Kari & Jody
Denver, Colorado
Kari Kuka, Health Education Specialist
Jody Bouffard, Bar Owner/Student/Artist/DJ/Musician
In the summer of 2008, Kari stopped in to Jody’s own tHERe Coffee Bar and Lounge, noticed Jody sitting under a sign that read, “20-Minute Dating Zone” and immediately pulled up a stool and started asking questions. The minutes turned into hours and a year-and-a-half later these women are still mesmerized by each another. They are as committed to their relationship as they are to LGBT rights and the Denver community. When she moved to Colorado 13 years ago, Jodi dreamed of having her own bar and nightclub for women. Today, she owns two bars, tHERe Coffee Bar and Lounge and HER Bar. The “HER” in both bars’ names stands for “Homosexual Equal Rights.” When Jody is not working at her bars, she is a student at a local college pursuing a degree in business administration, or working on one of her many crafts. Kari holds a Master’s in Community Health Education, and has taught classes on college campuses, worked with non-profits, and is currently educating youth full-time about sexual and reproductive health. An inspiration to young lesbians in their community, Kari and Jody provide an outlet for gay youth, finding them places to live and providing employment at Jody’s bar.
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