09/03/2026
Every single morning, I spend a little time setting my intention for the day.
I am a Licensed Food Protection Manager. I carry a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Entrepreneurship.
I care so very much about doing things the right way.
I care about people. I care about this community. I care about creating something that brings a little happiness into someone’s day.
That is what Pour A Vida has been for me.
Today, I am crushed.
The Bois Forte Tribal Council has made the decision that I can no longer operate my licensed business at the Y-Store after Labor Day weekend, on the edge of a parking lot on land my Grandpa helped establish.
And I still have not been given a clear answer as to why.
I have repeatedly asked what policy I violated. What concern I created. What rule changed. Why a licensed, insured, Band-member-owned business that has operated successfully all summer is suddenly no longer welcome there.
I have asked for communication.
I have asked for answers.
Instead, I have been told, in an ugly way to leave.
What hurts the most is that I genuinely believed my own Tribal Nation would want to uplift something like this.
A Band Member building something from nothing.
Investing here.
Serving people here.
Creating something joyful here.
I did not build Pour A Vida to become wealthy.
I built it because I love the tiny moments.
Knowing someone’s order before they say it.
Watching people write “pickles,” “my wife,” “toads,” “bubble wands,” and “my children mispronouncing words” on a whiteboard because I asked them what silly thing makes them happy.
That is Pour A Vida. This is not AI. This is a real human.
Pure Life.
Bringing Costa Rican coffee, a love of sloths, sustainability, and a little happiness to Northern Minnesota.
Not harming anyone.
Just trying to build something good.
And tonight, I am trying to understand why my own Tribal Government could look at that and choose to make it harder instead of asking:
How can we help her succeed?
I will continue asking questions. I will continue requesting transparency. And I will continue expecting my Tribal Government to follow its own laws, policies, and responsibilities to its Band Members.
But tonight, mostly, I am sad.
Because I really thought this was something Bois Forte could be proud of.
My Grandpa said it was the best coffee he ever tasted.
And right now, that matters more to me than anything else.
So I will close up Pour A Vida at the Y-Store.
I will grieve this.
With or without the support of Bois Forte, I know what I built was real. And then I will figure out what comes next.
And I know it brought people happiness.
No one can take that away from me.
Pura Vida 🦥
