A Canadian philosopher named Jean Vanier once said, “Each human being, however small or weak, has something to bring to humanity. As we start to really get to know others, as we begin to listen to each other’s stories, things begin to change. We begin the movement from exclusion to inclusion, from fear to trust, from closedness to openness, from judgment and prejudice to forgiveness and understanding. It is a movement of the heart.” The same can be said about the Wine industry. Over the last few years, we have opened our eyes to the underrepresentation of marginalized groups within our industry and, more importantly, decided that it was time for a change.

In a recent article published by Winemag.com, our winemaker Theresa Heredia had this to say regarding the issues surrounding diversity in the Wine Industry. “If places of business want to welcome diversity and provide equal opportunities to all—whether we’re talking about race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other marginalized group in society—their public image should provide a reflection of the type of employee and clientele they welcome.” 

(Click Here to View the Full Article)

Here at GFW, our team consists of those who identify as marginalized populations, including racial, religious, and sexual minorities and their majority allies. We continue to look to add diversity to our team.

We as an organization recognize that it is critically important for us to take concrete actions to facilitate the values we hold dear, the changes we seek, and advocate for change in both our own community of Sonoma County and the broader wine community.

You can read more about our diversity pledge by clicking the link below.

(Our Commitment to Diversity)

THERESA HEREDIA, WINEMAKER AT GARY FARRELL VINEYARDS & WINERY / PHOTO BY WILL BUCQUOY