Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline “Jax” Fortin.
Hi Jacqueline “Jax”, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve lived with mental health disorders¬¬–generalized anxiety and major depression–migraine disease (a neurological disability) and of course some sort of gastrointestinal malady. And, I love coffee. So, I wanted to find a way to better support myself, and others in the space, loved ones, and certainly, the environment–while enjoying one of the things I love most.
To note: All of my maladies preceded my consumption of coffee.
My love was born perhaps before my young fascination with, what felt to me were, sacred magic beans. Not being allowed to drink coffee at the time could have been part of the allure, but I don’t think it made a difference. I would climb up on my “Guelita’s” (maternal grandmother) countertops to fish out the bags of medium roasts my mom would stash, hold them to my nose and take a deep inhale. In utero, I think I loved coffee.
I finally got too big for standing on countertops. And soon followed college coffee. The quick casual chains (there were far fewer back then) kept us awake in class and fueled while cramming for exams. As long as it resembled coffee and you could sweeten or cream it to death, it worked.
Then came all the coffees around the globe—Cartagena to Oaxaca, Lyon to Dusseldorf, HCMC to Bagan and Luang Prabang.
Around the travel, work coffee was necessary to get out of bed and make it through the day. I am forever grateful for the corner bodegas and craft roasters in NYC and the community cafes & quick counters in LA, Hendersonville (NC), and Dallas. I even tried my hand as a barista at some of my favorite East Coast spots, which further cemented my love. Because then, it really became about the people, too. The connections. And the ability to be part of a brighter moment in someone’s day.
Somewhere in there, I had the unforgettable experience of a yearlong herbalism apprenticeship. Thanks to the Green Wisdom school and community in Long Beach, CA—my mind and heart opened toward the many other plants, and mushrooms!, on this wondrous planet and their own magical properties.
So, it is with all of the above in tow that Stitchworks Coffee was born.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m not sure I know much about a smooth road. Struggle is ever present yet continues to teach so much. Part of what inspires the brand focus on integration is my lifelong journey of working at understanding all the parts in myself–family styles, cultures, and influences; social structures, patterns, and cycles; intergenerational and interpersonal traumas and successes; waves of resistance and resilience. For me, integration is about the actions of holding space for, bringing together, and transmutation.
It’s about understanding how my French-Canadian side sits with my Mexican-American side (I have many other “sides,” but these feel the most prominent); how the unspoken matriarchies on both sides function amidst patriarchal systems; how relatives by marriage contribute and shape vis-a-vis those by bloodline; how liberation and oppression cycle, colonized reckoning with colonizer; how queer identities live within and around enculturated binaries; how capability, maturity, and health correlate or don’t with ability, age, and form; how community, spirit, and energy meet organized religion; how politics, education, work, money, and consumption nourish or destroy; how coffee stands alongside tea (both having their own complicated stories).
I want for this understanding around the intersections, so that I can write new stories and experiences into existence on behalf of myself, my loved ones, and our ancestors.
My dream is for us all to be freer of the parts of us that live as othered, disconnected, exploited, undervalued, suppressed, repressed, and pinging among, clinging to, or blindly furthering entrenched power structures to survive (and so doing within family, organization, and society at-large).
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Inspired by chemistry, plant & ancestral wisdom, and the harmony in blending strengths, I created Stitchworks and its signature Integrated Coffee™—organic, shade-grown coffee infused with adaptogens, plants, and fungi to support holistic wellness. Stitchworks’ blends are informed by my background in herbalism, as well as current scientific and community-driven research. They are formulated to support different body systems and challenges while satisfying daily coffee preferences and rituals.
Each blend is handcrafted in small batches using intentionally sourced (ethical, transparent, sustainable, etc.) herbs and fungi—some native to or grown in Texas. They offer delicious, healthful experiences that invite curiosity about the plant & mushroom kingdoms and the human-nature relationship. Integrated Coffee™ can be brewed however you make your favorite morning cup, from drip machine to pour-over, and it even works well cold.
The result is something unique and special. A taste that nods to the delicacy and nuance of a cup of herbal tea, bolstered by the rich and robust qualities of a slow-steeped coffee. Integrated Coffee™ can feel complete as it is, so for many, it eliminates the need to add sweeteners and creamers.
It also beckons a deeper relationship with morning rituals, one that satiates at the first sip, invites presence with each return, and leaves the feeling of being nourished, balanced, awake, and supported—however your day may unfold.
For me, when and the more I drink Integrated Coffee™, I find that my stress levels are lowered, that I don’t feel the burnout, frazzled, and fried feeling I can get from life + regular coffee (even though it too is delicious).
I wake up slightly more rested, I don’t get the jitters in the same way, I don’t feel my stomach acid jolting around or sporadic bouts of nausea. I don’t feel dehydrated or twitchy either. Or like I’m going to get an ulcer, especially if I’ve forgotten to eat before.
With Integrated Coffee™, I find that I want for less of the addictive part of the plant chemistry- the caffeine!, that I’m satiated with one cup (and not because I don’t feel well!). That as I drink it, my body is finding a way to make sense of it, to integrate it to benefit my own chemistry.
I crave the flavors and the depth that the other plants and mushrooms bring to the brew. And I now recognize when I am nourished versus having a treat (like a syrupy latte).
The result after a cup, is not a silver bullet fix to an issue or mood, or a head change. It’s more of a subtle state change, so that I can glide more seamlessly through the day. The edges are softened. I am alert, but I am also soothed, a bit more settled. I also feel closer to my point of center, even when life nudges me far from it.
I would love to learn if and how Integrated Coffee™ brings support to others.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
It comes as no surprise that Integrated Coffee™ makes me happy, especially when enjoyed in the company of loved ones. Coffee itself has much benefit to the body when consumed in the right amount. It not only perks us up, but also helps boost our immune systems and ward off diabetes, colon cancer, heart disease, and stroke. It’s high in antioxidants, protects the liver, reduces breakage in DNA strands, lowers LDL (the bad cholesterol), keeps blood vessels healthy, and helps fight depression. It can even stave off a migraine and provide support with postdrome fog. And if coffee can help with all of that, and be an enjoyable ritual, imagine what the other plants in our environments can share in relationship with us. Our plant and fungi kingdoms are chock full of diverse soothing, nourishing, and healing properties. Engaging with them not only helps to build or rebuild our connection to the natural world, but also improves our connection to ourselves and with one another.
As for awe, for me, that comes from witnessing people, especially women, advance positive change in their communities by mindfully creating and contributing what brings them joy.
Pricing:
- The product line has since expanded to include additional coffee blends, as well as Integrated Cacao, intentionally sourced whole bean coffee produced and roasted by women, whole herbs & herb blends, brewing gear, merchandise, and more.
- Select products are available locally at the Dallas Farmers Market and Mosaic Makers Collective.
- They can also be found online, with domestic shipping, at Bubble Goods, Faire Marketplace, and direct via the Stitchworks website.
- Use code CARD10 for a 10% discount on any order placed at stitchworkscoffee.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stitchworkscoffee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchworkscoffee
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchworkscoffee/
