Brewing change: Afro Joe’s Coffee & Tea and black maternal health on Chicago’s south side

Aisha Griffin, owner of Afro Joe’s Coffee & Tea Shop, is well aware that Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications, a number that doubles in Chicago. Initially founded in 2020 to provide quality coffee on the South Side, Afro Joe’s Coffee & Tea quickly evolved into a social enterprise that also confronts the deeply personal and systemic disparities in Black maternal health.  “In our community, we have Dunkin’ [Donuts], Starbucks, or McDonald’s. My husband hated having to travel way [up] north to get a good cup of coffee,” Griffin recounted, giving the reason why she opened her first brick-and-mortar coffee shop in Auburn-Gresham. “After opening, we decided to make causes near and dear to us to drive our business. One of those was maternal health and wellness.”  Although Afro Joe’s Coffee & Tea relocated from Auburn-Gresham to Beverly in 2022 due to lease renewal issues, the move didn’t stop the shop’s advocacy and support for Black maternal health. This summer, Griffin will host a birthing series at its Beverly location, 1818 W. 99th St., which once housed City Grange, a garden center. The series will be free to the public. Partnerships with organizations like...