Fair Trade and Amor Collective: For the love of coffee, business, and home sweet home!

Stephanie Vasquez is a proud Arizona native. She grew up Maryvale, went to ASU and was a middle school teacher in the West Valley. She loved it! Then she went on vacation to Costa Rica and learned how tough the coffee industry can be on the people it employs and on Mother Earth herself.  She had to do something.  Vasquez opened Fair Trade Coffee in 2007 on Roosevelt Row-- carefully sourcing fair trade coffee and creating a space for community.  In her new role as an entrepreneur, she was still very much a teacher-- often mentoring others coming up in business.  To help lift up small business owners, Vasquez opened Amor Collective in August of 2023 featuring Latina business owners. Hear more about Vasquez's journey from teacher to business owner and why she loves Arizona so much.