Though Black people make up 13% of the nation’s population, they comprise less than 1% of brewers. Amidst rising demands for racial equality, brewers across the nation are trying to change the industry. “It takes nothing to do a one-time act,” says Latiesha Cook, the chief executive of Beer Kulture @beerkulture, a new nonprofit group that brings people of color into the craft-beer world through charitable and educational efforts. “Your brewery is not going to be diverse and inclusive tomorrow, but the work you put in today is going to effect that change five years from now.”
Articles in both the New York Times and Inc. list brewers creating programs to bring more Black people into brewing.
– Brooklyn Brewery @brooklynbrewery (Brooklyn, New York) launches Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing & Distilling for brewing and distilling scholarships for Black, Indigenous and people of color.
– Crowns & Hops @crownsandhops (Inglewood, Calif.), a craft beer and lifestyle brand with the slogan “Black People Love Beer,” launch the 8 Trill Pils Fund to give grants to other Black brewers.
– Orpheus Brewing @orpheusbrewing (Atlanta) introduces its Leadership Diversity Program, a six-month paid internship.
– Fremont Brewing @fremontbrewing (Seattle), will offer six- to eight-week internship next year.
– Weathered Souls Brewing @weatheredsoulsbrewing_marcus (San Antonio, Texas), creates Black Is Beautiful project, where participating breweries create a beer with the Black Is Beautiful label and donate proceeds to organizations supporting equality and police reform.
– Finback Brewery @finbackbrewery (Queens and Brooklyn, New York) creates I.P.A. label Breathing: Conversations, with discussions about race printed on the beer’s label to foster dialogue among drinkers.
– Constellation Brands, which imports Corona and other beers, founds a Focus on Minority Founders Program. The company’s venture capital division also announces places to invest $100 million in Black- and minority-owned alcohol beverage businesses over the next decade.
Read more (New York Times & Inc.)