Wine industry advocates are working to make careers in wine more accessible for underrepresented communities. Organizations across the country are creating immersive opportunities that offer education, funding, and practical options for BIPOC candidates. Accordingly, these BIPOC wine scholarships are essential to breaking down barriers and creating a more equitable wine world.
Take a look at some of the current programs open for application:
The Veraison Project: Silver Oak Apprenticeship
The Veraison Project is partnering with Silver Oak to offer a year-long, full-time, paid apprenticeship. It begins July 2022 in Sonoma and Napa counties and rotates through various departments. Because of the rotational style, candidates will work in multiple areas, including the vineyard, production, customer care and fulfillment, marketing, and wholesale. In addition to the apprenticeship partnership, Silver Oak is working with The Veraison Project for their DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) training to ensure a safe and equitable workplace.
The online application process requires a letter of recommendation from a mentor or supervisor, a cover letter, and a resume. Applications close February 28th, 2022. Must be 21+ to apply.
Our Legacy Harvested: Internships (OLH Cru 2022)
The inaugural Our Legacy Harvested program will bring six BIPOC interns to the Willamette Valley for a 4-month paid internship to work harvest in the fall. Interns will get a fully immersive experience in all aspects of winemaking, focusing on production, teamwork, and industry fellowship.
Apply here. Applications close on March 15th.
The Roots Fund: Harvest Internships
The Roots Fund provides U.S.-based and international harvest internships for the BIPOC community, whether new to the industry or already underway. For international internships, the Roots Fund provides language services in Spanish or French for up to four months of the internship.
More information and scholarship applications can be found here. Must be 21+ to apply.
Field Blends: Walla Walla
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Field Blends is an immersive, 4-day food and wine experience connecting wine industry conversations with consumer action and education. Scholarships for Field Blends seek to empower diverse individuals in the wine industry through community-building, inquiry, and exploration. Field Blends scholarships are open to individuals from underrepresented communities. Specifically, but not limited to, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, people of color, persons from racially diverse or intersectional communities, persons with disabilities, and persons from LGBTQ+ communities.
Scholarship recipients will attend Field Blends: Walla Walla with all expenses paid, including airfare and hotel accommodations. Apply here (application in English and Spanish). Applications close on February 11th, 2022. Must be 21+ to apply.
Editor’s disclosure: This opportunity is offered by the article’s author, Maryam Ahmed.
You can find more organizations devoted to diversity and equity in the wine industry on the Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum website. The website also details how to apply for or donate to their efforts and will list future BIPOC wine scholarships as they arise.
The Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum was co-founded by SOMM TV cast members Maryam Ahmed and Elaine Chukan Brown. Currently, Maryam Ahmed and Dr. Akilah Cadet of Change Cadet lead the Forum.
