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U.S. Launch of House of Mandela Wines in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn

VIDEO: House of Mandela Wines Comes to Bed-Vyne Wines

 

There's a tendency for us to mythologize our beloved leaders. Nelson Mandela is no different.

As the ANC leader who languished in a South African prison for 27 years and then became South Africa's first black president, he's become a symbol of bravery and forgiveness in the face of oppression. But to Makaziwe Mandela and Tukwini Mandela, he's no myth he's a man--their father and grandfather. Mr. Mandela didn't just "fall from the sky," as they put it. For their family, he's a symbol of self-determination who's taught them that when you put your mind to achieve something you can do it.

It's this legacy that Dr. Makaziwe Mandela (known more commonly as Maki) and Ms. Tukwini Mandela are bringing to their latest venture: House of Mandela wines. They're joining the very short list of black-owned wineries in South Africa's $3 billion wine industry. They hope that by doing so they'll empower other black business people to do the same.

On their first trip to Brooklyn, NY, Dr. Mandela and Ms. Mandela came to Bed-Vyne Wines, Bedford-Stuyvesant's boutique wine shop, to help the owners Michael Brooks and Rotimi Akinnuoye celebrate their second anniversary. The Mandela women also shared their thoughts on family legacy, the importance of being socially responsible in their business and how they're using the House of Mandela to give back to South Africa, one bottle at a time.

 

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