Lady Justice Brewing Company is a Latina-founded, queer- and woman-owned business that takes allyship to a whole 'nother level.

Betsy Lay & Alison Wisneski are the owners and they're not shy:

“We’re often asked why we talk about our LGBTQ+ identity so much. To that, we ask, why would we hide who we are? Why would we not be queer and allied all year long, not just in #PrideMonth) June? It’s called pride for a reason, babe. We always have it."

Here's 7 ways they mean what they say.

1. Teach

Every good ally can start by helping everyone be better informed and educated. Knowledge is power! Their #queerlittlefreelibrary provides books by queer folks, about queer folks, for queer folks – and cisgender folks too. We're all always learning, right?

2. Help

With their #pouringgoodness program, a portion of proceeds from a designated tap line goes to support a non-profit every month, like:

• Aimee Soete Memorial Scholarship Fund (performing and visual arts)
• Celestial Alegría (racial equity)
• Frontline Farming (food equity)
• Undestructable (domestic violence & intimate partner violence)
• Aurora Mental Health & Recovery (mental health and addiction services)
• Alliance to Lead Impact in Global Human Trafficking (human trafficking)
• Parasol Patrol (hate speech)
• Period Kits (period products)
• Denver Food Rescue (food waste & food equity)
• Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition – CIRC (immigrant rights)
• Endo Black (endometriosis)
• Project Worthmore (refugees)
• Casa de Paz Colorado (immigrant families)
• Queer Asterisk (queer & trans community)
• The Blue Bench (sexual assault)
• The Autistic People of Color Fund (POC autism)

3. Share

Those with ability also need to have the confidence to share. Lady Justice frequently opens up their physical space to other local businesses like Bánh & Butter Bakery Cafe and Mukja Food Truck, giving them more visibility and customers!

4. Collaborate

A queer and women-owned brewery working with another queer and women-owned brewery, in your own back yard? Isn't that giving away your business and customers? Not if you trust that you're stronger together. A collab with Goldspot Brewing Co. is just one of many that Lady Justice has done over the years.

5. Empower

When sharing and collaborating leaves room to do more, you open up your brewery for LGBTQ+ Small Business Owner Networking. Free to join and “meet other queer business owners to find out how you can help one another out with support from the community!"

6. Defend

Betsy & Alison have the courage to use their voice, especially when they see injustice towards women and BIPOC communities. Read their recent open letter to the Brewers Association about failure to address safety, equity, and inclusion needs of LGBTQ+ attendees at this year's Craft Brewers Conference.

7. Protect

Finally, creating safe spaces is so important in an industry whose culture allows so much gender-based harassment and other forms of violence. Lady Justice co-founded the Safe Bars P.A.C.T. to challenge and commit those in the beverage industry to create “safer, more respectful work and drinking spaces for employees and consumers".  

One last thing …

… possibly my all-time favorite Lady Justice post! Happy Pride Month/Year y’all and a huge shout out to Betsy, Alison and all the wonderful people at Lady Justice!