JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — There is a new push to help minorities become entrepreneurs in the popular craft brewery business.
Breweries in Jacksonville and across the country are using beer to push a new message.
“We don’t have a minority-owned brewery in Florida and that’s amazing when you think about how big the industry is,” said Shades of Hopz co-founder Janel Bacote.
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Founders of Shades of Hopz Janel Bacote and Bobby Baker told Action News Jax more than 900 breweries across the country, including four locally, are now a part of the Black is Beautiful movement.
“It’s a billion-dollar industry in craft beer and there are minorities that want to be a part of that industry, but we just don’t feel comfortable in a lot of those places because they don’t appeal to us,” said Bacote.
“We love the fact breweries here in Jacksonville reached out to us to want to participate,” said Bobby Baker.
Bacote told Action News Jax the idea started at Weathered Souls Brewery in Texas to bring awareness to racial injustice.
“I think the reason this is so impactful is we’re seeing actually an industry change happen because unlike other things that happen in any industry, the whole industry is brewing one beer,” said Bacote.
The recipe for Black is Beautiful beer is posted online at https://blackisbeautiful.beer/, encouraging other breweries to make the brew and sell it under the condition that 100% of the money raised supports equality and inclusion programs.
Bacote said after seeing recent protests, owners of local breweries reached out to her group asking how they can help. She hopes they take a hard look at themselves to ensure their staff reflects their communities and customers.
“What our group would like to see beyond that is are you going to go back and volunteer with these organizations year around, are you going to look at your establishments,” said Bacote.
Bacote says the hope is that this beer will start a conversation beyond race, one that leads to equality for all.
Cox Media Group
