Hey, Westminster! It’s me, Sherri. I’ve been living here most of my life, graduated from Westminster High, took my requisite hiatus and returned to give back and start a family in this community. Westminster has always held a special place in my heart and my family has and continues to be involved with Main Street businesses and service organizations.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family. Include your pets too!
I am the exceedingly proud mother of three of the most intelligent, talented and inspiring people I have had the pleasure to meet. I often tell my children, I would want to be friends with them even if I wasn’t their mother. My oldest, Xavier, is a psychology major at the University of Montana, where, in addition to his studies, he enjoys hiking, biking, fishing and the amazing vistas of Montana. My younger son, Sebastian is a Dietetics & Applied Nutrition major at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He is truly passionate about his major and has enjoyed taking a deep dive into culinary history, learning to identify and eliminate food deserts and the health and environmental perks of vegetarianism. My youngest, Scarlett a.k.a. Birdie, is the namesake of my café and is a recent graduate of Winters Mill High School. She is a multi-media talented artist and plans to be an art major after attending Carroll Community College. We have the sweetest Black Lab, Weaver, and a feisty formerly stray cat named Earl, who earns his keep my keeping the mice at bay in our 200+ year old farmhouse.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I was an art major in college but spent the first part of my career as a professional fund-raiser for some local non-profit organizations. It was challenging work which I mostly enjoyed. It allowed me to be creative and also meet many new people and not be confined to a desk. I decided if I was going to work this tirelessly for someone else, I could work this hard for myself and have my own agenda. I had several members of my immediate family that owned their own businesses, and, to me, that was the ultimate way to become a contributing member of my community. I have always loved really good coffee, and I wanted to create a space where ALL people could gather- regardless of their race, gender identity, sexual preferences and have discussions while enjoying a really cool atmosphere and food options that are not readily available in this community; i.e. vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, healthy alternatives- and my favorite a Lox bagel. I am by no means a Chef, I am more of a community minded person who wanted to make a difference and this chapter of my life was how I chose to do so. As far as the future is concerned, my dream job would be as a voice-over actor. But for now, I’ll be happy to continue living out my fantasies with my two podcast buddies, Randy Goldstein and Dennis Twigg on Carroll Worldwide- available wherever you listen to podcasts. What I love most about Birdie’s Cafe; the joy of making people happy through food and drink, educating them on coffees and espressos, having faithful followers, making new friends from behind the counter, having people say, “that was so good.”, and making the café available as a safe space for all people.
Q: What is one of your favorite quotes or lines in a song and why does it resonate with you?
From the great and twisted John Waters; “If you go home with someone and they don’t have any books, don’t #### them.”
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Never. Stop. Learning.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite places or events in our community?
My favorite Westminster restaurant, owned by fellow WHS grads, Michael and Jessica DeCesare is Lost Lion. I adore Nikki and Alison, The Rudolph Girls, and their awesome bookshop. My compatriot, Beth Seiben and her amazing charcuterie art through Cheers to Snacks is a go-to for any special occasion. My dear friends and fellow Westminster Pride Festival founders, Jason and Lance Garber own the most fantastic and thorough cleaning companies anywhere, Mer-Maids. And by far my favorite community event is the Westminster Pride Festival. I am so proud to among the OG founders of this amazing festival. What started as an idea while sitting on a North Carolina beach has turned into a yearly festival with 100+ vendors and the awarding over $10,000 in scholarships to local LGBTQIA+ students. It is an event about celebrating our differences, but also all those things that bring us together.
Q: What advice would you give to people living in Westminster or looking to move to Westminster?
What is so exciting about Westminster recently is the increase in diversity. With Juneteenth celebrations, a Pride festival and an openly gay Mayor, we are well on our way to becoming the kind of community where our children can grow and flourish, where they can get a sense that the world is a big place with all kinds of people and love. We may have dragged some people kicking and screaming into the 21st century, but I believe we are here to stay.
Q: What 3 words come to mind when you think of Westminster?
Community. Eclectic. Growing.
Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies or pastimes?
I am, first and foremost always a creator. I still draw, paint and photograph whenever my “unstructured free time” allows me. I also enjoy a great book and an ice-cold cocktail. And I will never say no to a Wes Anderson movie.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
The espresso, coffee and the Lox Sandwich at Birdie’s Cafe
Q: What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Of all the thigs in my life that I set out to achieve and either was successful or failed, I’m most proud of the people my children have become. They are my greatest work of art; each one of them individually gifted, socially minded, giving, kind, aware, involved. They are the kind of people who will work hard, enjoy friends and family, love animals, are gifted raconteurs and quite literally my three favorite people in the world.
Q: What is one thing on your bucket list?
To become, or continue to be the kind of person that my children can respect and admire.
Q: What would you buy/do if you won the lottery?
One of the long-term goals of the Westminster Pride Festival is to create a Pride center here in downtown Westminster. The ultimate fulfillment of this dream would include housing, healthcare, job-training, a safe and welcoming environment for displaced LGBTQIA+ youth. So when I hit the mega-millions, the first thing we will be looking for is a multi-use real estate investment to transform into a much needed service for Westminster and Carroll County.
Q: What is something even your family and friends may not know about you?
wouldn’t you like to know…
Q: What has been a challenge you have had to overcome? (life, school, work, family, health, etc)
Being a single mom has been a difficult path to navigate at times, but as a great lady once said “it takes a village” and I have been fortunate enough to have a supportive family and many generous friends.
Q: Who has been a hero in your life?
There is not just one biggest influence in my life, I sought out many creative people along the way to mentor my artistic side; actors, painters, photographers. I had a number of terrible bosses who influenced me to be a better mentor and boss when it was my opportunity. My three children were a major influence over my life choices, in that I did not want them to grow up the way I did, sheltered and unaware of the many experiences life has to offer by meeting people that do not fall into a cookie-cutter version of what everyone surrounding them has been influenced by. My uncle, who was a somewhat openly gay man and owned his own business on the Main Street of our town was perhaps my greatest influence. I spent my formative years working in his floral design shop and watching him flourish. He was immensely creative, he was wonderful with his customers and had a loyal following, he was well-known, kind and generous and he did it all from the confines of a wheelchair. He was truly my hero, he never let his disability or homophobia hold him back and I dreamed of one day being much like him.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where in Westminster would you meet for this lunch?
I’d love to have a martini at Lost Lion with John Waters so I could learn from him how he has remained famous and relevant into his senior years, how to walk the thin line of being authentically weird and true to himself while remaining successful. I would ask him about taking negativity and name calling and turning them into something he owns so seamlessly. I would do a deep dive into why is it that every eccentric, interesting, macabre and compelling person I know has some ties to Baltimore – is there something in the water?
Q: How can our readers and I know if someone we come in contact with is a good connection for you or a good person for you to meet? Please include your website link if you have one!
birdiescoffee.com, Insta: @birdies.cafe, FB: Birdie’s Cafe Coffee House
