Dripping with Rizoma: Damon Arredondo spearheads the metro’s flagship Hispanic brewery

Damon Arredondo of Rizoma. // Courtesy photo

Damon Arredondo, owner and founder of Rizoma, grew up in Parkville, where most residents are white and Catholic. As a child, he felt deeply disconnected from his Latinx roots due, in part, to the community in which he was raised. He always had a desire for a safe space but no luck in finding one.

“I don’t speak Spanish,” says Arredondo. “I have a Mexican last name, but I was less connected with my Mexican roots because of family divorce. I still identify as Mexican, and my story connects with a lot of people.”

Years later, he found himself in Oregon, working for first-generation Mexican American restaurant owners. Arredondo says the idea for Rizoma started while working as a brewer for their business. He felt the restaurant was deeply exploitative of Mexican culture, so he sold his share and moved back to Kansas City.

The idea for Rizoma has been eight years in the making for Arredondo. The beer industry is one that is predominantly white, and he wanted to be a part of changing that narrative by creating a company that could support his heritage in a much more honest way than he had previously experienced.

The name Rizoma is Spanish for “rhizome” or “root” and serves as an homage to the Latinx roots of the company. Arredondo does not want his company to represent “Latinism” but rather wants his company to serve as a platform for the Latinx voices within the metro. He encourages people to reach out to him on social media or his website with their own stories.

“‘Latinism’ isn’t even really a word, but it’s really like the state of being a Latino or Hispanic,” Arredondo says. “For me, what does that even mean? And how do we identify with it?”

Courtesy photo

The company’s logo was designed by Edwing Mendez, a friend of Arredondo and a co-owner of Rizoma. Mendez is a local graphic designer as well as the art director of the brewery. The logo was designed with simplicity in mind to allow for easy screen printing. The “O” in the image has four dots around it, designed to resemble people sitting around a kitchen table.

According to Arredondo, the most difficult and honest conversations take place at the table after dinner is finished—the types of conversations he wants to foster with his company and product.

Intentionality is important to Arredondo. Rizoma is committed to remaining a Latinx-majority ownership. Though limitations can sometimes make the process trickier, they are also particular about choosing vendors that are predominantly Latinx.

Currently, Rizoma features two main brews: “El Sol” and “La Luna.” Though he does plan to dabble in an IPA or seasonal flavor in the future, Arredondo prefers to keep it simple for now and believes his brews are merely a way to get the conversations started—not what the conversations should be about. The goal of the company is to only be 30% about what you drink and 70% about who you are drinking with.

“You know, it’s really just about being something that brings people together,” says Arredondo.

Rizoma does not have a physical location yet, but they are currently in negotiations and hope to have a space to share with the community soon. Arredondo feels that having safe spaces in the community, such as the one he plans to create, allows for people to share their stories and experiences.

“I’m just a big, emotional person, and I tend to cry publicly sometimes,” Arredondo says.

The flagship will be a multi-purpose facility that can serve as a home to the brewery, a taproom, and a gathering place. Within the space, Arredondo would like to hold events such as concerts, poetry slams, and open mic comedy nights. He says the walls will be decorated with works from local artists to encourage conversation among guests. Future plans for the company include partnering with organizations in the sale of his two main brews to benefit local nonprofits.

“How can we leverage our space to support these places? To share their mission? How can we be a platform for people to impact others? I believe that being a business like this means we have a responsibility to create a community center,” says Arredondo.