Free coffee? The java will be flowing at the Free Speech Movement Caf’s 20th anniversary bonanza. – UC Berkeley Library News

The Free Speech Movement Caf inside Moffitt Library will celebrate its 20th anniversary Jan. 24 by giving away coffee and other goodies. (Photo by Cade Johnson for the UC Berkeley Library)

Free coffee.

As anyone who has attended a so-early-its-still-dark-out class or work function can certainly attest, there are scarcely two words in the English language that perk up a morning crowd more than those.

A fitting way to end the first week of classes, UC Berkeleys Free Speech Movement Caf, at Moffitt Library, will be slinging free java (and other goodies) on Friday, Jan. 24. Why? Well, on that date, the cafe a tribute to activism at Berkeley is turning 20.

What drinks will be free?And when can you grab a cup?

Heres what you need to know about this glorious day.

Festivities will include a giveaway of 20th anniversary T-shirts (from 8 a.m. to noon) and the chance to spin a wheel for prizes, including gift cards good at the Free Speech Movement Caf, Press (outside of Moffitts fourth floor), Caff Strada, Free House Restaurant, Caf Zeb (at the law school), Caf Think (at the business school), and the I-House Caf (at the International House).

Then theres the free coffee.

From 8 a.m. until noon, the cafe will be serving coffee gratis, according to Daryl Ross, the cafes owner (and a Cal alum who graduated in 1985). The event is similar to last years 30th anniversary celebration at Caff Strada, which Ross also runs.

All coffee drinks (in all sizes) will be free. Yes, all this includes drip coffee and all espresso-based drinks. So youre in luck, whether you favor an Americano, mocha, latte, the house drip, or any of the cafes other coffee offerings. If you need a pick-me-up after the long winter break, a Spider (a coffee with a shot of espresso) might do the trick.

Anyone with even a passing familiarity with Berkeley knows that it is the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, which gripped the campus in 1964. The Free Speech Movement Caf, which opened in January of 2000, pays tribute to that legacy. Inside the cafe, the walls are embedded with memories of the movement and its de facto leader, Mario Savio.

As a Cal student in the 80s, Ross made a film about Savio, lamenting the changes that had happened since the Free Speech Movement took hold just two decades earlier. (Marios son, Daniel, worked at the cafe for a time, Ross noted.)

I am absolutely privileged to operate the cafe and be a part of the library and the legacy of Cal, Ross said. I am thrilled to be a part of so many students lives at Cal, by exposing them to this great history and to keep them going during their studies.

Elizabeth Dupuis senior associate university librarian and director of many libraries on campus, including Moffitt said the memory of the Free Speech Movement is as alive as ever.

Berkeley student activism and engagement with meaningful issues of our times then free speech, now social justice continues to be a hallmark of our campus, she said. The Library proudly serves as home to the FSM Caf as a reminder of the positive impact that individuals and groups can have in shaping our world.

Plus, she said, its a great place to hang out and sense the spirit of campus.

Read the rest here:
Free coffee? The java will be flowing at the Free Speech Movement Caf's 20th anniversary bonanza. - UC Berkeley Library News