Race & Hospitality

Hosted by: Douglas Riccardi

What needs to change in our collective effort to create a more diverse and equitable future? This was the question posed by NYCHG on August 12th and member Douglas Riccardi reached out to his network and pulled together a stellar group to conduct this conversation. Julia Turshen  author and founder of Equity at the Table, our guest moderator, expanded on this question and asked the speakers to unravel “why is this question worth asking?” Our panel of hospitality professionals weighed in throughout the session and provided illuminating answers as well as insightful statements as they each approached the questions posed to them during the panel. 

Julia began by asking the panel as a whole to comment on the difference between diversity and equity. Kutina Ruhumbika  VP of HR for Major Food Group jumped in with “diversity is not always equitable. Diversity doesn’t always mean that everyone has the same shot at the same goals.” Aretah Ettarh  a sous chef at Gramercy Tavern, added that some operators have the mentality of “we’re diverse because not everyone is white so we’ve done the work” but in fact, “how you break down how people are paid and their role in leadership” is where the real equity comes in. Letitcia Skai Young-Mohan  the owner of Lolo’s Seafood Shack, added that “diversity is representation; representation and a seat at the table. Diversity is also about access as an owner; access to deals, money, capital and opportunities in general.” Kobla Asamoah  Head of Small Business at Hot Bread Kitchen,  echoed this point of view and shared that “diversity is a start….but it does not mean equity. The shot is not the same for small businesses; there’s so many elements across the spectrum before a business can be sustainable and if you don’t have those pieces then you don’t have equity.”

Throughout the webinar, Julia posed a number of insightful questions and acknowledged the power of each story and personal insight that was shared, as she guided the panelists by posing follow-up questions and also integrating questions from the attendees. 

Each panelist brought his and her full experience of institutionalized racism in hospitality to the talk and shared some incredible & truthful insights.  Among many powerful moments, these resonated with attendees and members alike:  

• On listening and being heard: Aretah shared that when a colleague says something that comes across as racist or offensive “the default reaction is defensive. There tends to be a lot of excuses instead of a dialogue about racism.” When Aretah was coming up in the industry she turned to humor and didn’t try to point out “why x, y and z is offensive” but now, she said, “I’m in a position to advocate for other people. Because of my proximity to leadership I can have these conversations for myself and for other people” whose voices – like her own in prior years – went unheard. On being a resource for her white colleagues she shared “It takes emotional labor to have these conversations; I’m not your go-to person for all things Black; I’m just one person and I have one specific lived experience.”
• On removing preventable roadblocks: Kutina stressed the important of leadership. “In a small restaurant  the GM and chef set the tone. In a large organization they put things on HR [but instead], white male leaders need to be linking arms with me.” She stressed the importance of leaders calling out behaviors that they see. It’s essential that these top leaders “have organic conversations that happen over and over and over again without being prompted by HR.” She also shared: “First, I’m a black woman and a human. I’m dealing with my own trauma; I’m as real as it gets, I talk with compassion and empathy. This dialogue is not about people who look like me, it’s about LGBT and people with disabilities. Leaders are quiet but these conversations are necessary and your employees are looking at you.” 
• On the meaning of ownership: to begin, Skai shared that “before you get to ownership, there are so many barriers, so many hurdles. The financial barriers are 1, 2, and 3” on the list. Despite self-funding her first business, when looking for funding for her second venture, she was “denied by the banks even with a successful brand and concept.” So she reached out to the community where “ownership isn’t new, especially in Harlem, but we’re waiting for other folks” to support our brands. “’Buy Black’ is great support but it’s not the answer to systemic racism.” She continued, “opportunities are filtered through a small group of people: food halls, developers, lawyers and lenders. We are shut out of these opportunities” And Skai shared this statement: “being a black woman owner is itself a form of resistance. We’ve come a long way but have a long way to go.” 
• On bringing your full self to your business as an entrepreneur:  Kobla shared that “entrepreneurship allows an owner to bring their influences to light. Entrepreneurs are thick skinned but need support in 4 areas” from the community, institutions, investors and organizations. He elaborated that community elevation and a network of entrepreneurs is key but that it’s especially hard for Black owners to get funding. “Only 1-2% of Venture Capital gets to Black owned business. 95% of Black entrepreneurs were shut out of PPP and 40% of Black-owned businesses have closed during this time.” In his role supporting small businesses at Hot Bread Kitchen he shared that there is a dearth of organizational support for black owners and shared that one client “was a black, female, immigrant Muslim…there were organizations for her being a female, an immigrant, a Muslim, but nothing for her as a Black person.” In his organization they seek to “remove barriers for careers in food.” They do so by “leveraging their network and advising abilities to provide solutions.” 

The panel finished the webinar by touching on cross-racial inclusion with Aretah illuminating that “anti-Blackness is pervasive in all communities, including the Black community. So it’s important to acknowledge that just because you’re not white doesn’t mean you have anti-Black tendencies. That’s part of the homework that everyone should be doing.” She continued: “You know, it’s an institution and systematic for hundreds of years and It’s going to take more than this singular conversation to see the strides that we’re hoping for.” 

Julia completed the webinar by sharing the framework that helps her engage with others on the topic of race and equity. “I use my experiences (as a gay woman, a Jewish woman) as roads into having more empathy and understanding and not roads out of the conversation.” 

Watch the full video for more insights and truths about race and hospitality. 

For more information and community support:
Please visit the NYCHG Community Hotline, a Facebook Group where hospitality operators can ask questions and members will provide professional guidance.