“Coffee with a Cause”
Friends Making a Difference Together
Childhood friends Rod Johnson and Pernell Cezar grew up on the same block in Gary, Indiana. They launched BLK & Bold coffee from their headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, a year and a half ago, after stepping back from established careers in higher education fundraising and retail merchandising. As daily coffee consumers, they noticed a lack of representation and set out to fill a void in an already booming industry. They quietly built BLK & Bold over the coming months, which eventually incorporated a tightly ingrained social impact model that dedicates 5% of their proceeds toward issues such as helping eradicate youth homelessness and addressing food insecurities.
“We really wanted to find a way to impact that vulnerable demographic by doing something we do every day, which is enjoying a cup of coffee or tea,” - Pernell Cezar.
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Nathan Salter
EDITOR: Robert Ryang, Cut+Run NYC
PRODUCER: Ally Gnesin
GOOGLE Creative Labs
Creative Director: Bridget Prophet
Producer: Lindsey Wood