Uptown Voices

Sarina Prabasi co-founded Buunni Coffee in Washington Heights with her husband Elias in 2012 after moving from Ethiopia with two contacts, no business network, and a vision of what a neighborhood coffee shop could be. Thirteen years later, Buunni is one of upper Manhattan's most beloved community institutions — and Sarina is one of its most compelling voices.

In this episode of Uptown Voices, hosts Octavio Blanco and Led Black sit down with Sarina to trace the full arc of the Buunni story: from roasting coffee in their kitchen and delivering bags door to door, to opening the Bronx's first specialty coffee roastery in Hunts Point, to landing their newest location inside Columbia University Medical Center. Along the way, Sarina reflects on what the Ethiopian coffee ceremony taught her about community, why she left a career in international development to plant roots in upper Manhattan, and how Buunni survived the pandemic without laying off a single employee.

Sarina also opens up about writing her book The Coffee House Resistance — and why she's not sure she'd feel free enough to write it today. She talks candidly about navigating economic instability, tariffs, and the political climate as a small business owner who refuses to be neutral. And she shares the story of Melody — the Buunni regular who famously organized customers to babysit the café for a day so the entire staff could go to the beach.

This is a conversation about coffee, yes — but really it's about what it means to build something that belongs to a neighborhood.

❤️ Support Hyperlocal Media Uptown Voices is a fiscally sponsored project of the Maysles Documentary Center. Your tax-deductible contribution helps us keep telling the stories that matter in upper Manhattan. Donate here: https://bit.ly/4eddiWT

Find Buunni Coffee at buunnicoffee.com and on Instagram at @BuunniCoffee. Their new location opens May 4th at 701 West 168th Street in NYC.

Creators and Guests

Host
Led Black
Host
Octavio Blanco

What is Uptown Voices?

Uptown Voices tells the stories of unsung heroes who are transforming New York City's Uptown neighborhoods from Washington Heights to Inwood to Harlem to the South Bronx. Each episode profiles an individual or organization making a positive difference. These social entrepreneurs, artists, and community leaders are navigating critical issues of affordability, public safety, and mental health. Through conversations rooted in journalistic integrity and genuine community ties, this podcast challenges negative narratives and celebrates the true spirit of the vibrant neighborhoods thriving north of Central Park.

Each episode features extended interviews in which subjects tell their stories in their own words. The series examines the interconnected challenges facing Uptown communities—gentrification pressures, resource scarcity, systemic inequities—while simultaneously showcasing the creativity and collective power emerging in response. While uplifting the people shaping Uptown’s future, the podcast holds local elected officials accountable for the promises they make. During this pivotal time, Uptown Voices is creating a unique audiovisual archive.

Uptown Voices is a fiscally sponsored project of the Maysles Documentary Center. Make a tax-deductible contribution to our program here: https://bit.ly/4eddiWT