Standing With Our Teacher: Why Brick Road Coffee Is Proud To Lead The Way
Dec 05, 2025
Here at Brick Road Coffee, your LGBTQ- and sober-friendly community hub in Tempe and Mesa, we’ve always believed coffee is more than a drink to warm you up. It’s a chance to connect. It’s a chance to support.
When local educator Tami Staas faced a defamation lawsuit tied to accusations of “sexual grooming,” we knew we couldn’t sit back and do nothing.
We launched the LGBTQ+ Teacher Legal Defense Fund, asking customers to round up a dollar or two at checkout and to make online donations to help cover the mounting legal costs. Thanks to thousands of contributions, the fund has surpassed $19,000 to date.
Co-owners, Gabe Hagen and Jesse Shank, believe that small businesses aren’t just profit centers. They’re community hubs. And Brick Road Coffee's foundation is "community first."
Thanks to you, our guests, advocates, and friends, for stepping up. With over 9,000 small donations (most averaging about $1.50 each), we’ve shown that when a community pulls together, change happens.
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