BOSTON, Massachusetts – How can the craft beer industry be more welcoming to people of all races and backgrounds? The pilot episode of Black Brew Dialogues, the first-ever travelogue show produced by Mass Brewers Guild – now streaming on the Hop Forward Equality website – taps into this question right at the source.
Join host Collin Knight, a Roslindale resident and craft beer lover, as he tours breweries to hear their start-up stories, meets with owners and brewers, and has candid conversations over beers about breweries’ diversity and inclusion efforts. Knight specifically sets out to understand where breweries are succeeding in their D&I journey and where they are still struggling.
The pilot episode features Waleska Lugo-DeJesús, the CEO of Inclusive Strategies, a company that helps businesses of all sizes with their D&I efforts; and White Lion Brewing Co. founder Ray Berry, one of a dozen minority owned breweries in Massachusetts. Future episodes of Black Brew Dialogues will cover all topics of diversity and inclusion, from race to abilities, gender, the LGBTQ community, and generational gaps.
The show aims to bridge together two audiences: craft beer lovers and brewery owners who might not understand how and why disparities exist, and underrepresented groups of people who may think craft breweries have nothing to offer them, let alone their next job opportunity or a fun night out.
“I wanted to be a part of this important conversation for an industry that I love,” Knight says. “If I can help facilitate growing and learning in this space while enjoying amazing local beer, that’s a win-win for everyone.”
Black Brew Dialogues was co-created and produced by the Mass Brewers Guild (MBG), the state’s craft beer trade association. In 2019, the MBG developed its own diversity and inclusion committee. Since then, it has been working to bring programming, training, and resources to the state’s brewing community through Hop Forward Equality, in collaboration with Mass. Bay Brewing Co., the parent company of Harpoon.
The pilot episode of Black Brew Dialogues was made possible thanks to the generosity of local video production team Hawk Visuals Media. The MBG is currently seeking funding to produce more episodes to keep the dialogue going.
“We hope that this show inspires our community of business owners to take a closer look at their company culture, hiring practices, marketing and engagement strategies and see where they can do better,” says Katie Stinchon, executive director of the Mass Brewers Guild. “We’re excited to keep the conversation going and to continue to invite people to the table.”
For More Information:
https://www.hopforwardequality.com