Francisco
Legendary Poster
The challenging nature of today's wine industry hasn't deterred Mexican Americans like Lepe, whose parents are Jalisco natives.
"My parents worked in the fields (harvesting lettuce). They worked really hard to put food on the table. They couldn't give us a lot," said the Salinas native, who's considered the first Mexican American winemaker on the Monterey Peninsula. "I only went to college because I got a really big student loan that allowed me to move forward and build my career."
Lepe originally planned to major in business administration. During his last semester at Hartnell College in Salinas, however, he took a vineyard production class by pure chance.
"That one class changed my life," Lepe recalled. "When I found out you could major in wine, it completely changed my whole career."
www.kcet.org
"My parents worked in the fields (harvesting lettuce). They worked really hard to put food on the table. They couldn't give us a lot," said the Salinas native, who's considered the first Mexican American winemaker on the Monterey Peninsula. "I only went to college because I got a really big student loan that allowed me to move forward and build my career."
Lepe originally planned to major in business administration. During his last semester at Hartnell College in Salinas, however, he took a vineyard production class by pure chance.
"That one class changed my life," Lepe recalled. "When I found out you could major in wine, it completely changed my whole career."
Rooted in Struggle: Meet Mexican Americans Working in the Wine Industry
Only about 50 wineries in California are owned by Mexican Americans. A 'drop in the bucket' amid the thousands of wineries in the state.
www.kcet.org
