Raise the Bar Presents Level Up: A Coffee Education Experience

A banner advertising nonprofit organization Raise the Bar’s “Level Up” event, which will take place September 27-29, 2025 and focus on providing baristas with an immersive, accessible education experience.

This September, the nonprofit will bring baristas together for an immersive and community-rooted educational experience.

BY EMILY JOY MENESES
ONLINE EDITOR

Photos courtesy of Rachel Apple unless otherwise noted

From September 27 to 29, 2025, nonprofit Raise the Bar will host Level Up: an immersive educational event dedicated to connecting working baristas—particularly those from traditionally underserved communities—and providing them with resources to nurture their long-term growth in the industry.

The two-and-a-half-day event, which is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, will take place at Minneapolis, Minn.’s Mill City Roasters. Attendees will participate in a variety of coffee education workshops, hear from exciting guest speakers, and connect with like-minded coffee professionals—all with the goal of fostering more accessibility, affordability, and inclusivity in the specialty-coffee world. Registration information can be found here.

A group of members of nonprofit Raise the Bar. — This September, nonprofit Raise the Bar will host Level Up: a two-and-a-half-day coffee education event.

Making Coffee Education More Accessible

One of the most pressing issues in the specialty-coffee world today is accessibility. Though the industry has made strides to become more inclusive in recent years, café leadership positions are still too often gate-kept, with baristas of marginalized identities lacking the resources and educational opportunities needed to further their careers.

For example, coffee leaders like Kim Dam of Portland Cà Phê have spoken to Barista Magazine in the past about challenging gender inequity in the industry, particularly in roasting. Others have spoken out about racial inequality at the café level. And even beyond race and gender, lack of funding can also be an immense barrier, with coffee education opportunities becoming more expensive everyday.

Though it isn’t impossible, building a viable career in coffee as someone with limited support and resources can feel like an uphill battle. The team at Raise the Bar expresses their hope to create a world where coffee education is a right, not a privilege—a world where professional growth is possible for anyone working behind the bar.

They also share that Level Up will emphasize community over competition: Participants of all backgrounds will come together not to vie for a title, but to simply strengthen their craft, forge genuine connections, and envision their long-term futures in coffee, together.

A street view of Minneapolis roastery Mill City Roasters. — The Level Up event will take place at Minneapolis, Minn.’s Mill City Roasters. Photo courtesy of Mill City Roasters.

Rachel Apple, co-founder of Raise the Bar, speaks on the importance of uplifting baristas and supporting them on their journeys. “Baristas are doing the labor that connects every part of the value chain to the public. They are the translators, they are the frontline educators, they are the people who hold the tension of this whole thing that we do,” she says.

“We wanted to build the world we want to live in, instead of relying on existing structures that aren’t serving the people we care about. It’s the right time for this, not just because we need it emotionally, but because the cracks are showing in our existing systems,” Rachel adds.

What to Expect at Level Up

Raise the Bar gives an overview of what participants can expect at the Level Up event:

Full-day workshops, elective-style classes, and hands-on training
A public café service led by attendees and educators
Guest speakers, local tours, and community-building events

A countertop is filled with a variety of coffee drinks at Raise the Bar’s Level Up event. — In addition to workshops and community-building events, Level Up will feature a public café service led by attendees and educators.

Educational Workshops + Exciting Guest Speakers

To make things even more exciting, many well-known industry figures are hosting educational workshops at the event, including Laila Ghambari (2014 U.S. Barista Champion and owner of Guilder Coffee), Morgan Eckroth (2022 U.S. Barista Champion and creator of YouTube channel Morgan Drinks Coffee), John Dixon (production roaster at Black & White Coffee Roasters and founder of Mad Black Coffee), Kristina Jackson (2025 U.S. Origami Cup Champion, business consultant, and founder of the Boston Intersectional Coffee Collective), and more.

Morgan Eckroth, a coffee educator at Raise the Bar’s Level Up event. — Morgan Eckroth, former U.S. Barista Champ, will teach a class on signature beverage creation.

Full List of Workshops:

A photo of Jaymie Lao on a flyer that says “Hospitality & Guest Experience with Jaymie Lao.” — Jaymie Lao will host a workshop on hospitality.

In addition to educational workshops, the event will also consist of several panel discussions, addressing topics from communication in coffee workplaces to connecting more deeply with countries of origin.

A list of coffee educators and guest speakers that will be at Raise the Bar’s Level Up event. — A list of coffee educators and guest speakers that will be at Level Up.

How to Support + Get Involved

For those interested in attending the event, a limited number of tickets are available on Raise the Bar’s website. A select number of tickets will be reserved for needs-based scholarship applicants. Applications for the scholarship will be due on August 7, 2025: Click here to apply.

A poster reads: “Raise the Bar Presents Level Up September 27-29, 2025.” — Registration is now open for Level Up. Poster by Cevallas Bros.

Raise the Bar also invites other industry professionals, coffee companies, and community members to support the cause by donating to the organization directly, referring a brand partner to sponsor Level Up, or, for those local to Minneapolis, attending the event’s public café pop-up service.

For all other questions, email the Raise the Bar team at levelup@raise-the-bar.coffee.

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