A SPECIAL PRIDE MONTH Q+A WITH THE CREW BEHIND THE BLEND
This Pride month, we wanted to hand the mic to some of the people who helped shape the campaign.
More than just a limited release, Pride Blend was created to celebrate queer creativity, community and visibility in a way that felt thoughtful, joyful and grounded in real support. So alongside the coffee itself, we asked a few of our crew to share what Pride means to them, some of the stories that have stayed with them, and a few queer recs they love.
sage wilson.
COFFEE ROASTER – DEVELOPED + ROASTED PRIDE BLEND.
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride isn’t just being who I am, it’s being part of a community that is courageous and unapologetically authentic. It takes a leap of faith to come out, and having people who know what that’s like is beautiful.
Any queer books, creators, artists or events you’d recommend?
I’m a wine lover, so I’ve got to shout out Allevare Wine in Gippsland. I’d also recommend The Tragedy of Heterosexualityby Jane Ward – it challenges so many baked-in cultural beliefs across the board. I do get down with a local drag show, and there’s plenty of it here in Melbourne, so just get out there and support it. I promise you’ll like it, unless you’re unbearably boring.
Why is Minus18 important, either to the community more broadly or to you personally?
Being queer and young is challenging enough, but I’d argue that right now things are as hard as they’ve ever been. Advocating for LGBTQIA+ young folks is literally life-saving work. I take my hat off to Minus18 for all they continue to do.
Is there a queer story that shaped or fundamentally changed you?
In the 80s, lesbians were often the only people who stepped up to organise and provide palliative care for people dying of AIDS, many of whom were gay men. It’s an incredible story and it makes me so proud of the queer community. It’s my Roman Empire.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Queerness and coffee are a funny thing. There’s a lot of cultural subtext connecting us – “iced coffee” is somehow queer. Many queer folks work in the coffee industry. It might be that they’re just two joyful things, but I’m glad we’re finally making a blend to hero that. I don’t see much else in the way of genuine celebration for this connection from an industry point of view.
pauly solway.
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER & PERTH-BASED QUEER ARTIST.
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride, to me, is joy that has been fought for. The bravery and queer turning point at Stonewall took enormous courage in the face of oppression. The actions of the LGBTQIA+ community throughout history are why we get to celebrate Pride today, and for me that carries deep meaning and gratitude. It’s not just a celebration – it’s visibility, resilience and the freedom to exist without shrinking yourself.
It’s also community in its most real form: chosen family, shared understanding, and those moments where you realise you’re not alone in the way you move through the world. My chosen queer friends, who I consider family, have not only heard me, seen me and understood me, but also empowered me. There is so much power in that connection.
For me, Pride is both personal and collective. It’s about honouring how far we’ve come, while also recognising how important it is to keep creating space for people to arrive as their full selves.
Any queer books, creators, artists or events you’d recommend?
I am a gay artist myself, so I have a few artists that I adore.
@adam_chuck – a NYC artist whose work, which may be a bit NSFW for some, is a total captivation of the male form and gay sexuality.
@andrewnichollsartist – I first encountered his work on the ceiling of my favourite library and have been obsessed ever since. He works across so many mediums and forms, and the essence of it all is just captivating.
Outside of that, I’m a huge Lord of the Rings nerd, so Sir Ian McKellen has to get a mention. He’s taken me on many movie wormhole weekends when I needed to escape reality, and seeing him interviewed in real life – unapologetically himself, funny and unfiltered – just makes him feel so relatable. You shall not pass.
Why is Minus18 important, either to the community more broadly or to you personally?
Minus18 is incredibly important because it creates something that sounds simple but is actually life-changing: safe space.
My niece, who is non-binary, has been involved with Minus18, and seeing that has meant a lot to me. It’s made me reflect on how different things might have been if support like that had existed when I was growing up.
I left high school at the end of Year 10 after being bullied and moved to Sydney. That shift was a defining moment in my life. I was suddenly surrounded by queer acceptance, friendship and community in a way I had never experienced before. It changed everything – it helped me stop just surviving and actually start becoming comfortable and happy in my own gay identity.
That’s why organisations like Minus18 matter so much. They help create those first moments of connection for young people – the moments that can completely change the direction of someone’s life.
Is there a queer story that shaped or fundamentally changed you?
After my self-discovery journey in Sydney, I returned home to Perth. My sister Jaimie used to take me to Connections Nightclub most weekends, and having a family member embrace not only my queerness but the community as a whole really made me feel safe in my own skin, in a city that had previously made me fearful to be my authentic self.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I feel most grateful for my LGBTQIA+ friends that I have met along my journey, all of whom are a huge part of my life and people I know I can lean on, while also offering support as they need. This is Pride. This is the joy of queer community and what I love most.
Celebrating Pride through coffee, art and storytelling while giving back to the community, just makes me proud. Not only to be Queer, but to work at Locale.
shinji shimoyama.
NSW CUSTOMER SUPPORT CREW.
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride feels like a bit of a social promise to me.
Not just in a big, shiny campaign way, but in a real-life way – that people should be able to feel safe, healthy and okay being themselves, without having to carry everything on their own.
To me, Pride is about visibility, but also support. It’s people, community and organisations choosing to show up properly, so that being yourself feels less lonely and more normal.
Any queer books, creators, artists or events you’d recommend?
One queer creator and performance figure that comes to mind for me is Pauline Pantsdown.
What I’ve always appreciated is the way the performance used humour, satire and character to push back against anti-gay and anti-minority attitudes while still making people think. It felt like art being used to speak back to society, not just entertain.
Living in Sydney over the years, I’ve also felt the social dynamic shift a lot. Compared with 20 years ago, LGBTQIA+ people seem much more part of everyday life now – less treated as something amusing or unusual, and more simply accepted as part of the community. There is obviously still work to do, but that change feels meaningful to me.
Why is Minus18 important, either to the community more broadly or to you personally?
Minus18 feels important because it supports people at a stage where that reassurance can really matter.
For younger people especially, having access to support, education and community can make a huge difference. Sometimes it only takes one clear message – that you are okay, you are safe, and there are people around you – to make someone feel a little less alone.
That’s why Minus18 feels like a meaningful fit to me. It feels like support going to people who might really need that little bit of reassurance that they’re in good hands.
Is there a queer story that shaped or fundamentally changed you?
I don’t know if there is one single story that changed me overnight, but moving from Osaka to Sydney definitely shaped the way I think about queer visibility and community.
Coming from Osaka and now living in Sydney, I’ve noticed the gap in how people talk about gender, identity and visibility. Seeing how much more openly people can exist and talk about these things here made me realise how important the environment around you is.
It’s not just about personal confidence. It’s also about whether the people, workplaces and communities around you make space for you to feel safe. That has stayed with me, and it’s made me appreciate that Pride is not only about celebration, but also about creating the kind of world where someone else might feel a little more okay being themselves.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I really like the idea that a bag of coffee can play a small part in this.
In a very Locale way, it can be joyful, tasty and approachable on the outside, but still have a proper story and a bit of heart behind it. I think that balance feels really nice – something people can enjoy day to day, while also being connected to something meaningful.
And if it helps even a little bit with visibility, support or starting a conversation, that feels pretty special.
A Few Queer Recs From Frances Cannon.
QUEER ARTIST & CO-OWNER OF PINK EMBER STUDIO.
Frances Cannon, the artist behind the Pride Blend campaign artwork and sticker sheet, also shared a few of their favourites.
Artists to follow and support:
(side note: we also highly recommend you give a follow to our absolute faves)
Queer fiction:
Some of these are suspense / horror which is my favourite genre but make sure you check the content warnings 😉
- The Lamb – Lucy Rose
- Monstrilio – Gerardo Sámano Córdova
- Martyr – Kaveh Akbar
- American Rapture – CJ Leede
- A Psalm for the Wild-Built – Becky Chambers
- They Never Learn – Layne Fargo
- Mistakes Were Made – Meryl Wilsner
- Feast While You Can – Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta
Queer movies and TV I love:
- Heated Rivalry (of course)
- Love Lies Bleeding
- Rafiki
- God’s Own Country
- But I’m a Cheerleader
- The Watermelon Woman
Queer musicians/bands I always come back to listen to:
- Ethel Cain
- MUNA
- boygenius
- SOPHIE
- Cain Culto
- Orville Peck
- Renee Rapp
- Lola Young
These stories are part of what Pride Blend is really about. Not just coffee, but visibility, creativity, community and making space for queer voices in a way that feels genuine to who we are.
You can shop Pride Blend & Pride Sticker Sheets now, with $1 from every bag of coffee & 50c from every sticker sheet sold donated to Minus18.
