backing it up

The world is not an equal place. As a woman in my 50's, having a petite stature of fewer than 100 lbs, being 5' 1” with ADHD-combined, Dyslexia, and Dysgraphia, I know a thing or two about being held to standards that I will never meet.

We all have a part in helping our society by identifying our own unconscious bias. Together, let’s consider some of these thoughts:

• Prioritizing equity lifts everyone by leveraging a diverse set of viewpoints. For example, who do you surround yourself with? Are all or most of your friends and mentors similar to your gender identification, values, beliefs, preferences, self-labeled race, and socioeconomic background? Who do you follow on social media? What authors’ books do you read? Who do you learn from? I know I need to do more to learn from and prioritize a diverse set of people in my day to day life.

• Inclusion progress is increasing, but not fast enough. Meaningful change will only occur in an era of accountability by those in leadership and positions of power in business.

• The equity, diversity and inclusion discussion should also include disabilities. These are multiple defined traits that are sometimes visible and sometimes not visible.

• Individually, we each have the opportunity to affect change. What can we EACH DO?

  • Hold yourself and others accountable by creating and growing a body of work in this arena. Point to this work. Update this work. View this work as ongoing and necessary to your day-to-day responsibilities and role as a human being.

  • It starts with identifying and then acknowledging your unconscious bias. Take each of these tests.

  • Become familiar with both employer responsibility and employee rights.

  • Read books, attended protests, donate money, and get versed in the successes and challenges of organizations working in the space.

  • Take training on prevention, microaggression, and workplace roles and responsibilities for those in decision-making seats.

  • Seek out connections with others most not like you and make an effort to learn from them.

  • Listen to learn and not to win.

  • Do concerted work to recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I use CliftonStrengths 34.

  • Embrace crucial conversations and feedback to help you grow.

  • Report and document issues instead of turning a blind eye.

  • Support others who have been discriminated or harassed. Ask them how you can help them address the issue and heal.

Diversity in Beer:

MORe To Be doNE

Way back in 2016, I realized I needed to do more and was repeatedly getting asked what the Brewers Association was doing to advance diversity at U.S craft breweries. I was the first staff member to outline a path by stating what we knew, what we did not know, and what we planned to do. 

In 2017, I was the lead author to update the Marketing & Advertising Code, inspiring a cultural shift in beer art labeling. The code addressed beer marketing with sexually explicit, lewd, or demeaning brand names, language, text, graphics, photos, video, or other images. The impacts rippled across the beer world. Breweries inside and outside the U.S. took notice, and other leading beer organizations followed suit and put similar guidance in motion.