Hispanic Heritage Month: Highlighting Erika Flannery, owner of Cafe La Jefa in Palm Springs

We continue to shine a spotlight on Latino voices here in the Coachella Valley in light of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

This week News Channel Three’s Marco Revuelta brings us the uplifting story of a woman who took a leap of faith during the height of the pandemic by starting her own business. 

Erika Flannery is the owner of Cafe La Jefa in Downtown Palm Springs.

“I got here when I was 15, I’m From Mexicali,” Flannery said.

In early 2021 she left her real estate career to launch her Mexican Inspired Coffee Shop. La Jefa means the boss and says she wanted to create a space to empower women. 

“I am so proud to be Mexican, I am so proud of my roots, I hope that when they see they seem themselves,” Flannery said.

Flannery shares that when she arrived in the Coachella Valley she didn’t speak any English. She started working at 16 and never gave up on her dreams that one day she would have a promising business. 

“As a Hispanic immigrant that I can create a business, that I can create jobs is very important,” Flannery said.

When she’s not making coffee in her cute Instagramble shop, she’s working on how she can give back to her community. 

Cancer is a cause dear to her heart since her mother is a survivor. 

“Creating support for women, hispanic women, we think, there’s not much support wheres there a support group,” Flannery said.

Flannery says she put in a lot of hours of hard work to help her vision come true. 

Her success is a testament to the contributions that Latinos are making in the Coachella Valley. 

“When they see me they can seem themselves, they can see anything possible, they can follow their dreams,” Flannery said.