This year, the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. For many, it is a moment to remember the founding of a nation. For our family, it is also an opportunity to reflect on the privilege of becoming part of its continuing story.
Although we were both born and raised in Colombia, the United States has been our home for more than twenty-five years. It is here that we built our careers, where we have raised our family, and where a lifelong passion for specialty coffee eventually became TA·ZA.
Like so many immigrants before us, we arrived carrying little more than our education, our work ethic, our values, and the hope that, through dedication and perseverance, we could build a meaningful life. America gave us that opportunity.
We will always be proud of where we came from, and deeply grateful for the country that welcomed us and gave our family the opportunity to build the life we had dreamed of. To us, those two truths are not in conflict. They are part of the same journey. That journey has now become part of something even larger.
Our two sons, Jacob and Sam, were born here in Atlanta. They are proud Americans, just as they are proud of the Colombian heritage that has shaped our family. Watching them grow has reminded us that gratitude does not replace our roots, it allows them to flourish in new soil. It is one of the greatest gifts this country has given our family.
Over the past twenty-five years, we have come to appreciate that the true strength of the United States is found not only in its remarkable history, but in the everyday lives of ordinary people who quietly contribute to it. Teachers. Farmers. Craftsmen. Nurses. Architects. Entrepreneurs. First responders. Parents. Neighbors. People who choose, every day, to build something that will outlast themselves.
As an architect and a nurse, we have always believed that meaningful work begins with caring deeply about people. Although our professional paths eventually evolved in unexpected directions, including discovering the joy of painting and, together, creating TA·ZA, we have carried with us the same values that first inspired us: craftsmanship, compassion, curiosity, integrity, and respect for others.
Perhaps those values are also what connect our Colombian heritage with the American experience we have been fortunate to embrace.
At TA·ZA, we often speak about slowing down, observing more carefully, and living with greater intention. Those values were shaped by our Colombian roots, but they have flourished here in America, a country that has given our family the freedom to dream, to create, to work hard, and to contribute in ways we could never have imagined.
For that, we will always be grateful.
As we celebrate this historic anniversary, we are reminded that freedom is more than a date in history. It is the opportunity to build a life with purpose, to raise a family with hope, to contribute through our work, and to leave something meaningful for those who come after us.
As we prepare our morning coffee this Fourth of July weekend, we will pause to remember those whose courage, sacrifice, and vision made this nation possible. We will also reflect on the responsibility each generation shares, to preserve those ideals, to serve others with humility, and to continue building communities rooted in freedom, kindness, and opportunity.
To everyone who has welcomed us, encouraged us, supported our family, and shared in this journey, thank you. May we never take for granted the freedom to build, to create, to serve, and to hope.
Happy 250th Anniversary, America.
With gratitude,
Andrés & Ana Rubio
Co-Founders, TA·ZA Coffee