The North American Guild of Beer Writers, along with support from CraftBeer.com, a website published by the Brewers Association, has selected five submissions to receive a Diversity in Beer Writing Grant. In its fifth year, the grant supports stories that showcase diversity and inclusion – in all its forms and challenges – within beer. Additional submissions may be selected for publication later this year.
After receiving a collection of strong entries, the Guild and CraftBeer.com will work with five journalists to tell several stories:
Heide Brandes
A profile of Iowa Nation tribal member Jacob Keyes and his business, Skydance Brewing Company. It was the first Native American-owned brewery to open in Oklahoma. The story will explore the challenges that Oklahoma’s tribal citizens face and connections to the state’s history.
Amber Gibson
A profile of Chicago’s Pilot Project Brewing and how the incubator and tasting room has helped to launch new companies by lowering the barrier of entry for aspiring brewers.
Laura Hadland
Adults with a learning disability or other neurodivergent condition are vastly underemployed in England, even as evidence shows that adaptations can be made to include more people into a range of job roles. This story will showcase breweries working to reverse this hiring trend.
Melissa Mora Hidalgo
An exploration of how several breweries in Los Angeles explore ideas of diversity and incorporate local histories and ingredients to tell larger stories of people and places.
Liz Thomas
Grand Rapid’s beer scene is influenced by the city’s history, from farming to redlining that has impacted the city’s Black community for a century. In this travelogue, readers will learn about this side of Grand Rapids’ history and how it connects to local breweries and geographies.
As winners of the grant, all journalists will receive a cash stipend for completed work. The final stories will be published on CraftBeer.com.
Previous Stories
Familiarize yourself with past stories to understand the kind of reporting that has come from the Diversity in Beer Writing Grant:
- Holly Regan (2021): The Still Point of the Turning World: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
- Ashley Rodriguez (2021): The Complexity of Mexican Lagers and Latinx People in the Brewing Industry
- Jonathan Andrade (2021): SoCal Cerveceros, America’s Largest Latino-Based Homebrew Club, Is Making Its Mark
- Jen Blair (2021): A Seat at the Table: Vegan, Vegetarian Food Offer Breweries Gateway to New Customers
- Stephanie Grant (2020): Creating Safe Spaces for Women in the Beer Industry
- Alessandra Bergamin (2020): A Cross-Border Brew Fosters the Next Generation of Latina Brewers
- Louis Livingston-Garcia (2020): Brewing Change Collaborative Tackles Diversity in the Twin Cities Beer Community
- Beth Demmon (2019): Craft, Community, and Children: The State of Parenting in the American Beer Industry
- Adriana Fraser (2019) Celebrating Women in Beer at 2019 Beer With(out) Beards Festival
- Rebecca Johnson (2018): Pride, Not Prejudice: Brewing Safe Spaces for the LGBTQ+ Community
Additional underwriting for the 2022 Diversity in Beer Writing Grant comes from Allagash Brewing Company.
