Meg Karki

Two years ago, Ali Fayazi had never had a cup of coffee. Now, as cafe manager for 1951 Coffee Company, he has at least one cup a day.

Berkeley’s 1951 Coffee Company has been awarded the "Opportunity for All" grant by the Starbucks Foundation, allowing it to expand its barista training program for refugees to other cities in the United States.

Ordering coffee along Berkeley’s campus is an everyday act for thousands. Though this upscale coffee shop at 2410 Channing Way, which opened Sunday, has a familiar menu and seating, its eight baristas from seven different countries set it apart.

The idea for 1951 Coffee Company — which officially gained its nonprofit status last year and takes its name from the 1951 Refugee Convention at which the United Nations first set guidelines for refugee protections — had been brewing for some time.