Mina’s World, a coffee shop known for its LGBT brand has shut down after employees protested against the owners and demanded a redistribution of the company.

Sonam Parikh and co-owner Kate Egghart who named the company after their cat created Mina’s world with the sole intention of the space to be run and operated by Queer and Transgender People of Colour (QTPOC).

Bon Appetit an American food and entertainment magazine described Mina’s World, located in the western Philadelphia area, as “a hangout spot for people of marginalized identities.”

So, it was interesting to see co-founder Parikh, at the mercy of the same, after being an avid critic of coffee shops that fail to protect their black and transgender workers as well as neglect to provide access to spaces that are not “whitewashed” for customers to just enjoy coffee.

It all started when an Instagram page called “Minas World Workers” posted allegations against the property last month. Through the page, employees alleged manipulation, abuse of power, exploitation, discrimination against black people, meritocracy, and more. The employees demanded “immediate payment” and told the owners to “redistribute the business”.

One would think that such news would never be associated with a self-proclaimed ‘safe space’ but in a surprise turn of events Egghart and Parikh on an Instagram live came out to admit that the claims were true.

“We’re going live as part of a radical accountability process. We’re complicit in the gentrification and anti-blackness on 52nd Street. We put our community at risk with our presence as well as our workers,” the pair said, per Libs of TikTok.

“With the guidance of the workers and Black and Brown Workers Collective, we’re trying to raise funds to buy the business and turn it over to our staff.” the pair continued, per Libs of TikTok.

As noble as their declaration of restitution was, it was not enough. A few days later, the building where Mina’s world was located was put up for sale. According to employees, Kate Egghart’s mother, Eunjoo, who was the owner of the building as well as 18% of the company “rejected” the request to redistribute the business.

The workers tried to raise $200,000 through GoFundMe to buy the building and a stake in the business. By July 6, they had raised over $11,000. However, Minas World closed in early July saying there was no money to continue operating.

While co-owners Sonam Parikh and Kate Egghart may have had noble intentions, they saw their business take a turn for the worse. In trying to protect and create a safe space for a marginalized group, they found themselves in a position that they could not have possibly dreamt of.

This experience hints at the danger of cancel culture and a woke mob. Despite the employees’ right to voice their grievances at the establishment, they had an opportunity to make a safe space even safer as well as a duty to keep alive a source of employment for a marginalized group.

Wokeism may be very liberal but it has the potential to also be short-sighted.

“Egghart and Parikh’s surrender to the outrage shows a point proven again and again — no matter how many times you bend the knee to the mob, you will never be able to adhere to their insatiable standards for progressive enlightenment,” Libs of TikTok remarked.

“No matter how much of an ‘ally’ you are, you will never be safe from becoming just another trophy head on the wall of wokeism.” they concluded.