Michele Wonder Oral History Interview, January 14, 2021

Partial Transcript: Okay. Go ahead and introduce yourself.

Segment Synopsis: Wonder introduces herself and discusses her childhood and upbringing. She was born and raised in Long Beach, California along with her brother. Her father was a mechanic and her mother was a stay-at-home mom.

Partial Transcript: What was, what was Long Beach like in terms of the industry and culture and environment? Like, what was it like to grow up there?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about growing up in Long Beach. She notes that it was a busy shipping port and that the shipping industry was a crucial part of the economy. She notes that along with the working-class, shipping culture, Long Beach in the ‘90s was a part of Southern California culture. There was a boom in art, music, and other forms of entertainment.

Partial Transcript: So what were you interested in academically?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder discusses her memories of school. She notes that she wasn’t very academically inclined. She describes her high school experience, stating that although she was friendly with most other students, she didn’t form a lot of deep connections, and struggled with her sexuality throughout puberty.

Partial Transcript: So what did, what did you think you wanted to do?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder explains that she did not have a clear plan about what career she was interested in or what she wanted to study, but that she ended up attending college because it was expected of her. While in college she bounced around from school to school. She was more interested in her internships, such as her stint as a camp counselor in Hawaii, than she was in her academic career, and after graduating she decided to pursue traveling.

Partial Transcript: So you traveled a lot with your parents and certainly explored some of these same places, it sounds like, with your family. What was it like to be on your own?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about the time she spent traveling after leaving college. She explains that she traveled to a variety of places, but spent the most time in Ireland. She talks about her experience there, offering anecdotes about the friends she made and activities she participated in.

Partial Transcript: So were you into beer at that time?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder discusses her experiences with beer while in her early twenties. She states that she was interested in beer already, although she didn’t have the same passion then as she does now. She became very interested in pub culture while traveling, and spent a lot of time in bars while in Ireland. She briefly laments how the Covid-19 pandemic has led to the shut down of many bars and pubs.

Partial Transcript: Were you able to travel much? I mean, it sounds like you were really embedded.

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks briefly about the different parts of Ireland she traveled to, as well as the brief periods of time she spent in the U.K.

Partial Transcript: What was it like to come out?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder describes her experience coming out as a lesbian. She states that before she came out to her family, she first struggled to acknowledge her own sexuality to herself. After she was able to do that, she says, she was more at peace.

Partial Transcript: And I had always wanted to get a higher degree, a master's degree, and but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about enrolling in and attending photography school for a couple of years. She notes that although she loved photography, the cost of graduate school was too expensive and she ultimately decided to drop out.

Partial Transcript: Let's rewind just a second. I want to ask you about Colorado.

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about living in Colorado after returning to the U.S. from Ireland. She explains that Colorado had a hugely popular beer scene at the time that she became interested in. Many of her friends were homebrewers, and she first began experimenting with brewing while living in Colorado. Wonder also talks about the broader countercultural elements within Boulder while she was living there and some of her memories of the city.

Partial Transcript: What was it like in, in the time that you were interested in photography until you were working as a professional photographer? Technology changed like a crazy amount.

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about the technological developments in the photography field and the transition from film to digital photography.

Partial Transcript: What made you want to move to San Francisco?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about moving to San Francisco. She states that she was interested in moving to the West Coast and was attracted to San Francisco because its large queer population and reputation as an artistic city. She discusses what her experience was like after moving there, describing the social scene, common activities, her close friends, and her jobs. She focuses on how friendly it San Francisco was to queer people, and how that impacted her.

Partial Transcript: So I'm curious how you how you started to form your ideas about what welcoming spaces were at that time and what felt good to you. Like, what does that mean to you?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about inclusivity in the brewing industry. She describes some of her experiences of being discriminated against. She states that the brewing industry has become increasingly diverse and inclusive over the years, but that there is still discrimination against women, queer people, and people of color working in the brewing industry.

Partial Transcript: When did you meet your wife and when and how did you decide to move to Portland?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about meeting her wife while in San Francisco and there decision to move to Portland together. Wonder states that her wife was interested in moving to the Pacific Northwest and that she herself was interested in the photography opportunities a move would provide.

Partial Transcript: Then I just kind of felt like, you know what, it's time for change.

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about switching careers from photography to brewing. She states that being self-employed as a photographer blurred the lines between her work and her personal time, and she was interested in a more stable career. She knew people in the beer industry, which is how she was eventually hired as a brewer.

Partial Transcript: Had you homebrewed at that point?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about homebrewing and studying to become a brewer. She explains that she became passionate about homebrewing, and that homebrewing in conjunction with academic study allowed her to learn a great deal about the beer industry very quickly.

Partial Transcript: What was that like as a new community?

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about living and working in Portland. She compares it to San Francisco, noting that while its not quite as cosmopolitan, some of the countercultural elements remain the same.

Partial Transcript: I mean, I don't know how much your job has changed in COVID.

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about how her job has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. She explains that after the shutdowns began in response to the pandemic, she and her fellow brewers were laid off. After being hired back on again when the shutdowns began to lift, she transitioned from being a brewer to overseeing the brewery’s social media accounts and working largely in communications.

Partial Transcript: Yeah, I want to hear about a couple of things. Kind of...Well, the Pink Boot society.

Segment Synopsis: Wonder discusses her involvement in the Pink Boot Society and other brewing societies dedicated to equality and diversity within the brewing industry. She states that these organizations are important as they offer support to brewers from minority backgrounds and are also a good way of creating a collaborative and friendly environment for brewers. She also describes a variety of events put on by these organizations and talks about some of the friends she made through the Pink Boot Society.

Partial Transcript: I want to hear about how you found out about the Pink Boot Society...the way that I'm kind of situating it in my brain is this idea of the importance of mentoring and education.

Segment Synopsis: Wonder talks about the importance of mentorship within the brewing community. She states that its valuable for new brewers to learn from older brewers who have more experience within the field as it helps to pass down traditional knowledge while also creating space for innovation. She talks about some of her own relationships as both a mentor and a mentee and how they have impacted her brewing.

Partial Transcript: I always do end my interviews by asking if there was anything that you wanted to talk about that we didn't talk about or something that you thought about.

Segment Synopsis: Wonder and the interviewer conclude the interview and say goodbye.