Things overheard at organic coffee shops.

The coffee shop where I bring my laptop to work is organic and fair trade, and has meeting rooms in the back that non-profit groups can reserve for free. There are certain kinds of conversations you hear there that you don't overhear elsewhere. For example earlier today a woman was talking to a friend about a couple she knew, "Do you know Ted and Melinda? They're both naturopaths?" You hear that kind of talk all the time. It was pretty heavy in there on Columbus Day. I must've heard the words "patriarchy" and "colonialism" ten times each.

Later this morning the woman at the table next to me took a phone call and started an earnest conversation. I tried to block it out but bits came through. She seemed to be talking about the leadership of some organization she worked with. She was pretty indignant. The Board membership was not sufficiently diverse to reflect whoever its constituents were:

"I mean currently, there's only one person of color and one trans...and they're the same person!"

I don't eavesdrop; the customers tend to be loud, full of righteous feeling. Sometimes perhaps they're a bit flush with the confidence that comes from doing activism when you have financial resources to fall back on if your cause goes out of business. I'm not quite there yet but I'm thinking of starting an organization myself. Reduced-cost water-birthing for lesbian kittens? A home for orphan vegetables? Veterans of PETA?

I know... A Free Earplugs program for the Disillusioned Children of Former Hippies. Not a great acronym, but who cares? We won't make a difference anyway.