~This episode of Community Voices is sponsored by Heidi Moore, Country Financial Insurance~

** Listen for the broadcast Sunday, January 26, at 5 pm, at 99.1 FM**

One year ago this past November, Oregon Winemaker Jesus Guillén died after succumbing to cancer.

Guillen had been one of the few Mexican Americans to become a head winemaker, operating at the Oregon White Rose Estate, and was the inspiration for AHIVOY, an organization in the process of becoming a non-profit.

“Ahi Voy!” is a Spanish phrase which translates to “here I go!” or “I’m going to do it!” The soon-to-be nonprofit will aim to create opportunities and empower Latino vineyard workers of the Willamette Valley to overcome socioeconomic challenges and reach their ambitions of attaining wine industry professional training.

Rebecca Webb, Director of Portland Radio Project, recently sat down with Deanna Ornelas and Sam Parra of AHIVOY to talk about barriers faced by local vineyard workers, and how AHIVOY will help overcome them.

Part of how they will do so is by partnering with the wine studies program at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon.

According to an outreach letter seeking support from the wine industry, AHIVOY will help offset the cost of training by providing funds to cover college expenses through fundraising.

They seek to raise funds in order to cover the $600 per student per term, and the program itself is two terms total, the letter states. AHIVOY is also aiming to cover wages lost during training days.

Listen to the podcast to learn more about why professional training for vineyard workers is important, and how to support AHIVOY.

To connect with AHIVOY on Instagram, post here using the hashtag #AHIVOYOREGON.

AHIVOY would like to thank the following for support and the opportunity to start our program in 2020 with Chemeketa:

Erath Family Foundation
Vitis Terra Vineyard Services
Result Partners LLC
Dobbes Family Estate
Montinore Vineyards
Pura Vida Cocina – McMinnville
To all attendees and donors of our first fundraiser this past November

~Special thanks to Heidi Moore/Country Financial Insurance for supporting Community Voices~

PRP
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