Preconference Experience Highlights Perspectives from Minneapolis
The THRIVE Workshop at the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference is a day-long experience that invites attendees to take a deep and integrated dive into diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), human resources (HR), and wellness topics tailored for craft breweries of all sizes. The workshop features guest speakers, educational seminars, hands-on workshops, networking, and opportunities to connect with experts. The THRIVE workshop is an opportunity to develop a range of people-focused practices that elevate small businesses.
Pre-registration is required for the THRIVE workshop and capacity limited. Those planning to attend the THRIVE Workshop at the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference are strongly encouraged to register early. Registration for Brewers Association members is $15; registration for non-members is $20.
THRIVE was launched in 2021 as a curated passport to the Craft Brewers Conference. The Brewers Association builds upon last year’s effort with the addition of the THRIVE workshop. “It’s like a conference within a conference,” said J Jackson-Beckham, Brewers Association equity and inclusion partner. “The workshop will give attendees the opportunity for the kind of sustained in-depth engagement with people-centered practices and learning about DEI, HR, and wellness that is difficult to deliver in seminars that are spread out throughout CBC.”
Since 2020, Minneapolis has been at the center of national conversations about social justice and racial equity. The 2022 THRIVE Workshop program highlights the unique perspectives, experiences, and expertise of multiple members of the Twin Cities community.
The Workshop will kick off with an opening address from Scottie Carter, JD, executive vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Greater Twin Cities United Way. A graduate of Howard University School of Law, Carter worked for more than 15 years on issues of inequity as a professional, community organizer, and volunteer. At the Greater Twin Cities United Way, Carter is a catalyst for intentional change who challenges the status quo in the service of building a more diverse and equitable organization that serves the community. Carter will speak to THRIVE Workshop attendees about the power of community engagement and the opportunities small businesses have to affect positive change.
The remainder of the morning will be packed with educational seminars, including one from the Twin Cities-based Brewing Change Collaborative on what the advocacy group has observed and accomplished since its founding, as well as actionable lessons for craft brewers. The morning session will also include an interactive workshop on building safe workplaces by Safe Bars, a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization that helps bars, restaurants, breweries, and other alcohol-serving spaces create safe and welcoming cultures for patrons, and safe and respectful workplaces for staff.
The workshop’s micro-consultations will kick off during a complimentary lunch. A group of professionals whose areas expertise span a wide variety of topics—from employee assistance programs to inclusive management practice—will be available for 15-minute one-on-ones. Attendees will have an opportunity to sign up for micro-consults in the weeks leading up to the conference.
The afternoon encourages attendees to dig deeper into one of two hands-on workshops. Minneapolis-based Jacquelyn Burt will teach attendees about reflective practice as a framework and tool for improving personal, professional, and relational development. Members of the Brewers Association diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committee will present a follow-up to their presentation at CBC 2021 that invites attendees to create or revise equity scorecards for their organizations.
When asked what audience the THRIVE workshop was developed for, Jackson-Beckham said, “This workshop is for everyone, but it will be especially useful for those who want to prioritize DEI, HR, and wellness but haven’t quite worked out how to integrate them into their business practices.”
THRIVE at CBC
The THRIVE Workshop will not be the only place CBC attendees can engage with DEI, HR, and wellness-related content. A range of related educational seminars can be found in the conference schedule and will be highlighted on the 2022 edition of the THRIVE passport. The National Conflict Resolution Center will return to the conference with its Bystander Challenge anti-harassment complaint workshop as well as a new workshop, The Art of Inclusive Communication.
Attendees will additionally be treated to a film screening of One Pint at A Time, a critically acclaimed documentary about Black brewers, brand owners and influencers across the country who are reshaping the craft beer community. “This is the first documentary to delve exclusively into the Black experience in American craft beer,” said writer/director/producer Aaron Hosé, “We cannot think of a better forum than the CBC to share these important stories. This is the target audience that needs to see our film.” The screening will be followed by a roundtable discussion with the filmmakers and several of the industry professionals featured in the film.
About THRIVE
THRIVE is a Brewers Association initiative that takes a proactive and comprehensive approach to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), human resources (HR), and physical and mental wellness in the craft brewing community. THRIVE recognizes that DEI, human resources, and wellness are intimately related components of the workplace experience that are productively enriched when developed together. Through THRIVE, the Brewers Association seeks to establish “thriving human beings” alongside safety, quality, and sustainably as cornerstones of a healthy, responsible, and profitable craft brewing industry.
