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Celebrating diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice within the craft beer community
Celebrating diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice within the craft beer community
Beer Culture Explore

Celebrating Diversity Months: Pros & Cons

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February 20, 2021
5 Mins read
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Celebrating Diversity Months: Pros & Cons

Demanding Inclusivity All Year-Long

 

Potential Benefits and Consequences of Celebrating Diversity Months

February is Black History Month in the United States. It’s a month where the history and the accomplishments of Black Americans are recognized and celebrated across the country and in school curriculums.

 

 

The origins of Black History Month date back more than a century, but it wasn’t until 1976 that it existed in its current form. Many believe that it has helped to increase the visibility of Black life and history. Others feel that it hasn’t gone far enough, or that there could even be some negative consequences stemming from it.

 

Black History Month is not the only time that diverse populations are celebrated in the United States. In March, there is National Women’s History Month. National Deaf History Month occurs between March 13 and April 15. May is Asian Pacific Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, and Older Americans Month. June is Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. From September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month, while October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. November celebrates National American Indian Heritage Month.

 

You’ll find that there are also many international celebrations, as well. Each of these celebrations of diversity is meant to help highlight the accomplishments, histories, and struggles of a diverse group of people. However, it’s important to understand that having diversity months can provide benefits and potential drawbacks.

 

Benefits and Consequences

Naturally, one of the biggest benefits is the awareness it brings to the diverse population that’s being celebrated. Often, these diverse populations can feel as though they are afterthoughts, and by highlighting the communities during these months, it can help to improve awareness by people outside of their group.

 

Diversity months and diversity events can also help to start conversations to help those who are not a part of that group to have a better understanding of other cultures, experiences, or perspectives. While this is certainly good to provide more insight and acknowledgment of other cultures and groups, it doesn’t always provide as much insight into these other perspectives as one might hope.

 

You also have to consider some of the potential consequences that can stem from diversity months. First, there is the fear of “othering”. By separating various diverse groups and providing them with a month of celebration, rather than uniting people, it can serve to emphasize the notion that they are different from the norm or the predominant group.

 

The very nature of diversity months put spotlights on certain groups based on their sex, color of their skin, ethnicity, disability, and so on. People in these groups often feel singled out because of the diversity month. They may be getting attention that they don’t want and for reasons that make them feel different.

 

Rather than making these diverse and underrepresented groups feel included, it puts them apart from those who aren’t part of majority groups. People who are in majority groups could see the people in the diverse groups as others and not like them. This has the opposite effect of inclusion.

 

Another one of the potential drawbacks is generalization. Almost always, a single month isn’t enough time to focus on all aspects of a group. Pinning diversity to just one month of shared celebration and acknowledgment for a group doesn’t provide people with a true understanding of that group. Generalizing and only focusing on certain aspects of a group or culture could also lead to stereotyping and all of the problems that it causes.

 

Along with generalizing comes the harmful practice of homogenizing. This is done when a group is clumped together, as if they were the same entity despite being very uniquely different. This can be seen when Asian and Pacific Islanders are lumped together. The entire continent of Asia and the vastness of the Oceanic sea are labeled as one, even though they are completely different ethnic, national, and cultural groups – a form of erasure that is problematic in many ways.

 

In some cases, the true history of people in marginalized groups is buried and simplified during these diversity months. For example, only the most prominent members of those groups are celebrated and only for a single month in schools. The same stories are told year after year, which means that a lot of important stories go untold. While the stories of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglas are important, it’s just as important to look into all of the other influential people who have helped to advance the Black community and the world at large who may not be as well-known.

 

Harriet Tubman

 

A better solution may be to celebrate the history and accomplishments of diverse groups right alongside everyone else rather than singling them out during certain months. Through better, active inclusion throughout the year for all diverse groups, groups aren’t singled out and focused on only during certain times of the year.

 

Demanding Inclusion All Year-Long

You’ll find that there is a range of ways to improve and increase inclusivity on a personal level, in the workplace, and at various establishments, and in a host of hobbies that may not seem welcoming to some groups of people.

 

Of course, the world tends to be abysmally slow about these things, and inclusivity doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, effort, and work on the parts of everyone involved. Those who are part of majority groups need to be willing to listen more than they talk. Rather than the majority always taking control of the conversations, it’s important to hand over control to minority groups when discussing their cultures, diversity, etc.

 

In schools, rather than having one month out of the year to explore Black history, it makes far more sense to make Black history, Asian history, LGBTQIA2S+ history, and more part of the regular curriculum. This ensures that the students will see just how important members of all groups have been throughout the history of the United States and the rest of the world.

 

The workplace should strive for diversity in its hiring practices and how people engage with one another in the workplace. People from all groups should be included on teams, in meetings, and in all other parts of the work process.

 

On a social level, talking with one another openly and honestly over a craft beer at a local brewery about race, gender, sexual orientation, among other things can help, and it shouldn’t be done just during a diversity month. Evolution and societal improvement take time, but they can be fostered along and hurried by those who are willing to communicate with one another at each level.

 

“Relegating the visibility of minorities to one month per year isn’t enough. The normalization and celebration of all of our lives should be constant and consistent”.

 

Cheers to diversity and inclusion ALL YEAR-LONG!

 

Resources: http://diversitycentral.com/calendar/heritagemonthguide.php

https://www.yesmagazine.org/opinion/2021/02/05/black-history-month-origin/

beer brewing beer industry BIPOC black history month brew brewing Craft Alcohol craft beer craft beer industry Craft Brewing cultural diversity diversity month harriet tubman inclusion representation matters visibility
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Thank you to all those who have courageously shared their stories! I’ll be reviewing and responding to everyone next week. Cheers!
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Yeah, you!! I heard you when you said August can be a busy month & decided to re-open the 🍻 Craft ExBEERiences Survey 🍻 until the end of September!!

This survey is designed for anyone who currently works at a craft brewery in the U.S. in any capacity (e.g., full-time, part-time, front-of-house, back-of-house, sales, marketing, distro, brewers, owners, etc.).

It’s an opportunity to have your voice heard & to contribute to our understanding of workplace culture, worker well-being & what it’s really like to work in the craft beer industry today! To learn more about it, swipe to the next pic & ✨ SEE LINK IN BIO ✨

If you haven’t had the chance to participate or to share this survey with others in the craft beer industry yet, now is the time‼️

🙏 Feel free to TAG OR SHARE THIS POST with a friend, colleague, your favorite brewer, beertender or brewery to help spread the word 🙏

Really grateful for everyone’s support… cheers to all 🍻

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Whooo!!!! THANK YOU for liking, sharing, and commenting!! Big shout-out to all of our backers so far! We reached a new milestone, 30% raised!

Tap that link in the bio - Let's craft history #TOGETHER !!!

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It has been a month since the devastation, but there’s so much more recovery to go. Mahalo nui to all those who have given toward this important cause 🤎
Thank you to everyone who participated in the emai Thank you to everyone who participated in the email survey on burnout. After seeing the overwhelming interest in the topic of burnout for our industry and community, Beer is for Everyone has partnered with @infinite.ingredient, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the mental and physical health of craft beverage employees. We will be collaborating to conduct a full-fledged qualitative survey on the subject.

We will be seeking funding over the next few months in order to properly conduct this research. Therefore, if you’re interested in this topic or the research, make sure to follow Beer is for Everyone and Infinite Ingredient for updates.
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For those of you still interested in responding to For those of you still interested in responding to the questionnaire survey, please email your responses by Friday. If you still want to participate, email me at info@beerisforeveryone.com 💛

Thank you to all those who have courageously shared their stories! I’ll be reviewing and responding to everyone next week. Cheers!
#Repost from @fullpour
•
⚠️🚨 HEY, YOU! 🚨⚠️

Yeah, you!! I heard you when you said August can be a busy month & decided to re-open the 🍻 Craft ExBEERiences Survey 🍻 until the end of September!!

This survey is designed for anyone who currently works at a craft brewery in the U.S. in any capacity (e.g., full-time, part-time, front-of-house, back-of-house, sales, marketing, distro, brewers, owners, etc.).

It’s an opportunity to have your voice heard & to contribute to our understanding of workplace culture, worker well-being & what it’s really like to work in the craft beer industry today! To learn more about it, swipe to the next pic & ✨ SEE LINK IN BIO ✨

If you haven’t had the chance to participate or to share this survey with others in the craft beer industry yet, now is the time‼️

🙏 Feel free to TAG OR SHARE THIS POST with a friend, colleague, your favorite brewer, beertender or brewery to help spread the word 🙏

Really grateful for everyone’s support… cheers to all 🍻

-Sam ❤️
•
•
•
•
•
#drinklocalbeer #localbrewery #craftbeer #craftbeercommunity #craftbeernation #craftbeerlover #instabeer #hazy #hophead #beerlove #beerme #womeninbeer #beergirl #craftbeergirl #craftbrewery #craftbrewing #craftbeerculture #beerthirty #ctbeer #newenglandbeer #craftbeerlove #drinklocalbeers #independentbrewers #brewerlife #brewpub #taproom #brewer #independentcraftbeer #beereducation
#Repost from @urbangardenbrewing • Whooo!!!! THA #Repost from @urbangardenbrewing
•
Whooo!!!! THANK YOU for liking, sharing, and commenting!! Big shout-out to all of our backers so far! We reached a new milestone, 30% raised!

Tap that link in the bio - Let's craft history #TOGETHER !!!

#urbangardenbrewing #drinkquality #stayrooted🌱
If you’re interested in participating in our bri If you’re interested in participating in our brief survey on burnout for activists and advocates in the craft beer industry, please make sure to submit your emails by next Friday, 9/22. Thank you!
For those still donating items to Maui Wildfire Re For those still donating items to Maui Wildfire Relief, these are the items that are of need!

It has been a month since the devastation, but there’s so much more recovery to go. Mahalo nui to all those who have given toward this important cause 🤎
Thank you to everyone who participated in the emai Thank you to everyone who participated in the email survey on burnout. After seeing the overwhelming interest in the topic of burnout for our industry and community, Beer is for Everyone has partnered with @infinite.ingredient, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the mental and physical health of craft beverage employees. We will be collaborating to conduct a full-fledged qualitative survey on the subject.

We will be seeking funding over the next few months in order to properly conduct this research. Therefore, if you’re interested in this topic or the research, make sure to follow Beer is for Everyone and Infinite Ingredient for updates.
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Beer is for Everyone is a grass roots project that was born from the need for more diverse bodies, spaces, and voices within the craft beer community. We look to encourage the inclusion of all people who love craft beer.

Most Popular

Lone Star Riddles

Yellow plastic crates with beer bottles in a brewery.,Bairds Brewery,Japan

The Ratmagnet Effect: What We Learned and What Was Left Unsaid

Girl writing "#metoo" on a mirror with a red lipstick.

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