Celebrating the First Year of Ujima Cafe

This year, we celebrate the successful launch and conclusion of Ujima Cafe’s first year as a new, member-centered gathering space; to help us make it even better for next year, please fill out this survey with your feedback! 

With Ujima Cafe, a series of pop-up events localized to Roxbury and Dorchester, we endeavored to create a warm, welcoming environment for members and staff to connect, foster trust and strengthen community in a relaxed social setting. Each Cafe event featured snacks, coffee, and thoughtfully curated menus, offering members a chance to enjoy great food, support small businesses, and connect more deeply with Ujima’s mission. We also provided valuable support to Ujima Good Business Alliance members and other businesses we love, who were our hosts for the Cafe series this year!

From enjoying delicious cupcakes courtesy of Cupcake Therapy, to exploring co-op membership at Dorchester Food Co-Op, Ujima Cafe combined the accessibility of open office hours with the inviting energy of a casual meet-up, encouraging members to stop by, bring friends, and engage at their own pace.

Thank you to all the businesses that hosted Ujima Cafe this year, including Black Market Nubian, Nubian Markets, Fresh Food Generation, Mad House Cafe, Comfort Kitchen, and Dorchester Food Co-Op. 

Special thanks must go to our dedicated organizers, Community Engagement Managers Mari Gashaw and Georgios Costomiris, as well as our volunteers and Ujima staff who supported each event. Thank you to Ujima Restaurant Fellow Biplaw Rai who feels the work in our ecosystem is integral to community building, providing perspective for business owners to connect with community members in the Ujima cafe setting. Thank you to artist Njeri Ngugi for leading By the Water We Came, an arts activation at our 9/28 cafe event (hosted by Comfort Kitchen), and to photographers Steffon Rivers and Olivia Williams for beautifully capturing our gatherings. And to all who joined us in building a community-powered space of connection and cooperative spirit—we are always grateful.

We look forward to another exciting Cafe season next year! And we hope to make Ujima Cafe an even better experience in the next iteration; we’d greatly appreciate your feedback. Please fill out this survey to help shape Ujima Cafe 2025!