Marcia Jones Talks Elevating Black Winemakers and Cultivating the Next Generation on The Day with Trae
Marcia Jones, the founder of Urban Connoisseurs, recently joined Trae Holiday on The Day with Trae to discuss her journey in the wine industry and her mission to elevate and support Black winemakers. Jones, who has become a pivotal figure in this market, shared insights into the challenges and successes of Black winemakers and her efforts to nurture the next generation of wine industry professionals.
Jones began her journey into the world of wine at a crossroads, unsure of what direction to take next. During this time, she visited Black-owned vineyards, which sparked her passion for the industry. Wanting to make a difference, she initially delved into sales and marketing, helping winemakers get their wines into retail. However, she quickly realized that the wine industry's complex three-tier distribution system posed significant challenges, especially for smaller, Black-owned wineries.
Instead of focusing on sales, Jones shifted her focus to raising awareness about Black winemakers through events and establishing a wine club featuring wines from Black winemakers.
"My wine club, which is what I really like doing; I provide four different wines by four different Black winemakers every quarter. And so I get excited each time quarter comes up, for example, in September, selecting the wines and deciding which four wines I want to present to my members," Jones said.
Despite the global scale of the wine industry, where there are over 10,000 wineries worldwide, Black-owned wineries represent less than 1% of this market. Jones highlighted that while Black winemakers face challenges in a market dominated by larger companies, rather than focusing on these daunting statistics, Jones emphasizes growth and creating opportunities for the next generation.
"That's where I also started working with youth to that next generation of how do you get the black winemaker industry to grow," Jones explained. "And on some levels, you start talking to the youth, the next generation."
To achieve this, she launched the Black Winemaker Scholarship Fund, managed by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). The scholarship awards two scholarships annually to students studying viticulture, enology, or related agricultural sciences. Jones's efforts focus on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with agricultural programs, ensuring that Black students interested in the winemaking industry are informed and supported in pursuing their careers. Alongside this, Jones has created the Bridge Builder Initiative, which connects students to black winemakers.
"So we went on our first black vineyard tour last year and toured vineyards throughout California, black-owned vineyards, and then this year, just two weeks ago, we just concluded our tour of Oregon and Washington," Jones said.
As for Urban Connoisseurs, they have an upcoming event this Friday, August 22, at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, in which they will host a jazz and wine event featuring saxophonist Marion Meadows. The event, which benefits the Black Winemaker Scholarship Fund and the Bridge Builder tours, will offer guests the opportunity to taste sparkling wines from Black winemakers while enjoying live jazz music. VIP ticket holders will also have the chance to meet the jazz icon.
"I can't overemphasize black winemakers, and so I want people to understand that we are in this industry, and we're making wines just like everyone else," Jones said. "Don't put Black people in this kind of category of maybe they only make this kind of wine. We're making everything, I promise you; you name a variety, and I could pretty much find a Black winemaker that makes that varietal."
Click here to join Urban Connoisseurs at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute for an evening you won't want to miss!
Catch Trae Holiday every weekday at 11 a.m. on all Converge Media platforms and The Day with Trae YouTube Channel for more insightful conversations, just like this one with Marcia Jones!
