Impact

Quote from Valarie Kaur: Revolutions do not happen only in grand moments in public view, but also in small pockets of people coming together to inhabit a new way of being.

What value did this ten-year journey provide to Silicon Valley and the wider world?

Kafenia’s value is harder to measure because we were a connector and convener, rather than a project with a specific focus. We brought people together across projects and interests and domains, all of whom valued our shared humanity, cultural diversity and everyone thriving.

Kafenia Peace Collective was founded on the belief, backed by research, that cross-cultural friendships are one of the most powerful antidotes to othering and hatred.

“If you looked at all of the solutions proposed by scientists to combat prejudice and racism, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more effective antidote than intergroup friendship.” — Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, Professor, UC Berkeley

If you joined us, we invite you to add how Kafenia affected you:

Add how Kafenia affected you

The Numbers

150+

gatherings

1500+

attended

30+

countries represented

100+

volunteers

100+

cross-cultural lasting friendships

Community partners affecting

500K +

community members

3 Million +

raised for community projects

A Few Community Accomplishments from the Kafenia Gatherings

Members who met through our Kafenia community supported and coordinated efforts to create sanctuary cities in Los Altos, Palo Alto and Stanford.

One Kafenia member was hired by another, and then found permanent work through a referral from another Kafenia member.

BraidAfrica found someone at the Kafenia to lead their strategic planning effort.

The first female Greek bouzouki player in the US came to play solo at our gathering, just as her 20 year group was breaking up. She met another female bouzouki player that night, and they now play together.

When a community member with no family in the United States struggled with the transition from community college to university, the Kafenia community served as a critical support and place of welcome.

Add yours.

Video Testimonials

Christine sharing, November 2019

Federica sharing what Kafenia meant, December 2019

Testimonials

We have heard from many people the impact Kafenia has had on them: to feel welcome here for the first time, to make lifelong friends, to connect with a project, to find their voices.

Participants in a Kafenia gathering on Zoom, 2020

An impact story — Paul Bocanegra, navigating shelter-in-place

Mary Jane and Barbara met Paul at a Human Rights Watch screening of “Just Mercy.” He had served 25 years — given life without parole as a juvenile — and was recently released. When COVID hit, they invited him to lead a Kafenia gathering on navigating shelter-in-place from the perspective of someone who had survived solitary confinement. “He was completely fine. We were all stressed out.” The gathering cracked something open. Paul went on to connect with juvenile justice advocates across San Mateo County, and said Kafenia had a huge impact on welcoming him back into the world.

Kafenia staff Karla, Rose, Mary Jane and Barbara working together around a table, May 2025

Kafenia’s Impact – A Personal Reflection from Karla Moreno

First off, I want to share what Kafenia means to me. Kafenia has become more than just a community gathering. It’s a space where I feel grounded, inspired, and truly loved. Also what makes Kafenia so special is that we build something meaningful together, moment by moment, story by story, meal by meal. It’s a reminder that peace begins in the small, intentional ways we choose to connect. Kafenia was built with love and we will continue to project that no matter what direction we go.

Uplifted the wider community

As a convener of social-justice-oriented global spirits, we naturally helped people find each other’s projects, or support projects you wanted to do. Most gatherings ended with people setting an intention or action for what more they could do on a particular issue.

When the world stopped, Kafenia showed up

COVID response

By weaving us together into a village for years, when COVID hit we played a significant role in responding to community needs. A Kafenia friend shared that, because Kafenia convened a number of community leaders on Zoom from the minute COVID hit, asking what is needed and what could be done, we helped to see the needs, bring projects into existence and amplify our work.

Palo Alto Weekly guest opinion: 5 ways to help our community right now, by Sarahi Espinoza-Salamanca, Melanie Bielefeld, Mary Jane Marcus and Barbara Weinstein

First of the Month Rent Fund

We had just done a Peace Meal in November 2019 with Dreamers from Sequoia High School, so we asked our partner, Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca, what they needed. People were delivering food at the time, but we heard loud and clear they did not need food, they needed rent. Even though their families had worked their whole lives, because of their legal status they could not get unemployment even during COVID. With Dreamer’s Roadmap, we raised 10K for 3 families, and partnered with Live in Peace who amplified the work to a new level, and ultimately provided 3 months rent to all Sequoia High School dreamer families and others, over 300 families, totalling 2.7 million.

Newspaper article: Renters get money from nonprofit

Newspaper article continued, mentioning the Kafenia Peace Collective and the rent fund

First of the Month Donate Today card with DREAMer's Roadmap, Live in Peace and Kafenia logos

First of the Month thank-you postcard from DREAMer's Roadmap, Kafenia and Live in Peace

Educational Support for RV Families

Evelyne Keomian of Karat School Project was already involved with Kafenia and had a school she founded in Ivory Coast. When COVID hit, she wondered how the kids were doing with their schooling living in the RVs on El Camino next to Stanford campus. Without speaking Spanish, she started knocking on doors, finding out what they needed, and with Kafenia support, she started to provide educational support, food and gas cards. She eventually helped get safe parking as well, and permanent housing when possible. This soon blossomed into its own dedicated project where KSP now supports RV families.

Umoja Health

Kala Mehta was already connected to several community health projects as a Professor at UCSF. When COVID hit, she saw the incredible response going on in Oakland with Umoja Health, getting COVID testing and support to vulnerable communities. She wondered if she could do the same here. With the support of our growing COVID Response team and Zoom calls, she co-launched an effort in San Mateo County, still running to this day.

Community projects connected to Kafenia

WordSlam Youth Poetry

Yearly bilingual youth poetry contests 2021–Present, East Palo Alto, Belle Haven & North Fair Oaks.

With East Palo Alto Poet Laureate Chache Kalamu.

Umoja Health

Initially vaccine equity, expanded to wider health equity for East Palo Alto & Belle Haven and all of San Mateo — for us, by us.

With Kala Mehta.

Karat School Project

Education & advocacy for children in RV families.

With Evelyne Keomian.

Dreamer’s Roadmap

Supporting undocumented youth on their educational journey.

With Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca.

AWO

Uplifting diverse stories and youth voices in the South Bay. Kafenia did an amazing partnership with Folake and AWO to host a gathering learning about the power of Clay Pot technology from Africa and sharing clay pot foods.

With Folake Phillips.

Reevolution Group

Advocating for restorative practices and community.

With Paul Bocanegra.

Magical Bridge

Building multigenerational and inclusive parks and programs. Co-hosted an intergenerational dialogue and meal — Friendsgiving — with them.

With Olenka Villarreal.

United Nations Forum on Cultural Diplomacy 2023

Gathering with bridgebuilders around the world at this United Nations Forum on Cultural Diplomacy, United Nations, New York City, November 2023. Mohamed, Evelyne and MJ participated and shared Kafenia’s model to a global stage.

Ottoman Healing House

Healing ancestral wounds and reclaiming shared history through learning our true history and expressive arts. A project Mary Jane developed out of Kafenia Peace Collective, when she recognized she could not do peacebuilding effectively if she did not do her own personal work around her Greek/Ottoman ancestry.

With Mary Jane Moutsanas.