Women’s History Month is almost over and if you haven’t noticed, our profile pieces this month have focused on women (Isis Hernandez, Emma Janzen, Karina Abad, Elizabeth and Rosalinda Mendoza and coming next week, Kami Kenna) and all of our published pieces have been written by women. That latter part is not such a surprise given that Mezcalistas is pretty much comprised of an entire team of women. In so many ways, celebrating women for us goes well beyond a month. In fact, we have an entire category on the website dedicated to women in mezcal and our ongoing coverage.

But this year, this Women’s History Month month hit differently given all of the changes coming at us from the current administration. So many programs that have directly benefitted women and young girls, and children overall, have been cut. This includes funding for women entrepreneurs/small business programs, women’s health research, Title IX programs, after school programs, food aid, international support programs, so damn much, all under the guise of cutting waste and fraud, and anything that reeks of “DEI”. Never mind that so many of these programs and grants have been in place for decades and have been directly responsible for the success of girls and women in business, higher education, sports and more. Add to that a targeted campaign to erase women’s contributions (and anyone else who is not a white man) in various sectors. The backlash against the successes is real.

I was in Oaxaca at the beginning of the month for the 4th Foro Mujeres Unidas por el Mezcal. It is so incredible to be among women, and young women, presenting their mezcals, emboldened by the greater opportunities being presented to women. I gave two talks about the state of the mezcal market in the US and how women can navigate the various hurdles to get their mezcals into the market. Given the backdrop of the tariffs chaos and recent numbers on mezcal sales in the US, it was a mix of the good, bad and ugly. Like in the US, women and girls have made incredible steps forward due to increasing opportunities. But as in the US, there is backlash against women for these very advances, particularly in rural areas, and it has taken the form of increased violence against women.

International Women’s Day saw the annual march in downtown Oaxaca. It’s a raucous affair that winds through the Centro and much of it is centered around violence against women. I was standing on a corner waiting for the parade in the hopes of meeting up with friends and walking with them. Stores had pulled down metal gates to keep windows from being broken, banks and other chain stores had put up plywood. As chants were heard in the distance, street vendors packed up their goods and stored them away. The police arrived before the women, clearing traffic. There were two men standing behind me and as they saw the march turn onto Garcia Virgil they said in tandem, in voices I can only describe as shrill and panicked, “Ya vienen las mujeres!” (The women are coming!)

Arriving at the Zocolo, the march was met with police firing canisters and rubber bullets from rooftops. Women and children ran to take cover. It was chaotic and scary but in the scheme of things, temporary, because it is true, ya vienen las mujeres in all our glory and there is no stopping that.

Be sure to check out the recent profiles, our latest DIY tasting guide pairing mezcal and coffee, some newly added events in DC, Mexico in a Bottle Chicago and more! All links below.

Saludos,

MEZCAL NEWS

MEZCAL EVENTS

• March 28th, Mezcal Lotería, Washington, DC (Free event - RSVP required)

• March 30th, Special Batch Guided Tasting Taco Bamba, Washington DC

• March 31st, Mexico in a Bottle, Washington, DC (SOLD OUT)

• April 10th-13th, Agave Heritage Festival, Tucson

• April 27th, Mexico in a Bottle, Chicago

• SAVE THE DATE: June 5th-9th, Mexico in a Bottle Durango

• June 27th-30th, Mezcal Culture Fest, Miami