B3 Coffee Invites Members to Mingle with the Larger World

COMMUNITY NEWS

If you never see people with disabilities out in the community, Jacklyn Boheler says, it’s easy to think they’re not part of the community.

“I think visibility is really the foundation of breaking down stigma,” Boheler, the executive director of B3 Coffee, said in an interview. “If you haven’t been exposed to a disabled person, if you haven’t seen a disabled person participating in community life, it’s only natural to feel uncomfortable around disability or be put off by it.”

That’s why B3, a Carrboro-Chapel Hill disability-justice nonprofit, has expanded from hosting its own events to also participating in community activities. Exploring the design of downtown Chapel Hill. Participating in Chapel Hill-Carrboro’s Juneteenth festivities. Traveling to Peacehaven Farm for a Harvest Celebration.

The more B3 members are out on the broader world, Boheler said, “the more we can start to break down the discomfort people may feel. We can start to normalize that people with disabilities deserve to participate in the community as much as anyone else.”

The B3 Story

B3 began as a subcommittee of the UNC chapter of Best Buddies, a group that fosters friendships between people with and without disabilities. Boheler says that having seen how people can chat and bond over coffee, she and some friends started Best Buddies Brews as a pop-up coffee business that floats between different locations and events.

The group eventually split off from Best Buddies, redefining the B3 name to stand for Being, Belonging and Becoming and focusing more on disability justice. The disability justice movement emphasizes that people with disability are whole people, no less complete than the fully abled.

B3 counts anyone active in the organization, with or without disabilities, as members. The majority of members are people with intellectual or developmental disabilities such as autism or cerebral palsy. Other members have physical disabilities or acquired disabilities such as brain injuries or dementia.

Photo by Krista Caraway

Getting social

Boheler said B3 has always been active in organizing social events for its members, and still is. Upcoming events include a beach trip and a visit to the Wet ‘n Wild water park. About a year ago, Boheler recognized the potential for expanding its social calendar.

“There’s so much happening in the community,” she said, “it made sense to tack on to the free public events and make them more accessible. We attend nearly every free event in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Whether it’s a music festival or Juneteenth, we want our members to be visible and active participants.”

Participating in public events aligns with B3’s ultimate goal of integrating individuals with disabilities into the community. B3 teaches members how to analyze community calendars, use public transit to reach the places they need to be, and utilize ridesharing or paratransit services instead. That training fits nicely with the public events.

B3 member and Chapel Hill resident Max Van Name told The Local Reporter he’s been involved with B3 since he was in high school. He enjoys the pop-ups — B3 serving coffee at community events, meeting new people and “calming music” at some of the live events.

Chapel Hill’s Alex Martel has been with B3 since 2020, when he was seeking a job and needed to enhance his skill set. He’s known as “Ambassador Alex” for his enthusiasm in promoting the group and its activities. The best part of the events, he said, is “coming in and meeting new people and having new experiences in the community.” Having learned how to navigate the local bus routes “I get to be a bus expert for B3 members.”

Krista Caraway is B3’s Director of Member Outreach and Events. She coordinates and leads the various events hosted by B3.

Boheler said the app B3 uses for events, Partiful, was designed to coordinate attendance at college parties. It works well for B3 because it has a “fun vibe” like using emojis to signal attendance or non-attendance. To avoid overloading B3’s staff, they’ve had to cap attendance at each event at 15 members.

Going to community events not only brings B3 members into the wider world, Boheler said, “it’s great from an organizational standpoint as well. We’re using less resources, don’t have to purchase supplies, and don’t have to clean up.”

Fraser Sherman has worked for newspapers, including the Destin Log, the Pensacola News-Journal and the Raleigh Public Record. Born in England, he’d still live in Florida if he hadn’t met the perfect woman and moved to Durham to marry her. He’s the author of several film reference books and has published one novel and several short story collections. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocal Reporter.press