SAN ANTONIO – After a successful launch of its Black is Beautiful craft beer campaign, San Antonio’s Weathered Souls Brewing Company donated a $20,000 check on Friday to the local chapter of 100 Black Men of America.
The San Antonio nonprofit organization was chartered in July 1999, and its goal is to provide services to disadvantaged, disenfranchised and low-income youth and families.
Weathered Souls co-founder and owner Marcus Baskerville started the campaign in June after George Floyd’s killing and the protests that ensued around the world and in San Antonio.
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“I was trying to figure out a way as a black business owner how I can put my best foot forward and assist with the message and the mission of equality,” Baskerville told KSAT in June.
He created a stout beer and shared the recipe for other breweries to make their own batch or a variation of it.
“The whole Black is a Beautiful platform is to highlight the injustices and inequalities of people of color and to basically call upon the brewing industry, which has been great at supporting other causes and contributions,” Baskerville said.
Close to 1,000 breweries from 50 states and 22 countries signed on to brew Black is Beautiful and spread Baskerville’s message. The feedback from across the country and San Antonio community has been overwhelmingly positive.
“I think San Antonio has actually been really great as far as the acceptance of people of color dealing with certain backgrounds and certain professional positions,” Baskerville said.
Weathered Souls, located on the near North Side on Embassy Oaks, started selling Black is Beautiful during the 4th of July weekend. It sold out within a day with more orders coming in by the day.
Baskerville has asked for purchases to support Know Your Rights Camp, which was launched by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick.
He’s also asked participating breweries to support an organization working toward equality or police reform.
On top of the initial donation, Weathered Souls donated more than $2,000 and Jagermiester donated $5,000 to Know Your Rights. The organization also received $2,300 from Custom Ink after sales from Black is Beautiful T-shirts.
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