual. What’s gayer than iced coffee after all?

As the self-proclaimed coffee queen of Catcall (re: I tried every Chappell Roan-themed drink when she played KC in October), I’m rounding up some of my favorite inclusive coffee shops in the hopes it’ll help folks feel a little safer choosing their next spot. Whether you’re looking for great coffee, a sense of community, or just want somewhere new to chill, one of these places is sure to be your vibe—plus you’ll be supporting some pretty awesome local businesses.

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By Sophie Oswald
Photos by Travis Young

Kharissa Forte breaks through barriers. Today, she is a Black woman business owner at the wheel of Grace & Grind. It all started in 2018 when she and her husband, Wesley, were on the brink of filing for divorce, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

She was even an on-air radio personality and associate producer. She enjoyed her work in these positions, but she did not feel fulfilled. “Those industries can be so ego-centric, and I didn’t feel like I was actually making a difference in the world. Not to mention, I was smoking around the clock, and chugging energy drinks like my paycheck depended on it,” she explained.

She was talented in these jobs and continued to work them for a while, but eventually, it all just clicked. “One day, I just had a breakdown and literally in that moment decided I want to work in health and wellness somehow. In hindsight, I think the need for me to prioritize my own health was the guiding light,” she said. “That year, it was 2019, I quit the agency I was at and started working at a local health store. I also enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a health coach. The next year, Grace & Grind was born,” she said.

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