The LGBTQ+ Center of Las Vegas has stirred some fresh energy into its Maryland Parkway headquarters with Espresso Yourself Cafe, a staffed coffee counter that doubles as a training ground for young adults. The cafe operates during the Center’s lobby hours as a community coffee spot, while also giving participants paid shifts to build customer service and barista skills. Organizers say the goal is to open up employment pathways for people facing housing instability and other barriers to work.
A cafe that doubles as an on-ramp to work
The Center first launched Espresso Yourself Cafe as a permanent counter inside its main facility last year. Now that setup is being paired with a mobile coffee truck meant to take training directly into neighborhoods. Las Vegas Sands has committed a $150,000 Sands Cares contribution to develop the mobile truck and a workforce-training program that will offer paid work experience and transferable skills to about 20 housing-insecure young adults ages 18 to 24, according to PR Newswire. John Waldron, CEO of The Center, said the partnership will help participants “build confidence, develop job skills and gain real-world work experience,” the release noted.
Local partners step in
Public-utility and community partners also helped get the cafe off the ground, with NV Energy named among the supporters who backed Espresso Yourself’s launch. As reported by KLAS 8 News Now, NV Energy supported the cafe’s debut at The Center. Laura Hernandez, the Center’s director of program development, is set to oversee the training curriculum and day-to-day programming, according to The Center.
What to expect
Customers will find a straightforward espresso menu and grab-and-go items, while trainees rotate through barista, cashier and customer service roles during paid, supervised shifts. The mobile truck is intended to push the program’s reach beyond the Maryland Parkway building and into community events and outreach sites across the valley, according to PR Newswire. Organizers say combining a permanent counter with a mobile truck should make the path from training to local employment more visible for participants.
For hours, menu details and program inquiries, visit The Center. The Center also shares updates on Espresso Yourself and outreach truck dates on its website and social channels.
