Latest news with #BrooklynBrewery
Fast Company
17 hours ago
- Business
- Fast Company
As brands pull out of Pride, this beer maker is giving $25k directly to trans people
It's not just you—Pride is a lot less corporate this year, and one company sees it as an opportunity to adjust how it serves the LGBTQ+ community during June. What was once a month full of colorful ads, temporary rainbow-hued logos, and big-name brands committing ad dollars and sponsorship money to Pride efforts throughout June, is now seeing big businesses dialing down their monetary support for Pride initiatives, fearing political backlash. Companies like Target, Walmart, PepsiCo, and Anheuser-Busch, have largely r olled back their pride-themed products and donations to pride-related events. But not all companies are pulling their pride initiatives—and one New York brewery is taking an entirely different approach to how businesses actually show up for the LGTBQ+ community. This month, Williamsburg-based Brooklyn Brewery will be giving away 25 grants of $1,000 each to trans, nonbinary, or two-spirit New Yorkers. In an email to Fast Company, Brooklyn Brewery president Robin Ottaway said direct donations to members of a vulnerable community —who overall had higher odds than their cisgender counterparts for income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level— felt like a better way to use money that would typically go to ads. OR, —where 22%, or 1 in 5 LGBTQ+ adults in the United States live in poverty, compared to an estimated 16% of their straight and cisgender counterparts— 'We looked at what we'd typically spend on advertising during Pride Month and realized that money could have a much more meaningful impact if it went directly to the people who need it most,' Ottaway wrote. 'Instead of running flashy ads we are choosing to redirect that [money] into direct aid.' For the effort, called Brooklyn Brewery Supports, the company is partnering with Angelica Christina, an LGBTQ+ activist who serves on the board of the nonprofit Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative. Christina has worked with the brewery in the past through the organization's Certified Safe Space initiative, as well as for the brewery's Stonewall IPA—which has been the official beer of NYC Pride's events for the past three years. 'Trans folks, non-binary, and two spirit folks are often denied job opportunities or denied access to affordable housing,' Christina says. 'I am a formerly homeless person, and so I know how difficult it is to survive in such a large metropolitan city like New York, especially when you're pushed into the brink of poverty.' Christina is leading the effort's outreach to the city's trans community to get word out about the grants. She'll ultimately help choose recipients and share their stories on social media, if they're willing. To apply, people can either nominate themselves or someone else (21 or older) via a Google form that includes space to explain what a nominee plans to do with grant money. Christina notes that the money will ideally help recipients with rent, medical bills, groceries, and other basic needs. She says the brewery's focus on direct aid and connection with the city's LGBTQ+ community was what sold her on the partnership when Brooklyn Brewery approached her about it. 'There is not a day that goes by where Brooklyn Brewery does not support this community,' Christina said. 'Whereas other corporations will put up a pride flag for Pride Month, but then for the rest of the year, we're ignored.' The final deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is Friday, June 20, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Time Out
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time Out
Brooklyn Brewery is providing $25,000 in grants to the NYC trans community
This year, Pride feels a bit different. While New York will always find reason to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community in any regard, this year's festivities call for more than just waving a rainbow flag. In response to a slew of anti-LGBTIA+ legislation from the current presidential administration, much of which targets the trans community, the organizers for NYC Pride announced this year's theme: "Rise up: Pride in Protest." 'The challenges we face today, particularly in this political climate, require us to stand together in solidarity,' said Kazz Alexander, NYC Pride Co-Chair, on their website. 'Pride is not merely a celebration of identity—it is a powerful statement of resistance, affirming that justice and equity will ultimately prevail for those who live and love on the margins.' Brooklyn Brewery is well aware of the fight. In response to Donald Trump's executive order proclaiming the federal government would only recognize two genders, the brewery responded in suit, actively condemning xenophobia, homophobia and division rooted in hatred of any kind. But this type of activism isn't new for the brewhouse: With core values tied to the queer community, the business has long advocated for the cause, providing LGBTIA+ resources and becoming a certified safe space, which has expanded to supporting queer communities across the globe. In regard to Pride, the brewery's The Stonewall Inn IPA—made in partnership with The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI)— has served as the 'Official Beer and Brewery of NYC Pride,' for three years running. But this year, the Brooklyn-based brewery is doing even more to help the most marginalized of the community. For Pride Month 2025, Brooklyn Brewery will be providing direct aid to the trans, non-binary and two spirit community of New York. In partnership with queer Latina activist, actor and Stonewall Inn Gives Back board member Angelica Christina, the brewery will distribute $25,000 in direct support to 25 members of the community—that's $1,000 each, to help cover basic needs such as housing, healthcare, transportation and food. 'The trans, nonbinary and 2 spirit community have been under massive attack these past several months,' says Christina in a press release. 'This current administration is intent on eradicating us while further pushing us into poverty. What Brooklyn Brewery seeks to do is offer monetary support during these precarious times. We hope to uplift the voices of our most vulnerable and at risk when it's needed the most. If you or someone you know is in need, please nominate yourself and/or them.' This program is open to all trans people aged 21-and-over and who are legal residents of New York City. The brewery will contact and select recipients on a rolling basis through December 2025. Findtrans person here.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Brooklyn Brewery Launches A New Support Program to Provide Direct Aid to NYC's Trans Community
Brooklyn Brewery Also Named Official Beer and Brewery of NYC Pride 2025, Third Year in a Row BROOKLYN, NY, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the third consecutive year, Brooklyn Brewery is proud to serve as the Official Beer and Brewery of NYC Pride, with The Stonewall Inn IPA as the official beer of the festivities. While the brewery will be out in full force at the Pride March and other celebrations this June, it's also taking the moment to do something deeper. Instead of spending money on a traditional advertising campaign, Brooklyn Brewery is directing its resources to fund — a new initiative that will provide direct financial assistance to trans, non-binary, and two-spirit New Yorkers throughout the year. To bring the initiative to life, Brooklyn Brewery has partnered with queer Latina activist, actor, and Stonewall Inn Gives Back board member Angelica Christina. Together, they'll distribute $25,000 in direct support to 25 trans, non-binary, or two-spirit New Yorkers — $1,000 each, no strings attached, to help cover basic but critical needs like housing, healthcare, transportation, food and more. Angelica will help select recipients, advocate for their stories, and, when safe and consented to, collaborate with Brooklyn Brewery to amplify their stories throughout the year. 'The trans, nonbinary and 2 spirit community have been under massive attack these past several months,' says Angelica Christina. 'This current administration is intent on eradicating us while further pushing us into poverty. What Brooklyn Brewery seeks to do is offer monetary support during these precarious times. We hope to uplift the voices of our most vulnerable and at risk when it's needed the most. If you or someone you know is in need, please nominate yourself and/or them.' These communities are facing rising levels of state-level discrimination, anti-trans legislation, and outright violence across the country. In New York alone, trans people are experiencing double the unemployment rate of the general population, widespread workplace harassment, and job loss simply due to gender identity. Nationwide, trans individuals are also disproportionately impacted by homelessness, violence, and barriers to healthcare. Brooklyn Brewery Supports responds to these urgent realities with direct financial relief and a platform to elevate community voices and lived experiences throughout the year. Robin Ottaway, President of Brooklyn Brewery explains: 'As attacks on trans rights escalate, we wanted to use our resources to show up with purpose — by supporting people in our own city who are too often pushed to the margins.' This direct aid initiative builds upon Brooklyn Brewery's long standing commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ communities. Since 2017, the brewery has brewed The Stonewall Inn IPA in partnership with The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI), using its platforms and sales to raise both funds and awareness for LGBTQ+ rights. In 2023, Brooklyn Brewery earned Certified Safe Space status through SIGBI, and has since expanded its Create Space initiative to support queer communities across the globe. In 2024, the brewery's Found Family campaign celebrated the bonds of chosen family within LGBTQ+ communities — stories that reflect Brooklyn's own values of solidarity, inclusion, and care. From community partnerships to Pride marches, Brooklyn Brewery's ethos remains clear: support isn't seasonal — it's structural. And in 2025, that support means showing up in a different, more urgent way. launches June 5th, and recipients will be selected on a rolling basis through December 2025. Anyone who identifies as trans, non-binary, or two-spirit, is 21+, and lives in NYC may apply, or be nominated by a friend. To apply or nominate someone, visit: ABOUT BROOKLYN BREWERY:Brooklyn Brewery is a leading global independent craft brewer and a pioneer of the American craft beer revolution. From our home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, we are always in the making, drawing inspiration from our local community of innovators, makers, and doers to spread the culture and creativity of craft beer to 30 states and over 30 countries on 5 continents. Learn more at ABOUT ANGELICA CHRISTINA: Angelica Christina is a passionate and driven Queer Latina, activist, actor, model, producer and trans consultant hailing from Spanish Harlem in New York City. Angelica is a proud alumni of the nation's first fully accredited LGBTQIA+ high school, The Harvey Milk High School. She is a sexual assault & homelessness survivor. She is on the Board of Directors for the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, since 2020. Angelica is an accomplished media personality and actor having appeared on several television shows, documentaries and networks such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, MSNBC, America's Next Top Model, Survival of the Thickest on Netflix and Pose Seasons 2 & 3 on FX. She has made it her mission to further educate the world on the issues that plague the trans community, to promote healing for marginalized communities and to continue to carve out space for trans and queer stories to be told. ABOUT THE STONEWALL GIVES BACK INITIATIVE: The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI) is a non-profit charitable organization inspired by the struggles and ideals of the LGBTQ rights movement born from the Stonewall Inn Uprising of 1969. They are committed to eliminating the social intolerance that is profoundly impacting the lives of LGBTQ citizens throughout America and abroad. Through awareness campaigns, educational programming, fundraising and candid public dialogue, they support grassroots organizations scattered across the world and especially those in communities where progress toward equality has been slow and the negative impact of ongoing acts of discrimination and harassment can no longer be tolerated. Contact Info Sarah Ushersarah@ 443-350-4900Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Brooklyn Brewery Launches A New Support Program to Provide Direct Aid to NYC's Trans Community
Brooklyn Brewery Also Named Official Beer and Brewery of NYC Pride 2025, Third Year in a Row BROOKLYN, NY, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the third consecutive year, Brooklyn Brewery is proud to serve as the Official Beer and Brewery of NYC Pride, with The Stonewall Inn IPA as the official beer of the festivities. While the brewery will be out in full force at the Pride March and other celebrations this June, it's also taking the moment to do something deeper. Instead of spending money on a traditional advertising campaign, Brooklyn Brewery is directing its resources to fund — a new initiative that will provide direct financial assistance to trans, non-binary, and two-spirit New Yorkers throughout the year. To bring the initiative to life, Brooklyn Brewery has partnered with queer Latina activist, actor, and Stonewall Inn Gives Back board member Angelica Christina. Together, they'll distribute $25,000 in direct support to 25 trans, non-binary, or two-spirit New Yorkers — $1,000 each, no strings attached, to help cover basic but critical needs like housing, healthcare, transportation, food and more. Angelica will help select recipients, advocate for their stories, and, when safe and consented to, collaborate with Brooklyn Brewery to amplify their stories throughout the year. 'The trans, nonbinary and 2 spirit community have been under massive attack these past several months,' says Angelica Christina. 'This current administration is intent on eradicating us while further pushing us into poverty. What Brooklyn Brewery seeks to do is offer monetary support during these precarious times. We hope to uplift the voices of our most vulnerable and at risk when it's needed the most. If you or someone you know is in need, please nominate yourself and/or them.' These communities are facing rising levels of state-level discrimination, anti-trans legislation, and outright violence across the country. In New York alone, trans people are experiencing double the unemployment rate of the general population, widespread workplace harassment, and job loss simply due to gender identity. Nationwide, trans individuals are also disproportionately impacted by homelessness, violence, and barriers to healthcare. Brooklyn Brewery Supports responds to these urgent realities with direct financial relief and a platform to elevate community voices and lived experiences throughout the year. Robin Ottaway, President of Brooklyn Brewery explains: 'As attacks on trans rights escalate, we wanted to use our resources to show up with purpose — by supporting people in our own city who are too often pushed to the margins.' This direct aid initiative builds upon Brooklyn Brewery's long standing commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ communities. Since 2017, the brewery has brewed The Stonewall Inn IPA in partnership with The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI), using its platforms and sales to raise both funds and awareness for LGBTQ+ rights. In 2023, Brooklyn Brewery earned Certified Safe Space status through SIGBI, and has since expanded its Create Space initiative to support queer communities across the globe. In 2024, the brewery's Found Family campaign celebrated the bonds of chosen family within LGBTQ+ communities — stories that reflect Brooklyn's own values of solidarity, inclusion, and care. From community partnerships to Pride marches, Brooklyn Brewery's ethos remains clear: support isn't seasonal — it's structural. And in 2025, that support means showing up in a different, more urgent way. launches June 5th, and recipients will be selected on a rolling basis through December 2025. Anyone who identifies as trans, non-binary, or two-spirit, is 21+, and lives in NYC may apply, or be nominated by a friend. To apply or nominate someone, visit: ABOUT BROOKLYN BREWERY:Brooklyn Brewery is a leading global independent craft brewer and a pioneer of the American craft beer revolution. From our home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, we are always in the making, drawing inspiration from our local community of innovators, makers, and doers to spread the culture and creativity of craft beer to 30 states and over 30 countries on 5 continents. Learn more at ABOUT ANGELICA CHRISTINA: Angelica Christina is a passionate and driven Queer Latina, activist, actor, model, producer and trans consultant hailing from Spanish Harlem in New York City. Angelica is a proud alumni of the nation's first fully accredited LGBTQIA+ high school, The Harvey Milk High School. She is a sexual assault & homelessness survivor. She is on the Board of Directors for the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, since 2020. Angelica is an accomplished media personality and actor having appeared on several television shows, documentaries and networks such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, MSNBC, America's Next Top Model, Survival of the Thickest on Netflix and Pose Seasons 2 & 3 on FX. She has made it her mission to further educate the world on the issues that plague the trans community, to promote healing for marginalized communities and to continue to carve out space for trans and queer stories to be told. ABOUT THE STONEWALL GIVES BACK INITIATIVE: The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI) is a non-profit charitable organization inspired by the struggles and ideals of the LGBTQ rights movement born from the Stonewall Inn Uprising of 1969. They are committed to eliminating the social intolerance that is profoundly impacting the lives of LGBTQ citizens throughout America and abroad. Through awareness campaigns, educational programming, fundraising and candid public dialogue, they support grassroots organizations scattered across the world and especially those in communities where progress toward equality has been slow and the negative impact of ongoing acts of discrimination and harassment can no longer be tolerated. Contact Info Sarah Ushersarah@ 443-350-4900Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Following a Breakout Limited Release, Award-Winning Fonio Rising Pale Ale Joins Brooklyn Brewery's Core Portfolio
National Release Includes an Event Series Collaboration with African Chop House, Limited-Edition Merch by Chalé, and a Contest to Brew a Fonio Beer with Garrett Oliver at Brooklyn Brewery BROOKLYN, N.Y., February 20, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Brooklyn Brewery is expanding its core portfolio with the nationwide launch of the award-winning Fonio Rising Pale Ale, following its successful limited release in 2024, where it earned Brewbound's Best New Product of the Year award. First introduced through Brewing for Impact - a campaign of seven global collaborations featuring fonio in celebration of Garrett Oliver's 30th anniversary as brewmaster - Fonio Rising Pale Ale continues to highlight the brewing potential of the ancient, climate-resistant West African grain fonio. The growing interest and enthusiasm for Oliver's pioneering work with fonio - which he began experimenting with in 2019 - has firmly established the grain in Brooklyn Brewery's innovation efforts, leading to Fonio Rising Pale Ale becoming a permanent, year-round addition to the core lineup. Fonio Rising Pale Ale is a crisp, dry pale ale bursting with tropical passionfruit and citrus flavors. Brewed with a blend of two-row pale malt and fonio, and dry-hopped with Strata and Citra, it delivers a snappy, refreshing finish. The beer's balanced complexity makes it an ideal pairing for grilled seafood, spicy dishes, mango salsa, Yassa chicken, and fish tacos. "In my 35 years of brewing, I've never seen an ingredient or innovation excite beer drinkers and other brewers quite like this. Backed by 5,000 years of cultivation, fonio grows in near-desert conditions without chemicals, tilling, or irrigation, while supporting thousands of smallholder farmers. It's an incredible grain that makes incredible beer—fonio's got everything," explains Brooklyn Brewery's James Beard Award-winning Brewmaster Garrett Oliver. "With Fonio Rising Pale Ale joining our core lineup, African-grown fonio is finally reaching the mainstream—not just as a sustainable and socially impactful crop, but as an ingredient that makes great tasting beer. It gives this pale ale a tropical lilt that's really delicious." To celebrate Fonio Rising Pale Ale, Brooklyn Brewery is partnering with African Chop House - a cultural organization that brings people together through African food, music, and conversation - for a series of events throughout 2025 spotlighting African culture and craft. Details for the events - which will bring together bold flavors, rich culture, and more community celebration - will be announced soon. Additionally, Brooklyn Brewery and African Chop House have put together a limited-edition merchandise collection, designed by forward-thinking designer and all around creative Chalé, which will be available for purchase in the Tasting Room and online at the end of February. The Brewery is also launching the Brew a Beer with Brooklyn Brewery contest, offering one winner the chance to help craft a unique fonio-based beer alongside Oliver and his team. The grand prize includes a trip to NYC to take part in the brewing process, a collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery's designers to create a custom beer label, and an exclusive return visit for the beer's launch party. Full details can be found here. Fonio Rising Pale Ale debuted last September as a limited release under Brooklyn Brewery's Brewing for Impact initiative, a campaign designed to unite people, cultures, and traditions through beer. As part of the campaign, a global coalition of brewers—including Maison Kalao (Senegal), Thornbridge (UK), Omnipollo (Sweden), Carlsberg (Denmark), Russian River (US), Jing-A (China), and Guinness—crafted unique beers with fonio, showcasing its brewing potential and honoring Africa's deep-rooted influence on beer's history. Now a permanent addition to Brooklyn Brewery's core lineup, Fonio Rising Pale Ale celebrates the grain known as the "Seed of the Universe"—a resilient crop that thrives in poor soil without fertilizers or pesticides, regenerates land, and provides vital income for West African smallholder farmers, most of whom are women. Fonio Rising Pale Ale continues to push the boundaries of craft brewing while showcasing how tradition and innovation can coexist in every pour. DISTRIBUTION: Fonio Rising Pale Ale will be sold in 6PK of 12oz cans and on draft, available across the United States starting in late February. ABOUT BROOKLYN BREWERY: Brooklyn Brewery is a leading global independent craft brewer and a pioneer of the American craft beer revolution. From our home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, we are always in the making, drawing inspiration from our local community of innovators, makers, and doers to spread the culture and creativity of craft beer to 30 states and over 30 countries on 5 continents. Learn more at View source version on Contacts For More Information, Please Contact: Sarah UsherSU PR,
