The coffee industry operates on a deeply unequal value chain, where small coffee farmers in the Global South bear the highest risks and lack bargaining power, while corporations in the Global North reap the greatest profits and control the global coffee market. By raising awareness of this imbalance, rooted in colonial history, capitalist market structures, and small coffee farmers with limited access to financial and social mobility resources (public goods), we can begin to rethink our role as consumers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers in building a more equitable coffee trade with collective action and bridge the Global South and Global North in balanced coffee value chain. Antonio Castillo, Bard MBA ’24, is the founder of Ceiba Coffee Solutions, a company that focuses on creating YouTube content that tells the stories of small coffee farmers and their sustainable farming practices. As a passionate coffee enthusiast, Antonio's journey began with a dream to open a coffee shop but soon evolved into a mission to understand the stark inequalities that exist in the coffee industry. Over the past three years, he has delved into the coffee value chain, uncovering how profits disproportionately benefit businesses in the Global North while small farmers in the Global South struggle with poverty and limited bargaining power. Antonio's research has taken him to coffee-growing regions in Chiapas, Oaxaca, and El Salvador, where he has connected directly with small-scale farmers. His fieldwork has deepened his understanding of the importance of shade-grown coffee practices, the local coffee terroir, and the social and economic challenges faced by small producers. Through his storytelling, Antonio offers a comprehensive view of the persistent inequities within the coffee commodity value chain. In his TEDx Talk, Antonio aims to shed light on the structural issues in the global coffee economy and critically examine how collective action across the value chain that connects the Global South and Global North is required to drive meaningful change. He seeks to provide a clear perspective on why these power imbalances endure and how they can be addressed. Through his advocacy, Antonio hopes to build bridges that connect all of us to seek for effective reforms, empowering producers and ensuring a fairer distribution of value throughout the coffee supply chain. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx