Ikimi Dubose-Woodson has come a long way in her career since her days as a silver polisher at age 15. But without that humble job at the New York Marriott World Trade Center in 1997, the 41-year-old would not be where she is today—nor as committed to community service.
It was there that she met her lifelong mentor, award-winning chef Walter Plender, who later supported her during her studies at Johnson & Wales, where she received a scholarship from the nonprofit Careers Through Culinary Arts Program.
Today, she is CEO and co-founder of Roots Fund, a nonprofit based in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, dedicated to supporting communities of color in the wine industry.
“In addition to my mother’s generous heart, it has always been important to me to give back to my community,” Dubose-Woodson said.
After completing two degrees, Dubose-Woodson embarked on a whirlwind adventure in Singapore, South Asia and Europe, where she “studied food through people and cultures.” When she returned home, she realized that while she loved restaurants, they didn’t pay particularly well.
So she decided to pursue a career in the hospitality industry, and Dubose-Woodson began her career at Marriott and Ritz-Carlton. Over the next 15 years, she opened hotel restaurants and trained chefs across the country in international cuisine. In 2010, the versatile chef decided to leave the company and venture into restaurant groups.
Another career change was coming in 2020, when Dubose-Woodson decided to start her own consulting business, which thrived at the start of the pandemic by teaching upscale restaurants how to become sustainable food purveyors. At the same time, Dubose-Woodson was attending Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy and completing the certificate program for leaders in the nonprofit sector when she decided it was time to “put all my energy into helping others” in the food and beverage industry.
The inspiration?
“When Carlton McCoy Jr., one of four Black Master Sommeliers in the world, made an effort to create a beverage scholarship for wine communities of color, I was eager to help,” Dubose-Woodson recalls. Two months later, she founded the nonprofit Roots Fund, which quickly became her life’s work.
Since its founding, the Roots Fund, which is based in Stamford, Connecticut, with an office in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, has worked tirelessly to “pave the way for people of color in the wine and spirits industry.” To date, the organization has raised over $2.5 million and awarded more than 200 scholarships “to bring change and equity to the wine industry for years to come” through financial support for training, mentoring and job placement.
“The Roots Fund is there doing the work to create inclusivity for communities of color in the beverage industry,” Dubose-Woodson said.
Unfortunately, Dubose-Woodson knows firsthand the lack of diversity in the food and beverage industry.
“I don’t remember seeing many women or people of color in the beverage industry during my career,” she said. “When I look at the power of the beverage industry, which is one of the top 10 industries in terms of revenue in this country, it should reflect all people. This is a personal thing because my career would not have been as great without scholarships, mentors or support. I want to pass on what I’ve been given to others.”
Giving back to the New York community is especially important to the Brooklyn native. New York is a mecca for food and wine, a “perfect market” with countless wine and spirits events and endless contacts.
That’s why Dubose-Woodson finds it very rewarding to see the people who have benefited from the Roots Fund also giving something back.
Amy Wright, wine buyer at Le Dû Wines in the West Village, is an alumna—or “vintage fellow,” as she’s known—of the Roots Fund and pays that generosity forward by serving as a wine educator for the nonprofit.
“We supported her diploma with the help of the Wine Spirits Education Trust,” said Dubose-Woodson, adding that Wright happens to be one of the brightest minds in the wine business.
“It’s not just about financial support, but also mentoring and guidance to make sure she’s successful,” Dubose-Woods said. “Our program is not about hand-holding, but giving industry professionals a level of responsibility that leads to success.”
The Roots Fund has so far supported the careers of over 200 people of color in the beverage industry. Dubose-Woodson often thinks back to the program’s very first fellow, Daren Clark, an aspiring winemaker.
Thanks to the Roots Fund, Clark has lived in France, Italy and New Zealand, studied and learned French with the world’s best wine producers, and now works for one of Burgundy’s most prestigious winemaking families. For Dubose-Woodson, he is a great example of “what support can do to change mindsets and advance careers.”
But Clark, Wright and the other program participants aren’t just proof of success in the field. From the high school students they mentor in a “Fermenting the Future” mentoring program to “wise restaurant professionals,” they’re witnessing the power of a robust support system that goes beyond financial aid.
“At our organization, you don’t just get money,” Dubose-Woodson said. “You can get a support system that’s tailored specifically for you. We offer education, mentoring, mental health counseling, job placement and the opportunity to have a community around you.”
