From Bloomberg To The Bean To The Bank

From Bean to Bank: A Blueprint for Brewing a Better Economy in Inner-City Communities

In 2024, Kyev Tatum’s nomination as a Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst (BNEC) brought international attention to his groundbreaking vision for economic revitalization in inner-city communities. Although he was not ultimately selected as a Catalyst, the nomination served as a powerful affirmation of his work and inspired him to complete his transformative blueprint, From Bean to Bank: A Blueprint to Brewing a Better Economy for the Inner-City Community.

This innovative framework, developed alongside the Inner City Coffee Exchange—a venture founded in 2021 in collaboration with the Texas A&M University Center for Coffee Research and Education—offers a compelling model for using specialty coffee as a tool for economic empowerment. The initiative aims to create an internationally impactful program that fosters sustainability, innovation, and community-driven solutions.

The Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst Program and its Parallels

Founded in 2021, the Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst program highlights individuals whose innovations and objectives have the potential to change the world for the better. Catalysts include founders, activists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who lead efforts across five breakthrough areas: Finance, Commerce, Sustainability, Resilience, and Security. The program seeks to address emerging global challenges with bold solutions, particularly in underserved markets.

Tatum’s blueprint and the BNEC program share striking commonalities:

1. Empowering Underserved Communities

The BNEC program emphasizes the importance of equitable solutions in emerging markets. Similarly, From Bean to Bank targets economic empowerment in historically underserved inner-city areas. By using specialty coffee as an economic driver, the blueprint focuses on breaking cycles of poverty and creating sustainable livelihoods.

2. Fostering Sustainability and Innovation

Both initiatives prioritize sustainability. From Bean to Bank leverages the specialty coffee supply chain to promote environmentally conscious practices while equipping urban communities with tools for long-term economic growth.

3. Creating Global Impact Through Local Solutions

Just as the BNEC program identifies local innovators whose work has global implications, Tatum’s Inner City Coffee Exchange connects inner-city communities to international markets. This integration demonstrates how local solutions can scale to address broader economic and social challenges.

From Inspiration to Blueprint

Kyev Tatum’s nomination for the Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst program may not have culminated in a formal selection, but it inspired him to channel his vision into a tangible action plan. From Bean to Bank provides a strategic roadmap for revitalizing inner-city communities, turning their challenges into opportunities. By focusing on specialty coffee as an economic engine, the blueprint integrates sustainability, innovation, and community empowerment into a unified strategy for change.

As Tatum explains, “The nomination affirmed what we already believed—that our work has the potential to inspire transformation on a global scale. It motivated us to finish this blueprint not just for our communities but for communities worldwide.”

A New Model for Economic Empowerment

Through the Inner City Coffee Exchange and his newly completed blueprint, Tatum is proving that inner-city communities are more than capable of leading the way in innovation, sustainability, and economic resilience. The From Bean to Bank initiative embodies the same spirit as the Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst program: the belief that with bold ideas and unwavering commitment, transformative change is not only possible—it’s inevitable.

Tatum’s story reminds us that recognition, even when it’s a nomination, can be a catalyst in its own right, driving individuals to achieve even greater heights. By bringing local solutions to the global stage, From Bean to Bank offers a blueprint for creating an economy that is inclusive, sustainable, and powered by the resilience of underserved communities.