Darwin Acosta (they/them) is Afro-Hispanic, first-generation American, and is from NYC. Darwin is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with an Associates' Degree in Baking and Pastry and a Dual Bachelors' Degree in Culinary Science and Applied Food Studies. That is where they were introduced to formal wine education and wanted to pursue an interest within the world of beverage. As a result of living in Napa and noticing the lack of a collected queer community, especially in wine, Darwin created Co-Fermented, an organization dedicated to creating awareness and representation for LGBTIA folks in the wine industry.