JD Rice

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Hi, my name is JD Rice, a YLabber here at Lab51. For my summer experience, I wanted to make something that would make an impact on our community and answer the call that others are missing a sense of community and belonging. Using my knowledge and love for serving coffee and loving others, I decided to create a coffee shop to inspire community in a time that is especially tough to feel a part of something. In the One Stone way, I wanted to create a coffee shop with a punny name, so I decided to name it Common Grounds. Common Grounds has been in the works since June and will hopefully roll out after the holiday break. I have been doing lots of research to learn a range of things from whether this coffee shop is wanted to what beans I will be using in the shop. I am so extremely excited about this opportunity and to serve the community around me. Through my time at One Stone, I have found my personal why statement to be “Engage with meaning so that everyone belongs.” Right now times are tough, It may feel difficult to understand where you belong or what you have to be thankful for around you. I have been dealing with all of this throughout my time in quarantine and being away from my in-person community. That breaks my heart that others may be feeling the same. For me, being able to connect with others and be a person that listens in a time that is most needed is vital to building community. I plan on being an additional piece of in-person meetings at Lab 51, and One Stone after school projects. Whether it’s serving the ladies at Empow[HER] or bringing a little caffeine to the early coach meetings, I am pumped to bring people together through something I am personally passionate about. Doing good means that you are being selfless in your acts to the things and people around you, resulting in joy and happiness in others, and even yourself unintentionally. I believe that Common Grounds will reflect “good” because the entire goal of the shop is to bring together others and create joy through the small service of slinging coffee and deepening the relationships that exist through One Stone.