How Ollín Cafetzin Came to Be
Written by Sofia Young
Ollín Cafetzin is a shining jewel on East Colfax. An Indigenous Mesoamerican coffee shop and ethnic studies library, Ollín’s purpose in the community is singular. This cafe cultivates community, togetherness, and motivation - hence the English translation “Movement Coffee” from the indigenous language, Nahuatl.
Owner and Co-Founder Cynthia Moreno-Romero was born and raised in a rural community in Washington state. She made her way to Colorado for school and began her studies in social work. Her journey through college, her curiosity for her Nahuatl heritage, and working with future Co-Founders Jasón and Selena at a youth program at CUBoulder forged the foundations for what Ollín Cafetzin is today; a community pillar, an educational and cultural hub, and a darn good coffee shop.
Through her studies and college classes, Cynthia gained a deeper understanding of her indigenous connection to land, beyond being Mexican on this side of the US/Mexican border. In college, Cynthia encountered an organization called M.E.Ch.A., short for Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán. This student-led organization promotes Chicanx culture, political activism, and higher education.
Cynthia’s curiosity increased regarding her indigeneity, reclamation of land, and language. Also, during her time at DU, Cynthia took a class centered around the social conditions imposed on indigenous people. She was able to visit Chiapas and Oventik Caracol of the Zapatistas while enrolled in this class. Cynthia checked out the art, gardens, institutions, coffee, food, and governance of Chiapas and was inspired by the way the systems of education, the economy, and other societal institutions were led by the Zapatistas. As Cynthia says, “leading in a horizontal way,” not from the top down.
Cynthia met co-founders Jasón and Selena through the youth leadership program called “Aquetza,” which translates to “lift your chin up” from Nahuatl. Jasón founded this program at CU Boulder. Cynthia and Selena taught a module called “Our Story” together within this program. “Our Story” was a module that decoded institutional racism and colonialism that indigenous people and other people of color faced. The Ollín project in this program was a task modeled by adults for the youth, where the adult must analyze a social issue in their community. Cynthia analyzed the lack of third spaces and alternative institutions in her community. With the inspiration of working with youth, Cynthia’s background in social work, Jasón’s background in ethnic studies, and a shared love for coffee, the team went to work in 2022.
“When I went through the program, learning the concepts, and also creating and building with students really gave us that push to create an extension of ‘Aquetza’ in a community,” said Cynthia.
They conducted market analysis, contacted coffee roasters, and exercised their relationships with establishments like Prodigy Coffee to cultivate Ollín, which began as a pop-up library and coffee shop. “If I could create an alternative space, what would that look like?” Cynthia’s inspirations for Ollín stemmed from her parents' native language, her analysis of the lack of third spaces, the ways and caracoles of the Zapatistas, and the unique qualities of her Co-Founders. Community funding from students, educators, neighbors, and partners, Ollín could open its permanent location at the end of 2025.
Ollín Cafetzin is much more than a coffee shop and ethnic studies library; it is a cultural and educational community hub with intentional language, drinks, and programming. Cynthia intentionally utilizes and stewards the Nahualt language through Ollín, creating a distinct footprint and ethos.
The space uplifts, empowers, educates, and provides a designated space for indigenous people and other people of color. Since opening their physical location seven months ago, they have garnered two thousand books for their ethnic studies library and launched the Semilla (seeds) loyalty program.
Patrons can sign up, and by their fourth visit to Ollín, they can check out books from the library. The Co-Founders have created literacy, social movement, and community-building programming at Ollín, and Cynthia does not want to stop there.
“My goal was to demonstrate to others that we can definitely create alternative institutions and spaces without relying on the state or city to fund (it).”
Ollín is a platform to lift indigenous communities, and allows community members to explore alternative ways of living beyond the hyper-individual and capitalistic American framework. Cynthia hopes that Ollín grows and will soon consult independent and community-funded institutions just like it.
