On March 1, 2021, the Alliance of Women in Washington Wine stepped fully into being as the first women-led, wine-focused non-profit organization in Washington.
According to AWWAWINE, “The first step towards inspiration is to share with one another why we love being a part of the Washington wine industry. Step two is to share our collective experiences and elevate our voices. Representation matters in all things.”
After eighteen months of grassroots participation, a formal board of directors formed to help guide the organization’s mission: to inspire, educate, and advance women in the Washington wine industry. Though they just launched on March 1, they’re growing faster the industry itself, with nearly 1,000 followers on social media (@awwawine), a series of full-length interviews, a soon-to-be burgeoning mentorship program, a job board that lists harvest and seasonal work, but also full- and part-time work.
“In order to create a strong community, we need to get the word out. We want to reach all women and their advocates in every corner of the Washington wine industry. Our community is only as strong as those who are involved and do the work. Your participation will help grow an eclectic community of strong leaders.”
The AWWAWINE’s mission is a deeply human pursuit, and that’s what you’ll feel when you follow them on social media. In the month of May, for example, they celebrated mothers of the WA Wine industry by sharing stories, images, and advice about motherhood in the wine industry. One post, for example, featured Michelle Fanton, winemaker at Tunnel Hill Winery in Lake Chelan (pictured below). “Richard Duval shared this powerful image with us and we lost our minds over this bad a** #winemonth. Motherhood can be taboo in wine (still). We want to help normalize and support pregnancy and motherhood for current and future generations of women in our industry, because #RepresentationMatters in all things,” they wrote.
You’ll see us elevating the voices of AWWAWINE by sharing their in-depth interviews (you can see one spotlight here on Suman Kumar), but by also shining a light on those behind the organization. We can’t wait to see where AWWAWINE will take our industry.
“The Alliance of Women in Washington Wine is a place where your voice can be heard without judgment, where you can receive support from others in similar situations, and where you can safely ask for advice on how to positively change your working environment or career trajectory.”
Join us in raising a glass to the AWWAWINE, but also by following them on Instagram and Facebook, and by signing up for their mailing list over on their website.