Emilie Smith struggled to fight back tears as she talked about a cookie.
But it wasn’t just the cookie, iced with the image of a small blue hat. She cried over what the sugar cookie represents: a choice to speak up even though silence might have been easier.
Inside The Original Goodie Shop, the 70-year-old pastry shop at 2116 Tremont Center, Smith said launching her latest donation cookie was one of the most emotional decisions she’s made as owner.
Emilie Smith, owner of the The Original Goodie Shop, has raised more than $7,000 for immigrant families. The shop is selling a cookie in the shape of the blue bunny hat worn by 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was detained by federal agents in January.
Emilie Smith, owner of the The Original Goodie Shop, has raised more than $7,000 for immigrant families. The shop is selling a cookie in the shape of the blue bunny hat worn by 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was detained by federal agents in January.
«It reached a point where silence felt wrong,» she said. «How do you ignore this?»
The cookie features the hat worn by Liam Conejo Ramos, a 5-year-old Minnesota boy who was detained for more than a week in a Texas immigration facility.
Smith made a post to The Goodie Shop’s Facebook to launch the cookies, share Ramos’ gofundme and take an official stance in support of local organizations that are helping immigrant families impacted by the presence of federal immigration agents.
«Posting ‘business as usual’ on social media has felt tone-deaf lately. It feels like we’re ignoring the elephant in the room,» the post read. «We do care, we’re here for our community, and wish to provide a safe space and small comforts to all of you.»
Since launching the $3.00 cookie in late January, days after Winter Storm Fern hit, the shop has sold more than 7,500 of the treats..
A third of each sale is donated, with proceeds split evenly between Community Refugee and Immigration Services, or CRIS, and Our Helpers, a volunteer group delivering groceries to immigrant families who are afraid to leave their homes.