Note: this limited-edition coffee is now sold out.
New Mexico Piñon Coffee is proud to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Mexico on this limited edition Mexican Spiced Chocolate label! Designed by local artist Sean Wells, all proceeds from the purchase of this exclusive coffee will be donated to BBBS New Mexico.
The melding of rich milk chocolate and spicy notes of cinnamon in this Southwestern favorite medium-roast Arabica coffee reflects the blending of two distinct personalities when a Little gets matched with a Big. When two separate things come together, something greater is created!
On the Partnership
When Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Mexico approached us about partnering with them, we immediately fell in love with the idea of coming up with a new way for us to support a local organization that makes such a huge difference in the lives of both kids and adults. We pitched the concept of creating a limited edition collaborative bag, proceeds of which would be donated to BBBSNM, and hit the ground running!
BBBSNM reached out to Sean Wells and Victoria Rabinowe, local artists who were paired together through Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region 38 years ago and have had a strong connection ever since. Sean and Victoria have collaborated on multiple projects, and we were honored to have the opportunity to work with them on this special bag which Sean designed with input from Victoria.
Sean and Victoria chose to create a bag for our Mexican Spiced Chocolate coffee, one of our best-selling flavors, because they felt the mix of spicy and sweet flavors perfectly represents the Big and Little mentoring relationship perfectly. All proceeds from the sale of this limited edition bag will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Mexico.
All proceeds from the sales of these limited edition bags will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Mexico! In addition, we will be collecting direct donations and matching them dollar-for-dollar through the end of February. Consider adding a donation to your order in your cart here.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters New Mexico
Big Brothers Big Sisters provides one-to-one mentoring services to help New Mexico’s youth ignite their potential. Professional staff carefully matches children with volunteer mentors in long-term relationships, providing ongoing professional support to volunteers, children, and parents/guardians throughout the life of the match. Research shows that positive relationships between Littles and their Bigs have a direct and measurable impact on children’s lives. Having a special adult, they can turn to gives a Little greater self-confidence, leads to better choices, and a more promising future.
BBBS is continuing to provide life-changing mentoring services for youth during COVID 19. Want to be a Big? We are now offering Virtual Mentoring! Staff are ready to interview you virtually and get you started on the path to making a difference for someone in your community.
For more information about BBBS and to become a Big, visit bbbsnm.org
About Sean Wells
Sean is an award-winning 5th generation Hispanic artist that has been a juried member of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society in the retablo category producing traditional Saint images. She is also well-known for her Day of the Dead themed art that has appeared on nationally distributed beers and wines and New Mexico Lottery scratchers. Her Saints and her Sinners, as she calls them, all deal with suffering and healing. The skeleton imagery has also become more symbolic in these times of division as a symbol. It is the foundation that we all share as humans. Sean aspires to educate on Hispanic culture through art and create space for compassion and understanding. Sean received “Best Visual Artist” from Albuquerque the Magazine and the 2019 Hispanic Heritage Award in Arts & Culture. Sean also demonstrates, teaches, and presents to children and adults throughout New Mexico on themes related to her art imagery. Her painting television show can be viewed currently on Comcast channel 27 at 5PM on Mondays.
Follow Sean on Instagram @seanwellscreates
About Sean’s Connection with BBBS
A mentoring relationship 38 years in the making is teaming up with New Mexico Piñon Coffee to give back to the non-profit organization that brought them together all those years ago -- Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Mexico.
The duo -- Sean Wells and Victoria Rabinowe -- have collaborated to create new artwork for New Mexico Piñon Coffee’s Mexican Spiced Chocolate coffee. Proceeds from the sales of the coffee flavor will benefit BBBSNM.
Wells and Rabinowe first met 38 years ago, when they were paired together through BBBS Mountain Region. Wells, who was 12 years old at the time, was being raised by a single-mother and loved art.
“Art was the vehicle Victoria used to disarm me and change my life,” Wells said. “We were always meant to meet – we’re soulmates.”
Wells, who had grown up in Santa Fe, had not been exposed to much of the art world. When she and Rabinowe would meet up for outings, they would gallery hop on Canyon Road and add to their imaginary galleries. They also took art classes together, learning different types of art together.
“If you go into Big Brothers Big Sisters thinking you’re going to help some underprivileged kid, you’re mistaken,” Rabinowe said. “Sean expanded my worldview and truly changed my life.”
Rabinowe, who does not have any children, said her relationship with Wells has served her well over the last four decades.
“I got to be in this girl’s life, not as a mother who is dead tired from providing for her family, but as an adult who could dedicate time to helping her discover her love of art,” Rabinowe said.
Wells is now a professional artist and designer, creating contemporary Hispanic imagery and traditional retablo Saints. She is a juried member of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society and her work can be seen at the Spanish Market and on Etsy.
Together, Wells and Rabinowe have collaborated on multiple projects, including a two-sided puzzle of Rabinowe’s artwork and the award-winning book, “I Had The Craziest Dream Last Night.”
When BBBSMR asked Wells to create artwork for New Mexico Piñon Coffee, Wells said she was very flattered.
“My first thought was to call Victoria,” Wells said. “I knew she had to be involved in this project. She always helps me see things from different perspectives and helps me advocate for myself,” Wells said.
The duo chose one of New Mexico Piñon Coffee’s fan favorite flavors, Mexican Spiced Chocolate, to be the recipient of the new packaging artwork because they felt the mix of the flavor represents the Big/Little mentoring relationship perfectly.
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Drake Miller is the Director of Creative Projects for New Mexico Piñon Coffee.