Interview: Miel Castagna-Herrera, Owner of Café Corazón
We like to take time to highlight women we see out in the world doing their part to make the world a little nicer. In this Real Nice Lady Spotlight, we’re talking to Miel Castagna-Herrera, Owner of Café Corazón, about bringing Latinx culture to the Kansas City coffee scene and what the industry needs to focus on moving forward.
Job Title/Profession
Owner, Café Corazón
Favorite Drink?
Cafecito (shot of espresso with hand whipped cane sugar and a little hot milk) ...sigh...
Favorite Food?
Elote from Poi-o in KC
Karaoke Song?
"You're No Good" by Linda Rondstat
What song are you listening to on repeat right now?
This week, "This is My Life" by Edward Maya and Vika Jigulina
Female icon you would be for Halloween?
Frida Kahlo - she's my Halloween staple
Telling as little or as much as you want, how are you feeling these days?
With the craziness of COVID-19 I've been feeling a myriad of emotions from negative to positive; stressed out, fearful, grateful, hopeful, worried for others.
What, if anything, are you enjoying about quarantine?
I quarantined for about a month and I really appreciated the free time. Time to cook, time to hang with the family, time to go on long walks with my dog and time to reflect and dream.
What part(s) of your life during the pandemic have made you rethink your "normal" life?
I've realized that time is something I need to cultivate and prioritize for myself.
How has doing your job and running a business changed during the pandemic?
We keep Café Corazón immaculately clean, but even then the pandemic has changed so much and made us into real zealots in order to follow CDC and KCMO guidelines, which is good. The biggest change has been how people move in and out of our space and how it has lost its feel of a coffee shop with no one sitting in or meeting up with others. That has been the hardest thing to get used to.
What first attracted you to your current profession?
My love of coffee and yerba mate mixed with my love for my culture made me want to create Café Corazón. With the non-existence of a Latinx coffee house in KC, I felt it was high time that the flavors that come from the countries that coffee is produced in needed to join together and share with the Midwest. I felt the need to reflect the lovely coffee culture that we have in our cultures and that is so underrepresented. My goal has been to give the bean a voice and bring awareness to the cultures where coffee comes from.
What is your favorite thing about your industry? Your least favorite?
I love the many venues for creativity in the coffee biz. The different kinds of beans, yerba mates, flavor possibilities and profiles make creating signature drinks a blast! It's also a really friendly community in the KC coffee industry which has been really unexpected and so welcome. My least favorite thing about the coffee industry is the virtual non-existence of a connection to the peoples and cultures that grow coffee beans. It seems that more of an awareness could be developed about where our coffee comes from.
What do you think people can do to broaden their knowledge of where their coffee comes from and of the cultures that make up the coffee industry?
I think that the first thing that people can do to broaden their knowledge about the cultures their coffee comes from is by being interested in more than just the, "just need my fix" aspect of coffee. If people start asking when they go out where their coffee is grown, or when they buy it, simply reading the label - that is the first step in trying to understand the beans' journey into their cup. We at Café Corazon come in on the second round of understanding. We provide a cultural connection and flavor profiles that go with the coffee that stems from the counties where the coffee is grown.
What have you learned about yourself over the course of owning a business?
I have learned so much about myself so far in the course of owning a business. I've been reminded of how diligent I can be when I feel passionate about something. I've learned that people embrace concepts when you put your whole heart into it. I've learned that my culture needs me. It needs Latinx coffee shops like mine to introduce others to Latin coffee culture, which is a beautiful thing.
What do you want for the future of your industry?
I want the future of the coffee industry to give kudos and respect to the hard working men and women all over Latin America who own the farms, pick and process the beans and are part of the very important chain that puts that comforting cup of heaven in our hands every morning.
What advice would you give other women trying to succeed in your industry?
Pull from every part of who you are to create something unique and beautiful. There can be so much meaning and beauty in our daily habits that actually can make a difference in the world. Don't go in it for the money because that will take time and more money, do it for love.
How has your relationship with success changed over the course of your life?
As I have aged I've learned that what makes your heart happy constitutes success, not money or admiration but rather passion and purpose.
What was a formative moment in your life that made you who you are?
I grew up in the mountains of Northern New Mexico and after my studies at the University of New Mexico, I spent most of my 20’s studying Flamenco dance in Seville, Spain and traveling around Europe. It was an amazing time of my life when I learned so much about myself, the world we live in, and the connections between my own culture and the rest of the world.
When do you feel the strongest in your life? When do you feel the most vulnerable in your life?
I feel the strongest when I get to spend quality time with my daughter, my husband and my friends. There is nothing like the boost that good ole love and support makes. I feel the most vulnerable when I'm too busy to include self-care into my routine.
What have you been doing to maintain your mental health since the pandemic hit?
Since the pandemic hit, I've taken some time to reflect on my business and personal life and change some things so that I can grow in both directions. I took time to do yoga, meditate and just think. It has been a positive time in that sense.
Who are five women that inspire you?
My daughter Dulcinea who has an amazing loving spirit, endless creativity and a strong work ethic, and bravery inspires me every day.
My Mother is my inspiration with her feminist beliefs and her hard work and sacrifice that have helped to form my strong sense of self.
Frida Kahlo is so inspiring with her amazing style and unique take on her own culture and life through her amazing, inspiring self-expressive paintings.
Eva Peron for not forgetting where she came from, even when she achieved success. My father told me lovely stories about how she used to drive through the streets of Buenos Aires at Christmas when he was a child and give out presents to the poorest children in the barrios while she was the first lady of Argentina.
Dolores Huerta was an inspiration with her work with Cesar Chavez and being one of the first Latina feminists who busted her butt organizing to protect her people's rights.