7/14/26
Who am I?
👋Hey there, it's Leo from Châu Coffee. When I was building the Châu Coffee brand last year, I knew that I wanted the brand to be grounded in my roots. I'm Vietnamese+American. I have 5 other siblings, and I'm the only one that was born in the U.S - the rest of my brothers and sisters were either refugees and came over as "boat people" or they were later sponsored over by family that came over first.
Growing up in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California as part of an immigrant family came with its struggles, as my family spanned multiple generations, each trying to assimilate in different ways, whilst simultaneously wrestling to not forget the country that they left behind - its stories, its traditions, its deep culture and heritage.
When I was 10, my parents were part of an accident that put them in and out of the hospital for years afterwards, disabling both of them in different ways, and changing the life course of all of my brothers and sisters. Being the youngest of my family, and just 10 years old, this washed over me with a feeling of helplessness. The house was usually empty when I came home from school because my brothers and sisters were in the hospital, splitting up time between my mom and dad. I didn't want to be there, partly because I didn't want to see them like that, but partly because I was scared.
Instead, I spent my afternoons and evenings at the basketball court down the street from me. I'd bring a basketball to school. I'd hoop in the morning before school started, I'd hoop at recess. I'd skip lunch and hoop during lunch too. I made most of friends from hoopin' - most of which were probably dealing with their own demons at home too and we all found the same place to escape.
That's why basketball is as much of my roots as it is being Vietnamese + American. Basketball was my sanctuary, my safe haven, and a place where I found camaraderie, community, and friendship. All of this is why I'm really excited about this opportunity and partnership.
Who's Rob Newson?
Rob is a basketball coach from England who speaks Vietnamese. He moved to Vietnam 15 years ago to coach basketball, where he eventually met his wife, Teresa, started a family and called Vietnam home. He now lives in England, but he travels back to Vietnam often because Vietnam is a part of him now. He's active on social media, on Instagram, where his handle is thay.rob (Thầy means professor or teacher in Vietnamese).
The Opportunity: Poseidon Basketball Club in Ninh Thuận, Việt Nam
Poseidon is a basketball club for young people in one of Vietnam's least resourced provinces. The kids who show up aren't on a pathway to the pros. They're kids who show up because basketball gives them meaning, much like 10 year old Leo in the parks of the San Fernando Valley many years ago. It gives them a place to belong, a structure, a reason to push themselves and have adults who take them seriously. Some of them have never left their province. Most of them will never play at a high level. But every single one of them deserves a proper place to play.
Right now, the club doesn't have its own court. They rent a concrete space from the local authority with no rights to build on it. Sessions happen when early in the morning and later in the evening, due to the heat and the floor. Of course, when it rains, there's no basketball that day, but the kids show up regardless. They always show up.
Châu Coffee wants to show up for them. From July 8th through the end of August 2026, every bag of beans purchased from Châu Coffee, $5 will go towards Coach Rob's campaign to secure a permanent home and basketball court for Poseidon, as well as equipment and supplies for the kids in the program. Coach Rob has a goal of raising enough funds to be able to open up the new court with the Poseidon team in mid-August, and I want to do everything I can to help them reach that goal.
If you're in California, we deliver, so you can buy a bag of beans today and support Poseidon basketball. If you're not in California and want to support this cause, you can visit Coach Rob's GoFundMe page.
Thank you everyone, and peace and love to you all. ✌️🫶
