COLUMBUS, Ohio — Zora’s House, a nonprofit organization in Columbus that provides resources for women of color, announced Tuesday it will close its cafe and reduce staff, citing changing funding priorities and a shifting political climate.
The Purple Door Cafe, located at 1393 N. Fourth St. in the Weinland Park neighborhood, will serve its last customers Friday, according to a statement the organization shared on social media. Zora’s House said the decision to close the cafe, made “after deep financial reflection and a lot of heart work,” also marks the first staff reduction in the nonprofit’s history.
“Like so many nonprofits, we’re feeling the squeeze — rising costs, shrinking dollars, and shifting funding priorities. For organizations like ours, led by women of color doing unapologetic equity work, that squeeze comes with even greater pressure,” the statement said. “The political climate has changed. In a short time, commitments to racial equity have moved from being celebrated as signs of community progress to being viewed by some funders and partners as a risky investment.”
The organization did not specify how many positions would be affected.