Michelle R. Johnson

Years of Participation

Michelle has been at the forefront of the Black coffee experience since the founding of The Chocolate Barista in 2016. A ten-year specialty coffee veteran based in Los Angeles, Michelle has worked in marketing, sales, education, and retail for coffee companies in Washington DC, Phoenix, AZ, Los Angeles, and Melbourne. She is one of the most recognizable figures in specialty coffee having spoken at Re:Co Symposium, written, hosted, and podcasted for Sprudge, and appeared onstage as the first Black woman to compete at the national level of the US Barista Championships. Michelle is also the co-founder of Ghost Town Oats, a new brand of oat milk for every block (not just the gentrified ones!).
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