The Big Sip

From displacement to revitalization. From destruction to investment. From exclusion to ownership. Chris Renfro, along with his partner Jannea, founded The Two Eighty Project with the initial goal of increasing equity and diversity within wine to benefit all. The project’s journey began when Chris, a trained horticulturalist, got his chance in 2019 to nourish a once-abandoned vineyard back to life. Tucked away in Alemany Farms, a public park on the backside of Bernal Heights along Interstate 280 in San Francisco, lies a garden and several rows of vines. Next to it? A low-income housing community in the projects. What began as an idea to reclaim a colonized wine industry, soon after morphed into a larger opportunity to revitalize an entire underserved and marginalized community.  Through access, opportunity, and visibility, the vineyard in the city is serving a larger social purpose to address food apartheid, housing injustices, and the importance of providing a safe space for Black and inner-city youth to learn, to explore, to be seen, and to be inquisitive. 

Since its founding, Chris has realized a vision rooted in building a sustainable food and wine community that nourishes every member of the local economy and ecosystem. Through various collaborations, including a special partnership alongside winemaker Steve Mattiason, The 280 Project launched an apprenticeship program, giving underrepresented individuals a chance to learn about wine, viticulture, and farming education. Chris also co-runs Feed the People Collective, where he and several allies gather once a month, collect fresh goods from Alemany Farm, and cook for the surrounding community for free. Most recently, The 280 Project was named Gerard Basset Foundation’s 2023 award recipient, giving Chris and Jannea’s apprenticeship program the chance to reach new heights.

In this episode, Chris and I discuss the intersection of wine, activism, entrepreneurship, the historical disenfranchisement of land that drove Chris on a journey to address the inequalities in his surrounding community, and a need to protect and provide Black and brown youth with meaningful solutions. We also explore the idea of true allyship and the monumental difference it makes when you are surrounded by a community who lends their talents, resources and abilities to help you and others thrive. Pour yourself a hearty glass as we serve up juice with a social justice purpose too. 

Don't forget to follow along on IG, get involved, and support: @280project