Cheers to | Women's History Month
It's Women's History Month and we're raising a glass to women around the world who have challenged gender norms and carved a path for those behind them.
Today we're highlighting a few incredible women that we've had the privilege of partnering with.
Lynnette Marrero
Lynnette is an award-winning New York City-based bartender, mixologist and philanthropist. She co-hosts the Masterclass series called Lynnette Marrero and Ryan Chetiyawardana Teach Mixology where she teaches the essentials of cocktail making and how to create a perfectly balanced drink.
Lynnette is also known for co-creating the world's first all-female speed bartending competition, Speed Rack. She is widely regarded as one of the pioneering bartenders in the industry and Solento was honored to have her co-host a Virtual Mixology experience earlier this year making Solento based cocktails.
Lynnette's advice to the next generation: "Define your work without letting it define you.”
Cocktail Bandits - Johnny + Neka
Johnny Caldwell and Taneka Reaves are the dynamic duo known as Cocktail Bandits, they promote female empowerment through advocacy for the food and beverage community from a feminine, urban perspective. Check out their recent taste review of Solento Blanco!
The duo are the first African American females to write a book on cocktail history and cocktail recipes. Holy Spirits! provides an overview of Charleston cocktail culture from a unique, urban perspective.
Johnny + Neka's advice to the next generation: “Be patient. Your time will come. Continue to create, innovate and inspire.”
Sarah Larson Levey
Sarah is the Founder and CEO of Y7. The Y7 experience combines vinyasa yoga, heat, and darkness, connecting you deeper to your mind and body. All her studios are heated to 80-90 degrees with infrared technology, creating a detoxifying sweat that stimulates blood circulation and increases flexibility. The Solento team loves Y7's 'Hip-Hop Wednesdays', it really takes hot yoga classes to a whole new level.
We had the pleasure of partnering with Sarah for our #keepitslowkeepitbright campaign encouraging self care and slow sipping.
Sarah's advice to the next generation: “Surround yourself with people who will champion you and celebrate your growth.”
Malene Barnett
Malene Barnett is an artist, activist, and authority on the cultural traditions and practices of art in the African diaspora and how it translates into her vision of the modern black experience. She is also the founder of the Black Artists and Designers Guild (BADG), a global collective of independent Black artists, makers, and designers through the African diaspora.
Solento hosted an art auction in 2020 to raise funds and awareness for Malene's work at the BADG. This also created a connection and conversation between the creatives at BADG and Solento around creative process, recent work, and wishes for the world.
Malene's advice to the next generation: “The key is to start taking action. No matter how small that action may be.”
