Coffee Closet with Barista Jake

10/03/2026

I don’t know what part made me laugh harder the fact that he said he wasn’t trying to “bust my balls” or his extended rant, which went on well after this video ended about color formulation of the lemonade.

I mean, he is an expert after all. 😉

10/03/2026

On today’s episode Dash shocks Ms. Ang by announcing he is going to have Wawa for dinner.

Boujeee Mr. Salmon salad was getting different!

Cynthia Ann Barista Jake

10/03/2026

10/01/2026

Today I was Sitting in my office working while Jake was out there running his WHOLE team.

Assigning tasks. Checking the dishes. Taking out trash. Getting pots ready for tomorrow. Making sure everyone did what they were supposed to do.

And the best part?

ZERO. HELP. FROM. MA. 🙌☕️

This. This is the whole damn point. ❤️

10/01/2026

OCTOBER IS NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH!

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) recognizes the contributions people with disabilities make to the American workforce and the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for them to work, learn, grow and contribute.

The recognition began in 1945, and in 1988, Congress expanded it into what we now know as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

But here at Jake’s Baristas and Coffee Closet with Barista Jake, disability employment is not something we celebrate for just 31 days.

We live it every single day. This month and EVERY month we celebrate our 20 rotating volunteer associates who show up with effort, determination and a genuine desire to contribute.

They learn customer service. They make drinks. They stock supplies. They practice handling money. They clean. They greet customers. They work events. They problem-solve. They build confidence. They make mistakes and learn from them. Most importantly, they are given the opportunity to show what they CAN do.

Disability inclusion in the workforce is not about charity. Its about opportunity. Expectations. Support. Patience. Purpose and belonging.

We do not just talk about inclusive employment. We fill the coffee cup and practice it every damn day.

Here’s to our associates and to every employer willing to look beyond a diagnosis, rethink what a “traditional” employee looks like, and recognize the talent that has been overlooked for far too long. Different abilities but real contributions equals meaningful work.

The Timothy School Prader Willi Alliance of Pennsylvania Upper Merion Area School District Norristown Area School District Wissahickon High School

09/30/2026

Next week is a big one in the life of Barista Jake and Ma and our little engine that could but sometimes hits a road block and then goes off the rails but eventually gets back on the track until the next detour comes.

Wednesday and Thursday we will be at the Disability Summit: Empathy Tech / Cities of Inclusion at the Pennsylvania Convention Center - Philadelphia, PA (Philly) and then on Saturday night on the eve of his 26th birthday Jake will be honored at the Infinity Ball by the Autistic Art Coalition of Philadelphia

Getting an autism diagnosis for your child in 2003 was a whole different world.

There weren’t Facebook groups filled with parents who “got it.” There weren’t autistic adults sharing their experiences. There weren’t a million resources at your fingertips or nearly the amount of conversation about neurodiversity that exists today.

There was a diagnosis, a stack of papers, a whole lot of “he may never…” and then basically…good luck.

I remember desperately wanting someone to tell me what Jake’s life COULD look like instead of everything they thought it wouldn’t.

Fast forward 23 years and Lord knows we still have miles to go, but families receiving that diagnosis today have something we desperately needed back then — COMMUNITY. Representation. Autistic voices. Other parents saying, “Yep, been there. Come sit with us.”

And maybe the part that gets me the most?

The little boy whose future I was terrified about in 2003 is now the grown man showing other families just how wrong some of those “nevers” can be.

Funny how life works.