Sipping Sustainability: The Fair Trade Journey of Stephanie Vasquez

In this inspiring episode of Harvesting Wisdom, host Mike McMahon sits down with Stephanie Vasquez, founder of Fair Trade Cafe and Empowering Latina Leaders in Arizona (ELLA). Stephanie shares her journey from middle school science teacher to pioneering entrepreneur and sustainability advocate. A transformative trip to Costa Rica opened her eyes to the hidden environmental and social costs of coffee production. This revelation sparked her mission to build a business—and later a nonprofit—that champions ethical sourcing, composting, community empowerment, and climate-smart practices.

Listeners will hear how Stephanie navigated the challenges of sourcing fair trade coffee, built strong community partnerships, and fostered sustainable change through education and representation. Her story is a testament to how one person’s passion can ripple into lasting impact.

Why Listen?
At Harvesting Wisdom, we believe “We have all taken a bite out of the apple”—we are all responsible for sustainability challenges and solutions. This episode empowers you to:

-Rethink your daily choices and their global impact.
-Learn practical steps to support local businesses that prioritize sustainability.
-Discover how community engagement and collaboration fuel lasting change.
-Be inspired by Stephanie’s mission to close the gap between information and action and “leave a social footprint” in Phoenix and beyond.

Whether you’re a business owner, aspiring entrepreneur, or eco-conscious consumer, Stephanie’s story will motivate you to act—and remind you that real change starts with small, intentional steps.

Key Timestamps:
0:00 Welcome to Harvesting Wisdom: Exploring life, sowing curiosity, harvesting wisdom.

0:28 Live at Red Velvet Bakery: Sustainability series with elected officials and business partners.

0:54 Meet Stephanie Vasquez: Fair Trade Cafe founder, local leader, and sustainability advocate.

1:16 The power of buying local and its role in sustainable communities.

2:03 Costa Rica trip: A life-changing lesson on the hidden costs of coffee.

3:07 What Fair Trade certification really means for people and the planet.

4:25 From teaching to entrepreneurship: How Stephanie built Fair Trade Cafe from the ground up.

5:50 Composting and sustainable business practices: A 15-year journey.

7:09 Educating customers gently: The art of weaving sustainability into the customer experience.

8:39 Partnerships and programs that support sustainability in Phoenix.

12:01 Community as the key to business resilience and growth.

13:24 Founding Empowering Latina Leaders in Arizona: Closing equity gaps and fostering representation.

15:05 A 7-year-old entrepreneur’s story of inspiration and representation.

17:19 Staying innovative: Following intuition over trends.

18:37 Social media tips for businesses: Leveraging free tools to amplify your mission.

20:14 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: Start with one small step and keep checking in.

21:02 Connecting with Fair Trade Cafe and ELLA: Digital presence and accessibility.

22:01 Phoenix light rail’s impact on downtown community growth.

Call to Action:
At Urban Farming Education, we believe in empowering communities to bridge the gap between knowing and doing. Inspired by Stephanie’s story? Here’s how you can take your next step:

-Visit Fair Trade Cafe in downtown Phoenix to experience sustainability in action.
-Support Empowering Latina Leaders in Arizona (ELLA) to uplift underrepresented entrepreneurs.
-Join the movement at weareufe.org and explore ways to leave your social footprint.
-Like, subscribe, and share this episode to inspire others.

Together, we can