Equator Coffees co-founder celebrates Snell Library opening, unveils special Northeastern blend The California-based coffee chain was co-founded by 1988 graduate Helen Russell, who spoke and handed out samples at the ribbon cutting on the Boston campus. by Schuyler Velasco November 14, 2024 Share this story Copy Link Link Copied! Email Facebook LinkedIn Twitter WhatsApp Reddit From Left: Chris Abaysinghe, Helen Russell and Bryan Marcotte cut the ribbon for the new Equator café in Snell Library on the Boston campus. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University When a “We proudly serve” Equator Coffee location opened on Northeastern University’s Oakland campus last year, it was an obvious fit. The sustainably-sourced coffee chain’s co-founder and executive chair, Helen Russell, is a 1988 graduate who credits her time at the university and on co-op for helping her figure out what kind of business she wanted to run. In October, the partnership expanded east with the opening of another café in the newly-renovated Snell Library on the Boston campus. To mark the occasion, Russell unveiled a special, Northeastern edition whole bean coffee blend during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the new space. A combination of three coffees (two from Ethiopia, one from Sumatra), the Legacy Blend is a limited edition medium roast with tasting notes of almond, dark chocolate and berry. Clockwise from top left: Samples of salted maple lattes; Helen Russell works behind the counter; Russell poses with Alyssa LeBlanc, co-Director of WISE and Alice Duong, Community Associate for WISE; Russell unveils Legacy Blend coffee. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University “I had a class in this building, right where this window is,” Russell said, pointing to a black and white photograph of the Huntington YMCA building on the package. “This is where I studied in … 1985. Wow.” Russell and partner Brooke McDonnell founded Equator Coffees in 1995 in the Bay Area with two espresso carts. In 1997, it became the first fair trade-certified coffee roaster. Now a $35 million business, Equator now produces its own coffee wholesale and has 11 café locations around California. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @northeastern During the event, Russell thanked the team that got the Snell location up and running and reflected on the company’s success. “Thank you all for executing Equator’s product, which is its 29th year,” she said. “There are a lot of people behind that. When I look at this bag, I see all the hands that have touched this product. Thank you for taking such good care of it.” The Equator ribbon cutting kicked off a daylong 10th anniversary celebration for Women Who Empower, a Northeastern initiative for building a global, inclusive and dynamic community through events, scholarships, mentorship programs and entrepreneurial initiatives. The newly-opened Equator cafe in Snell Library on the Boston campus. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Later in the day, Russell spoke at a celebratory luncheon for the initiative’s Women Who Empower Innovator Award Winners. Her remarks focused on using her own good fortune —borne of a successful business — to help others wherever possible. “This is a blue collar kid that made sure I surrounded myself with people that were going to help me, inspire me,” she said. “I wanted to build a life where I was economically viable so I could give back to anyone that came across. That’s why you’re in this room, and that’s why this 10th year anniversary is so important. Everybody’s here to help you get to the next level, and that’s what life is all about.”