The Convo at Deseo

 

I found this cute coffee shop by accident. I work as a case manager and needed to meet with a client nearby. Considering that I don't know much about coffee shops and I wasn't familiar with the location, I did a quick Google search for local coffee shops. Of course, Starbucks popped up, since there is one on every corner, I figured that would be a quick and easy location for us to meet. 

On my way to Starbucks, I had to take a detour due to construction, which was such an inconvenience and pushed my appointment behind a bit. I pulled into a parking lot to get my barrings and it just so happened to be the parking lot of Deseo Coffee Shack. Once I saw how close this was to my client, I knew this would be a better choice and she agreed. 

Once we went inside, it was packed, which we both weren't expecting because from the outside it appeared empty. It's such a cute and quaint space and their menu options were quite intriguing. 

To give a little background on Daseo Coffee Shack, it's a Mexican Inspired Coffee shop and you can tell that it is from the menu to the decor. 

A quote from the owner from the Phoenix.gov website. 

"As a long-standing business member of the Central Phoenix community, I envisioned giving back to the community in a special way. My vision was to create a beautiful space that serves amazing coffee for the community to call their own. I was blessed to have had a tiny and old casita to work with. What most saw as an eyesore, I saw beauty, good bones, and potential. After a few years of, "whatever could go wrong..." and overcoming what seemed like endless bumps in the road. I was able to finally open my doors in 2019. Now, as  I see the look on the peoples faces as they walk in and seeing as they enjoy our coffee, all the hardships are but a distant, fleeting memory. Deseo was born out of pride in my Mexican culture, obsession with design, love for coffee, and most of all, as a thanks to the community that has given me so much."

 -Martha Valenzuela, Owner

Since it was my first time here, I asked one of the workers what item would be best for us to try. Since it was the holiday season, they had their seasonal menu. I decided to go with the White Cranberry Mocha with Almond Milk and the EL Chicano, which consisted of egg, caramelized onion, jalapeno jam, avocado, Boar's Head White American cheese on a noble bun. 

The combination of flavors for this sandwich was perfect! A kiss to the chef for this emaculate creation. As my client and I enjoyed our food and drink, we got to get into the reason for our meeting.

My client, who shall remain nameless due to confidentiality, and I discussed her housing options for her and her two young children. She left an abusive relationship and she wants a better life for herself and children, but mapping out the steps in the midst of a stressful situation can be quite overwhelming. 

She and I had a transparent discussion on the steps she whould have to take to get to where she wanted and the work would not be easy, but with the right support and resources, it can be possible. As we were discussing the work she had to do, I could see that she'd begun to get discouraged. So I took a moment and stepped out of my social worker hat and had a real conversation with her. 

I shared my story about how I ended up in Arizona. At 22, I was young, in love, and determined to prove it. I left everything and everyone I knew in Illinois to follow my boyfriend and build a life with him in Arizona. At first, it felt like everything was falling into place. He took care of me, making sure I had what I needed—but behind closed doors, he was abusive. Not physically, but mentally and verbally.

He did everything he could to break me down, but I convinced myself I was strong enough to resist. At least, that’s what I thought. I told her about the friends who saw what I was going through and helped me create a plan to leave. By the time I did, I was shattered—mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. It took a long time to rebuild and find a place where I could truly love myself again.

I also shared how hard it was to be on my own in a state where I didn’t know anyone, had no family to lean on, and had to figure everything out by myself. I needed her to understand that she, too, was strong enough to make it through her struggles and that she wasn’t alone.

My story gave her hope. She told me she saw me differently—“like a regular person.” That connection made me relatable to her, and it showed her that even in the darkest times, there’s a way forward.

The purpose of sharing my story is to remind us all that everyone is going through something—or has been through something. Let’s extend grace, be a listening ear, and offer support to those who might need it. And if you don’t have the capacity to help, that’s okay, but be mindful not to add to someone else’s burden just because you’re having a tough day.

This coffee talk and Deseo made me remember why I got into the field of case management. This is hard work, but it's good work and if I can help make another person's day just a little bit lighter, then I've done my job. In this case, I was able to do it over a cup of coffee with a convo at Deseo.